The El Monte Union High School District will host a groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the start of construction for Mountain View High School’s (MVHS) Modernization Project and the completion of the school’s Zoo Crew Engineering Classroom Project at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7 at MVHS. The projects feature enhancements to the entire campus, including redesigned landscaping and outdoor seating, softball/baseball field improvements, infrastructure upgrades, computer labs, 3-D modeling and workshop areas. Mountain View High School is located at 2900 Parkway Dr., El Monte.
A.B. Miller High School dance students will receive an opportunity to expand their creative horizons while learning to choreograph, perform and film new work uniquely designed for a specific location, thanks to a $50,000 grant from Southern California-based nonprofit homeLA, which will be used to fund a master class held at the Maloof Foundation Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. The project, called inSITE, is available to A.B. Miller Dance Level 1 and Conservatory of Dance Level 2 students and will combine dance and film, as students work with professional film and dance artists to develop choreography that is site-specific to Maloof Gardens, working towards producing a live performance and an accompanying video by the end of the semester. A.B. Miller Conservatory of Dance director Nicole Robinson worked with homeLA to revive a similar project begun in 2020 that was curtailed due to the pandemic. That project also involved students creating dances specific to the Maloof Gardens that were to be viewed by the public. During the 2022-23 school year, the project concentrated on producing a site-specific video.
Bonita Unified students returned to campuses for the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 21, full of excitement and undeterred by rainy weather as they renewed old friendships, reviewed class schedules and met their new teachers. The District has welcomed four new campus administrators for the new school year, as well as a new senior director of secondary curriculum and instruction. Bonita Unified will also seek to expand its career technical education program by building partnerships with more industry professionals and introducing additional work-based learning opportunities.
Rain eased up across the San Gabriel Valley just in time for Covina-Valley Unified School District’s first day of school on Aug. 21, where more than 11,000 students were welcomed back to campuses with smiling faces, warm embraces, and colorful decorations. Covina-Valley’s 19 school sites serve the areas of Covina, West Covina, Glendora, Irwindale and unincorporated parts of L.A. County, providing students with award-winning programs at all grade levels.
Río Hondo College Police Academy Director Walter Allen III’s work to combat prejudice and stamp out pro-hate tactics during his more than four decades in law enforcement earned him the Huff Strategies – ACT Against Hate Alliance (AAHA) inaugural Leadership Award during an Aug. 17 ceremony in Rowland Heights. Allen has fought against implicit bias throughout his personal life and storied career in law enforcement, which includes his tenure at the Río Hondo College Police Academy and across California’s criminal justice and correctional systems.
El Monte Union Introduces and Welcomes Newest Educators
El Monte Union welcomed its newest educators during its annual New Employee Seminar, held on Aug. 8 at the District Board room. District administration greeted the new teachers, joined by the principals of its five comprehensive high schools, as well as its continuation school, adult school and adult transition center who officially welcomed them to the District. The new educators shared their academic highlights and some personal details, then heard from District service department representatives such as risk management and safety, nutrition services, purchasing department and facilities and maintenance.
Río Hondo College to Host 60th Anniversary Celebration
Río Hondo College will host a daylong celebration on its campus to commemorate its 60 years serving the community on Friday, Sept. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event is open to the community. The festivities will include international cuisine, live music and cultural performances, games and other fun-filled activities. For more information or to RSVP, visit gorio.page/60th-anniversary by Monday, Sept. 11. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier.
Covina-Valley Unified Students Gear Up for 2023-24 School Year
Covina-Valley Unified School District will start its new school year on Monday, Aug. 21. The District serves the communities of Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, and Irwindale with 19 school sites, including an early childhood center and two adult education campuses.
Ahead of the 2023-24 school year, Covina-Valley Unified School District has taken significant steps in prioritizing student safety, equipping every campus with an unprecedented level of security, following the District launch of the innovative CENTEGIX CrisisAlert System.
El Monte Union High School District welcomed more than 7,000 students to campuses for the first day of school on Aug. 17, where they were greeted by peers, cheer teams, marching bands, campus leaders, mascots and school staff who helped create an inviting atmosphere and excite students for the 2023-24 school year. Each El Monte Union campus held its own special celebration, with brightly decorated balloons and posters, as new and returning students connected over summer happenings and compared schedules for their classes.
