South El Monte High School will host a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the launch of construction of its quad renovation project. The quad renovation will include the new addition of a concrete stage, seat walls, walkways, landscaping, electric and audio connections and outdoor furnishing. The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16 at South El Monte High School, located at 1001 Durfee Ave., South El Monte.
Río Hondo College will host the return of its popular and lively “A Taste of Río” event on Friday, June 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. (5 p.m. for VIPs) – inviting guests onto campus for an evening of delicious foods, fine wines, craft beers, live entertainment and a silent auction. Created by the Río Hondo College Foundation, “A Taste of Río” raises funds for scholarships to support students in achieving their educational goals. Presale tickets are $75 for general admission and $125 for VIP passes. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online at https://gorio.page/atasteofrio. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Rosemead High School will expand its college and career opportunities through the launch of the Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone Diploma program, which encourages students to develop skills for college and career readiness including critical thinking, research, collaboration and communication. Rosemead High School is among approximately 2,000 schools worldwide to implement the program, which consists of two year-long courses – AP Seminar and AP Research – taken in sequence. Rosemead High School will launch the program with its first cohort in the 2022-23 school year.
The Whittier Union Board of Trustees has announced that two longtime administrators will advance into new positions in the Superintendent’s Executive Cabinet. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Kevin Jamero will also serve as Deputy Superintendent and Pioneer High School Principal Lilia Bozigian will become Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. The Board of Trustees announced the advancements during its March 8 Board meeting. In February, the Board appointed Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Monica Oviedo to replace Superintendent Martin J. Plourde, who is retiring in June. Dr. Oviedo, Jamero and Bozigian will step into their new roles at the end of the school year.
Newton Middle School and Orange Grove Middle School have been named 2022 California Schools to Watch by the California Department of Education, recognizing their continued success in boosting student achievement, social equity and robust student support programs for all students. Newton and Orange Grove middle school are among 16 schools to be newly designated as Schools to Watch this year and were honored alongside 31 redesignated model schools at the California League of Schools Conference held May 3-5 in Monterey.
Motivational speaker and children’s author June Durr will address Fontana High School Bio Animatronic and Neuro Prosthetics students about receiving a prosthetic arm custom-made by Garner Holt Productions studio artists. In 2015, Garner Holt created a new prosthetic arm for Durr; dubbed ‘Lefty,’ the arm is made entirely out of proprietary silicone, is layered and textured to look realistic, has a rotating wrist, flesh tones and freckles, and can lock in 11 different positions. After her talk, Durr will conduct a Q&A with FOHI students.
Two Fontana Unified scholar-athletes will take their games to the next level after signing letters of intent to play college ball with Western Athletic Conference universities. Jurupa Hills High School senior Antonio Mayes signed with Dixie State University in St. George, Utah to play football; Mayes, a two-time All-League defensive back for the Spartan football team, is fulfilling a dream he has had since he began playing football at the age of five. Summit High School senior Mikayla O’Brien signed with Cal Baptist University in Riverside to play soccer, capping a prep career that saw her achieve All-League three times and lead her team to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division VI Southern Section playoffs during 2020-21.
Twenty-five Bonita Unified School District teachers were awarded mini-grants from the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation, providing financial support for educators who aim to enrich classroom experiences for their students. The mini-grants, totaling nearly $9,500, were presented to this year’s awardees during their March 2 Board of Education meeting. Since 1983, the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation has been committed to enriching and enhancing educational opportunities for Bonita Unified students and teachers.
Southridge Tech Middle School and Wayne Ruble Middle School have been recognized in the 2022 California Schools to Watch program, celebrating their continued success in providing positive learning environments that boost student achievement and foster college and career readiness. Southridge Tech and Wayne Ruble middle schools are among 31 high-performing California middle schools to be re-designated as Schools to Watch this year. First designated in 2019, both schools were re-evaluated to retain the designation – a process that occurs every three years.
Bonita Unified High School Athletes Recognized by Board of Education
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education recognized student-athletes from San Dimas and Bonita high schools for their CIF championship wins, during the Board’s March 2 meeting. The Board of Education recognized Bonita High School’s girls water polo for winning the CIF-SS Division 3 championship, and recognized San Dimas High School’s Juliana Marquez, Esperanza Dorantes, and Cameron Ortiz for placing at the CIF wrestling state championship.
