Bonita Unified School District recognized the positive impact that educators and school employees can have on students’ lives – whether in just a few years or during a career that spans decades – as it honored the District’s 2022-23 Classified, Certificated and Management Employees of the Year during the Board of Education meeting on April 12. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Kevin Lee provided a heartfelt introduction of each employee during the meeting, where the honorees were presented with flowers and received hugs and applause from their colleagues, families, friends and students. Chaparral-Vista High School registrar Cathy Schofield was named the District Classified Employee of the Year, celebrating her key role in going above and beyond to ensure that all students, parents and staff receive the support they need. Schofield, who has worked at Chaparral-Vista High for eight years and served the students of Bonita Unified for 30 years, will retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
Fontana Unified School District will hold its third annual STEM Showcase, providing families with a day of engaging activities and highlighting the array of science, technology, engineering and mathematics offerings available from elementary school through adult education. This year’s event, themed “CSI: Cultivating STEM Innovations,” will feature activities and demonstrations in aviation, computing, programming and robotics, as well as a planetarium.
Pioneer High School seniors Ashley Cortes, Sara Munoz and Wendy Zaragoza and Santa Fe High School senior Muhammad Shakeel have spent countless long nights studying and dreaming of attending an elite university – a dream that has come true after all four were named 2023 Dell Scholarship winners by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. All four students will receive a $20,000 scholarship spread out over the course of several years, $2,000 in additional money for textbooks and other expenses, and a Dell laptop. They will also have access to exclusive support services, including the Scholars Resource Network, which connects students and their families with resources to deal with academic, personal and life issues. Cortes, Munoz and Zaragoza have each honed their skills in Pioneer’s college-prep elective Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), which provides instruction and guidance for underrepresented students and first-generation college-goers.
South Hills High School American Sign Language (ASL) teacher Sonya Wilson has always been determined to explore new opportunities and pursue her passions, despite the challenges posed by her Deafness. Wilson views being Deaf in the outdoors as an asset because it heightens her senses and connects her with her surroundings as she pursues her biggest passion: rock climbing. Wilson’s love for climbing was sparked after she took an outdoor class in her sophomore year at Azusa Pacific University. She became fascinated by the equipment and the excitement she felt when climbing. However, Wilson quickly realized how difficult it was to find people willing to climb with a Deaf climber. Wilson's challenges inspired her creation of the ASL Climbing Network in 2012, a Facebook group intended for Deaf climbers and ASL signers that aims to cultivate a community of individuals who share a love for climbing and to organize meetups.
Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco, the longest-standing member of the Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees, has informally announced his retirement from the Board, culminating his 32 years of unwavering commitment and service to the District. Dr. Pacheco, who currently serves as the Board Vice President, made the announcement to his colleagues and community members during an April 11 Board meeting. He will officially retire from the Board of Trustees effective July 7, 2023. His current term runs through November 2024.
Move over, Cannes and Sundance: Fontana Unified is set to challenge these internationally acclaimed destinations for cinema lovers by hosting its first-ever districtwide Fontana Film Festival on Friday, May 5. Open to all Fontana Unified K-12 students and alumni, the film festival will showcase the emerging talents of TV Production and film students from all corners of the city. The festival will be held at 6 p.m. at Steelworkers Auditorium, located at 1555 Summit Ave., Fontana.
The 2022-23 school year has seen the long-awaited rollout of Whittier High School’s Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT), a four-year engineering pathway that provides students with a comprehensive overview of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) concepts and sets them on course for careers in STEAM-related fields. CAT combines the best of two programs offered in previous years at Whittier High – the Cardinal Computer Academy and the STEM Academy, which centered on computer information technology and engineering – and is updated to provide students with the tools they need to navigate the rapidly expanding STEM job market. CAT has proven to be very popular in its first year, with 80 freshmen enrolled in the first-year intro class. The pathway was created by Whittier High teachers Daniel Oliver and Steve Swanson, who developed the program and curriculum after seeking student input on what they wanted from a tech-based engineering pathway.
Three Covina-Valley Unified School District sites will have dynamic new principals as Terry Abernathy leads South Hills High School, Nick Garcia steps in at Sierra Vista Middle School, and Dr. Leo Magallón takes over at Northview High School for the 2023-24 school year. All three principals were unanimously approved during a Board of Education meeting on April 10. They will start their new positions on July 1, 2023.
The Fontana Unified School District and the City of Fontana are partnering with community stakeholders to host a Community Roundtable from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 20 at the Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center. Parents and residents are invited to join FUSD Superintendent Miki Inbody and Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren as they work together to foster a more cohesive, respectful sense of community. The Community Roundtable will encourage dialogue, acknowledge and address biases, and collaborate on creating a more inclusive learning environment and community.
Hacienda La Puente Unified Unveils High School Dream Resource Center
Hacienda La Puente Unified officials, Dream Resource partners and dignitaries celebrated the launch of the La Puente High School’s Dream Resource Center with an opening ceremony on April 12, unveiling a welcoming, safe space where students can create, relax and collaborate. During the event, guests heard student testimonials and toured the center, which included vibrantly decorated walls full of inspirational quotes, vision boards and tabletops bedecked with resources, games and calming activities.
