Staff departures
Assistant Principal Christopher Holmes will leave TCHS early November and become Longden Elementary School’s new principal.
Holmes applied for the position after the departure of two Longden principals in the same year. The district is accepting applications for his replacement.
“Working with kids is amazing,” Holmes said. “Longden has such a great history of 110 years and I want to contribute to their legacy.”
Athletic Director Sarah Penalora left on Oct. 17 to become Rosemead High School’s new assistant principal to specialize in student affairs.
Penalora applied for the position through Edjoin and had two rounds of interviews before accepting the position. Cary Smith will continue his responsibilities as a counselor, but is the temporary athletic director while the district searches for a replacement.
Science teacher Evan Dagger will return at an unknown date. Tim Alexander is the third substitute to teach Dagger’s classes.
ELD program trip
Different groups of ELD students and mentors visited the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens on Oct. 10, 17 and 24.
The Huntington and TCHS ELD have a two-year partnership that includes free admissions and specially designed tours.
English teacher Vanessa Hadikusumah completed an application on behalf of the ELD program, earning them opportunities such as the upcoming trips.
“For the past two years, we’ve been trying to incorporate more art and approaching language through art,” Hadikusumah said. “Using art will facilitate students learning English because they would be more engaged.”
Future field trip plans in February 2020 will focus on bridging cultures.
San Gabriel Mission Playhouse
The city of San Gabriel will not sell the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.
As the 2018-2019 school year ended, the city council discovered a two million dollar debt, giving them the option to sell the playhouse or hire a management company. However, the city repurposed their public transportation grant to fund the facility.
The playhouse is now registered as part of the National Register of Historic Places, which protects the nation’s historic landmarks.
“The National Register of Historic Places offers grant opportunities we were not eligible for previously,” Auditorium Manager Elias Bourjeili said. “However, the problem with that is that we are now bound by national historic preservation laws, making it hard to maintain the facility and to do anything without a variety of time consuming approvals.”
Performing arts groups can continue using the facility as preservation laws prevent the city from selling the playhouse.