Lynwood Unified Kicks Off 2026-27 School Year with Convocation Event, Welcoming Back Staff and Teachers

A spirited welcome from cheer teams, color guard performers and marching band students from Lynwood and Marco Antonio Firebaugh high schools energized Lynwood Unified teachers and staff as they gathered for the District’s 2026 Convocation, marking the start of a new school year with a renewed sense of purpose.

The event brought together educators, administrators and staff from across the District to celebrate accomplishments from the 2025-26 school year and look ahead to the 2026-27 school year, with a shared commitment to ensuring every student has the support and opportunities needed to succeed.

For Abbott Elementary School Intervention Teacher Anna Monreal, who has taught at Lynwood Unified for 22 years, the event was an opportunity to celebrate the start of another school year.

“This event brings the community together,” Monreal said. “The beginning of the school year is always so exciting because I’m back with my colleagues and get to see all the old and new faces of the students.”

The program featured remarks from Board President Alfonso Morales, who announced his retirement from the Board of Education, effective December 2026, as well as Superintendent Patrick Gittisriboongul, Ed.D., who reflected on the District’s many recent accomplishments. Highlights included a nearly 90% graduation rate for the Class of 2025, all 17 District schools earning Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) recognition and continued progress on the Lynwood High School reconstruction project.

Jerardo Munatones, a District maintenance worker who has served Lynwood Unified for 25 years, said the gathering offered a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from across the District.

“It’s nice to have an event bringing together all my colleagues and the teachers, ” Munatones said. “I’m excited to see the Lynwood High reconstruction project be completed by the 2027-28 school year.”

Gittisriboongul also highlighted Vision 2030, Lynwood Unified’s commitment to shaping the student experience by 2030 through Signature Programs at every school, a shared instructional focus, positive relationships and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Lynwood Unified alumna Ana Lopez also addressed staff, recognizing the many educators and employees who helped shape her journey and emphasizing that every role within the District contributes to student success.

As the District looks ahead to the 2026-27 school year, Gittisriboongul encouraged staff to remain grounded in the purpose behind their work.

“When things get busy, and you know they’re going to get busy, come back to the purpose – Does what I’m doing create better conditions for students? Does it open a door? Does it remove a barrier? Does it make the student experience better? If it does, it matters,” Gittisriboongul said. “We may have different roles, different schools and different departments, but we have one purpose – to change the lives of our students.”