Superintendent's Spotlight
Dear Buena Park School District Community,
It's hard to believe that we've come to the end of yet another school year, and that the season of transitions is already upon us. As temperatures start to climb and trees lose their blossoms, there's a palpable shift across the district that's at once quiet and profound, as our students, in one breathless moment, step out of their current classrooms and into the grade level yet to come. For some, the transition of summer will lead them to new teachers and new opportunities, and for others, it will bring a new school and new ideas about what it means to take that step, and to be one step older. At Buena Park School District, too, the transitions ripple across departments, with curriculum ready to be launched and programs getting a final polish for August. I was recently present for one of these moments of transition, of breaking new ground -- the literal groundbreaking for Buena Park Middle School's new track and field. With the sixth graders present and a giant tractor in place, we all lined up with shovels -- principal Jay Beckelheimer, students, Board members, and administrators -- to shovel the dirt and symbolize the upheavals that will soon take place. At BPMS, this will mean a new CIF-sized soccer field, five-lane track, and long jump pit—another beautiful upgrade made possible by Measure M and the voters of Buena Park—with new irrigation and grass extending beyond the track to encompass the entire remaining school yard. It will mean community gatherings and sporting events, and a new space for all manner of outdoor recreation. For the rest of us, we may not yet see all the exciting possibilities that lie ahead when the dust settles. But as we prepare for the next season, the one thing I know for sure is that I'm glad we're on this adventure together. Photo Gallery
I am honored to serve as your Superintendent.
Sincerely,
Dr. Julienne Lee
Pictured, L to R: BPMS Principal Jay Beckelheimer, BPMS student, BPSD Governing Board member Brenda Estrada, BPSD Governing Board Clerk/President Pro Tem Rhodia Shead, Superintendent Dr. Julienne Lee, Governing Board President Jerry Frutos, and BPMS student throw the first shovelfuls of dirt onto the site of the new track and field.
The Dual Language Immersion (DLI) preschool class at Gilbert Elementary School is studying ants today. Students sit down criss-cross applesauce on the carpet in front of instructor Stephanie Hernandez, hands in laps, eager for story time to begin. Maestra Hernandez has selected a book about an ant family, and as she reads, the students answer her questions and follow along, eyes glued to the illustrations. Her questions soon morph into a vocabulary lesson about the different parts of the ant and how many of each part there are (six legs!). It's craft time next over at the tables -- ant-themed, of course -- and the students begin gluing together parts of a paper ant and adding its features with colorful markers. The morning's lesson might mirror that of other preschools, but in this particular class, the conversation takes place entirely in Spanish. Now in its first full year, the Dual Language Immersion program at Gilbert features DLI classes at the preschool and kindergarten levels. Next year, two more levels will be added -- transitional kindergarten and first grade -- as a pathway for the current students. From there, the program will add one grade level per year until it offers a complete preschool through fifth-grade continuum. In Maestra Hernandez's class, 90% of daily instruction is conducted in Spanish and 10% in English, but this balance will shift by 10% more English instruction each year as cross-linguistic transfer builds strong bilingual and biliteracy skills in these young learners. The students in Maestra Hernandez's class, though, are aware only of all the fun they're having in school today as they learn together about hormigas (ants). Photo Gallery
Pictured: Dual Language Immersion preschool students look at plastic bugs using a light box.
Pictured: Student poses at the end of "Bad" by Michael Jackson.
Gilbert Elementary School’s first annual El Día Del Niño (Day of the Child) evolved from a tradition that celebrates the joys of childhood and promotes the well-being of all children. The event marked a collaborative effort between Gilbert's PTA and school support staff and created a vibrant, magical space to honor Gilbert students, culture, and community and mark the close of a successful school year. Hosted by principal Leslie Chavez, El Día Del Niño offered a myriad of piñatas, carnival games, food trucks, community resource booths, and activities. Students and families had the opportunity to paint bird houses, compete in sack races, pet sheep, and fish ducks out of a makeshift pond for prizes, and the array of Buena Park community partners who sponsored booths and activities included the BP Fire Authority, BP Police Department, BP Library, and BP High School Agriculture Program. The highlight of the evening was a joyful performance from the kindergarten Dual Language Immersion Tezcatlipoca dancers, whose smiles and jubilant footwork radiated the spirit of this community event. Photo Gallery
Pictured: Student at Gilbert's Day of the Child navigates a hopscotch challenge.
The Special Olympics at Whitaker Elementary School was a joyful celebration of community and teamwork, with Principal Stephanie Williamson, Superintendent Dr. Julienne Lee, Governing Board members, city officials, families, and classmates in attendance to cheer on the athletes and enjoy the beautiful day together. Participants rotated through a series of athletic activities -- kicking soccer balls into goals, throwing frisbees through hula hoops, and running races -- that had been set up throughout neighboring Whitaker Park. The hockey station, where participants hit tennis balls into goals using hockey sticks, was a particular favorite, staffed by Anaheim Ducks personnel as part of an ongoing partnership with Whitaker. Student athletes had been working on these skills since early spring, and they teamed up periodically with gen ed "buddies" for additional support and empowerment. As a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, Whitaker takes seriously the charge to bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create an environment of social inclusion and acceptance, and the field was alive with this spirit of camaraderie. One of Principal Stephanie Whitaker's favorite parts of the day was the surprise and pride that the parents of the special needs students felt at witnessing both the skill levels of their athletes and the connections that they had made with other students. As one parent expressed to her, "I had no idea he had so many friends!" Photo Gallery
Pictured: Whitaker athlete participates in a soccer ball challenge as part of the Special Olympics.
Pictured: Beatty's sixth-grade Academic Pentathlon team poses after a second-place win at the Nationals competition in Nashville, TN.
Name: Esteban Ortiz
Job Title: Technology Specialist 1
What do you do for Buena Park School District: I serve as a bridge between technology and the person using it, meaning I make technology as accessible as possible. I help the wonderful faculty and students of Buena Park School District with technology issues.
What do you like most about your job: I enjoy helping people and seeing their smiles when I get a chance to resolve their issues. The people are a big plus of the job; I am surrounded by many kind, understanding, and considerate people. Having my colleague Daniel Zamudio around is also pretty awesome. He actually trained me when I first started, and I am very grateful to him.
What superpower do you wish you had: Kind of a popular choice, but time travel. I wish I could go back in time and fix past mistakes. I know our mistakes are learning experiences and make us who we are today, but some mistakes can be hard to let go of. Also, maybe I could buy a house when the prices were affordable, haha!
Who is your hero of fiction: Hercules, The Demigod of Strength (the Disney one, not the tragic Greek mythology one). He might be clumsy, hard-headed, and a little simple-minded, but his heart is always in the right place and wanting to help people. He embodies not just physical strength but also inner strength.
What is your favorite way to unwind: A couple of months ago, I would've said video games, but I've been branching out a lot more now. Sometimes it's a nice walk without a phone, playing guitar, or reading. I've also been hiking on the weekends!
What is one thing about you that might surprise people? I've been practicing mindfulness a lot more lately. I'm focusing on enjoying the simple things in life a lot more. The taste of a warm cup of tea after a long day. The comforting silence of solitude while in nature. The feeling of a cool breeze on a nice day. Life feels like it moves fast. Things get busy, and we can forget about what matters the most, so I'm trying to slow down, be present, and really absorb life.