A single book recommendation in fourth grade transformed Bonita High School junior Lexi Cocores from a reluctant reader into a passionate storyteller, a journey that has since led her to publish her debut novel at 16 and begin work on a full trilogy. In the months following its release, Cocores marked the milestone with a book signing at Judging By The Cover in San Dimas, where she shared her work with friends, family, community members, and staff from Allen Avenue Elementary, marking a full-circle moment for a student whose love of reading first began in the classroom.
Bonita Unified School District is preparing to refinance a portion of its General Obligation bonds to take advantage of lower interest rates, a move projected to generate approximately $1.3 million in savings for local taxpayers. The refinancing is expected to close in early May and will move forward following a 0.59% decline in interest rates. It will apply to bonds originally issued in 2014, along with two bond issuances from 2016, which are part of Measure AB, a bond measure approved by voters in November 2008.
When San Dimas High School athletes take the field for competition, they do so with confidence, knowing they are backed by a world-class athletic training staff that responds lightning quick to mishaps and injuries on the field. The staff is backed by its own student trainees, who are part of the school’s esteemed Sports Medicine pathway, where they learn first aid, injury evaluation, and medical skills.
Roynon Elementary students stepped into the world of invention and entrepreneurship during their fourth annual Shark Tank event on March 23, pitching creations designed to solve real-world challenges and improve the lives of others.
Under a sunny sky and with cheers of families echoing from the stands, Bonita Unified School District brought together students with special needs from across the District for its fourth annual Sports Festival on March 27, a day celebrating ability and inclusion. The event welcomed students to Saints Stadium at San Dimas High School for a day of track-and-field-style activities, including relays, long jump, ball toss and pool noodle javelin. The day began with an opening ceremony parade for each school participating. Students smiled and waved to families filling the stands, setting the tone for a day of spirited and friendly competition.
Bonita Unified School District’s two middle schools – Lone Hill and Ramona – have been designated as 2026 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education (CDE) for their efforts to narrow the achievement gap and provide equity in education for every student.
Both Ramona and Lone Hill middle schools, which are among 408 middle and high schools recognized by the CDE this year, have previously earned the Distinguished School designation. The program recognizes schools that are among the highest in the state for academic achievement; successful in closing the achievement gap; or serving rural and Title I communities and demonstrating exceptional outcomes. Eligibility for the honor was determined using metrics from the 2025 California School Dashboard data.
Oak Mesa Elementary School students saw their creativity take center stage during a campus visit by The Imagination Machine, which transformed student-written stories into lively performances that blended humor and the fundamentals of storytelling. Students gathered with anticipation in March as their classmates’ stories were introduced across three assembly sessions. This year, actors clad in paint splattered overalls brought seven stories written by Oak Mesa students to life through colorful costumes, music, and playful stagecraft. Over the school day, stories such as the mysterious “Ghost of Oak Mesa” and the heroic “Super Friends” were transformed into lively theatrical scenes.
When Agatha Sosa arrived at Bonita High School as a freshman, she was too nervous to speak publicly. Offered an opportunity to join a five-week leadership program that would boost her confidence and place her on a pathway to success in college and career, Sosa said she doubted that she could learn so much in so short a time. One year later, Sosa has been recognized as a Kollab Youth 2026 Youth of the Year after joining the organization’s Workforce Development Program, w where she progressed rapidly, received mentorship from industry experts, and earned a spot on Kollab Youth’s Teen Leadership Council.
The Bonita Unified ProStart Culinary program made history once again when the San Dimas High School culinary team was crowned the California ProStart Cup champion for the second consecutive year, giving the student chefs an opportunity to defend their title at the National ProStart Invitational, to be held in Baltimore in April. San Dimas High School is the first back-to-back California ProStart Cup champion since 2010-11. Following closely behind in second place was 2024 California ProStart Cup champion Bonita High School, giving the District its first-ever one-two placement at the Cup, adding another successful chapter in the District’s storied history in the competition. For the third consecutive year, Bonita Unified will represent California in one of the country’s most popular and challenging amateur culinary competitions.
Bonita Unified School District Superintendent Matt Wien addressed a crowd of community members, local and state elected officials, students, and staff during the 2026 State of the District on March 2 at the Bonita Center for the Arts, celebrating remarkable achievements across academics, athletics, arts, and career technical education that exemplify “The Bonita Way.” During the biannual address, Wien highlighted Bonita Unified’s continued academic success through California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) metrics, noting that 74% of students met or exceeded standards in English language arts and 63% in mathematics on the 2024-25 statewide assessments, both all-time highs for the District. The results place Bonita Unified among the top-performing unified school districts in California, ranking in the top 6% statewide in English language arts and the top 8% in mathematics, while the District continues to reclassify more than 20% of its English learner students as proficient in English each year.
