Nearly 60 seniors from Los Amigos High School will not only receive their diplomas at graduation but also earn associate degrees come May.
Airing on KCAL News’ Class Act segment on Tuesday, March 11, reporter Jasmine Viel provided viewers with insight into the numerous opportunities available at the Garden Grove Unified School District campus, including the Early College Academy program — a collaborative initiative with Golden West College.
“I’ve been with them since day one during distance learning,” Erin Chase, the program coordinator, said. “I have meetings almost every week with parents who are interested in transferring their students from Long Beach, Los Angeles County and others. Word has gotten out about how this is such a great opportunity.”
These 12th-graders are part of the program’s first cohort of students who dedicated four school years to earning their degrees. With this accomplishment, they will be able to transfer to a four-year college with general education requirements met and will also be able to walk in the graduation ceremony at the community college.
“I got accepted early into UC Berkeley and I’m currently trying to get into USC,” Vivian, a senior in the program, said. “I hope to become an attorney specifically in family law or immigration law.”
Viel also spotlighted the Los Amigos Lobos’ associated student body, girls flag football team, dance and cheer teams, as well as the journalism and yearbook class.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- Four high-performing middle schools in Orange County earned renewed statuses in the California Schools to Watch program.
- The Orange County Department of Education recently hosted its latest physical education peer learning lab on March 6, inviting educators to observe a unified P.E. class at Travis Ranch School and gather best practices to implement similar curriculum for students with disabilities at their campus sites.
- This week marked the 135th anniversary of Orange County’s split from Los Angeles County and its establishment as a separate political entity, a move that eventually led to the formation of OCDE as an independent agency 88 years later.
- The local Association of California School Administrators chapter unveiled its list of 15 exemplary educational leaders on March 8.
- San Clemente High School has earned the “National Demonstration School” distinction from the Advancement Via Individual Determination — or AVID — program, an honor reserved for only the top 2 percent of AVID programs nationwide.
- The California League of Educators named Mucio Vidales as Middle School Teacher of the Year in recognition of his educational excellence, following his nomination.
- Students enrolled in the Femineer program at Buena Park Middle School put their lessons on robotics to the test by participating in a local high school’s STEM tournament.
- In partnership with North Orange County ROP, the Los Alamitos Unified School District recently revealed a realistic ambulance simulator as part of its emergency response career technical education pathway program.
- The Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education voted to update its parental notification policy as it fights a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta, as reported by AP News.
- The Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees has passed a resolution notifying teachers of potential layoffs as the district faces enrollment declines and other financial challenges, KTLA 5 News reported.
- Several local school districts will attend Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Expo, facilitated by a K-16 grant backed by the Orange County Department of Education.
- “The Last Repair Shop,” a short document following the team that repairs and maintains instruments for music classes in the Los Angeles Unified School District won an Oscar on Sunday.
- An assemblymember from San Diego introduced a bill that would standardize active-shooter drills in schools and direct the state’s Department of Education to update its guidance and require campuses to notify parents about the events before they occur.
- A study analyzing 5.8 million Americans’ incomes reveals that completing a college degree yields an annual return on investment of nine to 10 percent, as reported by EdSource.
- In November, voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to make personal finance a graduation requirement for California high schools.
- The State Board of Education is advancing plans to incorporate the state’s science assessment into the California School Dashboard, which would add a new component to the statewide school accountability system.
- The Los Angeles Times reported that the two Orange Unified board members who were the subject of recall elections provided farewell remarks during Monday’s meeting.
- The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommends expanding reporting requirements for county offices of education to enhance transparency.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.