When Whittier High School senior Marle Shafer first began her high school journey as a freshman, she felt isolated and overwhelmed, questioning whether Whittier High was the right school for her and even considering transferring. With encouragement from her dad, a Whittier High graduate, Shafer poured her experiences into founding and leading the Future Cardinal Middle School Program, helping ensure middle school students feel a sense of belonging on campus. Over the past three years, the program has introduced 900 eighth-graders from Edwards Middle School, Shafer’s alma mater, to campus life through visits showcasing the school’s programs, opportunities, and people.
Covina-Valley Unified School District will host its annual State of the District event, highlighting the District’s progress, future strategic goals, and innovative programs that make C-VUSD a destination District that inspires every student’s unlimited potential.
The story of the O’Day Short family, whose legacy continues to shape how Fontana remembers its history, will reach new audiences with the PBS debut of “O’Day Short: An Act of Justice” at 6:30 p.m. PDT, Friday, Oct. 23, on PBS KCVR. The documentary highlights the family’s history and the community’s efforts to honor their lives and preserve their legacy for future generations. Produced by award-winning filmmakers E’Ian West and George Sharperson, the film will be distributed through a five-year public media partnership with PBS, NPR, and FNX. Fontana Unified School District Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Clarissa Trejo contributed research to the documentary.
Whittier High School seniors got a head start on their post-secondary journeys, filling out college and employment applications, speaking with recruiters, and exploring career options during the school’s annual FutureReady Day, held early October. Nearly 350 students, representing more than 90% of Whittier High’s senior class, submitted applications to community colleges, Cal State and University of California colleges, private colleges, trade schools, and military branches. The event was coordinated by Whittier High’s New Horizons office and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) as part of FutureReady CA, the California initiative of the American College Application Campaign.
Bonita Unified comprehensive high schools continue to excel, with soaring graduation rates and more students taking and passing Advanced Placement (AP) exams than ever before, placing both Bonita and San Dimas high schools among the top schools in the state and nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 High Schools Rankings. The U.S. News rankings, in partnership with Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, evaluated nearly 18,000 schools across the country using six indicators of quality: college readiness; curriculum breadth; state proficiency scores; performance in reading, math, and science; underserved student performance; and graduation rates. Bonita High School and San Dimas High School rank in the top nine percent and 15 percent, respectively, of public high schools nationwide – improving slightly from the schools’ scores in the 2025 rankings.
Fontana Unified School District brought CalKIDS Scholarship claiming support directly to students on Oct. 8, as Fontana High School (FOHI) hosted California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre, and education partners for an event focused on helping students access financial resources for their future education and career goals. The event brought together nearly 1,200 students, educators, community members, and elected officials and featured a hands-on claiming activity to help students take the next step toward accessing their CalKIDS accounts. Fontana Unified also welcomed students from Date Elementary School and Fontana Middle School, who were paired with FOHI seniors to help support the scholarship claiming process.
Marching bands and color guard teams from all three Covina-Valley Unified comprehensive high schools have achieved first-place wins in recent competitions, highlighting the strength and excellence of the District's music programs. At the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Valencia Field Tournament on Oct. 10, all three high schools placed first in their respective divisions. Northview High competed in Class 2A, Covina High in 3A, and South Hills in 5A.
The Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) Board of Education has selected Dr. Ramiro Rubalcaba, a seasoned educator with 30 years of experience, as a finalist to serve as the District’s next Superintendent. His appointment is contingent upon the completion of successful contract negotiations, followed by formal Board approval of his employment and employment contract, during the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Oct. 21. Dr. Rubalcaba began his public education journey in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where he spent 17 years in progressively responsible positions. He is currently the Superintendent in the Los Nietos School District in Whittier, and previously served as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in the Victor Valley Union High School District in San Bernardino County and in Azusa Unified School District as a high school principal and assistant superintendent.
When Audrey Monfreda was an elementary student in Upland Unified School District, arts education largely meant occasional music lessons and singing songs with classmates. Today, the Upland High School graduate has returned to the District as a music teacher, helping elementary students discover their talents through a comprehensive arts program. A 2019 Upland High graduate, Monfreda credits her experiences in the District's choir programs with inspiring her to pursue a career in music education. Now an elementary general music teacher at Magnolia, Pepper Tree, and Citrus elementary schools, she is among 11 specialized arts educators supporting Upland Unified's Harnessing Excellence through the Arts (HeARTs) program, which provides students with dedicated instruction in visual arts, media arts, music, theater, and dance beginning in kindergarten.
Whittier Union High School District welcomed the communities of Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk, La Mirada, and Downey to its second annual State of the District address, held at Pioneer High School on Oct. 7, highlighting the District’s many academic achievements and award-winning curriculum. More than 200 community members, elected officials, students, families, and staff attended the event, which included a catered dinner and a live performance by Santa Fe High School’s Mariachi Los Dorados, under the leadership of choir director David Kwon.
