Congressional Representative Judy Chu Makes Special Speaking Appearance at Arcadia High School3/10/2023 By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Evelyn Tsoi ARCADIA-- Want to hear a Congressional Representative speak? Visit Capitol Hill, turn on C-Span on YouTube, or head over to Arcadia High School. On Feb. 3, 2023, Arcadia High students, faculty, and district leaders gathered to hear Representative Judy Chu (D-28) speak about monumental issues and legislation on topics like gun control, abortion, and more. The event hosted by the Arcadia Young Democrats Club (AYD), called “What’s New with Rep. Chu,” was the first of its kind at Arcadia High.
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By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Claire Li ARCADIA-- “It was funny to watch students sprint to the ASB Office for a Mark Tuan hoodie right when the bell rang,” exclaimed Arcadia High Senior Michelle Chan. “It reminded me of the daily race to the school lunch line—something straight out of Hunger Games.”
By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Hayden Wong ARCADIA-- Arcadia High School’s App Development Team recently began its pilot program for mobile student IDs utilizing Near Field Communication (NFC) scanners in the school’s library. This innovative technology has the potential to streamline identification processes throughout the school district.
NFC allows for short-distance wireless data transmission, often utilized in mobile payments, such as Apple or Samsung Pay. The phone acts as an NFC tag that sends information to the NFC reader through radio waves. Highland Oaks Elementary's Unique Club Program Helps Connect Students with Interests and Friends2/19/2023 By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Claire Li Students part of the Creative Writing Club smile for a picture (Photo courtesy of the Highland Oaks Elementary School staff) Baton Twirling Club, Coding Club, Food Crafts Club, and Hawks Nest Community Building Club are just a sampling of the over 20 clubs offered to elementary school students at Arcadia Unified School District’s Highland Oaks Elementary School. After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, Highland Oaks Elementary is looking to reinstate its club program this school year. Patricia Mattera, now into her seventh year as the Highland Oaks Principal, first gained inspiration for the student clubs from her experience as a teacher at a magnet school on the East Coast. “We taught with a lot of hands-on experiences,” Mattera said. “We had student clubs where teachers would teach something that was of interest to them or that they were passionate about.” Shortly after pitching the idea to the school’s leadership committee, comprised of a group of Highland Oaks teachers, the school began organizing the clubs and started this unique elementary school program during the 2018-2019 school year with students in grades 2 through 5. Highland Oaks students engaged in Baton Twirling Club (Photo courtesy of the Highland Oaks’ DCI-Lite Club students) According to Mattera, a goal for the club experience for students was to bolster their learning and experience aside from core classes, such as math, English, science, and history, and allow students the opportunity to delve into three clubs of their interest each school year. Other subsequent goals for this program are to allow students to, from an early age, take on new leadership skills, step out of their comfort zones, and meet new people. It is possible that kindergarteners and first graders will also get the chance to join clubs during the second part of this school year. Club meetings are divided into three six-week sessions throughout the school year. Each week, clubs are held on Thursday afternoons for 45 minutes. Second through fifth graders have been intermixed throughout the clubs, meaning students with different primary teachers and from different grade levels have the chance to work together, make friends with one another, and find common interests together, and when the school opens these programs to its kindergarteners and first graders, it is thinking of grouping all kindergarteners and first graders together. Students in Highland Oaks’ Digital Communications Club, DCI-Lite, excitedly posing for a social media post When organizing the students in each club, the staff allows students to choose their top five choices for clubs, from which choices they are placed into three. Due to the nature of the robust variety of club offerings being a chance for students to explore current and new interests, Mattera explained, “It is very important that it is a student selection, not what a parent wants their child to do. We do not send it [the list of club options] home; they pick their choices at school.” Among some of the clubs offered are Knitting Club, A Mathematicians Dream, Harmony Hawks Choir, Helping Hawks - Service club for Disability Awareness, Football, Food Crafts, and Robotics. Through the club program, students have also learned about gardening, stop motion animation, speech and debate, and created lanyards, origami, art projects, comic books, and more. Student-made video highlighting various clubs around campus Video created by students at Highland Oaks With over 20 different clubs, Highland Oaks aims to provide something for everyone so all students can look forward to Thursday afternoons. While most clubs are taught by teachers, a few retired teachers and district teaching coaches have also pitched in by volunteering to lead a few clubs. The school is also trying to find ways to bring in more community members with an interest or craft they want to share with students. Fourth-grade teacher, Janae Williams, is one club leader who also plays an instrumental role in organizing programming for the clubs. Williams noted, “We have student clubs that have planned and run a school-wide Veterans Day Assembly, A Disability Awareness Day, worked on our Student Showcase, planned Spirit Days, performed in front of our school, and organized service projects, such as Treats for the Troops and Blankets for Project Linus.” “I think it is really beneficial for students because they get to participate in real-life learning that is different from our regular academic standards. Students are learning about their strengths and getting to use their own voice,” Williams added. Two students in Highland Oaks’ Robotics Club work together for an assignment. Photo courtesy of the Highland Oaks staff.
The clubs give students the opportunity to work with different teachers and interact with peers in other grades. “As a teacher, I really like getting to work with students from other classes and grade levels as well,” Williams shared. “Students work with children from other classes and grade levels and are able to create relationships across the school.” Apart from allowing students the opportunity to try new activities, the clubs also help students showcase their different strengths. For instance, some students who may struggle academically are able to demonstrate their talents in other areas offered by the clubs, such as sports, arts, or performing arts clubs. Perhaps the most important attributes these clubs help develop in students are success and confidence. Mattera shared, “When students are experiencing something of their choice that is of interest to them, they are successful and gain confidence.” For more information about Highland Oaks Elementary School, please visit ho.ausd.net. For further information on the clubs provided, please view this Google Slides presentation, https://bit.ly/HighlandOaksClubs. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Rianna Marquez To keep students informed and educated on the dangers of sexual misconduct and unhealthy relationships Arcadia High School’s administration worked with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) to bring an informative presentation for 9th and 11th grade students to help them be able to identify and feel prepared for certain situations that they or their peers may encounter.
A similar presentation was first delivered via an online platform, WebX, in 2021.With the current and less restrictive Los Angeles County Department of Public Health health and safety procedures, this time around, students were given the opportunity to gather in the Arcadia Performing Arts Center to view a virtual presentation that enabled additional education and discussion this school year. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Evelyn Tsoi ARCADIA-- The Arcadia High School (AHS) Choral Program will be hosting its first annual Benefit Concert, Choir Night Café, which marks the return of Show Choir following distance learning. The concert will take place this Friday, May 20, at 6 p.m. in the Arcadia Performing Arts Center.
For Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Choral Program, 2022 has been a year marked with change. With a new director, a return to in-person performances, and now, its very first Choir Night Café Benefit Concert, AHS’s Choral Program continues to build upon its legacy. “Choir is a family with such profound and tender memories,” shared Freshman Concert Choir member Naveen Imran. The AHS Choral Program has been ongoing for over 70 years since Arcadia High School first opened in 1952. The program has offered generations of Arcadia students a space to freely express themselves through mediums of dance and music. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Sofía Nagy ARCADIA-- For the first time in two years, the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) Summer School Program for 2022 will happen in person for all grade levels. With summertime right around the corner and the temperature rising, questions arise as well: “What will summer school look like this year?” “How is it similar and different from previous years?” “What about future years?” “Where and how can one register?” “What are the key dates to keep in mind?” Here’s what you should know. The future of the AUSD Digital Communications Internship looks bright as DCI’s annual Journalism Competition came to a close with incredible, talent-filled submissions. Students submitted work in the mediums of News Writing, Graphic Design, and Podcast.
The prompt is as follows: “Share a story or an event or person anywhere in the AUSD that has promoted joy.” The winners are Sandhiya Somasundaram (DMS - 8th Grade) for Graphic Design, Caroline Zhang (FAMS - 8th Grade) for News Writing, and Olivia Deng (DMS - 8th Grade) for Podcast. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see AUSD Middle Schoolers showcase their talents again next year! To read the winners' submissions, click on their their photos: Arcadia High School's Orchesis Dance Company Presents its First In-Person Production in Two Years4/25/2022 By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Danielle Workman ARCADIA-- After numerous virtual performances presented on Youtube and other online streaming services, Arcadia High School’s Orchesis Dance Company will be presenting its Spring Production, “Maze of Memories,” in person for the first time in two years.
“The show’s theme, ‘Maze of Memories,’ is a journey of self-discovery and reflection,” explained Orchesis Dance Company Treasurer Athena Liu. “Throughout our lives, we encounter different emotions and obstacles that cause us to question our identity and values. We experience introspection, loss, love, and improvement. All these components are weaved into a collective human experience and are included in the different dances we are performing in this show,” elaborated Liu. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Hayden Wong ARCADIA-- After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Arcadia Unified School District recently hosted its first in-person ceremony for its special employee recognition program, Profiles in Excellence.
Created to recognize and celebrate its employees who go above and beyond in serving Arcadia Unified in various capacities, the Profiles in Excellence program recognizes 12 certificated staff (teachers, counselors, psychologists, and any position that requires a specialized certification) staff, and 12 classified staff (school office personnel, bus drivers, custodial staff, etc.), from across the school district’s 11 sites and offices, Arcadia Unified School District’s Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services, Dr. Kevin Hryciw explained. The recipients not only reflect the district’s tagline through the daily work they do— Imagine, Inspire and Inquire— but also go above and beyond in helping the students, teachers, families, and the entire district. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Samantha Tran The Arcadia Apaches Varsity Baseball team is currently dominating in every facet of the game. With its skilled pitching staff, consistent hitting, and lockdown defense, the Division 1 team sits with a record of 13-4 and is currently undefeated in Pacific League games.
Aside from the team’s impressive all-around play, what makes this season stand out particularly is the lineup, which is composed of mostly seniors. With this being the last season for many of the student-athletes, it serves as extra motivation to win and to cherish every single game. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Michelle Fan ARCADIA-- Achieving 20 qualifications for the upcoming California State Championship, Arcadia High’s Speech and Debate Team accomplished a feat that hasn’t been made in decades. The recent Southern California Debate League’s (SCDL) State Qualifying Tournament for Speech and Lincoln Douglas/Policy Debate saw record-breaking performances for Arcadia High, and the event itself was also no small feat.
By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Danielle Workman ARCADIA-- For over 50 years, Arcadia High School has offered a variety of Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in a multitude of fields and majors.
“CTE courses offer students opportunities to learn differently from other classes and use different parts of the brain,” said Ing Mu, a CTE Graphic Design teacher at Arcadia High School. “Most of our CTE courses are hands-on project-based classes. Our courses focus on a particular career path and students learn the specific needs and knowledge required of that field. There are lots of opportunities to problem solve using multiple methods,” elaborated Mu. Arcadia High’s CTE courses come in “pathways”, where two or more classes related to the same subject are taken sequentially. The courses within a pathway are categorized by three distinct levels— “Introductory”, or beginning course, “Concentrator”, which is the equivalent of an intermediate course, and “Capstone”, the final and most advanced course in a pathway. “The pathways that we have include engineering, graphic design, computer science, dance, stagecraft, video production, and sports medicine,” said Breanne Genite, Arcadia High School CTE Coordinator. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Bethany Chow ARCADIA-- “They had over 600 students interested, and anything that engages over 20% of our student population is something I want to really look into supporting,” said Arcadia High Principal Angie Dillman. Dillman is referring to student interest for Arcadia High School’s League of Legends Esports team. Despite it being the team’s first year competing, Arcadia High’s Esports team recently won second place in the Fall Season of the League of Legends California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Esports Initiative Championships in December 2021
By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Anvitha Marlapati Since Nov. 30, 2021, Newkirk and her team have hosted a total of six6 vaccine clinics at three different school sites, vaccinating almost 1,500 people.
The Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) opened up full-time, in-person instruction on Aug. 11, 2021, which has proven to be no small feat.With waxing and waning surges of COVID-19 cases occurring throughout LA County, bringing back all students to classrooms posed some understandable anticipation and worry. Tackling the spread of this virus while finding ways for in-person instruction to happen safely has been a hefty task and would be difficult to for Arcadia Unified to accomplish without the support and expertise of its Health Services team, which is led by District Nurse Manager Erica Newkirk. Staying updated on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) Orders, advocating for the health and safety of the district, contact tracing, arranging for testing support, and looking into vaccination clinics once COVID-19 vaccinations became available for students are just a few of the many tasks Arcadia Unified’s Health Services team support student, staff, and family health and safety for the district. |
DCI Interns on the news writing team publish articles that are often published on local newspapers, such as Arcadia Patch and the Arcadia Weekly. The articles, ranging in subject, dive into the AUSD world and cover events, opportunities, news, and first-hand accounts of unique stories in the community.
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