The Horizon

Dear Jurupa Unified School District families:

It’s hard to believe that the school year is coming to a close. We have so much to be proud of. We have achieved our goals and soared to the next level. More importantly, we have set our students on a solid path forward. As I shake hands with our JUSD graduates, I am moved to see the hope and excitement they have for the future. That future starts now. Thank you to our staff, families, and community for preparing our students so that they can turn their dreams into reality.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the honor of meeting several of our graduates to talk to them about their goals and plans, as well as how their experiences in JUSD have prepared them for the future. It is heartening to hear them speak highly of the programs and people who have made a difference in their lives. You can see my interviews with these students in our annual Education in Action special graduation edition.

JUSD’s collective success can be traced back to one student, one life changed at a time. Patriot High School graduate Samantha Banuelos exemplifies that theme. Although she faced obstacles, caring teachers and advisors helped her to find her way. She secured a prestigious theater scholarship and is on her way to California Polytechnic University, Humboldt State University. You can read more about Samantha’s story in this newsletter.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and JUSD remains committed to providing mental health support for our students through a variety of programs and supports. Our award-winning Wellness Coach program, for example, offers students guidance and support while teaching them skills they can use to successfully navigate social and emotional challenges. You can read more in this month’s issue of The Horizon.

I’m also so proud that JUSD continues to be a leader in Dual Immersion education. For the second consecutive year, our district has the highest number of students who earned dual State Seals of Biliteracy. Nine of the 36 students countywide who achieved this distinction are from JUSD!

Thank you for an incredible year of achievements and memories. Enjoy the summer break. We look forward to welcoming you back in August for another year full of possibilities.

Trenton Hansen, PhD

Superintendent

Earlier this month, JUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen spoke with some graduating seniors about their journey thus far and their path forward after graduation. Watch Dr. Hansen’s interviews with these students in the special graduation edition of Education in Action with Dr. Hansen.

Tiffany will attend the University of California, Riverside in the fall to study software engineering. At Jurupa Valley High School, Tiffany took multiple college courses through the Dual Enrollment program and was involved in various clubs and sports. She also earned both her Seal of Biliteracy and Seal of Civic Engagement this year.

JUSD staff who’ve guided her: “A teacher who really helped me and impacted my life would probably be Ms. Valdez-Flores. Ms. Valdez has helped me a lot… she has always pushed me and… got to know me. If I ever needed someone to talk to or needed help, I would always go to her.”

Advice for her peers: "A piece of advice I would give to a freshman would be to take things slow and really get to know the resources that are offered at the school. If you ever wanted to know more, you can always go to the career center, or the office, and talk to Mrs. Lyman and really get to know what (JVHS) offer(s)."

Dr. Hansen’s interview with Tiffany

Daniel will attend California State University, Long Beach, to major in Pre-med Biomedical Engineering and pursue a career as a pharmaceutical researcher/developer.

During his time at Patriot High, Daniel earned both the State Seal of Civic Engagement and the State Seal of Biliteracy and helped others as the lead tutor in the after-school tutoring program.

JUSD staff who have guided him: “Ms. Cage. She’s been with me throughout my entire high school career. She has helped me in every single way… she’s always there, and she’s allowed me the opportunity to be the lead tutor for the afterschool program.”

Advice for his peers: “Opportunities are doors opening. Take a walk through every single door that you can.”

Dr. Hansen’s interview with Daniel

Wendy Garcia, a JUSD wellness coach, remembers seeing her impact in action on the Glen Avon Elementary School playground.

A student she had mentored used coping skills she had learned from Garcia to navigate a tricky social situation on her own.

“She walked away. She did not get in trouble, and she knows that those strategies that she’s learning, they are working in her favor,” Ms. Garcia said. “That made her feel proud. It built up her confidence…that to me made my heart happy that she learned that, and she is going to use that for the rest of her life.”

JUSD now has 30 staff members certified as wellness coaches through a new California program. JUSD, an early adopter of the wellness coach model, is one of only five organizations statewide, and the only Southern California school district selected to participate in a case study on the efficacy of the program. JUSD’s Wellness Coach program also garnered the district a Blue Shield Blue Sky Award, which came with a $20,000 grant that will be reinvested into the program, said Jose Campos, Director of the Parent Involvement and Community Outreach (P.I.C.O.) Department.

Wellness coaches not only help students needing additional mentoring and support, but also help to head off problems before they start, Mr. Campos said. They work with students on how to identify feelings and learn self-regulation and coping skills; teach social skills, such as how to interact with peers on the playground; and give lessons on which behaviors are acceptable and which aren’t. Sometimes, they just provide a needed listening ear.

All services are offered confidentially, at no cost, at the student’s school site. Students who need additional support receive referrals for additional services. JUSD receives reimbursement for the cost of services from the state or private insurance through California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.

“We meet our students where they are. We meet our families where they are. They don’t have to worry about taking that trip, removing students from school to go get services. A lot of the support and services that students are able to receive are able to be done right at school during the school day,” said Monty Owens, Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Services.

We are now enrolling for all grades for the 2026-27 school year!

JUSD offers full-day TK (transitional kindergarten) AND kindergarten at all elementary school sites. We also offer free after-school care, Dual Immersion programs (at select campuses), and a robust elementary arts program!

JUSD also has one of the highest graduation rates in Riverside County, award-winning CTE programs, Dual Enrollment, 18 Community School campuses providing multiple services and resources for families, and so much more.

TK/Kindergarten enrollment is available to:

🍎Students who will turn 4 by September 1, 2026, can enroll in TK.

🍏Students who turn 5 by September 1, 2026, can enroll in kindergarten.

Join us and give your student the Jurupa Experience. You can enroll at: https://bit.ly/JUSDENROLL. For more information, please call (951) 416-1200.

For the second consecutive year, Jurupa Unified has the greatest number of students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy in more than one language in addition to English. We are proud that 9 of the 36 students who earned this distinction countywide are from JUSD!

Congratulations to:

⭐Ruby Amezcua- Rubidoux H.S- Spanish and French

⭐Angie Calderon-Cifuentes- Rubidoux- Spanish and French

⭐Camila Davalos-Rubidoux- Spanish and French

⭐Julissa Godinez-Jurupa Valley- Spanish and ASL

⭐Mayte Hernandez- Jurupa Valley- Spanish and ASL

⭐Camyla Ramirez-Tapia- Jurupa Valley- Spanish and ASL

⭐Vanessa Ferreya-Jurupa Valley- Spanish and ASL

⭐William Corona-Jurupa Valley-Spanish and ASL

⭐Osbaldo Ramirez-Jurupa Valley- Spanish and ASL

Excellence in multilingual programs is just one more reason why: JUSD is The Place To Be!

Enrollment is now open for our JUSD preschool programs.

JUSD offers free preschool programs for qualifying families at 11 district sites. These programs are for children ages 2-4. Admission is based on income, the child's age, and their need.