my experience at mendez

I started teaching at Mendez High School in August of 2018 in the moderate to severe special day program for students with autism.  Mendez has four special day programs with students studying on the alternate curriculum as they work towards a certificate of completion as opposed to a high school diploma.  Their classroom instruction focuses a lot on communication, skills related to independence, and functional academics and the measurement of their growth is centered around their IEP goals.  The special day programs have built a thriving and collaborative space where students participate in Special Olympics, go on community field trips to develop skills related to independence and participate in a lunch club that allows students with disabilities to meet and engage with their peers.  I love working with students with disabilities because I get to build customized instruction for every student on my caseload.  We engage in project-based learning while working to build every student up to be as independent as possible.  

I have been able to participate in multiple communities of practice at Mendez.  I am a member of Local School Leadership, the Instructional Leadership Team, the SPED Department Chair and Partnership Team Lead, the GATE Coordinator and the NHS Advisor.  I have worked to use these roles to build relationships between students with disabilities and students in general education classes.  I believe we have a mandate to teach all students to build a community that embraces and protects those who cannot protect themselves.  We need to build awareness of how to develop stewardship as leadership needs to be grounded in social justice and is the responsibility of every resident in the community.

mendez origins

Felicitas y Gonzalo Mendez High School was opened in 2009 as a 4-schools-in-one campus where Mauro Bautista was brought on as an Assistant Principal.  In 2011 he assumed the role of Principal for Mendez and has continued to lead the school since.  Over the years, the 4 schools were consolidated into one school for the whole campus.  This school was built to service the students in Boyle Heights.

Mendez was built as a supported school in the Partnership of Los Angeles network.  The Partnership of Los Angeles is a non-profit organization designed to “transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education.”  (Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, 2023)  The Partnership sponsors scholarships, leadership development, funding or staff positions and data analysis expertise while also offering guidance and collaboration for school leaders.

With the guidance and support of Partnership, the leadership team at Mendez intentionally focused on developing a positive school culture as their initial focus in 2009 because there were a lot of challenges on campus in regards to student engagement, academics and student wellness.  Over the years, Mendez leaders have expanded VAPA classes, implemented restorative justice practices and organized several athletic teams.  They opened Mariachi and Folklorico classes that perform at many venues in Los Angeles.  Bautista explained that by focusing on the school culture initially, it paved the way for challenging behaviors to diminish and for academic performance to increase.

Mendez is also a Community School that partners with community organizations to provide wrap-around services to students, families and community members.  Mendez recently opened up a Wellness Center on campus to provide medical resources as well.

Mendez has evolved to have an active community school representative, Emily Grijalva, who works with many organizations to build supports and partnerships for students and community members.  She tirelessly works to build safe spaces for students who experience marginalization on campus or in the community.  She works to build connections with parents and families of our students to engage their participation and voice in school dynamics and programs.

Mendez staff members work to improve the academic programs at our school, while also working to build enriching experiences in which our students can thrive.  Like any organization, there is still much to be done as the Mendez team encounters constant challenges that stem from the political and community events that take place every day.

enrollment and demographics

Mendez enrollment has declined in the past few years from 1,151 students in the 2017-2018 school year to 892 students in the 2022-2023 school year.  The student demographics mirror the makeup of Boyle Heights. (L.A. Times, 2023)  Over 90% of our students are Latinx.  88% of Mendez staff are Latinx as well.

distinguishing achievements and programs

Mendez has many innovative and rigorous goals for students.  One initiative is the ‘AP for All’ initiative to offer at least one AP course to every student who wants to enroll.  Mendez has 20+ AP courses offered.  Mendez also was the first traditional public high school in LAUSD to offer Computer Science to all incoming 9th graders in 2018.  (Thompson, 2021)  School leadership is working to increase capacity for computer science initiatives on campus.  

Mendez has partnered with East Los Angeles College (ELAC) to offer bridge classes where students can earn dual high school and college credit.  Mendez also supports the summer Jaime Escalante math program for students to build their understanding in math.  Mendez also offers an after school driving class for students over 16.  Mendez has over 20 clubs on campus ranging from quilt making to travel club where students plan to visit countries all over the world during summer breaks.

Mendez has earned many distinguishing awards including:

• Partnership of Los Angeles Schools High School of the Year (8 years in a row)

• 6 Year Accreditation 2020-2026

• Highest API Growth in California (2012-2013)

• White House Bright Spot for Latino/a Education

• Unsung Heroes Award: National Award for Exemplary Community Partnerships

• US News & World Report: Nationally Ranked As One Of The Best High Schools In The United States

• The Washington Post: One Of The Most Challenging High Schools In The United States

• K-12 Niche: One of the best public high schools in the country

• Unified Champion School

The Mendez Leadership wants to instill in students, families and the community that Boyle Heights students can and do achieve great things.  Mendez fosters long term relationships with students and families and continues to represent the community members of Boyle Heights with fidelity and positivity.