Whittier Union High School District is proving to be a front-runner in ensuring student success, with 2024-25 California School Dashboard data ranking the District as one of the top four districts in the state, successfully serving a majority Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, and socioeconomically disadvantaged community. There are 995 districts in the state with Dashboard results. The Dashboard is a color-coded system created by the California Department of Education to help districts track year-to-year progress in key areas of growth. It allows districts to measure successes and identify areas for improvement in the year ahead. Measured areas include four-year graduation rates, suspension rates, attendance rates, and more.
South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) is elevating its culture by bringing Caring Campus to the district level, creating a bridge between District Services and the district’s two community colleges, Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College, and fostering a strong partnership that will lead to a fully realized Caring District. As only the second district office to implement Caring Campus in the nation, SOCCCD will ensure care and support flow from District Services to both the colleges and students. This district-level implementation aligns with the district’s strategic plan, approved in June 2026, which calls for cultivating a positive culture and climate for students and employees.
Monica Jauregui, an English Language Development (ELD) teacher at Harry S. Truman Middle School, shares a similar background with her students: her parents immigrated to the United States when they were in grade school, not knowing any English, and Jauregui herself was an English learner. Her experiences fuel her to ensure students of all backgrounds can thrive, leading her to take on multiple roles as an English Language Learner (ELL) monitor and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Excel teacher.
Fontana High School’s (FOHI) General Construction Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway students will debut their custom-built float “Believe in the Magic of Learning” for the 2025 “I Believe in Magic” Fontana Christmas Parade. Students spent more than a month planning, designing, and constructing the float as part of their hands-on CTE coursework. District administrators, Board of Education members, and student board representatives will ride the float during the parade.
The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees voted to move forward with a provisional appointment to fill the upcoming Trustee Area 5 vacancy after Board Member Gary Mendez submitted his resignation, effective Dec. 9, as part of an approved settlement. The settlement concludes discussions regarding the incompatibility of offices held by Mendez, who served simultaneously on the WUHSD Board of Trustees and the Central Basin Municipal Water District. The matter followed a quo warranto opinion granted by the California Attorney General and subsequent legal action by the District.
Rich harmonies and melodious joy echoed through the University of Redland’s Memorial Chapel in November, heralding the Southern California Vocal Association’s (SCVA) annual Southern California Regional Honor Choirs performances, which featured 31 Bonita Unified vocalists among the 250-member choirs – 29 from Bonita High School and two from San Dimas High School. This is the second consecutive year that Bonita Unified singers have dominated the SCVA Honor Choirs, highlighting the success of the District’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program, which encourages students to begin studying music in fourth grade, then provides them with top-level instruction throughout elementary, middle, and high school.
Upland Unified School District’s incoming freshmen got a first look at the high school experience during Upland High School’s signature transition events, Highlander Day and Incoming Families Night, which introduce future Highlanders to the school’s vibrant academic, arts, athletic, and extracurricular offerings, helping students and families build excitement and confidence as they prepare for the year ahead. Highlander Day invites approximately 800 eighth-grade students to Upland High School for an immersive, hands-on introduction to high school life. Students spend the day touring classrooms, exploring Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways, participating in a club fair, meeting student-athletes, connecting with peer leaders, and taking part in a spirited pep rally led by Associated Student Body (ASB), cheer, and performance groups.
Fontana Unified Class of 2026 graduates who are undecided about where they will attend college now have one guaranteed option: California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). CSUSB’s Direct Admit Program guarantees admission to the school for all eligible seniors who have completed their A-G admission and grade-point average requirements. Fontana Unified is one of six San Bernardino County school districts to participate in the partnership with CSUSB, which was announced in September. The program aims to increase college enrollment by removing obstacles in the application process.
South Hills High School junior Angel Duarte is taking a leading role in developing student-led solutions to challenges affecting schools after being selected for the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, representing Covina-Valley Unified School District. A key project of the 2025-26 LACOE Student Advisory Council is the year-long L.A. County Student Civic Changemakers Challenge, which carries the tagline “Real Issues. Bold Solutions. Youth-Led.” Students from across the county were divided into teams and assigned one of four pressing societal issues to research. Teams will present their findings and proposed solutions at a culminating showcase in June 2026.
Fontana Unified School District is celebrating the success of their Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone program students, with 34 scholars earning the prestigious AP Capstone diploma during the 2024-25 school year, and six receiving an AP Seminar and Research Certificate. AP Capstone graduates demonstrate exceptional research, writing, and critical thinking skills by completing a two-year, college-level program that includes AP Seminar, AP Research, and four additional AP courses of their choice. This achievement signals to colleges and universities that these students are well prepared for rigorous, interdisciplinary work and are highly motivated scholars. Certificates are awarded to students who successfully complete AP Seminar and AP Research courses without taking the additional exams.
