NEWS                                                                                    Walnut Valley Unified School District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   880 S. Lemon Avenue

September 5, 2014                                                               Walnut, CA 91789

 

Contact:                                                   

Kelli Gile, Office of Community Resources

(909)595-1261 ext. 31204

 

DIAMOND BAR, CA—Walnut Valley Unified School District threw a party to celebrate the completion of the modernization at Maple Hill Elementary on September 3.  

“Thank you all for coming out and supporting us today on our very special, special day. It means so much to have so many people here that care about Maple Hill,” said Principal Nancy Stingley.  

About 200 friends of the school including community members, parents, students, current and former staff, district and local officials attended the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Maple Hill would not be the school that it is today without your support,” Stingley added. She recalled when staff members moved into a village of 29 portables for construction that began in June of 2013. 

The school family stuck together, worked hard learning new Common Core curriculum, implemented a positive behavior intervention program, and proudly earned a 2014 California Distinguished School Award.

The remodeled campus officially opened its doors on August 18, on the first day of the 2014-2015 school year.

“This has been a fantastic journey for us. Today is a day of celebration and of new beginnings,” she said at the ceremony.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor thanked community members for their support of the construction projects throughout the district.  

“It takes so many people to see a project through – especially to its fruition like we have here at Maple Hill. For the kids in this community, I’m so glad you get to go to this beautiful school,” Taylor said.

“Now our Maple Hill students will have a physical environment that will match the learning environment, and they so deserve it!” Board President Cindy Ruiz added.

“We’ve been given an extraordinary gift. This building - our home - has been transformed, and we are so grateful,” said fourth grade teacher Tami Barry.

“My students sat at their brand new desks, in their new chairs, with the sunlight streaming down on them, with their brand new Chrome books open on the desks in front of them for the first time last week. I asked them to take a moment and simply be thankful for the gift in front of them, and then we opened the Chrome books and got busy.”

Teachers led small groups on a tour of their new school after the ribbon cutting.

“It’s fabulous!” exclaimed Ruthann Greenblat while entering a classroom. The former Maple Hill parent and volunteer lives across the street from the school and was able to watch the progress during the modernization.

“We were so excited to see it. I believe in doing the best for kids whether you have kids in school or not.”

“It’s like moving into a new house. There’s nothing more exciting!” said retired teacher Gayle Douglas.

Another guest, Arlene Wicker, was one of the original Maple Hill teachers when the school first opened in the spring of 1980.

“The kids wore paper hats, there were helium balloons, and it was so exciting,” she remembered.

Wicker experienced that same joy at the grand re-opening ceremony nearly 35 years later, and something else too.

“I really feel the family feeling here,” she said with a smile.

Maple Hill Elementary officially inaugurated the remodeled campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Shown with Principal Nancy Stingley are Community Club President Steve Hernandez, Board Members Dr. Tony Torng, Cindy Ruiz, and Helen Hall, Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor, students Sebastian Dor, Ethan King, Andrew Cava, Gavin Prudencio, Eliana Valencio, Amanda Liggett and Maha Showkat. 

Kindergarten teacher Marcia Hansen and retired teacher Dena Tice browse through a book of class photos dating from 1980. 

Maple Hill Principal Nancy Stingley thanked the community for their support during the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 3. 

Maple Hill Elementary staff celebrates at ribbon cutting. 

Maple Hill teachers gave guided tours of the new campus after the grand re-opening ceremony on September 3.