Veterans Day: Friday, November 10

All schools and district offices will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.

Thanksgiving Break: Monday, November 20 - Friday, November 24

School will resume on Monday, November 27, 2023

Students who participated in our Art Time academy will have their artwork displayed in the EMCSD Board Room on Tuesday, November 14.

Potrero, Cortada, Cleminson and Rio Hondo students will have their art work displayed for the community, staff, and families to see and hear from students about what they learned by taking these art classes. Details below:

What: Art Time Gallery

When: Tuesday, November 14 at 4:00pm

Where: EMCSD Board Room (3535 Lexington Ave, El Monte, CA 91731)

PBS' "Inside California Education" covers EMCSD's Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program as California prepares for Universal TK . EMCSD has continued to expand our TK programming, getting ahead of the state's 2025 goal. In fact, EMCSD opened their newest TK class at Rio Hondo this year to meet the demand of TK classes. Our programs include both Spanish and Mandarin Dual Language options for parents hoping to help their students grow up bilingual. You can watch the entire EMCSD spotlight by clicking the button below.

Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Board President Dr. Yvonne Chan recently visited El Monte City School District (EMCSD) schools to observe their academic programs and extracurricular activities. This visit showcased EMCSD’s dedication to delivering quality education and highlighted some significant initiatives.

EMCSD invited the LACOE Board of Education to allow them to see their interactive, student-centered, data-based educational programming. Dr. Chan shared that this is the first time LACOE’s Board of Education has been personally invited to tour school campuses. EMCSD serves a diverse student population and prides itself on meeting students where they are academically, emotionally, and socially to provide the instruction and support needed to succeed.

Durfee School celebrated Día De Los Muertos, inviting people from all over the community to come and celebrate with food, music, activities, and face painting. Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a two-day Mexican holiday that is dedicated to honor and celebrate our deceased loved ones. Families create ofrendas (altars) to honor their departed family members. They decorate the ofrendas with favorite foods, photos, and mementos of the departed. This is a joyous and vibrant occasion with music and gatherings at the cemeteries to keep the memories of our departed alive.

“The Day of the Dead event is an important cultural staple in the Latino community. By allowing the public to attend the event, we are promoting cultural understanding and awareness, as well as honoring cultural diversity,” explained Martiza Duenas. EMCSD is part of a majority Latino community and keeps the community aware of cultural activities.

Durfee’s celebration included a live mariachi band serenading the entire event and little ofrendas made by the students. Durfee Parent Carolina S. shared, “A lot of traditions are fading away and it's really good for the kids to be exposed to different cultures and I think everybody can relate to this [event].”

The EMCSD community is multicultural and prides itself on the inclusivity of the community. “I feel that it is important for the community because it brings everybody together, and since a lot of parents are not aware of the traditions of other cultures that are present in the community,” voiced Yesenia O., Durfee Parent.

“Celebrating cultural diversity through events like Día de los Muertos shows the community that EMCSD is an inclusive and welcoming environment,” stated Duenas.

Other schools throughout EMCSD also hosted intimate Dia de los Muertos events. Potrero, Frank Wright, Cleminson, and New Lexington had school community altars inviting students and staff to showcase their loved ones and share their stories.

The students from Rio Hondo School had an experience out of this world during their Astronomy Night! Astronomy Night was held to teach our community about space, planets, stars, and our solar system. The best part about this event was that the students were doing all of the teaching.

There were booths set up with different activities that the community could participate in, and the students led them all with their vast knowledge of astronomy. “One of the booths was very informative. Learned about the moon rotating around the sun,” shared Muriel A., Rio Hondo Parent.

Astronomy Night allows the community to come together. “It gets everyone together, and it’s fun. I haven’t seen this many people together in a while,” expressed Rio Hondo Parent, Angie C. “Learned about the planets; it’s all fun and creative.”

“Helps the kids more so they can be immersed and expand their knowledge,” stated Vincente S, EMCSD Parent. “It's interactive, and they get to do it outside of a classroom environment.”

Are you or someone you know looking to pursue a career in education? Do you want to be more involved in your student's district? As we prepare for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, there are many job openings available at EMCSD! We have listed a few below. You can also see more on the graphics above.

• AVID Tutors
• Custodial Substitute
• Engagement and Enrichment Facilitator
• Health Services Specialist
• Human Resources Technician
• Nutrition Service Assistant
• Supervision Assistant
• and much more!