Whittier Union Students Improve Social-Emotional Wellbeing
Frontier High School students are improving their social-emotional wellbeing and engaging in physical exercise by participating in Feet First, a cardio boxing program that builds character, confidence, and coping skills. More than 20 Frontier High students meet weekly for a one-hour session that includes a cardio boxing workout session and a lesson on topics including managing stress, motivation, emotional intelligence, and healthy self-regulation, led by local Feet First boxing coaches. Frontier High launched the program in Dec. 2023 and will continue hosting the program through the remainder of the 2023-24 school year.
El Monte Union Senior Garners Acclaim for Debut Novel
South El Monte High School senior and student author Aaron Morales unveiled his debut book titled, "Legacy: After Effects, A Red America Novel" to the El Monte Union community and was acknowledged for this outstanding achievement by the District’s Board of Trustees during a meeting in December. Set against a backdrop of societal upheaval, the book delves into the complexities of a post-apocalyptic world and explores the aftermath of a world-changing event in the heart of a divided America. "Legacy: After Effects, A Red America Novel" is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Lynwood Unified School District students will benefit from a unique and immersive learning experience through the District’s recently expanded Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, which fosters bilingualism and biliteracy among students using a two-way learning model. The program aims to help students achieve excellence through cross-cultural understanding, and will introduce one transitional kindergarten and two kindergarten classes to Mark Twain Elementary School beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
Arroyo High School alumnus and girls basketball coach Mike Gorball is celebrating multiple achievements during his 34th season at Arroyo High, after becoming the first girls basketball coach in San Gabriel Valley history and only the 12th coach in CIF Southern Section history to earn 500 victories. Gorball completed the milestone when Arroyo defeated Schurr High School 40-22 in December 2023. The El Monte Union Board of Trustees will honor Gorball during a meeting in February.
FUSD Theater Program Gears Up for Second Performance of Season
Fontana Unified’s career technical education program (CTE) is continuing its theater season with a second and final production for 2023-24, the Harry Potter satire “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” on Thursday, Feb. 1 and Friday, Feb. 2 at the historic California Theater for the Performing Arts in San Bernardino, under the guidance of A.B. Miller High School multimedia design and drama teacher Joseph Henson. The FUSD Theater Conservatory was established so that young students could discover the joys of theater and work as actors in a professional show, as well as get involved in CTE projects at an early age. The California Theater is located at 562 West 4th St., San Bernardino.
Southridge Tech Middle School seventh-grade math teacher Linh Nguyen-Carlyle draws upon her own life experiences and challenges to connect with her students, making an impact in the classroom that has earned her recognition as the California League of Educators (CLE) Region 10 Educator of the Year Runner-Up. Nguyen-Carlyle was one of 10 CLE finalists from across the Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties honored at the Region 10 awards ceremony held last December at the Riverside Mariott.
Bonita Unified School District will host its 2023-24 State of the District Address for local business partners, community leaders and families, in which Superintendent Matt Wien will provide an update on the District’s accomplishments, highlight academic, arts, athletic and extracurricular programs, and discuss BUSD’s vision and mission. In addition to Wien’s keynote address, the event will include refreshments prepared by the District’s culinary students and choral performances from Bonita and San Dimas high schools.
Río Hondo College received a four-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) on Jan. 16, highlighting the College’s commitment to excellence in institutional effectiveness and ensuring a high-quality education for its students. The ACCJC, a division of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), announced Río Hondo College’s reaffirmation after a comprehensive review from a peer-review team that included two site visits where they examined evidence and interviewed Río Hondo College representatives.
Fontana Unified’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program opened its theater season with live musical productions of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” as District elementary and middle school students got the holiday season off to a spirited and nostalgic start. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the latest production presented by Fontana Unified’s Theater Conservatory and brought together the talents of Canyon Crest Elementary School, Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy and Wayne Ruble Middle School students at the historic California Theatre for the Performing Arts in San Bernardino. For the first time, it featured an all-student cast, who once again worked with A.B. Miller High School multimedia design teacher Joseph Henson. The FUSD Theater Conservatory was established so that young students could discover the joys of theater and work as actors in a professional show, as well as get involved in CTE projects at an early age.
Bonita Unified teachers received a welcome boost from the Rotary Club of La Verne when the service organization continued its annual tradition of awarding District educators mini-grants to promote learning during the Jan. 17 Board of Education meeting. Rotary Club president Diana Laguna, joined by members Craig Rubin, Steven Johnson and Deborah Deacy, distributed $3,200 in mini-grants to 10 Bonita Unified teachers. The grants, which are worth up to $500 each, will help fund projects and resources that include a two-person tricycle for preschoolers, dramatic play centers, a sensory light table and an assistive technology library. Two Grace Miller Elementary School teachers are ready to implement their projects. Transitional kindergarten teacher Gayle Cervantes will use her grant to install a sensory light table in her classroom, to better enhance her student’s learning experience.
