Covina-Valley Unified School District kicked off the 2024-25 school year with colorful balloons, signs, lively rallies, and engaging activities on Aug. 19, welcoming students back for another year of learning, growth, and discovery. The celebrations set a positive tone for the year ahead, reinforcing the District's commitment to providing an “Innovative Education that Inspires Every Student’s Unlimited Potential.”
La Serna High School will host a grand opening for its newly reconstructed Aquatics Center, which includes a ribbon-cutting for the school’s new, state-of-the-art swimming pool. The new pool was paid for with funds from the District’s $183 million Measure AA facilities bond, passed by voters in November 2020. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be followed by a “Jump In” pool carnival, with relay races, alumni races, raffles, silent auctions, and opportunities to purchase aquatics spirit wear.
Río Hondo College (RHC) ensured Congresswoman Grace Napolitano’s legacy of public service and advocacy for education and workforce development lives on forever on its campus as it officially dedicated the Grace F. Napolitano Quad with a ceremony on Aug. 14.
Students, staff, community members and elected officials, including Congresswoman Napolitano, attended the ceremony at what was once known as Río Hondo College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Quad. The ceremony unveiled the new “Grace F. Napolitano Quad” signage and gave a sneak peek at a rendering showcasing the future changes planned for the area, including the installation of new signage, turf, tables and umbrellas for student use.
For more than 35 years, Reneé Gallegos has been dedicated to ensuring Río Hondo College’s (RHC) leadership and governance runs smoothly and efficiently, a commitment that was recognized on Aug. 8 when the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) honored her with the Professional Board Staff Member Award. Gallegos, RHC’s Executive Assistant to Superintendent/President Dr. Marilyn Flores and the Board of Trustees, earned the ACCT award for the Pacific Region in 2024. The ACCT’s five regional honorees are in the running for the national Professional Board Staff Member Award, which will be announced at the 2024 ACCT Awards Gala on Oct. 25 in Seattle.
Covina-Valley Unified School District will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the Covina High School tennis courts. The project began in February 2024 and includes a court resurfacing, new fence fabric installation, painted poles, and updated signage.
Covina-Valley Unified School District will hold a lively ceremony to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new South Hills High School library, creating a new learning hub for students. The library will include individual and collaborative workspaces and feature state-of-the-art technology. The project is estimated to be complete by Dec. 31, 2024, just in time for the return of students from winter break.
With a District theme of “Standing Strong Together,” the 2024-25 school year got off to a rousing start for more than 10,000 Whittier Union High School District students, who strode cheerfully and purposefully through their school gates on Aug. 14, ready to reconnect with friends and faculty and make new memories, as they take the next step in their academic journeys. All five Whittier Union comprehensive high schools, as well as its continuation and independent study schools, greeted students with red carpets, welcome posters, balloons representing the school colors, cheer performances, band performances, and more.
Covina-Valley Unified School District is set to kick off the 2024-25 school year with a lively Welcome Back Convocation for all teachers, staff, and administrators. The event will include a dynamic guest speaker, engaging activities, and opportunities to foster excitement and enthusiasm for the year ahead.
El Monte Union High School District will welcome more than 7,000 students back to school on the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, celebrating a historic start to the new academic year with major improvements at the five comprehensive high schools under the District’s Modernization Program. Notable upgrades at Mountain View and South El Monte high schools include revamped landscapes and quads, offering enhanced spaces for student activities and events. Student leaders at Mountain View will greet students with school pride, guiding them through the updated campus and festivities.
Bonita Unified students looking to get a head start on college and career have taken advantage of several summer workshops and programs designed to spark interest in career technical education (CTE) fields, including industrial and manufacturing engineering, auto repair, architecture, theater, interior design, welding, mentoring, and waste management.
Cal Poly Pomona, Citrus College, Mt. SAC and the Claremont Colleges are among the local campuses providing guidance and instructors to assist students in finding their passion in diverse fields that can lead to lucrative careers. More than 100 BUSD students participated in programs over the summer.
