Recognitions
At its April meetings, the Monrovia Unified School District Board of Education invited students from the Monrovia Community Adult School Citizenship Class and Monroe Elementary to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The citizenship class students shared their experiences of becoming American citizens and preparing for naturalization interviews. Monroe students gave updates on their ROAR assemblies, donation drives, and more around campus. Both groups of students did a fantastic job starting our Board meeting.
The Board of Education & the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce congratulated the following employees on being recipients of Monrovia Unified School District's "Employees of the Month" for April:
- Sonia Rizo, Campus Assistant, Monroe Elementary School
- Karla Galindo, Teacher, Monroe Elementary School
- Natalie Ridley, Instructional Aide, Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School
- Dave Hart, Teacher, Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School
The Board recognized the Assistance League of Arcadia for donating $1,000 to each of our school libraries and giving each of our 2nd graders a copy of “Dragon Gets By.” Thank you to our community partners for always looking for ways to support our students!
The Board of Education recognized MHS senior Natalie Nash for winning the Association of California School Administrators Oratory Contest. Nash presented her winning speech about the importance of keeping elective and art classes to help students find their calling for life after high school.
Board Members welcomed two new assistant principals to the Monrovia Unified family at the Middle and High School levels. Morena Tejada-Fisher was introduced as the new MHS AP, and Ashley Leone was welcomed as the new AP for Clifton Middle School.
Morena Tejada-Fisher to the position of Assistant Principal at Monrovia High School. Ms. Tejada-Fisher has over 20 years of experience in public education, starting as a social studies teacher, Dean of Instruction, and most recently as Assistant Principal at East Los Angeles High School. Ms. Tejada-Fisher has extensive experience with supporting English Learners, students with disabilities, parent engagement, and creating student-centered and collaborative cultures in both middle and high school settings.
Ms. Leone served as a Teacher-Leader Coach in the Duarte Unified School District, where she has also served as a math and AVID teacher. With 20 years of experience, Ms. Leone has proven to be skillful in supporting new and experienced teachers in developing student-centered classrooms and learning environments. Ms. Leone also helps new teachers as an induction mentor, adding to her skillset of developing and supporting instructional excellence in the classroom. As a teacher and leader, Ms. Leone has experience in AVID strategies, differentiated instruction, PBIS, and instructional technology.
Help us welcome both Ms. Tejada-Fisher and Ms. Leone to Monrovia Unified!
Actions Taken by the Board of Education
The Board of Education approved the purchase of Chromebooks to sustain a 1:1 Chromebook ratio and support digital literacy and equity for all students. A one-to-one computing environment has a positive effect on student learning when the device puts students more in control of their own learning by applying learning to projects.
The Board adopted Resolution No. 2223-19 Authorizing the Issuance of Monrovia Unified School District General Obligation Bonds, 2022 Election, 2023 Series A. The passing of the resolution gives the District the authority to issue the first series of the Series MM Bond for $18.75M in June. This will allow the District to receive the funds and start projects.
Board members approved an Articulation Agreement with Cerritos College, allowing Monrovia High School (MHS) students to earn college credit from Cerritos College upon successfully completing MHS's Honors Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Introduction to Engineering course.
The Board approved a purchase agreement with Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc. (WTI) for roof repair materials and supplies for the summer 2023 projects at Clifton Middle School and Wild Rose Elementary School. Future bid-awarded contractors will use the roof repair material package to complete roof restoration and replacement projects.
Board members approved a service agreement with Facilitron, Inc. to implement an internet website that will provide the District with a web storefront for the presentation and rental of facilities. This service provides an online platform with real-time availability of our spaces for rent, has 24/7 customer service support, and can assist the District with showing our facilities online with pictures and drone footage.
The Board of Education adopted Resolution No. 2223-20, recognizing April 23-29, 2023, as "Administrative Professionals Week" and Wednesday, April 26, 2023, as "Administrative Professionals Day."
The Board adopted Resolution 2223-22, recognizing May 10, 2023, as “National School Nurse Day."
The Board of Education adopted Resolution No. 2223-23, declaring May 2023 as "Mental Health Awareness Month."
The Board of Education is requested to approve Resolution No. 2223-24, recognizing May 2023 as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month."
Staff Presentations to the Board of Education
2023 Summer School Plan Presentation - Dr. Greg Gero, Director of Elementary Educational Services, Dr. Paula Hart Rodas, Director, Secondary Educational Services, Dr. Greg Francois, Deputy Superintendent
The Board of Education received an update regarding the changes made for the upcoming 2023 summer school. The presentation includes a breakdown of which sites will be used, what course offerings are available, and future plans for summer school at Monrovia Unified.
Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway Update - Dr. Paula Hart Rodas, Director, Secondary Educational Services, Dr. Greg Francois, Deputy Superintendent
Board Members received an update regarding the CTE Pathways at Monrovia High School. The presentation explains what CTE is, what current enrollment numbers are, and a detailed description of all the pathways currently available at MHS. The team also reveals what CTE could possibly look like for the 2026-27 school year and the steps needed to get there.
School Safety And Emergency Preparedness Update - Dr. Greg Francois, Deputy Superintendent, Jessica M. Garcia, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Dr. Greg Puccia, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
The Board of Education received a presentation regarding School Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The presentation details several ways Monrovia Unified is working to enhance safety and security at all of our sites for our students and staff. This includes training with Navigate 360, resources available in the district, and additional plans to expand the safety and emergency response team.