Alhambra Parochial School Opens State-of-the-Art Learning Center

(L-R) Architect Robert Kerr, Co-Principal Allison, Dan O’Melveny, Executive Director, Shea Family Charities, Alhambra Councilmember Lee, Mayor Andrade-Stadler, Councilmember Maza, student (Co-Principal for the day) Matteo Marquez, Ed Slater, Slater Builders, Allison Shea Knoll, Shea Family Charities and daughter of the late John Shea, Co-Principal Navarro, Los Angeles Archdiocese Superintendent Escala (Photo – Ari G. Arambula)

ALHAMBRA – ColoradoBooulverad.net:

Alhambra officials join Archdiocese, Shea Family Charities’ team, and All Souls World Language School representatives in ribbon cutting ceremony.

By Ari G. Arambula

On March 14, 2023. Parents of elementary students at All Souls World Language Catholic School gathered to celebrate the long anticipated opening of the new addition to the school.

State of the Art Learning Facilities

Nine years from dream to reality, the new multi-story addition includes a new music and performance space, a science lab and art studio plus several full-size classrooms.  It will accommodate 140 middle school students. “We are so excited to provide this new state-of-the-art learning environment for our middle school students… and this also creates new opportunities to expand the learning space in our original buildings for our 300 younger students said Co-Principal Maria-Elena Navarro.

Los Angeles Archdiocese Commemorates Milestone

As part of the invocation, Mr. Paul Escala, Superintendent of Schools for the Los Angeles Archdiocese (ADLA) said, “On behalf of Archbishop Gomez and the entire archdiocese, we want to congratulate All Souls World Language Catholic School on this tremendous milestone not just for the All Souls community, but for the achievement of dual language immersion education, Catholic education, this Archdiocese and all of you who share in this great achievement.”

First School offering immersion in Mandarin/English or Spanish/English

Majority funding for the project was through a pledge by the Shea Family Charities. At the opening ceremony, Mr. Dan O’Melveny, Executive Director for the Shea Family Charities, recounted the commitment made by the late John Shea while visiting the then-empty school in 2010. He credited ADLA and the new school leaders for having the vision and tenacity to re-establish the school as the only two-track dual immersion school in the nation (Mandarin/English and Spanish/English).

“This shows what can be done when we all work together and dream the same and have the same vision,” said Mr. O’Melveny.