Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Explained

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
Address:	1301 E. Orangethorpe Ave.
Region:	California
City:	Placentia
State:	California
County:	Orange County
Zipcode:	92870
Country:	United States
Type:	Public
Grades:	TK–12^[1]
Established:	1874
Superintendent:	Dr. James Elsasser^[2]
Deputy Superintendent:	-->
School Board:	Carrie Buck, Marilyn Anderson, Leandra Blades, Shawn Youngblood, and Todd Frazier ^[3]
Chair Of The Board:	Carrie Buck
Accreditation:	-->
Schools:	34
Us Nces District Id:	0630660^[4]
District Id:	CA-3066647
Enrollment:	~22500^[5]
Faculty:	~2000
Colours:	-->
Free Label:	Teachers' unions
Free Text:	Association of Placentia Linda Educators^[6]

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 and is rapidly developing county territory that reaches the Riverside County line. The school district covers 45sqmi and employs 2,000 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 superintendent is Dr. James Elsasser, Ed.D., and the Board of Education includes Carrie Buck, Marilyn Anderson, Leandra Blades, Shawn Youngblood, and Karin Freeman. 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 our current 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, new school offices, new science labs, computer pods between classrooms, expanded parking lots, new gyms, new playgrounds, new gyms, new training, and locker rooms, and much more.

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 expressed their support of schools by approving school bond measures to renovate existing schools and build new ones.

Schools and principals

Elementary schools

• Brookhaven: Laura Fisher^[7]
• Bryant Ranch: Shannon Robles^[8]
• Fairmont: Anne San Roman^[9]
• George Key: Rebecca Allan^[10]
• Glenknoll: Teresa Mulcahy^[11]
• Glenview: Jane Roh^[12]
• Golden: Kristin McDonald^[13]
• Lakeview: Stephanie Given^[14]
• Linda Vista: Kristen Petrovacki^[15]
• Mabel Paine: Geoffrey Smith^[16]
• Melrose: Janie Yoo^[17]

• Morse: Tonya Gordillo^[18]
• Rio Vista: Brandon Frank^[19]
• Rose Drive: Kathleen Escaleras-Nappi^[20]
• Ruby Drive: Lisa Carmona^[21]
• Sierra Vista: Jacque Bluemel^[22]
• Topaz: Eva Matthews^[23]
• Travis Ranch: Kristen Petrovacki^[24]
• Tynes: Tonya Gordillo^[25]
• Van Buren: David Cammarato^[26]
• Wagner: Janice Weber^[27]
• Woodsboro: Melanie Carmona^[28]

Middle schools

• Bernardo Yorba: Beth Fisher^[29]
• Kraemer: Michael Young^[30]
• Travis Ranch: Kristen Petrovacki^[31]
• Tuffree: David Okamoto^[32]
• Valadez: Dr. Christa Borgese^[33]
• Yorba Linda: Paige Stills^[34]

High schools

• El Dorado

Joey Davis^[35]

• Esperanza

Jeff Giles^[36]

• Valencia

Chris Herzfeld^[37]

• Yorba Linda

Richard Dinh^[38]

Alternative education schools

• El Camino Real (9–12 continuation): Scott Mazurier^[39]
• La Entrada (9–12 independent study) – Carey Cecil^[40]
• Parkview (K–12 home school/independent study): Dominique Polchow^[41]

Notes and References

1. Web site: About Us. 2021-12-27.
2. Web site: Superintendent's Message. 2021-12-27.
3. Web site: Board Members. 2021-12-27.
4. Web site: District Directory Information. 2021-12-27.
5. Web site: COVID-19 Dashboard. 2024-02-16.
6. Web site: Association of Placentia Linda Educators. 2021-12-27.
7. Web site: Brookhaven Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
8. Web site: Bryant Ranch School . 2015-09-02.
9. Web site: Fairmont Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
10. Web site: George Key School . 2015-09-02.
11. Web site: Glenknoll Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
12. Web site: Glenview Elementary School. 2015-09-02.
13. Web site: Golden Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
14. Web site: Lakeview Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
15. Web site: Linda Vista Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
16. Web site: Mabel Paine Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
17. Web site: Melrose Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
18. Web site: Morse Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
19. Web site: Rio Vista Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
20. Web site: Rose Drive Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
21. Web site: Ruby Drive Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
22. Web site: Sierra Vista Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
23. Web site: Topaz Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
24. Web site: Travis Ranch School . 2015-09-02.
25. Web site: John O. Tynes Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
26. Web site: Van Buren Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
27. Web site: Wagner Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
28. Web site: Woodsboro Elementary School . 2015-09-02.
29. Web site: Bernardo Yorba Middle School . 2023-10-17 . byms.org.
30. Web site: Kraemer Middle School . 2023-10-17 . kraemerms.org.
31. Web site: Travis Ranch School . October 17, 2023 . travisranchschool.org.
32. Web site: Tuffree Middle School . October 17, 2023 . tuffree.org.
33. Web site: Valadez Middle School Academy . October 17, 2023.
34. Web site: Principal- Paige Stills . 2023-10-18 . www.ylms.org . en.
35. Web site: El Dorado High School . 2016-01-04.
36. Web site: Staff . 2023-10-18 . www.esperanzahs.net . en.
37. Web site: Valencia High School . 2022-07-15.
38. Web site: Principal's Message Yorba Linda High School . 2023-10-18 . www.ylhs.org.
39. Web site: El Camino Real High School . 2023-05-23.
40. Web site: La Entrada High School . October 17, 2023.
41. Web site: Parkview School . 2023-10-18 . www.pylusdparkview.org.