Redwood Elementary School students are benefitting from language development and increased cultural awareness and connection as part of the school’s popular dual language immersion (DLI) program. Each year, Redwood Elementary School holds a lottery for its dual language immersion (DLI) program with about 100 families applying for the 50 seats offered to kindergartners entering the program.
Fontana Unified School District voted to rename Randall Pepper Elementary School to O’Day Short Elementary – shining a light on a dark moment in Fontana’s history while affirming the District’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – during its Board of Education meeting on Sept. 4. Southridge Tech Middle School seventh grader Cyrus Moss first set the wheels in motion for the name change when he presented the Fontana Unified Board with a petition signed by 132 members of the community at its March 13 meeting. In accordance with administrative regulations, FUSD was unable to act on the petition until its Sept. 4 meeting.
As the 2024-25 school year gets underway in Bonita Unified School District, the countdown is officially on for the 52nd chapter of the storied Smudge Pot Rivalry Game between the Bonita and San Dimas high school football teams. The annual, friendly rivalry is a District staple, celebrating school unity by showcasing not only the athletic but artistic talents of its students. The game features spirited halftime performances from the schools’ cheer and dance teams, marching band, and color guards that reflect the rich culture at both Bonita and San Dimas high schools.
Welcomed by red, white and blue balloons, U.S. flags and banners representing their countries of origin, more than 100 Lynwood Unified students who recently arrived in the United States received an opportunity to bond with peers and connect with District leaders during the second annual Newcomers event on Aug. 30. The event, designed for English learners who have been in America for three years or less, aims to help students ease their anxiety about attending school in a new country, learn what is expected of them to graduate high school and befriend classmates who share their nationality.
It appeared to be a typical summer football practice at Bonita and San Dimas high schools, with new and returning players performing running and passing drills, conferring with their coaches, and looking to find team spirit and chemistry as the teams prepare for the 2024-25 football seasons. This year, however, it is not just the boys suiting up in football jerseys, looking to make memories. Female athletes now have the thrill of making a touchdown run or maintaining a goal line stand, following the official CIF Southern Section debut of girls flag football in August after a year as a pilot program. Both Bonita and San Dimas are fielding teams and ready to battle for a CIF championship.
Covina-Valley Unified School District celebrated its commitment to student success with the groundbreaking of a new South Hills High School library on Aug. 23 and the completion of renovated Covina High School tennis courts on Aug. 26, providing state-of-the-art facilities that help students thrive. The new South Hills High Library will serve as a new learning hub for students, featuring both individual and collaborative workspaces as well as updated technology. The project is estimated to be completed at the end of the year, just in time for the return of students from winter break.
For more than 20 years, A.B. Miller High School’s Director of Dance and Fontana Unified’s Dance Collaborative Lead teacher Nicole Robinson has built a legacy of dedication and passion for her students and the art form and discipline of dance. Robinson’s excellence in creating and leading impactful programs and curricula at A.B. Miller and the greater community led to the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) honoring her with its 2024 Outstanding Leadership Award for PK-12 Education. She will be recognized for receiving the national honor during a virtual awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Three Caring Campus community colleges have been named 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence finalists by the Aspen Institute, shining a light on their exceptional commitment to fostering a culture of care that drives student success. Northwest Vista College in Texas, Wallace State Community College in Alabama, and Moorpark College in California are three out of the 10 institutions chosen as finalists from more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide. Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize recognizes colleges with high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for students of color and those from lower-income backgrounds.
Lynwood Unified School District will celebrate the grand opening of its state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Classroom and Lab at Lynwood High School, providing students in the career technical education program the opportunity to engage in hands-on cooking experiences.
In front of an audience of more than 100 students, staff, alums, and distinguished guests, Hacienda La Puente Unified and Hacienda La Puente Adult Education (HLPAE) celebrated the unveiling of HLPAE’s modernized state-of-the-art Medical Career Building with commemorative speeches to honor HLPAE's legacy and success before cutting the ceremonial ribbon on Aug. 23. As the second-largest adult education institute in California, serving more than 13,000 adult education and high school students annually, HLPAE's two-story building modernization project is a significant step toward supporting its seven growing healthcare programs, including the longstanding Psychiatric Technician and Licensed Vocational Nursing Programs. The building, equipped with four new classrooms, labs, and state-of-the-art equipment, is strategically designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, thereby preparing students to thrive in the ever-changing healthcare landscape.
