Thirty-three Bonita Unified School District educators received more than $13,000 in teacher mini-grants from the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation (LVSDEF) during the Nov. 5 Board of Education meeting, aimed at bolstering hands-on and engaging educational experiences. The grants will fund projects that strengthen instruction in literacy, science, arts, technology, and collaborative learning. Educators will use the funds to purchase classroom tools, and provide resources that support growth in key academic areas.
For more than 40 years, Bonita Unified School District has brought Tongva culture to life through “Hands on History: Native American Days,” an interactive field trip highlighting the artistry, traditions, and daily life of the Tongva people, who once lived throughout the region. Fourth-grade students from across the District participated in this year’s program at the California Botanical Garden in Claremont, engaging with six learning stations led by substitute teachers and parent volunteers, experiencing traditional games, ceremonies, crafts, food gathering and preparation, and hunting practices.
The South El Monte High School Lady Eagles volleyball team made history when it captured its first-ever CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS) Div. 9 championship, defeating Nogales High School in a nail-biting five-set thriller on Nov. 8. The championship provided a memorable sendoff for a tight-knit coterie of seniors who came close to a title in 2024, and a homecoming for coach and South El Monte physical education teacher Kristina Puckett, who returned to lead the team after a yearslong hiatus.
Whittier Union High School District is one step closer to bringing its much-anticipated Performing Arts Center (PAC) to life, celebrating the beginning of construction of its vibrant, 450-seat, state-of-the-art theater with a community groundbreaking on Nov. 10. Construction is set to begin shortly, with a completion date of fall 2027. The PAC, created to spotlight Whittier Union’s visual and performing arts (VAPA) students and programs, was meticulously designed by SoCal-based LPA Design Studios. The firm collaborated closely with a wide range of stakeholders to create a space that is both visually striking and highly functional, while honoring the history and spirit of Whittier Union’s VAPA community.
Nearly 800 Fontana Unified special education students were celebrated in October with Achievement Awards recognizing their determination and commitment to learning, presented by the District’s Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and Community Advisory Committee (CAC). FUSD special education teachers and staff select the students, from early childhood through age 22, to receive Certificates of Achievement and gift vouchers to local diners including Applebee’s, B.J.’s, and Shakey’s, for their outstanding effort at school.
Pioneer High School students shared their high school experiences with future teachers during a field trip to Cal State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in October, designed to assist aspiring CSUF grad students as they learn the best strategies for providing equity in the classroom. Nine Pioneer High students lent their perspectives on school life during a panel titled “Speaking Our Truth: Young Men’s High School Perspectives on Culture and Belonging” to CSUF Diversity in Education students looking to earn their teaching credential.
The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) marked a momentous milestone this fall with the launch of its CIF-sanctioned girls flag football program, engaging student-athletes from all five comprehensive high schools and providing a platform to compete, develop skills, and enjoy a new athletic experience. The initiative began last year when South El Monte High School (SEMHS) and Rosemead High School introduced girls flag football as a CIF sport. Their early success and strong student interest encouraged El Monte, Mountain View, and Arroyo high schools to join this school year, creating a Districtwide program that expands athletic opportunities for female students.
Covina-Valley Unified School District has earned multiple recognitions from U.S. News & World Report, Innovate Public Schools, and the Educational Results Partnership (ERP) Honor Roll for its innovative programs that empower students to excel inside and outside the classroom. All three Covina-Valley Unified middle schools ranked in the top 13% of public middle schools in California, while all nine elementary schools were ranked in the top 29% statewide, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Additionally, Manzanita, Rowland Avenue, Grovecenter, and Merwin elementary schools, Las Palmas Middle School, and South Hills High School earned a place on Innovate Public Schools’ 2025 Top Public Schools list for closing opportunity gaps for Latino students.
The Jurupa Hills High School Players of the Palace have come a long way since staging their first performance, “Sleepy Hollow,” in the campus foyer for the school’s inaugural Harvest Festival in 2010. Now the award-winning program will come full circle with a 15th anniversary celebration, debuting a new version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” on Friday, Nov. 14 at Jurupa Hills’ state-of-the-art Palace of Fine Art Theatre. The new version of “Sleepy Hollow” was written by drama teacher and show director James Griffin, a Fontana High Class of 1994 graduate, and will incorporate the elaborate sets, handcrafted costumes, and student-designed effects that Players of the Palace supporters have enjoyed over the years.
Fontana High School (FOHI) has been recognized with a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association for its transformative College Application Submit Day (CASD), a celebratory event that honors students as they submit their college applications and has reshaped college readiness at FOHI, across Fontana Unified, and beyond. This year, FOHI will celebrate both the recognition and its ongoing commitment to student success during its ninth annual CASD on Thursday, Nov. 20, when students actively submit their college applications to qualifying universities. The day features on-the-spot admissions from local universities – including the University of Redlands, Cal Baptist University, University of La Verne, Azusa Pacific University, and direct admission to Cal State University San Bernardino – along with photobooths, “I Applied to College” stickers, college t-shirts, and a family reception. Each year, more than 400 FOHI families participate in the event, with over 2,400 applications submitted in a single day.
