Welcome to the Dalzell Lance Campus

Dear Dalzell Lance Families,

Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! I hope your summer was restful, joyful, and filled with moments of connection and renewal. As your Principal, I am excited to welcome you back to campus. The hallways have been far too quiet without the vibrant energy of our students—it’s truly a joy to see our community come back together.

This school year marks a special milestone: Camino Nuevo Charter Academy is celebrating its 25th anniversary! For a quarter of a century, CNCA has been dedicated to providing a high-quality, college-preparatory education grounded in equity, community, and student success. We are proud to carry forward this legacy at the Dalzell Lance Campus.

Last year, Camino Nuevo High School was recognized as a 2024 California Distinguished School—a proud achievement that reflects the hard work and commitment of our students, families, teachers, and staff. As we look to the year ahead, we remain focused on key goals:

Ensuring every student reads at or above grade level
Supporting students in achieving excellence in mathematics
Building a school culture where every student feels a deep sense of belonging and care

At Camino Nuevo High School, we believe that relationships are at the heart of learning. When students, educators, and families are connected—when we treat one another with respect, care, and trust— together, we can accomplish anything. That’s what it means to be part of the Dalzell Lance family.

Our dedicated teachers and staff have been hard at work this summer, planning engaging instruction and fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where all students can thrive. We’re entering this school year ready for growth, achievement, and celebration.

And as always, parents are our most important partners in this work. Your voice, support, and involvement are vital to your child’s success and to the health of our entire school community. Whether you’re helping with homework, attending school events, or sharing feedback—we see you, we hear you, we value you and we are grateful for your partnership.

A friendly reminder: Families are always welcome at Dalzell Lance High School. If your child ever tries to convince you not to come to campus—take that as your cue to show up! We encourage you to stay connected and involved through:

Back to School Night
School Site Council
English Learner Advisory Committee
Parent Book Club
Weekly family workshops
Cafecitos
College Center Workshops
Various other celebratory events on campus

Please make sure you’re signed up for ParentSquare, our platform for school updates and direct communication with your child’s teachers. If you need help getting set up, please contact Citlali Castillo, our Student and Family Services Coordinator, at [email protected].

As always, my door is open. Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, I invite you to reach out. You can contact me directly at [email protected] or on ParentSquare.
Thank you for being a vital part of the Camino Nuevo family. Let’s make this 25th anniversary year our best year yet!

Sincerely,

Larry Boone
Principal
Camino Nuevo High School – Dalzell Lance Campus

About Dalzell Lance

Dalzell Lance High School serves the students and families of Greater MacArthur Park, Echo Park and Pico-Union in Los Angeles. It is part of a community of high-performing public schools that prepares and empowers students for success in college and in life.

Our comprehensive approach integrates academic rigor, community, family, and wellness supports to empower students to thrive in a culturally connected and changing world. Learn more about our approach.

Our mission is to educate students in a college preparatory program to be literate, critical thinkers, and independent problem solvers who are agents of social justice with sensitivity toward the world around them.

You can access our most current charter renewal petition and other documents by clicking here.

In 2024, Dalzell Lance High School was named a California Distinguished School. The California Distinguished Schools Program recognizes exceptional school for closing the achievement gap and demonstrating exceptional student performance.

A-G Information

A-G Completion Improvement Grant Plan

Academics

College Center Home

Leadership

Lawrence Boone Principal	Larry Boone has over 30 years of experience as an educator. He has held administrative positions in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego Counties. In 2018, he was named principal of Dalzell Lance High School. Mr. Boone, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, is a firm believer that every neighborhood should have great schools. When he was a teen, his mother insisted that he and his sister ride the bus for more than an hour-and-a-half every day to attend safe, high-quality schools in the San Fernando Valley. Mr. Boone completed undergraduate studies at UCLA and became a teacher. He taught middle and high school English, humanities, health, and physical education. He also coached football, track, and cross-country. Mr. Boone earned masters' degrees from Pepperdine University and the Principals' Leadership Institute at UCLA.
John Manuel Ildefonso Assistant Principal of Student Supports	John Manuel Ildefonso has been an educator at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy for 21 years. He is the Assistant Principal of Student Support (APSS). As an APSS, John champions a "whole child" approach by leading the development and execution of a comprehensive plan that aligns instructional practices and school programs. This plan fosters student achievement and a positive school culture. As part of the leadership team, John also supports teachers in implementing data-driven instruction, ensuring their success in integrating the whole-child approach and promoting their well-being. Before Dalzell Lance, John was an educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Getty Center; he is also an adjunct professor at Los Angeles City College. John graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a BFA in Painting & Drawing, an MFA in Painting from California State University, Los Angeles, and an Administrative Credential & MA in School Leadership from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is also a mentor and a Board member at the Ketchum Downtown YMCA. John is passionate about education and is always willing to go the extra mile to help students and teachers succeed.
Chelsey Nguyen Assistant Principal of Instruction	Chelsey has been in education for over 13 years and has spent the majority of her career at Camino Nuevo High School- Dalzell Lance. Chelsey earned her Bachelors in History from Florida State University and her Masters in Special Education from National Louis University. She got her start in education as a Middle School Special Education Teacher in Chicago, IL as a Teach For America Corp Member. She moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and began working as the 10th-grade RSP Teacher at Dalzell-Lance. Chelsey served on numerous school-wide and district-wide committees during her time as a classroom teacher including running the Dalzell Lance Student Leadership Class. Chelsey transitioned into her current role in 2021 where she is striving to improve outcomes for students through purposeful and compassionate instructional coaching. Chelsey loves being a part of the Tiger community and feels incredibly lucky to come to work at Camino every day.
Reuben Gonzalgo Assistant Principal of Instruction	Reuben Gonzalgo has been in education for almost 20 years. While working in his teacher credentialing program, Reuben served in a federally funded, afterschool TRiO program for the West Los Angeles College Upward Bound program where he mentored students from schools throughout the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles. Over the last 17 years, Reuben has taught high school Biology, AP Biology, Marine Biology, and Sociology, spending the last 11 years in the classroom here at Dalzell Lance. In addition to being a high school teacher, Reuben taught extension classes at West Los Angeles College and served in various capacities at CNCA including serving as a mentor teacher in the Avance residency program. This year, he is excited to begin his new role as an Assistant Principal of Instruction and strives to support teachers, increase their self-efficacy, and increase student success. Reuben holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from UCLA and a Master’s of Education from San Diego State University. He is currently working on a Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University.
Jessica Reyes School Operations Manager	My name is Jessica Reyes I am the School Operations Manager at Dalzell Lance HS. I support students and families with communication with teachers and admin. I ensure that our school is safe and ready for our students, so they get the best space to learn in. I have been working with Camino for about 7 years but worked in education with other stakeholders in Camino for about 12 years. I have worn different hats and have seen many students grow from kindergarten to high school. I currently attend Cal Poly Pomona with a major in sociology where I will be getting my BA in Fall 2023. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, I also enjoy being the assistant coach to the high school cheer team. Something I love to do to relax is take road trips with my family and partner . My office is always open, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Even for a simple Hello.
Yesenia Gonzalez College Counselor	Yesenia Gonzalez serves as the college counselor for students whose last names begin with A-L at Camino Nuevo Dalzell Lance. With a decade of experience at the institution, Mrs. Gonzalez takes pride in her role as a dedicated mother to a one-year-old daughter and as a distinguished alumna of Camino '08. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California Baptist University and a Master of Science in School Counseling, along with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential. As a first-generation college student herself, Mrs. Gonzalez is deeply committed to providing support and guidance to the Latino community. Her primary goal as a school counselor is to create an inclusive and empowering environment where every student feels valued and supported. Through offering academic, social, and emotional assistance, as well as college and career guidance, she aims to help students reach their full potential and confidently navigate their educational journey. Mrs. Gonzalez is dedicated to collaborating with families to ensure that every student receives the necessary support to succeed academically and be prepared for higher education.
Citlalli Castillo Student and Family Services Coordinator	Citlalli Castillo has been working with Camino Nuevo since 2022. She started off as a Teacher’s Assistant for the ELD department and transitioned into the Student & Family Service Coordinator in 2023. Citlalli is dedicated to strengthening parent and community involvement at Dalzell, allowing them to recognize the positive impact they have in their student’s education. She is and advocator for her students and families and is committed to provide them with the resources they need. Citlalli grew up in East Hollywood and attended University of California, Santa Cruz to obtain her bachelor’s in science in Neuroscience. She is very excited to be working with the Dalzell Lance community and can’t wait to see what how much we grow together!
Rodrigo Orellana Intervention Coordinator	My name is Rodrigo Orellana, and I serve as the Intervention Coordinator at Dalzell Lance High School. In my role, I provide academic and social-emotional support to students, ensuring they achieve their academic goals while also offering necessary moral support. I have been with Camino for approximately three years, beginning as a Teaching Assistant, during which I gained valuable insights into student behavior and its impact on academic performance. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Communication Studies at California State University, Northridge. Originally from El Salvador, I immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. My primary objective is to foster a safe and supportive environment where every student feels confident in their abilities, regardless of their background.