Lifelong Educator Jaime Quiñónez Discusses His First Few Months as EPIC School Principal 

An educator with over 30 years’ experience in the Kern School District, EPIC de Cesar Chavez High School Principal Jaime Quiñónez is excited to bring his wealth of experience and knowledge to FIELD’s adult high school programs. Quiñónez sat down with us to talk about his work and challenges with FIELD’s EPIC High School after his first six months on the job. 

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to FIELD-EPIC. 

I have dedicated my life to education, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. I worked at the high school and adult education levels. I also worked in migrant education at the county level. 

I came to EPIC High School part-time to assist with the accreditation process by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, also known as WASC.  I have since transitioned to a full-time position. 

Can you tell our readers about WASC? 

It is the body that accredits schools in California. Every few years, EPIC High School participates in a process to maintain its WASC accreditation. We provide a detailed report to WASC and they visit our school(s) to confirm what the report says and evaluate our curriculum. Our next visit by WASC is in November.   

Does EPIC have target enrollment numbers? 

Each year we strive to improve our numbers. It all begins with having teachers, which is a challenge because of the severe teacher shortage in California. Despite that shortage, we were able to increase the number of teachers at our HUB learning center at Union Ave in Bakersfield, CA from three last year to seven this year. 

What are the demographics of students at EPIC High School? 

97% are Hispanic. Most are native Spanish speakers. A primary focus of EPIC High School is to build their English skills. The vast majority of the students work and attend school when they are able in the morning or evening. Some of the students previously attended high school and are at EPIC High School to finish and receive their diploma. 

Any success stories that stand out for you? 

Yes. During a graduation ceremony, a graduate gave a beautiful speech about coming from Mexico to the United States. Her husband and kids were there to proudly cheer her on. She talked to me afterwards and said that her dream has been to open a beauty salon.  

Most EPIC High School students are like her, looking to better their lives through education.  

What does success look like to you and EPIC High School? 

It would be to meet the needs of students and provide quality resources for them. We want to give them the best tools to improve their lives. We do that by providing an education system that supports them and their teachers. 

What are some of the challenges that students at EPIC High School face? 

Juggling work, home, and school. Our adult students have to learn to learn. They must adapt to a demanding schedule. It takes time at first, but they get there. 

What are the factors that lead to a location closing? 

It’s primarily dependent on having teachers available. With the statewide teacher shortage, it’s a challenge for certain locations to maintain the necessary number of teachers. You can’t have a school without teachers. We do our best to find new teachers and get them accredited. But it takes work to ensure that we have enough teachers for all our locations. 

What opportunities are available for graduates? 

The same as for anyone who graduates from high school, except that EPIC High School students have life experiences that provide them with the background to better pursue new opportunities.