Eileen Miranda Jimenez, Dr. Rose Lopez, and Juanita Cruz, trustees of the West Covina Unified School District, have demonstrated exceptional commitment to professional development in the service of students through their recent completion of the California School Boards Association’s (CSBA) Masters in Governance program. This accomplishment signifies mastery of the roles and responsibilities of school boards, and a strong understanding of the knowledge and skills needed to build and support an effective governance structure that helps produce better outcomes for students.
Two Henry J. Kaiser High School Class of 2021 graduates, who were enrolled in the school’s college-prep elective Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), have received $1,500 scholarships to ease their transition into higher education, thanks to the Riverside Inyo Mono San Bernardino (RIMS) AVID Scholarship Program. Tim Rodriguez and Fatima Mejia are both first-generation college students who joined AVID as freshmen, developing study skills, learning about the college application process, accessing scholarship opportunities, and immersing themselves in a college-going culture. Rodriguez will attend Cal State San Bernardino and study computer science; Mejia will attend Cal Poly Pomona.
Fontana Unified’s Class of 2021 graduates turned their tassels as families cheered and colorful streamers cascaded through the air, marking their milestone achievement during dynamic commencement ceremonies at San Manuel Stadium, held June 8 to 10. The District honored graduates from its five comprehensive high schools, two continuation schools and adult school with outdoor, in-person ceremonies, featuring emotional speeches from standout students, tearful renditions of the schools’ alma maters, and marquee lights spelling “Class of 2021” adorning the field. The ceremonies, which implemented limited capacity and fixed seating in compliance with county health and safety guidelines, were also livestreamed via YouTube.
Bonita Unified School District celebrated the Class of 2021 with spirited and emotional in-person graduation ceremonies for San Dimas, Bonita and Chaparral high schools, held June 8-10, that featured laughs and tears, inspirational music, and fireworks. Family members cheered as the graduates received their diplomas, turned their tassels and sang their alma mater for the last time. San Dimas High graduate Molly Gonzales played guitar and sang “Somewhere Only We Know” while the Bonita High Chamber Singers sang the Bill Withers classic, “Lean on Me.” Chaparral High graduates wrote personalized notes about their high school journey, which were read aloud when they received their diplomas.
Whittier Union to Return to Full-Time Instruction for 2021-22 School Year
Whittier Union High School District will return to full-time, in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year, which begins Thursday, Aug. 12. All students have been automatically enrolled for in-person learning, which consists of six-hour days, five days a week. Families who are not yet ready to return full-time have the option to enroll in the District’s Independent Study Program.
Whittier Union Offers Curbside Meal Distribution During Summer Months
Whittier Union’s Food and Nutrition Services Department will offer curbside meal distribution for its community through Thursday, July 15. Meals are available Mondays to Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for those 18 years of age and under. On Thursdays, Whittier Union will distribute bulk meals that include four breakfast and four lunch meals. Meals are available at all five of the District’s comprehensive high schools.
A.B. Miller High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) college-prep elective is celebrating a perfect score for its Class of 2021 graduates, with 100 percent of its AVID students accepted to a four-year university. All 65 A.B. Miller AVID graduates earned acceptance to at least one four-year college or university, spanning across a variety of University of California (UC) and California State University campuses, as well as private universities. They will continue their education at institutions that include UC Riverside, UC Irvine, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State San Marcos, Cal Baptist, University of La Verne, and more. A.B. Miller High School has offered AVID since 1993 and is an AVID Highly Certified Site. Media contact: Lauren Creiman, 909-833-9853
Río Hondo College Latinx students will receive increased support to complete transfer level math courses in their first year of school, providing a pathway for more Latinx students to complete their degrees and transfer to four-year universities, thanks to a $65,750 grant from the Aspen Institute. The Río Hondo College Excellence Program’s primary beneficiaries will be students enrolled in Math 130 Statistics courses. During the 2020-21 school year, nearly 1,600 students were enrolled in the course. The grant allows Río Hondo College to hire additional math instructors to facilitate an increased participation of students. The program is expected to begin in Fall 2021.
Cheered on by family and faculty members, Class of 2021 graduates from Baldwin Park and Sierra Vista high schools returned to campus one final time to receive scholarships and accolades during annual senior recognition and awards nights. Graduates were recognized for displaying excellence in academics and athletics, including awards presented by the Baldwin Park Teacher’s Association, the Ramona Burnham Foundation and the Mark Daniel Flores Music Foundation.
Nearly 430 graduates from Monrovia Unified School District cheered as they walked across the graduation stage to receive their diplomas during in-person and drive-thru commencement ceremonies, held June 8 and 9. Canyon Oaks High School and Mountain Park School celebrated the success of 45 graduates on June 8 during a drive-thru ceremony, where administrators and teachers delivered emotional speeches that detailed each student’s hardships and successes that led to graduation day. On June 9, Wildcat Stadium roared as administrators, teachers, and families celebrated 378 seniors who persevered during an unprecedented school year. Monrovia Unified School District implemented health guidelines as outlined by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, such as the use of face coverings and social distancing throughout both events, to ensure the safety of its students, families, and entire school community.
