Experience Innovation in Education

Week 4 - Spring Semester 2023/24

Principal's message:

Happy Friday Coyotes! Another amazing week at The Park, capped off by a flurry of wins and a couple firsts by our winter sports teams last night. Both boys and girls basketball took home victories, along with boys soccer, who won back to back games, the second in double overtime + PKs in order to guarantee themselves a playoff spot and a 3rd place finish in league. But the evening was highlighted by two teams. First, girls water polo, who played in their first league finals, and although they didn't come home victorious, the program finished 2nd place in league, and are ranked #4 going into the CIF playoffs. Then girls basketball defeated FUHS to go 10-0 in league, and win the school's first girls basketball league title! What an exciting moment for BPHS and our girls. Now our teams are off to CIF, and will start playoffs next week.

As part of this amazing run, Bella Harmon was highlighted as Orange County Athlete of the Week. We look forward to a great CIF run starting next Thursday.

See the below flyer for our February Den Tour dates.

Lastly, I'd like to congratulate our Certificated and Classified Employees of the Year, Amanda Klaus and Angelica Belmudez. Both of these Coyotes work tirelessly to make our school an amazing place for students. Their commitment to our RISE Up core values, and helping promote those with our students is a testament to their character and work ethic. Great job Amanda and Angelica...The Den wouldn't be the same without you!

Have a great weekend Coyotes!

Dr. Berg

Ana Paola Galvez Pacheco

During National Mentoring Month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire recognizes exceptional volunteers who embody the transformative power of mentoring. I am thrilled to inform you that Ana Galvez, a senior at Buena Park, has been selected as one of the 19 Mentor of the Year award finalists representing the 3,365+ youth served in our community and school-based programs.

This prestigious recognition is a testament to Ana's dedication as a peer mentor in the High School Bigs program, where high school students serve as role models (Bigs) to elementary school students (Littles), fostering their academic achievement, social-emotional skills, and self-awareness during weekly after-school sessions. In turn, Bigs find their voices as community advocates and philanthropists.

Ana Galvez has consistently demonstrated unwavering commitment, providing invaluable guidance and support to their Little at Raymond Elementary as they navigate the challenges of growing up through adversity. Beyond their impact, they have also become a champion for the positive influence of mentors in our communities.

To honor their achievements, Big Brothers Big Sisters will award each of our High School Bigs Mentor of the Year finalists with $1,000 in college and career funding, with winners receiving $2,500.

We are immensely proud to have Ana Galvez as part of our community of volunteers and champions. Their dedication to advocacy and philanthropy truly exemplifies the values we strive to instill in the young leaders in our mentoring programs.

Coyotes of Character

R.I.S.E. Up Spotlight of the Week

Service Before Self

It's the little things we do that can make a positive impact on others. We don't do good things to be recognized, but people recognize when we do good things.

Great job Coyotes of Character!

Both girls offered to help with open house night, and promote a program they already completed. Although both girls are currently student trainers, they worked the table for Sports Medicine the entire night and helped with set up and clean up.

The Misadventures of Fernandean

Our dynamic due found themselves in a bit of a pickle this week. Coming off an exciting championship weekend for the NFL, Fernando and Dean were amped and looking to celebrate, but they could not find a suitable location. They began their search in the Coyote Fitness Center, where just last week, they recorded their third weight training documentary, and checked Coach Prieto's football coaching office. Finding it locked, they skipped up the main hallway, singing Taylor Swifts entire 1989 album in celebration of the Chiefs win over the Ravens, and Travis Kelce's next trip to the Super Bowl. Half way through Blank Space, the most popular song on the album, they immediately knew the right space on campus to find some BP football nostalgia to help in their celebration...Dr. Berg's office! Having been in the principal's office once or twice in their lives, they entered cautiously, palms sweaty, with beads of sweat running down their chiseled brows. Dean flashbacked to the mild trauma of his 1st grade experience in his principal's office, when he was called in due to forgetting to close the lid on their class pet, Fluffy the Bunny's, cage the weekend he took it home, where it became a snack for his pet python. But those events in life only helped harden his senses, making him the rockstar he is today. So he pushed through entering Berg's shrine with the revernce one would pay to a college roommate's dorm room. Seeing an old 19 jersey hangin off the window, Fernando wondered if there was any significance to the number, or just a relic of a bygone era. Dean quickly found the football perched on the cabinet behind the desk. Upon picking it up he felt the surge of energy, only given off by a miniature football, one made for youth. It didn't stop him from feeling a surge of wealth and power, doing his best Reggie Bush Heisman pose, just minus the gifts and booster money which ultimately caused the USC star to be stripped of his Heisman, and forever shamed in the lore of college football. As the energy of the room faded, like this year's USC football team, Fernando quickly tried to lighten the mood by channeling his inner Al Bundy. For those in the know, Al Bundy was a Polk High football legend, much like Dr. Berg, who infamously scored four touchdowns in a single game to win the city championships. But just as soon as he posed, Dr. Berg's screen came to life and hypnotized both Fernando and Dean, causing them to do the unthinkable, relax and put their feet up on the desk. Hopefully this brief moment of decompression does not allow for a disaster of biblical proportion, like when Gozer (also known as Gozer the Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Gozer the Traveler, Volguus Zildrohar and Lord of the Sebouillia), the main antagonist of the Ghostbusters, who entered New York City in 1984 from another dimension, wreaking havoc on all in its path. But that tale is for another day...

Stay tuned for future adventures of Fernandean...

Stay updated on all things BP by following me on Twitter and Instagram

We also have a new TikTok @bphscoyotes, so make sure you follow us and check out the first couple post!

I once went digging for clams...

Until I pulled a muscle!

HEY COYOTES! This is your ASB executive president Joshua Labrador! Don't forget to follow our ASB Instagram and TikTok @buenapark_asb for all the updates, spirit days, events, and info you need on everything going on!

This Thursday we had a party themed student section for our girls and boys basketball games vs Fullerton! Thank you to everyone who participated!

Today was our 3rd food fest of the year! Thank you to all the clubs, sports, programs, and organizations that participated today and thank you to everyone who bought food to support and help fundraise for our clubs, sports, programs, and organizations. Hope everyone enjoyed their food!

The BPHS Patient Care Pathway classes (Body Systems and Sports Medicine) were able to attend some amazing field trips over the past few weeks! 

    Last week, the Sports Medicine class visited the Honda Center and received a "backstage tour" of the entire facility on a game day for the Anaheim Ducks. They met the Anaheim Ducks Sports Medicine Staff including their Athletic Trainers, Strength and Conditioning Staff, and the team's Physical Therapist. Students were able to see what a day in the life is like for those professions as well as ask questions about how those industry leaders got to where they are today. We even had the privilege of going into the team locker room! This is an incredibly rare experience due to all of the traditions and good luck charms that it holds.  

    This week, the Body Systems and Disease class was able to visit the UCI Medical Center and hear a world-renowned urology surgeon talk about medical innovations and spark an interest in where surgical techniques could be headed. He advocated for the students to dream big and if someone of authority says it can't be done to prove them wrong and make it happen. Our students were then allowed into the urology surgical lab where different medical students and residents were able to teach them all different types of surgical techniques. Students were able to learn and use the DaVinci Robot, Ultrasound, biopsy tools, and laparoscopes - all tools currently being used in surgery in the medical field. They also learned how to suture wounds and surgical incisions. It was a great hands-on learning experience for our students!

Here are a few photos of our students enjoying orientation flights at Long Beach Airport on Saturday, Jan 13th.

Congratulations on a fantastic District Art Show at the Muckenthaler! Last Wednesday night was a lot of fun and there was a great turn out. 

Please remember that all winners will be featured in the District Board Room with presentations at a April Board meeting to honor the winning Artists.

Ms Brown and I also ran into a BP VIP, Tim Ryu, 2019 graduate and recent graduate of UC Berkeley! Great to see our alumni out to support.

This past week Orange County had the athletes of character ceremony. At Buena Park we recognize Anthony irons and Ashley Macario for their exemplary character in athletics.

Girls Basketball

This week Girls basketball secured an UNDEFEATED (10-0) Freeway League Championship for the first time in school history! They beat Sunny Hills on Tuesday 57-39, and followed that up Thursday with a 76-25 win vs Fullerton.

They play one of the top teams in the country at Etiwanda Friday 6:30pm to cap off the regular season. 

They'll be moving on to the CIF PLAYOFFS next week, with the brackets coming out Sunday. We'll send out the schedule as soon as we have it so we can pack the DEN for our home game!

Girls Water Polo

Girls Varsity Water Polo defeated La Habra 10-7 and lost a nail biter to Sunny Hills 10-6. These girls ended the Regular season with a record of 20-6 and was 2nd in the freeway league. These girls are currently ranked 4th in Division 3 with brackets coming out tomorrow at 9AM. They will play Tuesday.

Boys Basketball

Congratulations to boys basketball who ended the season on high note with a big W against FUHS. It was their 12th win of the season, doubling their total from last year.

Boys Soccer

Big congratulation to boys soccer who took 3rd place in league in epic fashion, winning three games in a 24 hour period, the final one on PKs after double overtime to solidify their placement.

Girls Soccer

Girls Varsity soccer finished the season with a record of 8-12-5. JV ended their season on a high note with a tie against Fullerton, 0-0 on Wednesday. 

Happy New Year Coyotes!

As we step into a new year, it's natural to feel a mix of excitement and perhaps a bit of anxiety about what lies ahead. The beginning of a new year often comes with a sense of anticipation, goal-setting, and resolutions.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge any feelings of apprehension or stress that the new year might bring. Change, even when positive, can be challenging, and it's okay to experience a range of emotions as we navigate through this transition.

Remember that setting realistic and achievable goals is a great way to channel your energy and enthusiasm. Whether it's professional, health and wellness, or personal enrichment, setting small, attainable milestones can make a significant difference. It's not about making drastic changes overnight but rather about creating sustainable habits that contribute to your overall well-being. Please remember to always take care of yourself and thrive! If wellness is part of your plan I have attached a clickable link to CHOC's resources for healthy mental wellness.

I hope this email finds you well. As we approach the final stretch of the semester, I wanted to bring attention to the crucial aspect of self-care for our students, especially during the demanding period of finals.

The pressures associated with exams and deadlines can often lead to heightened stress levels among students. It is important for us, as educators, to emphasize the significance of self-care practices in supporting their overall well-being. When students prioritize self-care, they are better equipped to manage stress, enhance focus, and maintain a healthy balance between academic and personal responsibilities. I have included a fun activity that you can post in your Google Classroom or as a handout to practice some wellness activities. As always I am available for any students that may need additional support. Thank you!