El Monte City School District teachers and administrators rolled out red carpets, clutched colorful signs and cheered on droves of smiling students and parents, welcoming them to the start of the 2019-20 school year on Aug. 20. The District welcomed students and parents across its 14 campuses with information kiosks and orientation meetings about new and expanding programs to boost academic and social-emotional growth.
Wilson Elementary School has been recognized by the California Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coalition for successfully implementing the PBIS program. The school has been identified as a silver medal school and will have its name displayed on the California PBIS Coalition webpage and posted at the fourth annual California PBIS Conference in Sacramento on Oct. 28-29. PBIS awards gold, silver and bronze distinctions to schools that successfully execute the program.
Edgewood High School student Vanessa Li was one of 35 students across the country selected to conduct biochemistry research at Purdue University through its Summer Science Program, using wet lab techniques and modeling software to study an enzyme from a fungal pathogen and designing a small molecule inhibitor to protect crops from the fungus. The highly selective program featured 39 days of hands-on, collaborative experimental research, mentorship from university professors and tours of local scientific and cultural sites.
At the direction of new Superintendent/President Dr. Arturo Reyes, Rio Hondo College will hold community budget forums from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 and from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 in the Board of Education meeting room, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier. The events follow an initial forum held Aug. 28 and offer insight into the College’s planning process and budget priorities.
Seventeen Fontana Unified schools have been recognized for their implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) strategies by the California PBIS Coalition, netting two platinum, five gold, nine silver and one bronze implementation awards. PBIS aims to create a positive school setting through strategies that define, teach and support appropriate student behaviors.
Fontana Unified School District will join forces with Chaffey Joint Union High School District and Rialto Unified School District to host the inaugural Inland Empire Regional College Fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, providing nearly 90,000 students the opportunity to meet with college and university representatives from across the United States. The free event will be held at the Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario.
Associated Student Body leaders at Bonita and San Dimas high schools are busy gathering supplies for brightly colored spirit signs and planning events for spirit week, while their bands are practicing pep tunes and half-time shows and cheerleaders are rehearsing routines and chants to keep the crowds pumped during the annual Smudge Pot football game at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. The San Dimas Saints will vie to recapture the trophy from the Bonita Bearcats, who claimed it last year in a 28-14 victory. The game will be held at Citrus College Stadium, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., Glendora.
Monrovia Unified will hold its final Back to School Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 at Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School, 148 W. Duarte Road, Monrovia.
El Monte City School District will conclude its 2019-20 Back to School Nights with LeGore School on Wednesday, Sept. 4 and Cleminson and Wilkerson schools on Thursday, Sept. 5. Each event will run from 5 to 7 p.m. and allow families to learn about academic goals for the 2019-20 school year and tour campuses.
Fontana Unified School District will premiere sleek new websites for the District and each of its schools, providing families and community members with easier access to information through a user-friendly format. The District website is the first to switch to the student-centered, modern layout and will launch on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Websites for Fontana Unified’s 45 schools will roll out in the following months. The sites were created through a partnership with education website developer Blackboard.