• A Message from our Principal

    Joshua is a school dedicated to equipping students to face the challenges of the 21st Century. During the 23-24 school year, we are breaking barriers to reading and scholastic attainment! We will ensure all our students learn to read!

    Joshua's teachers are highly qualified and use differentiated instruction to ensure student learning. Our instructional focus this year is Teacher Clarity. We will use small group instruction, Academic Language and Early Literacy to ensure your child develops skills needed in their future. Joshua is an AVID-certified school College/Career is our GOAL.

    Joshua is undergoing modernization through the passage of Measure L. Currently, the construction company is working on phase 4 and 5 on the north side of campus. We are almost done! #jetsbreakingbarriers

    We ensure safety and enjoy reinforcing our students who are showing proper behavior and improvement towards high expectations. We use Capturing Kids Hearts (CKH) strategies to build teams and community within classrooms and around our school. We are in year five of being honored as a National Showcase School!

    Parents: WE NEED YOU! We believe it takes a village to raise a child and we are committed to ensure our students' success through our PARENT PARTNERSHIPS!

    Our parent partnership groups meet with a focus on improvement. They include:

    |  School Site Council  |  English Language Learner Council  |  African American Advisory Council  |  Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports  |  Safety  |  Instructional Leadership Team  |  Parent Teacher Student Association  |  Coffee with the Principal  | 

    After-school events to support our teachers and students such as the student store, family movies, family dances, and holiday grahams are a bit of the magic that happens at Joshua with our PTSA SUPPORT! 

    Please join us for family events throughout the year to ensure you have the latest news!
    #jetsbreakingbarriers

    - Lorraine Zapata 

    BIO:

    Lorraine Zapata has been in the field of education for over 33 years. Thirteen and a half of those years was spent moulding the lives of her young, bilingual kinder students. She has also worked in migrant education, adult ESL, preschool instruction, reading recovery and discrubiendo la lectura teacher.

    Zapata has served as both an assistant principal and principal at the elementary and middle school levels as well as the collegiate level as an adjunct faculty at Cal State Bakersfield focused on ELL & Mulit-Cultural Education. She has supported her schools by participating in successfully writing two Title 7 funded grants. Lorraine has extensive training in trauma informed practices, restorative justice, and equity based practices. She was recognized as Administrator of the Year in 2019, ACSA Region 10 Administrator of the Year in 2013 and awarded the Direct Instruction Administrator Award in 2006.

    Her certifications include Milo, AVID, PBIS, CORE, Google and Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH). Mrs. Zapata proudly leads a school that has been honored as a CKH National Showcase School for three years running, has pushed through a 1:1 computer initiative, and ushered the campus through a nine year building remodel. Most importantly, she prides herself on leading a team of educators that is currently implementing a literacy grant with such fidelity that members of both local and state organizations are taking notice of her little desert rose of a school.