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CITY OF INDUSTRY – In front of an audience of more than 100 students, staff, alums, and distinguished guests, Hacienda La Puente Unified and Hacienda La Puente Adult Education (HLPAE) celebrated the unveiling of HLPAE’s modernized state-of-the-art Medical Career Building with commemorative speeches to honor HLPAE's legacy and success before cutting the ceremonial ribbon on Aug. 23.

As the second-largest adult education institute in California, serving more than 13,000 adult education and high school students annually, HLPAE's two-story building modernization project is a significant step toward supporting its seven growing healthcare programs, including the longstanding Psychiatric Technician and Licensed Vocational Nursing Programs. The building, equipped with four new classrooms, labs, and state-of-the-art equipment, is strategically designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, thereby preparing students to thrive in the ever-changing healthcare landscape.

"This building will not only enhance learning but also open the door for more students to embark on a healthcare career during a time when there is such a critical need for professionals in this field," HLPAE Licensed Vocational Nursing student John Acharya said. "Thank you to everyone who supports HLPAE; your encouragement and support are invaluable."

Executive Director of HLPAE Dr. Gregory Buckner took audience members down memory lane to start the event, sharing HLPAE's robust history from its start nearly 60 years ago. Buckner was followed by Hacienda La Puente Unified Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alfonso Jiménez, who shared his gratitude for the institution's diverse opportunities and for being a continued partner and beacon of hope for thousands of Hacienda La Puente Unified students throughout the years.

Hacienda La Puente Unified Board President Christine H. Salazar highlighted the positive impact the institute has had on students' lives by sharing stories of previous HLPAE graduates from various industries.

"Today marks a tribute to our past but also serves as a reminder to embrace the future as we unveil this remarkable new building and a new chapter in the adult education history," Salazar said. "Let us continue to draw inspiration from our students' stories and staff's education to continue believing in the potential of each and every student."

The event concluded with guests exiting the Willow Adult conference room to the grandiose building, where, a mariachi band waited for them, helping the community celebrate the building's grand opening with music and a lively dance circle.

Attendees then toured the facilities, which feature cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator and baby warmer demonstrations, and a simulation on the first floor led by Licensed Vocational Nursing and Medical Assistant students, along with an immersive demonstration of the Anatomage Table led by Medical Assistant instructor Diana Escutia.

On the second floor, guests interacted with blood pressure and pulse oximetry demonstrations and watched the school's most recent Psychiatric Technician graduation video, which took place in June 2024.

Students who graduate from the Licensed Vocational Nursing, Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Psychiatric Technician, or Registered Dental Assistant programs within the normal expectancy time leave with $0 debt and are eligible to sit for the necessary California exams.

"Thank you to everyone who played a role in making these facilities a reality and to our incredible staff of skilled professionals who teach, guide, and train our students," Jiménez said. "This project is so much more than a building; it's the foundation for aspiring high school and adult education healthcare professionals – the framework for transformative learning and success."

 

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

HLPUSD_HEALTH1: Hacienda La Puente Adult Education healthcare students welcome guests to the modernized Health Careers Building during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 23.  

HLPUSD_HEALTH2: Licensed Vocational Nursing and Medical Assistant students greet guests as they tour the modernized two-story health careers building after the ceremonious ribbon-cutting on Aug. 23.  

HLPUSD_HEALTH3: Hacienda La Puente Unified District officials, HLPAE staff, and distinguished guests dance alongside a mariachi band after a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the Heath Careers Building on Aug. 23.

HLPUSD_HEALTH4: A Hacienda La Puente Adult Education healthcare instructor celebrates the completion of the modernized Health Careers Building with healthcare students during the commemoration event on Aug. 23. 

HLPUSD_HEALTH5: A Hacienda La Puente community member has her blood pressure checked by an HLPAE health careers instructor and student during the Health Careers Building tour on Aug. 23.

 

 

At Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, the safety of our students, employees, and District community remains our top priority.  

The Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the State Transportation Agency, Caltrans, California Highway Patrol (CHP), and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have reported that more people are walking to get to work, school, and for exercise. While we are promoting walking as a healthy and positive alternative to driving, agencies have reported that walking is becoming increasingly dangerous.

OTS has emphasized traffic safety is a shared responsibility. Both drivers and pedestrians play a crucial role in demonstrating safe road behaviors, fostering a sense of community and mutual respect, and ensuring the safety of everyone, especially in school zones.

Below are safety tips shared by OTS in partnership with the State Transportation Agency, Caltrans, CHP, and the DMV.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians:

• Make yourself visible: wear bright-colored clothes and carry a flashlight while walking at night.
• Avoid dangerous behaviors: always walk on the sidewalk and make eye contact with drivers –  don’t assume the driver can see you.
• Stay off your phone: talking, and especially texting, distracts you from paying attention to your surroundings.
• Headphone volume: remove headphones or mute the volume before crossing the street.
• Look before you step: cross streets at marked crosswalks/intersections, obey traffic signals, and watch for vehicles turning. Look left-right-left before crossing a street.
• Always exit a car at the curbside only.

Please visit the Safe Kids Worldwide webpage for additional tips on teaching children how to walk safely and avoid distractions at an early age.

Safety Tips for Drivers:

• Do not speed, follow the speed limit, and never use your phone. Always be cautious of your surroundings.
• Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• Look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.
• Pedestrians have the right of way at any crosswalk or intersection, so yield and be prepared to stop.
• Stop when a crossing guard is in a crosswalk with a stop sign.
• Stop at the crosswalk stop line to allow drivers in other lanes to see and yield to pedestrians, too.
• Slow down! Children can be unpredictable and could run out into your driving path. Be cautious when backing up – pedestrians, especially young children, can move across your path.

Related Resources:

• For additional safety tips, research, and statistics on pedestrians: visit NHTSA
• To learn about the dangers of being a pedestrian and who is at risk, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Learn how to get your child to school safely at Safe Routes
• Share the Road: Safety Tips for Pedestrians, Bicyclists and Drivers from the California Highway Patrol

 

For additional pedestrian and traffic safety concerns at your child’s school site, please contact the campus directly or contact the District’s Police and Safety Communications Center at 626-933-3899.
 

 

Hacienda La Puente Unified is committed to providing robust resources and services that support all students and foster healthy and happy school communities where our students, staff, and families feel supported, respected, and valued.

This month, we will discuss grief and loss and the resources that HLPUSD provides.

When navigating grief and loss, it is imperative to form a support system, which can include family, friends, a mentor, a counselor, or a support group. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health encourages people to find ways to manage intense emotions; recommendations include meditating, expressing your thoughts using writing prompts that help you tap into your feelings, or moving your body by walking, dancing, or doing yoga. The following include additional recommendations by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

Recommended ways to cope with loss include:

• Self-care, a fundamental aspect of coping with loss, should be a top priority. 
• Maintaining your usual daily routine as much as possible is also beneficial.
• Be patient with yourself. Grieving is a marathon, not a sprint, and it is hard work. Try to resist "returning to normal" immediately and give yourself time to process and accept the loss.
• Reach out for support from family, friends, doctors, support groups, and mental health professionals.

Recommended ways to help children cope with loss include:

• Be honest and age-appropriate: Remain calm and comforting. Answer their questions using explanations appropriate for the child's age.
• Encourage questions: Share information appropriate for their age.
• One of the best ways to help children cope with loss is to maintain their normal routines. Keeping to regular schedules for meals, bedtime, and school time can provide them with a sense of stability and security during a difficult time.
• Be sensitive to any worries or fears: Watch for signs of distress such as sleeplessness, lack of appetite, disinterest in play, withdrawal, or acting out. Invite your child to talk and reassure them with love and comfort.

Please visit HelpGuide.org for additional resources on coping with grief and loss.

Some ways you may be struggling with grief and loss without fully knowing can include:

• Too much or too little sleep
• Overeating or no appetite
• Feeling irritated, lonely, anxious, or depressed
• Having thoughts of death or dying
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of interest in things that generally interest you

For students, resources on grief and loss are available through your school counselor, campus wellness center, and our Equity and Access, Family Engagement community resource guide. For additional 24/7 resources such as Care Solace, which connects students and families with mental health resources and Care Coordination professionals, please visit our District’s Wellness Resources webpage.

Emergency community support is available for people of all ages, including:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call/text 988
• Crisis text line: text "HELP" to 741741
• The Trevor Project Lifeline: call 1-866-488-7386
• LA County Department of Mental Health Services: call 1-800-854-7771

For more resources, please call the Equity and Access department at (626) 933-5302.

“As part of Hacienda La Puente Unified’s Wellness Wednesday Initiative, we want to ensure our students, staff, and families have access to and are aware of the many resources and support services that are available for anyone struggling with their mental health in general, or anyone coping with the different forms of loss and grief,” Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez said. "When you are part of a community, you are never alone, and promoting the lifelong health and wellness of the HLPUSD community is one of our main goals.”

Dear Hacienda La Puente Unified Community,

The summer months were filled with excitement for HLPUSD as our students engaged in various summer enrichment activities, from coding and athletics camps to Speech and Debate and Youth Cinema Project (YCP) programs. We started the summer with our top-rated C-STEM Robotics summer camp, where our students strengthened their critical thinking, communication, and real-world problem-solving skills through transformative math education.

This summer, our leadership team established the 2024-25 theme: "Transformative Learning, Pathways to Student Success." This theme aims to inspire new perspectives through innovative programs and recommit to expanding creative and rewarding learning opportunities, including curriculum, extracurriculars, and pathways for success in a technologically advancing world.

In June, our middle and high school Speech and Debate students showcased their exceptional skills at the 2024 National Speech and Debate tournament. We were thrilled to see 12 middle school students reach the quarter-finals and four advance to the semi-finals. Mesa Robles was also recognized as one of five schools to win the National Speech and Debate School of Excellence Award.

The July 18 Speech and Debate Summer Showcase was a proud moment for students, families, District employees, Board of Education members, and myself, as we previewed the new speeches our award-winning competitors have started practicing.

YCP students from California Elementary School, Sparks Middle School, and La Puente High School showcased their expertise and skills with their 2023-24 films, which premiered at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. During the event, California Elementary School won the "2024 Best Film for Elementary Schools" award from the Latino Film Institute for their movie "The World is Yours." It was an honor to attend this event and see our students' hard work and beautiful storytelling on the big screen.

Our District also enjoyed watching more films from this year's expanded summer program during a showcase on July 31. YCP is an exceptional opportunity for our youth to immerse themselves in a lucrative industry filled with hundreds of job opportunities and areas of success.

Thank you to our Board of Education for your shared vision and advocacy to ensure programs like these are adapted, nurtured, and continue to thrive throughout our District. Lastly, thank you to our dedicated educators and staff for leading summer school programs and upgrading our school sites for the 2024-25 year.

I also extend my gratitude to our exceptional faculty and administrators for creating inspiring professional development training to support this year's theme and our mission of being partners in our students' future. I was delighted to see numerous first day of school celebrations and activities on social media.

While I was unable to join in on the fun in-person due to being ill, I look forward to visiting our students and stuff on campus next week for additional return-to-school onboarding celebrations and events throughout August. As always, we are #ProudtobeHLPUSD.Sincerely, Dr. Alfonso Jiménez

HLPUSD_SupUpdate_Summer2024_FINAL.pdf

Hacienda La Puente Unified students of all ages were welcomed back to campuses for the first day of school on Aug. 7, with red carpets, balloon arches, hand-painted signs, staff welcome tunnels, and lively rallies setting the tone for a successful school year filled with innovative educational opportunities and a supportive environment for growth and achievement.

Many schools embraced themes designed to engage students and foster a welcoming and creative environment on the first day of the 2024-25 school year. Fairgrove Academy greeted its K-8 students at “Camp Fairgrove” with t-shirts, signs, photo opportunities, and decorations to prepare them for “s’more learning.” Workman Elementary School staff embraced a “TEAM” theme, with students and staff sporting their favorite athletic gear, while Newton Middle School’s “Make your Mark” theme provided welcoming spaces for parents to write encouraging letters to their children.

District administrators and Board of Education members visited campuses throughout the District, personally welcoming students back, reconnecting with teachers and staff, and showing their support for the year ahead.

"It's going to be a great year; I can feel it,” Kwis Elementary School fourth-grader Brian Casillas said. “I'm happy I get to be with my friends again and meet my teacher."

HLPUSD’s 2024-25 school year theme, “Transformative Learning: Pathways for Student Success,” underscores the District’s commitment to providing students with diverse opportunities to explore their interests and develop skills that will benefit their future. This theme is exemplified by the launch of a new Aviation career technical education (CTE) pathway at Los Altos High School, which starts with a specialized class at Newton Middle School, expanding the District’s total CTE offerings to 16 pathways across 11 industries.

“Our 2024-25 school year theme reflects our commitment to equipping students with the tools and experiences they need to succeed in an ever-changing world,” Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez said. “We are excited to see the impact of our new CTE pathway and innovative teaching methods our educators have learned as we continue to inspire and empower our students in this new year.”

Educators across the District returned to campuses motivated and prepared for a transformative year, thanks to professional development training opportunities held throughout the summer. Nearly 200 educators participated in the Adobe Creativity Institute, a full day of training focused on innovative ways to infuse creativity into every learning environment. Teachers also learned how to use artificial intelligence to create content, equipping them with cutting-edge tools to enhance classroom experiences for students.

HLPUSD’s leadership team also hosted a day of specialized training for all District staff and administrators. The event was filled with informational presentations, updates, and learning exercises designed to empower and excite staff for the year ahead.

"The first day at La Puente High School is always exciting,” said Wesley Perez, a La Puente High School Advanced Placement United States History and Ethnic Studies teacher. “I love welcoming students and setting goals for another extraordinary year. Over the summer, more than 50 classrooms were refreshed with new paint and flooring, which ensures all students have welcoming and modernized spaces to learn.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

HLPUSD_FIRSTDAYOFSCHOOL1: Elementary school teachers from Cedarlane Academy welcome families back to campus with music and a staff tunnel during the first day of the 2024-25 school year on Aug. 7.

HLPUSD_FIRSTDAYOFSCHOOL2: Newton Middle School parent writes daughter a “Make your Mark” letter during the Knight’s first day of school celebration on Aug.7.

HLPUSD_FIRSTDAYOFSCHOOL3: From left to right: Assistant Superintendent of Education Services Dr. Rosa Isiah, Workman Elementary School Acting Principal Collin Miller, and Hacienda La Puente Unified Board President Christine H. Salazar help new Workman Wolverines familiarize themselves with the campus on Aug.7.