Over 115 Walnut Valley USD fifth-grade musicians will take the stage with their Band Buddies mentors during the Walnut High School spring concert on Friday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

During four rehearsals, led by instrumental music directors Corey Wicks and Katie Takahashi, about 50 members of the Blue Thunder Marching Band sit side-by-side with the young artists in the 10,000 square-foot instrumental music facility.

The popular outreach program returned in March after a three-year pandemic hiatus.

“Band Buddies has been one of the most rewarding things we have done at Walnut High School,” Wicks said.

“During the Band Buddies era, we have had the privilege of watching our students grow and mature not only during their high school years, but also starting from the fifth grade and beyond.”

Wicks shared that group music activities give students an unrivaled sense of community, which is more important today than ever before.

“For us to be able to include them in this community even earlier is an extraordinary gift! We cannot thank the district and school site administrators, music teachers, and parents for giving us their undying support in this endeavor.”

“Band Buddies started as a small idea and over the last 12 years, has turned into a passion project,” said Takahashi who created the outreach program as a Walnut High sophomore.

The experience inspired her to become a music teacher and she is now in her sixth year as a full-time director.

“Band Buddies is my favorite part about teaching music in WVUSD! I’m so thrilled to welcome Band Buddies back to the stage tomorrow evening!” she added.

Participants received a commemorative 10th-anniversary t-shirt and snacks during each rehearsal.

“I hope that Band Buddies leaves a lasting impact on these fifth-grade students, just as it did for me when I was a fifth-grade Band Buddy,” said senior and Band Buddies President Anthony Chae.

“Not only in their potential future with music, but I hope it will also provide them with memories and experiences that will shape the kids into amazing people.”

"Band Buddies sparked my love for performing music, and now, as a mentor, I strive to be that spark for the next generation of Mustangs!” shared freshman clarinetist Keegan Beecher.

MONDAY - April 17

• *Periods 1-6 Regular Schedule - 8:30 am- 3:25 pm

TUESDAY - April 18

• *Periods 3-4 & 5-6 Tutorial Schedule - 8:30 am - 3:25 pm

WEDNESDAY - April 19

• *Periods 1-4 Collaboration Schedule - 8:30 am-2:40 pm

• WASC Meeting - Front Office Closed from 2:45 pm-4:00 pm

THURSDAY - April 20

• *Periods 1-2 & 5-6 Tutorial Schedule - 8:30 am - 3:25 pm

• Dance Concert in the PAC @ 7:00 pm

FRIDAY - April 21

• *Periods 1-6 Regular Schedule - 8:30 am- 3:25 pm

• Best Buddies Prom @ South Hills Country Club

• Dance Concert in the PAC @ 7:00 pm

SATURDAY - April 22

• 2023 WHS Prom @ The Globe in Los Angeles from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

A big congratulations on the outstanding achievement of our Walnut High School Science Olympiad Team. They have made us proud by securing 13th overall in the state at the 38th annual Southern California Science Olympiad State Tournament. The tournament was held on April 8, hosted by Caltech and Polytechnic School. Over 2,000 participants, including students, teachers, parents, and volunteers from Southern California, joined the event to showcase their skills in 23 science-related competitions. This year marks the eighth year of Caltech hosting the Science Olympiad, fostering local students' passion for science and promoting community engagement.

We would like to extend our congratulations to the Science Olympiad team members who represented our school with great zeal and enthusiasm. The team consisted of Sunny Liu, Ryan Fue, Audrey Lin, Lucas He, Surya Donath, Anisha Choksey, Elise Chen, Eric Wang, Jingming Wang, Ethan Tsai, Barron Lee, Zimo Chen, Gilbert Shen, Steve Lu, and Anson Lin.

Our team exhibited exceptional performance and earned Top 10 finishes in Flight, Bridge, Scrambler, Dynamic Planet, Chemistry Lab, Environmental Chemistry, and Astronomy. This accomplishment highlights the team's dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence in science. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to their future success.

We're thrilled to announce that our very own Walnut High School Science Bowl team has made it to the Top 5 at the February 4 regional competition hosted by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. This marks the 31st year that the tournament has brought together some of the brightest science and math minds from high schools across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Santa Barbara counties.

With months of preparation, over 100 high schoolers from Southern California competed in the tense and fast-paced academic challenge. Our team members, Patrick Wang, Lucas He, Christina Wang, Jingming Wang, and Surya Donath, were tested on their knowledge in biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, energy, math, and physics at a first-year college level in a fast-paced verbal format.

We are incredibly proud of our Science Bowl team for their outstanding performance and for representing our school with excellence. Congrats to the team on their achievement!

The Women of AT&T present the Girls in Future Technologies Career / Education Fair on April 20 during tutorial. The Career / Education Fair Event is dedicated to introducing young girls, to the possibilities of pursuing STEM careers. Space is limited to 100 students, so please RSVP below!

If you cannot make it during tutorial, feel free to swing by during lunch. The event will be held in the MPR!

Join us for "The Final Countdown" a Spring Dance Production held in the PAC on April 20 & 21. This will be our last dance concert of the school year. Do not miss out! Click the link below to purchase tickets.

Hey Seniors, a quick reminder to get your Mustang Scholarship applications in by Monday, April 17, 2023.

For questions, email us at mustangscholarship@gmail.com

WHCC is offering 10 scholarships at $500 each.

These scholarships are available to all seniors graduating in 2023, regardless of your GPA or extracurricular activities.

Please click on the link or scan the QR code to apply to the WHCC Mustang Scholarship.

If you were accepted into Cal State Fullerton, please join us on 4/18 in H-5 during tutorial to learn more about the next steps to take in order to enroll in Cal State Fullerton in the fall!

Cal State Fullerton representatives will be on campus on Tuesday, 4/25 to discuss all Cal State Fullerton has to offer! Please join us in the MPR during tutorial.

Congrats Grad marquee is now available!! You can congratulate your Class of 2023 grad on our school marquee by clicking on the link below.

Only 10 names per week starting in May on a first come first serve basis. Don’t miss out on your preferred week! There is a $25 donation requested and all funds go back to supporting our students and school.

What: WHS Prom 2023
Where: Globe Theater Los Angeles
When: April 22, 2023
Time: 6-10PM

Find a date and buy your tickets at ASB!!! *tickets are reserved for upperclassmen only*

Open to current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders interested in playing volleyball. Athletic Clearance Packet MUST be completed before trying out. Please see the flyer for more information.

• Monday, May 1, 2023 (3:45-5:30 PM)
• Wednesday, May 3, 2023 (3:45-5:30 PM)
• Thursday, May 4, 2023 (3:45-5:30 PM)

We would love to invite you to your high school senior parents/guardians to our Mt SAC Spring Parent Info Day! It will take place on Saturday morning, April 22nd at 8:30am-11:30am, presented by the Community and Family Engagement Team in High School Outreach.

Our event will have a wonderful parent/guardian information session with guest campus speakers, and campus tours. We will provide free breakfast, lunch and goodies. Sessions will be in English and Spanish.

Registration link is here: https://bit.ly/MTSACParentsDay2023 or through the QR code on the flyer below and attached. Space will be limited so encourage you to register early and fast!

Please support WHS 11th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser. All proceeds go to the WHS Golf Program.

Questions: Email www.whsmustanggolf.com or call (951) 205-4349.

The Walnut High School Girls Volleyball Program will be hosting their 2nd Annual Golf Tournament on Friday, June 9, 2023 at Los Serranos Golf Club.

This event raises vital funds to support our girls volleyball program. These funds will be used to purchase much needed equipment, tournament fees, transportation, meals, and a supportive coaching staff to help them succeed on the court.

Our goal is to always provide a safe instructive environment for all of our athletes to learn and develop skills to be a better volleyball player, but more importantly, a productive member of society, as well as fielding a competitive program.

In order to continue to make this experience a reality for our program, we are reaching out directly to area businesses, family, and friends, and offering the opportunity to help by becoming a sponsor.

Included in this letter is a brochure with a variety of sponsorship packages for you to review as well as details about the tournament. All donations to our volleyball program are tax-deductible. Our Tax ID # is 95-6003446. Your support for this event will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

The Academic Design Program (ADP) is a standards-based, integrated approach to learning. Using the Design-Based Learning methodology, Social Science and English are brought together as the students work through real-world problems in search of real-world solutions. Students will engage with the content through creativity and collaboration in order to build a mind-body connection with the material they learn. Please use the QR code or go to bit.ly/walnutADP to submit questions regarding ADP.

In the Spring of 2024, Walnut High School will be evaluated for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). WASC accreditation shows our school meets high standards for operating a quality program. WASC accreditation is an ongoing cycle, including an initial self-study process, creating a schoolwide plan, and hosting evaluation visits. An accredited school is a statement to the broader community and the stakeholders that it is a trustworthy institution for student learning and committed to ongoing improvement.

It is imperative that we hear from all stakeholders, teachers, students, parents, community members, support, and district staff, as we set improvement goals through this reflective process. To reach that goal, we have created an electronic parent survey. Please take the time to complete the survey below and assist us in setting plans to make WHS the best school possible.

Don't be left without a yearbook. Last day to buy before distribution day is Saturday, April 15. Price is $100. Order online at yearbookordercenter.com ($5 processing will be added).

*Price goes up again on distribution day so save a little money and buy your book today!

Swing by Mr. Luu's classroom - E12 - for FREE Algebra 2 tutoring! He will be there on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and available to help our students study for tests, assist with homework problems, or help answer any questions!

Please see the map below for two exit options when you pick up your student. As a reminder, please do not park under the solar panels in the front entrance or any red zones.

9th GRADE (Class of 2026)

Corolar Schultz (A - LIM) cschultz@wvusd.org

Morgan Galeener (LIN-Z) mgaleener@wvusd.org

10th GRADE (Class of 2025)

Wil Lares (A – LO) wlares@wvusd.org

Sonia Nunez (LU – Z) snunez@wvusd.org

11th GRADE (Class of 2024)

Nathan Newman (A – LI) nnewman@wvusd.org

Jenny Alegre (LO – Z) aalegre@wvusd.org

12th GRADE (Class of 2023)

Jennifer Tucker (A – LI) jtucker@wvusd.org

Jeff Jacks (LO – Z) jjacks@wvusd.org

ADP (Academic Design Program)

Viviana Hoyos vhoyos@wvusd.org

Intervention Counselor

Jennifer Peiten jLPeiten@wvusd.org

Due to many problems and safety issues we DO NOT allow student lunches to be delivered anywhere on campus.

Food, drinks or other items are NOT to be passed to students through the fence. This is strictly prohibited.

Outside Food Delivery Services such as UBER Eats/Door Dash is strictly prohibited. Food will be confiscated if deliveries are dropped off.

We understand the importance of student nutrition but we encourage students to either use the free lunch at school or bring their lunch from home.

During summer registration, students and their guardians watched the rules and expectations video for the upcoming school year. If you did not have a chance to watch it, please take a minute to view the video to help you be successful this year!

Parents: One thing you will notice this year are tardy or cell phone detention automated emails. If your child was issued a detention for excessive tardies or a cell phone violation, you will get an email with information on the detention they need to serve.

Students must attend every class, every day, and be on time. In order to receive daily credit, students are to bring all necessary materials to class. Students will not be excused from class to get materials. Homework and class assignments are to be completed on time and to the best of the student’s ability. Only behaviors befitting the learning environment are acceptable. Students are to comply with all reasonable requests of any staff member. Dress code will be enforced.