El Monte Union High School District students who would like to see more vegetarian and vegan options for lunch will have an opportunity to shape their school’s meal plan through the District’s newly-formed Dietary Inclusion Council, a student-led coalition that will work directly with the Nutrition Services Department to advocate for healthy, plant-based items on daily lunch menus. The council was spearheaded by Arroyo High School senior Emily Lin, who petitioned the Board of Trustees to pass a resolution to establish the Districtwide advisory body. The resolution was passed during the Jan. 7 Board meeting. Lin also helped secure a $4,000 microgrant from the nonprofit advocacy group Friends of the Earth to support the promotion and marketing of plant-based options across the District.
All three Covina-Valley Unified comprehensive high schools have been named to the 2025 Advanced Placement (AP) School Honor Roll, a distinction that underscores the District’s commitment to providing rigorous academic opportunities that prepare students for success in higher education. Northview High School earned silver-level recognition, while Covina and South Hills high schools were each named bronze schools based on performance data from the Class of 2025.
Lynwood Unified School District marked a major construction milestone on January 26 with a Beam Signing and Topping Off Celebration at the Lynwood High School Imperial Campus, commemorating the placement of a ceremonial last steel beam on the new three-story classroom building scheduled to open in Fall 2027. The ceremony highlighted steady progress on the District’s $250 million, state-funded reconstruction project, which will pave the way for a 156,384-square-foot, state-of-the-art learning facility when the campus reopens. Students, staff, community members and District leaders signed the ceremonial beam before it was lifted into place by a crane – symbolizing shared pride, resilience and investment in Lynwood’s future.
Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship team captured the Sporter League championship and earned a league Most Valuable Player honor for senior Angel Posada, capping an undefeated postseason run. The championship performance marked Fontana MCJROTC’s 10th consecutive postseason victory, completing a 10–0 run and following an undefeated regular season. Competing in the Champions Division, Fontana closed the final match with a comeback win.
When San Dimas High School junior and athletic standout Tiffany Villegas was just four years old, she joined her brother’s Little League T-Ball team, getting her first taste of competition on a baseball diamond. Switching to softball as a kindergartner, Villegas quickly developed into a five-tool prospect, moving to travel softball at 10 years old. Now, Villegas is set to fulfill her dream of playing softball for an elite university, as well as attend an Ivy League school, after committing to the application process at Harvard University for the 2027-28 school year. Villegas, who has a 4.5 GPA, plans to major in biology on her way to medical school and is interested in a career as an anesthesiologist.
As La Serna High senior Brooke Chancellor enters her final semester of school, she is looking forward to joining her Lancer classmates for the upcoming whirlwind of graduation events celebrating the Class of 2026. Just two years ago, the odds of Chancellor participating in a commencement ceremony at La Serna seemed out of reach.
Six community colleges from across the country will help demonstrate the impact of Caring Campus through a quantitative study examining student outcomes and their relationship to a culture of care. Funded by the Lumina Foundation, the study will explore how Caring Campus contributes to student retention, persistence, completion, and overall success. Lawson State Community College in Alabama, Patrick & Henry Community College in Virginia, Oakton College in Illinois, Hartnell College in California, and Temple College and Ranger College in Texas will each participate in the grant-funded study. Together, these colleges will help build a clearer, data-informed understanding of how intentionally fostering connection and belonging influences student outcomes.
The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Whittier resident Armando Urteaga to serve as Trustee for Area 5 following a Special Board Meeting on Jan. 17. Urteaga will serve the remainder of the term through November 2026. The appointment followed interviews with six candidates conducted during the special meeting. After interviews and deliberation in open session, the Board selected Urteaga based on his extensive experience in public education and long-standing service to local school communities. Urteaga has been a resident of the Whittier area for 25 years and is a longtime public education leader with more than 30 years of experience serving students and families. He holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from California State University, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree in educational management and school administration from the University of La Verne.
As construction progresses at one of Fontana Unified School District’s (FUSD) newest, state-of-the-art campuses, District leaders have unveiled the official name and academic vision for Oak Grove Preparatory Academy, a seventh- to 12th-grade school designed to blend career-connected learning, academic advancement opportunities, and student-centered support. Formerly known as the Secondary Academy, Oak Grove Prep reflects the District’s continued focus on serving a growing North Fontana community by expanding opportunities for students to explore careers and expand their academic and social foundations. The school, opening fall 2026, will begin enrolling students from grades six to nine, adding on an additional grade level each academic year.
Kaiser High School’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Visual and Performing Arts Theatre students turned months of creativity and collaboration into statewide recognition, earning first place at the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) High School Theatre Festival with their production of “The Adventures of Pericles,” by William Shakespeare, where Fontana students surpassed 20 performing arts programs from across the region. Kaiser’s CTE students transformed their school’s multipurpose room into a reimagined, immersive theater space, where they brought the production to life. The award reflects three intensive months of student-led work, including designing and constructing the set, creating costumes, engineering lighting, and managing front-of-house operations. Additional Fontana Unified School District competing schools also performed strongly at the festival, with Jurupa Hills and Fontana high schools each earning second-place finishes in their respective divisions.
