Category Archives: los altos high school

Los Altos High students say goodbye for Every 15 Minutes

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Grim reaper greets Los Altos High students (Photo courtesy of CHP)

Grim reaper greets Los Altos High students (Photo courtesy of CHP)

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Saying goodbye to loved ones is hard, especially when they’re cut down in the prime of their lives.

Los Altos High students learned this the hard way, when they were asked to write goodbye letters to their parents as part of the Every 15 Minute event on Friday. A fake auto accident had claimed the lives of three students outside the bustling Hacienda Heights campus.

Justin Contreras broke down and sobbed as he tried to read his letter at the school assembly. The 18-year-old senior was comforted by other students who rose to hug him on the gym floor.

“If only I knew that once I left my house in the morning on March 12 that I wouldn’t return home. Maybe I would’ve hugged you longer mom and dad,” wrote Tori Sanchez in her heartfelt goodbye.

“Maybe I would’ve had told you how thankful I really was to both of you. Maybe I would’ve smiled more at both of you when you said good morning,” the 18-year-old continued. “Maybe I would’ve done a lot of different things.”

“I didn’t know that I was never going to see you both again. I’m sorry, because I made a dumb decision to get in a car with a drunk driver my life was taken away. I just turned 18 the previous day, I had my whole life ahead of me,” the senior said.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to do so many other things in my life and within a blink of an eye all of my dreams and aspirations were taken away from me,” Sanchez wrote.

“I should’ve been more responsible. I should’ve listened to you both. I should not have taken life for granted,” the sad student said. “I’m sorry mom and dad that I have failed you, failed you in the way that you have now lost a daughter and have to bury me.”

The powerful prose moved her fellow students, as Sanchez warned the teens about how fragile life can be. It’s not something teens usually think about.

Read more in Rich Irwin’s story GOODBYE

Los Altos High teacher charged with sex with student

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By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer

A Los Altos High School chemistry teacher was charged Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old student.

District Attorney spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child were filed against David Park, 37, of Chino Hills.B-pSaNkVEAEnYPl

Investigators alleged he molested the girl after school in a classroom and at his home from September to November 2014.

Wearing a gray T-shirt and with his hands handcuffed behind his back, Park appeared Tuesday afternoon at Pomona Superior Court for an arraignment which was continued to March 9.

Park’s bail was $1 million after deputies arrested him Monday night. The bail for the charges filed is $75,000.

“I think it requires a deviation from $75,000 just for protection of the community,” Commissioner Wade Olson said.

He set bail at $150,000. Olson said if Park is released on bail, he must have no contact with the victim. He reminded Park that there is a protective order.

Park’s father and another relative attended the arraignment. They declined comment.

Read more in Ruby Gonzales story BAIL.

Los Altos teacher accused of having sex with 15-year-old student

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Deputies arrested a Los Altos High School biology and chemistry teacher Monday night for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old student on campus after school hours and at his Chino Hills home.

David Park, 37, was booked on suspicion of oral copulation, lewd acts with a child 15 years old and sexual battery. He is expected to be arraigned today at Pomona Superior Court and is being held on $1 million bail.

Hacienda La Puente Unified Superintendent Cindy Parulan-Colfer said a faculty member noticed that the teen seemed very upset Monday afternoon.

The sophomore said she’d been molested by Park since September, according to Lt. Andrew Meyer of the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.

Los Altos Principal Cheli McReynolds called the Sheriff’s Industry station.B-pSaNkVEAEnYPl

Sgt. Al Fraijo said detectives discovered written evidence that substantiated the allegations. He didn’t give details on where evidence was found or what kind.

Read more in ARREST.

Los Altos High celebrates opening day for baseball

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Los Altos High School will celebrate the opening day for baseball on Saturday. It has planned a full day of fun activities, including an alumni vs. varsity game at 9:30 a.m. and JV game at 11 a.m.
The biggest event, the annual COW POOP DEEED BINGO begins at noon. Cows will roam a large painted coordinate grid out on the field. The three first poops made where people have purchased those deed spots, win cash prizes.
There will also be food booths, games and a dunk tank

Los Altos High choirs plan cabaret night in Hacienda Heights

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choir
The Choirs of Los Altos High School will present their annual “Cabaret Night” – a fabulous evening of music, dance, food, and fun.
The performance will be on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 pm and Friday Feb. 27 with two shows at 6 & 8 pm. It will be held at the new Hacienda Heights Community Center at 1234 Valencia Ave. in Hacienda Heights.
There are only 160 seats for each of the performances. Tickets are $15.00 per person which includes a reserved seat, appetizers, drinks, and a dessert.
To purchase tickets contact Jeffrey Fahey, Director of Choirs, atjfahey@hlpusd.k12.ca.us or 626-934-5446.

 

New lights to save $459,000 a year in Hacienda La Puente Unified

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Duy Ha installs new lights, ballast system, and motion sensors at La Puente High School .

Duy Ha installs new lights, ballast system, and motion sensors at La Puente High School .

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Who knew changing old lights and turning them off when you leave the room could save $543,692 a year? It’s a lesson that the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District has learned over the past year.

It saw big savings when it hired Schneider Electric to redo the lighting at Orange Grove Middle School and Cedarlane Academy in Hacienda Heights.

Now, it’s spending $6.75 million to modernize the lighting at its biggest energy users, the four high schools. The district figures the changes will cut the district’s electric bill by 14 percent.

Fortunately, Hacienda La Puente Unified was one of the first school districts to apply for funding from Prop 39. In 2012, California voters approved the proposition to invest $2.5 billion in energy efficiency projects at schools and community colleges.

“Among the 1,000 plus school districts in California, we are one of the larger school districts, and one of only 47 districts with an approved Prop 39 plan,” said School Board President Gino Kwok.

The district’s Prop 39 project has been approved by the California Energy Commission for the entire five-year program. It will receive an estimated $4,435,680.

“In addition to simplifying the entire process, partnering with Schneider Electric allowed us to directly address our most pressing energy efficiency problems through an integrated approach,” said Associate Superintendent Annie Bui. “We now have a full five-year energy savings plan that will help maximize every Prop 39 dollar.”

Contractors have already redone the lighting at Willow Adult Campus in La Puente, as well as district’s offices. Now, workers are shifting to the four high schools.

“These six sites use approximately 47 percent of the district’s total energy cost annually,” said Maintenance Director Mark Hansberger.

Improvements include new classroom lighting as well as sensors that turn off the lights when no one is present. Work crews will also install LED lighting on the exterior and in the gymnasiums, plus new heating and cooling controls.

Read more in Rich Irwin’s story LIGHTS.

Los Altos High choirs plan holiday concert in Hacienda Heights

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Los Altos High choir performs at opening of Hacienda Heights Community Center.

Los Altos High choir performs at opening of Hacienda Heights Community Center.

The Los Altos High School Choirs are bursting with enthusiasm to announce the performance of their Holiday Concert in the sparkling new Hacienda Heights Community Center located at 1234 Valencia Ave. in Hacienda Heights. The concert will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m.

General admission is free but donations are appreciated. If you would like reserved seating for $7, contact Jeffrey Fahey, Director of Choirs via email: jfahey@hlpusd.k12.ca.us 

Visit www.losaltoschoir.org for more information. Come one and all to kick off the Holiday Season. See you there!