News Summary
Beverly Vista Middle School celebrated the official opening of its new athletic field with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring key community members and school officials. The facility, designed for optimal performance, includes modern safety features, upgraded turf, and a layout promoting various sports. The community also looks forward to upcoming events like the Fall Funtastic Harvest Festival. In addition, the district considers enhancing school safety with a potential increase in fence height at Beverly Hills High School while addressing concerns about diversity and inclusion within the district.
Beverly Hills, CA – Beverly Vista Middle School (BVMS) held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new athletic field on October 15. This event marked the completion of a state-of-the-art, regulation-sized facility that provides students with a modern space to train and compete in various sports.
The ceremony was attended by key figures including members of the Beverly Hills Police Department, City Council Member Lester Friedman, Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss, Board of Education members, district leaders, Principal Rich Waters, and BVMS athletes. The new field boasts upgraded features including new turf, modern safety elements, and an enhanced layout tailored for optimal performance and recreational play.
As part of the celebration, Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss commended the community’s collaborative effort to support the school. He highlighted the new athletic field as a shining example of community spirit and praised the facility as a reflection of BVMS’s strong school pride and the district’s ongoing commitment to educational excellence.
A few weeks following the ribbon-cutting, the community is invited to participate in the Fall Funtastic Harvest Festival and Dia de los Muertos Celebration. Scheduled for October 26 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market, this festival will feature activities such as creative pumpkin artistry, live performances, arts crafts, a pumpkin carving/decorating contest, a Halloween Costume Parade, and altar-making for Dia de los Muertos. The city is collaborating with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to support the event.
In addition to the new athletic field, Adam Verdi, a 1999 graduate of Beverly Hills High School, has been recommended as the new head coach for the boys’ basketball program, pending board approval. Verdi has been with the Beverly Hills district since 2010, during which he has taken on various coaching roles, including as the athletic assistant coach at both Beverly Hills High School (BHHS) and BVMS. He led the BHHS Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team from 2016 to 2025, focusing on building lasting relationships with student-athletes and creating a positive athletic environment. Superintendent Dr. Cherniss has voiced support for his appointment, noting Verdi’s established rapport with students in the district.
In discussions concerning school safety, the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board has been contemplating the possibility of increasing the height of a new security fence at Beverly Hills High School from eight feet to 20 feet. The existing fence plan, which is already designed and contracted, is set for completion in December. However, raising the fence height would necessitate an additional four months for construction and incur an estimated cost ranging from $2 million to $2.5 million due to anticipated challenges.
During a recent BHUSD Board meeting, community members raised issues regarding anti-Black and anti-Hispanic prejudice within the district. They urged the Board to address these concerns, highlighting their previous proposals were not included on the meeting agenda. The proposed resolutions aim to acknowledge Hispanic Heritage History Month and celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, while also tackling educational disparities affecting Black and Brown students within the district.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marks a significant moment for Beverly Vista Middle School, not only enhancing the existing athletic facilities but also fostering community involvement and ensuring a commitment to student safety and equity in education.
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Additional Resources
- Beverly Hills Courier: BVMS Celebrates Ribbon Cutting
- Google Search: Beverly Vista Middle School
- Beverly Hills Courier: Fall Harvest Festival Announcement
- Wikipedia: Halloween
- Beverly Press: BHHS Appoints Adam Verdi
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Basketball
- Beverly Hills Courier: BHUSD Considers Security Enhancements
- Google News: School Safety
- Beverly Press: BVMS Named A School to Watch
- Google Search: School of the Watch Program
Author: STAFF HERE BEVERLY HILLS WRITER
The Beverly Hills Staff Writer represents the experienced team at HEREBeverlyHills.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance, the Beverly Hills artSHOW, Concerts on Canon, and holiday celebrations throughout the city. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Visit Beverly Hills, plus leading businesses in luxury fashion, hospitality, and entertainment that drive the local economy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERELosAngeles.com, HERESantaAna.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, and HERECostaMesa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape.
