The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) is a public school district that serves Placentia, Yorba Linda, and parts of Anaheim, Brea, and Fullerton located in northeast Orange County, California. The school district covers and employs 3,200 people.Its student enrollment is approximately 24,000, and the District's 34 school sites include 20 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 1 K-8 school, 4 comprehensive high schools, 1 special education school, 1 continuation high school, 1 TK-12 home school, and 1 K-12 online school, alongside 5 state preschools. The district is led by Kymberly LeBlanc Esparza, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools. The Board of Education includes Carrie Buck, Marilyn Anderson, Leandra Blades, Todd Frazier, and Tricia Quintero.Twenty-five schools have been designated California Distinguished Schools, eight have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools, seventeen have been honored as California Gold Ribbon Schools, one has earned the title of California Model Continuation High School, and another has received California's Exemplary Independent Study recognition.The district has also been placed on the College Board’s AP District Honor Roll three times since the program's inception in 2011. The high schools featured are consistently named to "America's Best High Schools" rankings issued by Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and other news organizations.
Academics Academically, the District's students excel on standardized tests, outpacing both state and county averages. Students have won high honors in the county, state, and national competitions, including Academic Decathlon and Science Olympiad tournaments, Mock Trial, and both visual and performing arts competitions. The District averages 30 National Merit and Commended Scholars each year. Graduating classes traditionally earn millions of dollars in academic and athletic scholarships. Graduates attend the most prestigious colleges and universities and often receive appointments to the Air Force Academy, Annapolis and West Point. Notably, Olympic gold medal winners Janet Evans and Michele Granger are among these graduates, as are former state senator John Lewis, world-renowned opera soprano Deborah Voigt, nationally recognized physician Dr. William Schoolcraft, baseball stars Dan Petry, Phil Nevin, and Brett Boone, and NASA astronaut Joe Acaba.
History The school district dates back to 1874 and has always maintained a rich, historical tradition. A portion of the 1912 Bradford schoolhouse still stands at one of the high school sites, which opened in 1933. The remainder of the district's existing schools were built primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. Thanks to two community bond measures, four new schools opened between 2004 and 2009. The bonds also provided for the renovation of every school in the district and resulted in modernized classrooms equipped with the latest teaching technology tools, new libraries, school offices, science labs, computer pods between classrooms, expanded parking lots, playgrounds, gyms, training and locker rooms.
The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District obtained its name after the 1989 merger between the school districts serving the established community of Placentia and the growing area of Yorba Linda. In 2002 and 2008, the community approved school bond measures to renovate existing schools and build new ones.
District Leadership & Administration Executive Cabinet Kymberly LeBlanc-Esparza, Ed.D., Superintendent Candace Perez, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent, Academic Leadership Team (consolidates Student Support Services & Educational Services) John Pappalardo, Ed.D., Chief Officer, Business Services Chad McGough, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
Schools and Asst./Principals
Elementary schools
Brookhaven: Laura Fisher Bryant Ranch: Shannon Robles Fairmont: Anne San Roman, PrincipalKatie Visconti, Assistant Principal George Key: Rebecca Allan Glenknoll: Teresa Mulcahy Glenview: Jane Roh Golden: Kristin McDonald, PrincipalStephanie Dempsey, Assistant Principal Lakeview: Stephanie Given Linda Vista: Kristen Petrovacki Mabel Paine: Kristi Cooan Melrose: Janie Yoo
Morse: Kelly Farrell Rio Vista: Pablo Jimenez Rose Drive: Kathleen Escaleras-Nappi Ruby Drive: Trisha Gray Sierra Vista: Jacque Bluemel Topaz: Bilma Bermudez Ed.D. Travis Ranch: Kristen Petrovacki Tynes: Christa Borgese Ed.D. Van Buren: David Cammarato Wagner: Janice Weber Woodsboro: Melanie Carmona
Middle schools
Orange County School of Computer Sciences at Bernardo Yorba:Jeffrey Williamson, Principal; Vacant, Assistant Principal Kraemer:Matthew Callaway, Principal;Kathryn Ghalambor Poole, Assistant Principal Travis Ranch K-8:Kristen Petrovacki, Principal; Vacent, E.S. Assistant Principal;Brian Plunkett, M.S. Assistant Principal Tuffree:Takiyah Rogers, Principal;Hannah Chapman, Assistant Principal Valadez:William Truong, Principal;Genessis Melendrez, Assistant Principal Yorba Linda:Richard Nagy, Interim Principal;Cheralynn Johnston, Assistant Principal
High schools El Dorado:Michael Zides, Principal;James Goodwin, Assistant Principal;Sage Newman, Assistant Principal Esperanza:Kelly Molina, Principal;Joshua Lay, Assistant Principal;Kimberly Barraza Lyons, Ph.D., Assistant PrincipalChad Greendale, Assistant Principal Valencia:Paige Stills, Interim PrincipalJinasha Udeshi, Assistant PrincipalPaola Suchsland, Ed.D., Assistant PrincipalVacant, Assistant Principal Yorba Linda:Bird Potter, PrincipalMichael Ciecek, Assistant PrincipalStephanie Nguyen, Assistant Principal
Alternative education schools El Camino Real (9–12 continuation): Gina Aguilar, Principal Parkview (K–12 home school/independent study): Dominique Polchow, Principal Buena Vista Virtual Academy (K-12): Dominique Polchow, Principal
References
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