“She’s Mrs. Alta Loma.”
Vineyard Junior High Principal Lori
Thompson doesn’t just refer to assistant principal Judy Bach in those terms because Bach has been a loved and respected teacher and administrator in the Alta Loma School District for the past 30 years.
It’s because of what she does that connects students to the community – and the community to ALSD schools.
In leading Vineyard’s student
leadership class, Bach oversees student involvement in various community service initiatives, including the Operation Community Cares, Adopt a Child and Pennies for Patients programs.
Throughout her career as a teacher, administrator and club adviser, Bach has been able to use her positions to oversee and facilitate support for philanthropic causes through student involvement. She annually leads a number of Vineyard’s community outreach efforts, engaging students in vital service-learning programs.
“It’s not what I do, but what the students do,” says Bach. “The students at Vineyard enjoy having so much themselves, and they are eager to help others. I’m just the one who lights the fire.”
Bach spent her first 10 years in the district teaching at Victoria Groves and Alta Loma elementary schools. She then moved to Vineyard Junior High, where she was a science teacher for a decade before shifting to her administrative role 10 years ago.
“Junior high is the time when students can make pivotal decisions about how they want to be part of their community,” Bach says. “I can reach out to kids to encourage them, but they have to decide if they want to give back. We’re fortunate to have so many students who want to do so.”
Bach says the campus culture at Vineyard Junior High inspires students to get involved. She says that current ASB Adviser Pam Roberts, Christian Club co-leader Cheryl Ripple, Dean of Students Kristen Ledesma and Thompson also are big proponents of community service learning.
“This wouldn’t happen without their passion and enthusiasm,” she says.
Working with Foothill Family Shelter, the Adopt a Child program provides Christmas gifts to children who have returned home from the Foster Youth system.
“Over the years we have evolved into adopting more than 200 children and satisfying each and every wish list,” Bach says.
Thompson says it’s not uncommon for Vineyard graduates return to campus to say hello to Bach, who says she is seeing a generational cycle of philanthropy. “Some of the kids I had as students have returned as parents and are carrying on the spirit of giving.”
The school’s seemingly endless list of service projects includes fundraising campaigns to support impoverished Kenyans, blanket and coat drives for a local homeless shelter, product collections for women living in shelters and food drives to benefit a food bank.
“This is how generous this group is,” Bach says. “And the staff at Vineyard is just as giving as the students are.”
Submitted by Alta Loma School District
