Devin Serrano, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, greets Vivian Nguyen and Felix Balairon, 4, on his first day of TK at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
“Students, teachers, staff, and families were excited to return to school,” Serrano said. “I really feel the sense of community at each of the schools and am looking forward to a great year.”
The Chang family hurries to class on the first day of Fall semester at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Devin Serrano, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, greets Blakely Shiue on the first day of class at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Parents take the obligatory photos of their students on the first day of the Fall semester at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Devin Serrano, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, stops for a photo with students on the first day of class at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Devin Serrano, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, greets students on the first day of class at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Jenny Wong sneaks a photo of her students on the first day of class at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Devin Serrano, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, greets Vivian Nguyen and Felix Balairon, 4, on his first day of TK at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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The Chang family hurries to class on the first day of Fall semester at Montemalaga Elementary School in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Montemalaga principal Curtis Chin, who also greeted students in the morning, said the energy at his school was amazing on opening day.
“Kudos to our remarkable teachers and staff who worked around the clock preparing for this day,” Chin said. “Seeing our students’ smiling faces as they arrived made it all worthwhile.”
Chin also thanked Serrano for joining in on the first-day memories.
PVPUSD has adopted new curriculum in social studies, world language and science, Serrano said.
The Spanish Dual Immersion program, meanwhile, will begin this year with its first kindergarten class at Lunada Bay.
The school district is also partnering with Los Angeles Harbor College to offer Dual Enrollment Certificate Pathways in culinary arts, data analytics and business.
Over the summer, Serrano said, the district worked on facility upgrades to accommodate transitional kindergarten and ensure “routine maintenance, repairs, and safety enhancements continue to be a focus, as we have many aging facilities.”
The district has 10 elementary schools, three intermediate schools, two high schools, one continuation school and one distance learning academy, according to the PVPUSD website.
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