News Briefs (Volume 68 Issue 3)

PHOTO/ Kimberly Chen

By Kimberly Chen & Hannah Kwok
Staff Writers

Superintendent Dr. Art Cunha

The district announced Dr. Art Cunha as the newly appointed superintendent on Oct. 5 after a months-long search. Cunha will officially begin working on Nov. 1. 

The board finalized Cunha as the new superintendent on Oct. 2 and informed him of his new position shortly after. On Oct. 12, the board approved his contract in a closed meeting.

Cunha worked at the district as an assistant superintendent for four years before leaving in 2018. During that time, he studied at the University of Southern California to become a Doctor of Education while also acting as the Los Angeles Unified School District’s chief academic administrative officer. Cunha has over 24 years of experience in the education field. 

After the Superintendent Newsletter on June 1 revealed Dr. Kimberly Fricker’s resignation, the district sought a new superintendent. 

A ParentSquare announcement on June 30 revealed that the district hired Dr. Katherine Fundukian-Thorossian as interim superintendent while searching for a permanent replacement. 

“I am humbled and thankful for this opportunity,” Cunha said. “I know that together we will have a district that our students, our staff and our community will be proud of and will be happy to be a part of.”

Tournament of Roses

Preparations for the 2023 Tournament of Roses Parade began with the selection of students to the Royal Court, Honor Band and Student Ambassador Program.

Seniors Kianna Le and Faith Perez were two of the 28 finalists for the 104th Rose Royal Court. Both applicants underwent three rounds of a month-long interview process with questions based on their community and school impact, public speaking, leadership and academic achievements.  

Pasadena City College’s Honor Band & Pageantry concluded auditions by selecting students based on march tempo, sight-reading and a combination of choreographed routines and musical excerpts from memory. A roster for the band included sophomores Joey Cooper on trombone, Jackson Kidd on trumpet; juniors, Jayden Kim on perc/tenors, Megan Wang on baritone; and senior Amanda Nguyen on perc/mallets. Pageantry results included sophomore Corrine Moy, junior Julia Yamasaki, and seniors Amanda Chang, Jamie Han, Jackie Reyes and Mandy Woo on color guard/tall flag; and sophomore Jessica Reyes on color guard/banners. 

“I’m just happy to get in,” Kidd said. “I thought I did pretty okay with the audition because I messed up a lot on sight reading but I was surprised I got in for only being a sophomore.”

Seniors Luca Augustyn, Valeria Beltran, Melanie Cho and Hannah Kwok are ToR Student Ambassadors who promote volunteerism throughout the parade. As TCHS representatives, the four will assist in parade preparations ranging from float construction and refreshment services to directing international visitors during the march. 

“I was excited to be chosen,” senior Valeria Beltran said. “Collaborating with others and meeting new people is something I love about the program and I’m looking forward to being part of the Rose parade experience from a different perspective.”