Fontana Unified School District Board of Education unanimously voted in favor of A.B. Miller High School retaining the current “Rebel” likeness as its mascot during the Feb. 1 Board meeting, acknowledging community feedback following an exploratory rebranding process. The consideration of a rebranded mascot began in June 2020, following an online petition created by students and staff that called for the selection of a new mascot that would better represent the community and school. A.B. Miller High School discontinued the use of the Rebel image, instead using a large letter “M,” while it solicited input from the school community and developed a rebranding committee composed of students, alumni, certificated and classified staff, administrators and parents.
Bonita Unified Accounting Students Offer Free Tax Filing Services
Students in Bonita High School’s accounting class are putting their knowledge into practice by filing free tax returns for students, as well as local taxpayers with income below $60,000, through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. Sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, the VITA program has provided free tax assistance for more than 50 years. Under the supervision of Bonita High accounting teacher Madhu Sekhri, students will be available to assist their peers and community members with their tax returns from 11:35 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Sekhri at m.sekhri@bonita.k12.ca.us or call (909) 971-8220.
Buena Park School District Students Learn Compassion, Kindness
Buena Park School District students learned about charity, friendly attitudes and helping others during the District’s second annual Kinder Kindness Week celebration, held Jan. 23 to 27. Some 375 kindergarten students were given medals and superhero capes for learning various ways to make their campus, community and homes better by spreading kindness. Students also created artwork about how they’re reaching out to make new friends, planting trees, cleaning up their neighborhoods and being polite.
The El Monte Union High School District community celebrated the groundbreaking of Arroyo High School’s Athletic Field and Stadium Project during a ceremony on Jan. 31, signaling the start of construction on a project that includes a high-performance rubberized track and field, new scoreboard, renewed visitor bleachers and concession stands, and a grand stadium entrance. The Arroyo High Athletic Field and Stadium Project will provide students with a space that promotes healthy living and school spirit and will serve as a gathering place for physical fitness activities, athletic events, health and wellness instruction, student performances and school community functions.
Jurupa Hills High School senior Jesse Juarez’s talent as a photographer was first recognized when he posted photos on Instagram in middle school. At Jurupa Hills, Juarez began honing his skills under the guidance of photography teacher Rebecca Cauchon, who encouraged him to expand his horizons and consider a career in visual and digital arts. Juarez is one of five Jurupa Hills students whose work was recognized for excellence by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, with Juarez winning a coveted Gold Key Award at the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing West Coast Region Awards for his photo collage “Many Me.” The collage will be featured as part of the Alliance’s annual National Exhibition, to be held in New York City in the spring. Juarez was joined by seniors Rosemary Atkins and Roxana Silva, who received Silver Key Awards. Jurupa Hills senior Anita Rodriguez and junior Sam Aguba received Honorable Mentions for their work.
Sporting their favorite Los Angeles Dodgers gear, Whittier High School students created a sea of blue and white in the school’s gym as they received a special visit from the Dodgers during a schoolwide Hispanic Heritage-themed pep rally on Feb. 3. Whittier High’s 1,700 students had the opportunity to meet Dodgers players and legends and play a variety of games with them during the pep rally, which was part of the team’s Love LA 2023 Community Tour. The Cruz Show from Real 92.3 pumped up students and emceed the event. The Whittier High School visit was part of several other stops on the Dodgers 19th annual community service tour, which focused on expressing gratitude and providing fun-filled activities and experiences for Dodger fans throughout Los Angeles County.
Baldwin Park Unified Community Learns from Dual Language Author
Baldwin Park Unified students and parents in the District’s Dual Language program learned about the additional benefits and resources for cultivating bilingual, biliterate and bicultural homes through a special guest lecture from award-winning author and speaker Maritere Rodriguez Bellas on Jan. 25. Bellas, a bilingual parent mentor and writer, visited multiple Baldwin Park Unified schools to speak with Dual Language students and teachers, including Foster, Geddes, Margaret Heath, Tracy and Walnut elementary schools. She concluded her trip at Olive Middle School, where she led a special parent discussion for more than 60 parents.
Fontana Unified Appoints Alumna as New Superintendent
Following a nationwide search and a lengthy process of gathering input from District employees and community members the Fontana Unified School District Board of Education appointed Miki Inbody as the District’s next superintendent during the Feb. 1 Board meeting. Inbody has deep ties to Fontana Unified, having attended schools in and previously working for the District.
Bonita Unified Board Approves Matt Wien as Superintendent
The Bonita Unified School District’s Board of Education unanimously approved Matt Wien as superintendent during its Feb. 1 meeting, earning deafening cheers and a standing ovation from a packed room of District teachers, staff, community leaders and families. The approval of Wien’s three-year contract for superintendent follows his success as acting and interim superintendent over nearly six months, during which he continued to serve in his previous position as assistant superintendent of educational services. Wien has more than 20 years of experience in education, nearly 13 of which have been spent in Bonita Unified.
4 Bonita Unified Students Named to All-State Honor Choirs
Bonita High School choral students Jhett Buggle, Trinity Moreno and Joe Ensign and San Dimas High School student Ethan Maun were selected for the California Choral Directors Association 2023 All-State Honor Choirs. The students will perform with the top high school musicians from across the state at the annual California Music Educators Association conference, to be held Thursday, Feb. 16 to Saturday, Feb. 18 in Fresno. Buggle, Moreno, Ensign and Maun were also selected to the Southern California Vocal Association Honor Choirs – an honor awarded to just 270 students this year – and showcased their musical talents in a culminating performance in November.
