Bonita Unified students are getting a head start on their careers in barbering and cosmetology – and preparing to enter the workforce after graduation – through a partnership with the San Antonio Regional Occupational Program (ROP), which provides after-school courses in the two subjects at no cost to students. Bonita High School seniors Alexis Miranda, Bianca Estrella, and Selina Heng became the first BUSD students to complete the cosmetology class at San Antonio ROP in more than 20 years, each putting in 1,000 hours to learn skills in hair cutting, styling, and coloring, manicuring/pedicuring, and skin care services. Since Miranda, Estrella, and Heng completed the program, seven students from Chaparral-Vista, Bonita and San Dimas high schools have enrolled and are working toward their certification in barbering or cosmetology.
Bonita Unified Middle School Band, Choir Win Gold at Heritage Festival
Lone Hill Middle School’s music program continued Bonita Unified’s winning streak at the latest WorldStrides San Diego Heritage Festival, held April 11 to 14. Lone Hill is the third Bonita Unified school to win major awards at festivals in the last month, taking home Gold ratings for Choralairs, Jazz Band and Advanced Band, Best Overall Choral Group, and the Sweepstakes Award for the best overall scores combined in band and choir, as well as Maestro Awards given to four soloists. Bonita Unified offers a robust visual and performing arts program that begins in elementary school and empowers students to develop their musical talents.
Bonita High School senior Junze “Jenny” Zhang was a sixth-grade English learner when her family moved from China to the United States. Even as Zhang worked to master a new language, she was already immersing herself in research that would lead her to focus on the destructiveness of climate change and the possibility of establishing colonies within our solar system. Zhang’s enthusiasm for STEM subjects, willingness to put in long hours of research, and determination to find solutions for global environmental issues were rewarded when she was named a 2024 Edison Scholar, which will provide her with $50,000 to support her dream of attending Cal Tech to study aerospace engineering.
Grace Miller Elementary School first-grade teacher April Maidens has been recognized with Computer-Using Educator’s (CUE) second annual Suzanne Mitchell Award, honoring her years of volunteer work for the nonprofit, which aims to advance student achievement through technology. Maidens, a former Grace Miller student and Bonita High School alumna, has been a member of CUE’s planning committee since 2011, helping organize CUE’s annual conferences, working behind the scenes to schedule sessions, prepare speakers, talk to guests, and ensure that the events run smoothly.
Ramona Middle School has been honored as a 2024 Distinguished School by the California Department of Education, celebrating its exceptional academic performance and efforts to foster a supportive and welcoming learning environment. Ramona is among 293 middle schools and high schools honored by the CDE this year, marking its first California Distinguished School recognition since 1996. The school’s academic success is attributed to a robust instructional program that includes dedicated intervention classes in English language arts and math. Ramona’s supportive campus culture is bolstered by a focus on building students’ character, supported by Where Everybody Belongs peer mentors and Associated Student Body leadership who offer encouragement and celebrate their peers’ successes.
Bonita Unified Culinary Students Get Personal Tour of Porto’s Bakery
A group of Bonita Unified culinary students visited Porto's Bakery and Cafe in West Covina on March 27, receiving a behind-the-scenes look at the facility and learning about the family business from vice president Beatriz Porto. Culinary instructors Nick and Laurie Brandler, who teach at San Dimas High and Bonita High, respectively, arrange field trips at a variety of culinary establishments throughout the school year, providing students with insight into the industry and the opportunity to network with professionals.
Gladstone Elementary School students gasped, clapped, and cheered with delight as they watched their stories come to life – and learned about the essential elements of storytelling – during a March 28 performance by The Imagination Machine. Formed in 1981 by a classroom teacher, The Imagination Machine selects stories written by students and performs them in the form of school assemblies, with the goal of encouraging students to explore their imagination through creative writing. The Imagination Machine assemblies have been a treasured tradition at Gladstone Elementary for more than 20 years. This year, six stories were selected by The Imagination Machine and performed for Gladstone students.
Bonita Unified School District Honors 2024 Employees of the Year
Bonita Unified's Executive Cabinet announced the 2024 Certificated, Classified and Management Employees of the Year on March 20 with surprise visits, banners, and flowers, honoring three employees for their dedication to Bonita Unified students and contributions to the District. La Verne Heights Elementary first-grade teacher Elizabeth Quezada is the 2024 Certificated Employee of the Year; she is joined by Classified Employee of the Year Melissa Romanek, a buyer in the purchasing department, and Director of Food Services Edna Mckenna, the Management Employee of the Year. All three Employees of the Year will be honored at the April 10 Board of Education meeting.
Bonita High School’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers were emotional as they sang through their pieces during the final dress rehearsal for the San Diego Heritage Festival – reflecting on the past nine years in the District’s choral program, and the significance of sharing one last formal show together. For many of the students, their journey in Bonita Unified’s choral program started in elementary school, allowing them to forge lasting bonds as they grew through song and as individuals. The Bearcats took their poise and energy to the stage on March 22 and swept the competition with eight accolades, including Gold Ratings for both Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, Maestro Awards for two standout individual performers, first place in their division, the Adjudicator Award, Outstanding Choral Group and the Sweepstake for Choral Program award for becoming the top-scoring choir at the competition.
Chaparral-Vista High School was once again designated as a California Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education (CDE), recognizing the school for providing comprehensive services to at-promise students through exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services. Chaparral-Vista was first designated as a Model Continuation High School in 2021. The award is sponsored by the California Continuation Education Association Plus (CCEA+), which advocates for the betterment of alternative education. CCEA+ representatives praised Chaparral-Vista’s approach to socio-emotional learning through its Serenity spaces, its culinary arts curriculum and students’ commitment to their education.
