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Dr. Esther Tamanaha Selected as New Principal of Royal Oaks STEAM Academy
DUSD is pleased to announce that after an extensive application process, Dr. Esther Tamanaha has been selected as the new principal of Royal Oaks STEAM Academy. Dr. Tamanaha’s appointment was approved by the Board of Education at the Regular Meeting held on June 13, 2019. She began her journey in the field of education in 2006. She holds a degree in English and a teaching credential from California State University Long Beach. Her love for learning carried her to Cal Poly Pomona for a Master of Education degree, and then to USC, where she completed her doctoral studies in 2014. With thirteen years of experience, Dr. Tamanaha comes to Royal Oaks STEAM Academy as passionate about serving students as she was her first day of teaching. Dr. Tamanaha shares, “It is an honor to have been selected as the Principal of Royal Oaks STEAM Academy, and I am excited to work collaboratively with the staff, families and students of this special community to provide the best education for our future generations.”
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The DUSD STEAM Summer Experience Starts July 1!
The STEAM Summer Experience at Duarte Unified School District offers Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics enrichment and academic classes in partnership with Opportunities for Learning (OFL) FREE for all students entering Kindergarten-12th grade! The program runs July 1-29 (Monday-Friday, 8am-Noon) Locations: (Grade level student will be entering for 2019-20 school year) Kinder-Grade 4: Royal Oaks, Grades 5-8: Beardslee, Grades 9-12: DHS. Students enrolled in DUSD and students from outside of our district are all welcome to attend. All students must be at least five years old by October 1, 2019, and entering Kindergarten in the Fall to be eligible to participate. Non-DUSD students must provide proof of immunizations. If you have questions, contact Sitlaly Martinez at 626-433-3028 or by email to samartinez@duarteusd.org.
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Dragon Kim Foundation, CSArts & DUSD Partner to Provide Elementary Music Program
The Dragon Kim Foundation, and CSArts - SGV have partnered with our district to provide free after school music classes for students in grades K-4 who attend DUSD. This year, both a General Music and Beginning Choir course were offered at the CSArts campus. Students learn the fundamentals of music through singing, playing percussion instruments, and movement in a fun and interactive setting. The classes are taught by DUSD and CSArts-SGV instructors. An added bonus, fourteen CSArts Instrumental Music students have volunteered to work as student-mentors for the elementary level students.The students in the class will be putting on an end-of-the-year performance on May 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Recital Hall at CSArts-SGV. This is but one of the many special arts education opportunities available to the children in our community as a result of the one-of-a-kind partnership between DUSD and CSArts-SGV that we are proud to offer.
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Cutting-Edge Culinary Arts Complex Constructed at Duarte High School to House NAF Approved Culinary Academy
The transformation of Duarte High School’s Culinary Arts classroom into a professional-grade facility started this summer, is now complete. The culinary complex was created to house the school’s growing Food Service & Hospitality/Culinary Entrepreneurship Pathway, as Duarte Unified School District (DUSD) is soon to offer the only dual enrollment culinary school collaboration in the San Gabriel Valley. “We are building on the dreams of our students - quite literally,” stated Dr. Gordon Amerson, Superintendent of Schools.” At DUSD, we are strategically focused on establishing learning opportunities that fulfill the passions of our students. We are achieving this in collaboration with experts in education and industry to offer students multiple pathways to attain their college and career aspirations. Construction of this premier facility to support students whose goals are to enter the culinary and hospitality arena is a prime example.”
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Dr. Gordon Amerson Brings His Vision To San Gabriel Valley Schools
Article about Dr. Amerson's first month of service as Superintendent of Duarte Unified School District is featured now in publications by Beacon News Media. Read the full article by clicking on the headline above or online in the local Beacon news sites including the Monrovia Weekly, Arcadia Weekly and Pasadena Independent. "Dr. Gordon Amerson is a big believer in creating a culture of achievement and opportunity using the innate skills and talents of the community. It is the vision he brings to San Gabriel Valley schools as he leads the Duarte Unified School District (DUSD). After officially taking over the superintendent position on July 23, 2018, Dr. Amerson spent a month visiting each of the district’s seven schools, preschool programs, and public charter, the California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV), to meet teachers, listen to parents, and learn about the community."
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LA County Arts Ed Collective Awards DUSD Advancement Grant
Duarte Unified is pleased to announce that the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and LA County Arts Ed Collective have awarded our district an Advancement Grant of $10,800 to implement the Artful Connections program at Beardslee Academy for the 2018-19 school year! Artful Connections is delivered by teaching artists from the Armory Center for the Arts who will provide the entire Beardslee faculty with arts integration training and support teachers directly in the classroom to provide integrated arts instruction in math and science to students in Grades 3-5. This is the third year in a row that Duarte Unified has been awarded this grant to implement the Artful Connections program, which is already in place at Maxwell, Valley View, and Royal Oaks with plans for the next grant cycle to support arts focused programming at Andres Duarte Arts Academy through the established Artful Learning framework.
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Three DUSD Schools Named to the Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll
Beardslee Dual Language Academy, Royal Oaks STEAM Academy and Valley View Elementary have been named to the 2017 - 2018 Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll for their high achievement and student success. The program, sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE), is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and districts that are improving student outcomes. These three Duarte Unified schools are among only 1,798 public schools in California to be recognized for this honor. ERP maintains the nation’s largest database on student achievement and utilizes this data to identify higher-performing schools and districts. Schools that receive the ERP Honor Roll distinction have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time, and a reduction in achievement gaps among student populations.
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DUSD Gains National Attention for Campus Modernization
The transition of our facilities from elementary school campuses to TK-8 academies is featured by Gen7 Schools as a national model of success. The construction of innovative, energy-efficient learning spaces, advancement of the arts, integration of cutting-edge technology and engaging instruction of 21st century skills are top priorities for DUSD, and our new Gen7 facilities deliver on every goal. A total of 22 new Gen7 permanent modular classrooms have been installed throughout the district allowing existing programs to be expanded and new ones to be launched. These new learning environments are equipped with flexible furniture for unmatched comfort and performance. We encourage community members to come visit and see the transformation to 21st Century Schools taking place at all of our campuses by signing up for a tour at come2duarteusd.com and read the full article at www.gen7schools.com.
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Duarte High Offers the Only 4 Year Early College Degree-Bearing Program in the Region
Duarte High School in partnership with Citrus College offers the only Four-Year Early College Dual Enrollment Degree-Bearing Program in the San Gabriel Valley. This unprecedented opportunity is available to students in grades 9-12. The Early College Program blends high school and college in a rigorous and supportive cohort program. Students simultaneously earn a high school diploma and complete between 30-60 college units depending on the pathway they choose, including earning an Associate of Science Degree. This program affords families a cost savings of thousands of dollars compared to the price of entering college after high school graduation, and provides an accelerated pathway for students wanting to get a head start on graduate work or entry into their career of choice.
