Family, Opportunity, and Hope Take Root at El Tejon Schools

It’s like a big family, basically. Those six simple words from student Brycen Braz hung in the air for a moment — soft, but powerful. He wasn’t talking about a program or a classroom. He was talking about a feeling. A culture. The kind of belonging that can be life altering. That spirit was evident throughout El Tejon Unified School District Thursday as Dr. John Mendiburu, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, visited to see the district’s Community Schools model in action.

“Over the past several years, we have strengthened our professional learning communities, expanded health and wellness services, built partnerships with families, and created environments where students feel safe, supported, and seen,” Superintendent Sara Haflich said.

She described the model’s four pillars — integrated student supports, family and community engagement, expanded and enriched learning opportunities, and collaborative leadership and practices — not as abstract concepts, but as living, breathing parts of everyday school life.

Students led Mendiburu through a series of enrichment activities at El Tejon Middle School that brought those pillars to life. 

In the welding shop, students proudly showed off their work and shared future goals. In classrooms, peers engaged in fashion design, home economics, marketing, media production, art, criminalistics, mechanics, and more. Outside, FFA students tended to alpacas, roosters, and rabbits they help care for as part of their agricultural science program.

These programs are far more than electives — they’re a path to future careers and personal growth. For Marco, one of the student guides, these opportunities have proven life changing.

“I used to get poor grades,” he said. “But when I found welding and some of the other courses, it saved me. I started to care more, to show up. Now I’m even making money on the side with welding projects because of what I learned here.”

At the high school level, students can dive deeper into specialized CTE pathways — welding, mechanics, horticulture, and visual and digital arts. Entrepreneurial programs in digital design, music, apparel, jewelry, video technology, and computer science help students gain real-world skills.

“What I saw here today is a school community that is living out the promise of the Community Schools framework,” Mendiburu said. “Students are connected, engaged, and finding real pathways to success. That’s what education is all about.”

Outside of providing a robust offering of learning options, the district has woven a network of supports that reflect its commitment to the whole child. It’s a model designed to meet students where they are — not just in the classroom, but in every aspect of their well-being, Haflich says. 

For example, the district offers access to telehealth services, dental and vision screenings, and family resource partnerships that connect families with critical supports. These services remove barriers that often stand between students and their ability to learn, ensuring that every child has the chance to show up healthy, focused, and ready to thrive.

“This model works because it’s about partnerships — between families, educators, students, and the community,” Haflich said. “We’re building something truly special here.”