El Monte City School District (EMCSD) celebrated the opening of their new Early Childhood Learning Center at Cortada School. As part of a series of renovations and upgrades across the district, EMCSD held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and invited the community to tour the new Head Start space before students officially entered their classrooms. The project broke ground in 2023 and is now complete, with students scheduled to start attending class in November 2025.
The ceremony kicked off with two current 6th graders who began their educational journey as Head Start students at Cortada School. Azul Gutierrez and Katherine Nguyen both credit Head Start for their budding friendship. “Azul and I actually met right here in Head Start, and we’ve been friends ever since,” shared Katherine. “It’s amazing to look back and see how much our school has grown and changed since then.”
It was fitting to have two former Cortada Head Start students lead one of many upcoming celebrations at the school. Along with Gidley and Shirpser schools, Cortada received a Green Schoolyards Grant to upgrade their campuses, introduce more trees for natural shade, and implement new outdoor learning spaces that also feature a nature-focused walking path. This comes after Cortada modernized its classroom furniture, an ongoing districtwide initiative to enhance the in-classroom experience for all students and staff.
Dozens of staff, community members, and partners joined in the celebration. EMCSD Board President Elizabeth “Beth” Rivas said, “This building is a reminder of the commitment that our entire community has for our children, so to be able to celebrate the opening of a spot for our youngest learners is such a joy and privilege.” EMCSD Director of Child Development, Juan Castillo, shared, “Every child, regardless of their family’s income, deserves a chance to succeed. It is a belief that high-quality early education is not a luxury, but a critical foundation for a child’s future. It is a promise to invest in our youngest learners and to support the families who are their first and most important teachers.”
The Head Start preschool program has been offered and supported by EMCSD for decades. Cynthia Ibañez, a former Cortada Head Start student and current Head Start parent, attended the ribbon-cutting and shared her excitement for all the new developments across EMCSD. “It’s just a really great feeling that our district is getting more funding to be able to get these nice things. I love seeing the investment back into the community,” said Ms. Ibañez. She also highlighted the importance of simple things many people might take for granted, “Even having these giant windows is so important, so [students] can look outside. They even added more grass. I grew up in this neighborhood in an apartment that had a tiny patch of grass in the courtyard. Having kids be able to go outside and play in the grass makes me so happy.”
The new buildings feature bright open spaces through the use of natural lighting to aid in student engagement. The classrooms have ample room to accommodate different learning styles, including hands-on resources and supplies to teach students fine motor skills. The new outdoor play space incorporates natural elements for sensory stimulation. The Center is also right next to Cortada’s TK and Kindergarten classrooms, allowing students and parents to see and engage with their next grade level.
EMCSD’s Head Start program provides educational opportunities to families with children ages 0-3, and the excitement for all the renovations and upgrades can be felt throughout the community. Azul said, “This new building represents new beginnings, just like my friendship with Katherine began. It gives our youngest students a beautiful and safe place to start their own learning journeys, just like we did.” Superintendent Dr. Maribel Garcia shared those sentiments, saying, “I believe this new Learning Space brings that vision to life by giving our youngest minds the physical resources to achieve beyond limits and hopefully follow in the footsteps of the Azuls and Katherines of the world – future leaders in their school and their community.”
