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.
Santa Fe High School senior Ezra Tetteh learned how to advocate for herself at an early age. Born in Gabon, Africa, Tetteh moved with her family to the United States in 2015, settling in Houston, Texas. As a native French speaker with no English language skills, Tetteh realized that she would need to stay focused if she wanted to earn an education, as her family continually relocated over the next several years. Coming to Santa Fe High as a freshman, Tetteh began taking intermediate classes in English, quickly moving on to Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in her sophomore year. With a 3.31 GPA, Tetteh is on track to complete her A-G course requirements and attend a four-year university in the fall. For her resilience and ability to overcome adversity, Tetteh was presented with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its Jan. 16 meeting.
Río Hondo College will continue its mission to remove barriers to educational opportunity for students, as the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) selected Río Hondo as one of 10 community colleges statewide to implement the Hire UP pilot program. Hire UP is a five-year program designed by CCCCO to acknowledge and address historic racial inequity and socioeconomic barriers to workforce participation. Students who participate in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) and RISE Scholars Program, along with former foster youth, are eligible to apply for the Hire UP program, where they will be provided with stipends to help them meet the true cost of college attendance and gain clear access to academic programs and workforce support.
When Fontana High School career technical education (CTE) instructor Lamar Hanger arrived on campus at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year to lead the school’s building and construction pathway, he had a vision to transform the traditional woodshop into a modern commercial and residential construction lab while conducting his classroom as a job site. In less than three years, Hanger’s passion for teaching – and passing on his knowledge of the construction industry – has nearly tripled the number of students in FOHI’s Career Connections program, a CTE pathway in general construction. For his dedication and enthusiasm in guiding the next generation of homebuilders, Hanger has been honored by the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC) with their Construction Education Friend Award. Hanger will be presented with the award at the AGC Installation and Awards Gala on Feb. 2 in San Francisco.
Whittier Union High School District is starting off the new year with a reorganized Board of Trustees, including Trustee Gary Mendez filling his new role as President and Trustee Josefina E. Canchola stepping into the role of Vice President, as the Board members collectively continue to pursue their mission “To Achieve and Maintain Excellence.” The Board also selected Trustee Irma Rodríguez Moisa to serve the Board as Clerk. Outgoing Board president Jaime López and Dr. Russell Castañeda Calleros close out the Board, serving the community as members. Under their new roles, members will continue to ensure that all Whittier Union students have access to the opportunities and resources that they need to succeed.
HLPUSD Middle School Girls Unlock Potential During STEM Celebration
An impressive group of Hacienda La Puente Unified eighth-grade girls journeyed to Whittier College to hear inspiring words and success stories from innovative female leaders and young women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), at the 29th Annual American Association of University Women Math and Science Conference, held on Jan. 11. The cutting-edge and highly anticipated conference, titled "Unlimited Potential," aimed to ignite passion and motivate females to dream big, work hard, and pursue careers that have historically been underrepresented.
FUSD TV Production Students Partner for Launch of New Program
Fontana Unified School District students and staff from Summit and A.B. Miller high schools partnered with students in Baldwin Park High School’s sports media club to share best practices and mentorship in preparation for BPHS’ launch of a news broadcast, the Braves Sports Network, on Jan. 17. Summit and A.B. Miller students shared filming and editing techniques they have learned through their schools’ career technical educational pathways in TV/film and video production.
