Though the fall semester will be remote for the foreseeable future, Diamond Bar High School welcomed aboard a few new staff members and has promoted others into new positions. 

Among the new Brahmas are Assistant Principal Elizabeth Chang and Chinese teacher Jared Wu. 

After being an educational specialist for 12 years at Walnut Valley Unified School district, along with a two-year stint at Chino Valley Unified School District, DBHS alumna Elizabeth Chang has returned to the district, this time in the No. 2 position at DBHS. 

“I wanted to support education in a capacity where I can continue to help teachers, staff, students and families access more resources,” Chang said via email. “ In the role of assistant principal, you have opportunities to build relationships and engage with students in life long lessons, restorative processes, and guidance that is unique to each situation.” 

At DBHS, Chang hopes to use her experiences as an alumna to build a rigorous learning environment for students without compromising on communication and connection. 

“I hope to support teachers with a safe instructional space, students with a joyful learning experience, and our community with a secure place to come together,” Chang said. “ 

Quarantine has proved to be an obstacle for Chang. However, she has openly embraced it as she prepares the agenda for the coming school year.

“Starting a new job during this time has its drawbacks too,” Chang said. “I am looking forward to reopening school so that we can exchange an authentic smile, connect the community to school, and have a meeting without technical difficulties.”

A theater arts major, Wu did not find his passion for teaching the Chinese language until he had the chance to work with a group of middle school students in Taiwan. 

“Returning to the U.S, I talked to and observed my friend who is also a Chinese teacher at Venice High School, and then decided that this was the career I’d like to pursue to help students learn and grow,” Wu said via email.

After earning his teaching credentials, part of which included a one-year stint as a student teacher at DBHS, Wu taught social studies and Dual-Immersion Chinese for three years at South Pointe Middle School before returning to DBHS.

“Chinese is my first language, and it is a difficult language to learn, so I want to give students who are interested in learning Chinese culture and language an enjoyable experience by bringing in some different perspectives,” he said. 

Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, Wu hopes to take this year as an opportunity to learn more about the campus and connect with his students.

“DBHS has some of the most helpful teaching staff, and students are motivated to learn,” Wu said. “This place has always been my “home,” so I chose to come back to where I started.”

With over 17 years of experience as a WVUSD math teacher, Jennifer Burns is now, temporarily, replacing Nicole Cabase as the DBHS AP Coordinator. Though she is still maintaining one of her math classes, Burns will be assuming all the department chair duties this school year. 

Joining the front office support staff is Martiza Bernal, while educational specialist Joohee Lee has joined the special education team.