Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified Middle Schools Recognized as California Distinguished Schools

    Bonita Unified School District’s two middle schools – Lone Hill and Ramona – have been designated as 2026 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education (CDE) for their efforts to narrow the achievement gap and provide equity in education for every student.

     

    Both Ramona and Lone Hill middle schools, which are among 408 middle and high schools recognized by the CDE this year, have previously earned the Distinguished School designation. The program recognizes schools that are among the highest in the state for academic achievement; successful in closing the achievement gap; or serving rural and Title I communities and demonstrating exceptional outcomes. Eligibility for the honor was determined using metrics from the 2025 California School Dashboard data.

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  • Bonita Unified Elementary Students’ Creative Stories Come Alive via The Imagination Machine

    Oak Mesa Elementary School students saw their creativity take center stage during a campus visit by The Imagination Machine, which transformed student-written stories into lively performances that blended humor and the fundamentals of storytelling. Students gathered with anticipation in March as their classmates’ stories were introduced across three assembly sessions. This year, actors clad in paint splattered overalls brought seven stories written by Oak Mesa students to life through colorful costumes, music, and playful stagecraft. Over the school day, stories such as the mysterious “Ghost of Oak Mesa” and the heroic “Super Friends” were transformed into lively theatrical scenes.

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  • Bonita Unified Sophomore Recognized as Leadership Program’s Youth of the Year

    When Agatha Sosa arrived at Bonita High School as a freshman, she was too nervous to speak publicly. Offered an opportunity to join a five-week leadership program that would boost her confidence and place her on a pathway to success in college and career, Sosa said she doubted that she could learn so much in so short a time. One year later, Sosa has been recognized as a Kollab Youth 2026 Youth of the Year after joining the organization’s Workforce Development Program, w where she progressed rapidly, received mentorship from industry experts, and earned a spot on Kollab Youth’s Teen Leadership Council.

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Bonita Unified Cheer Team Concludes Season with Championship Titles

San Dimas High School’s cheer team celebrated a successful competition season by ringing the bell in the school’s iconic bell tower on Feb. 8, a coveted privilege awarded for outstanding student achievements. The Saints’ cheer team won its third CIF Southern Section Division 2A Championship, followed by the Cheer Pros state champion title in tumbling and small varsity intermediate categories. San Dimas High students Maddison Arochi, Giselle Baeza, Melissa Rayas and Nailey Ornelas were also named to the All-State cheer team.

Bonita Unified Middle School to Stage ‘Little Mermaid’ Musical

Ramona Middle School’s Drama Society will stage a production of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” as its annual musical at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1 and Thursday, March 2 at the Bonita Center for the Arts. Ramona offers drama as a sixth- and seventh-grade elective – as well as in an afterschool club open to all grade levels – as part of the District’s robust visual and performing arts program. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.bonitacenterforthearts.com/. The Bonita Center for the Arts is located at 822 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas.

Bonita Unified’s Oak Mesa Elementary Honored as a 2023 California Distinguished School

Oak Mesa Elementary School has been named a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education (CDE) for the fourth time, celebrating the school’s excellence in closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance. Oak Mesa, which is among 356 elementary schools honored by the CDE this year, was previously named a California Distinguished School in 2008, 2012 and 2020. Schools were selected by analyzing data from the 2021-22 school year reported on the California School Dashboard, including assessment results, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates and socioeconomic data.

Bonita Unified Board of Education Appoints Matt Wien as Superintendent

The Bonita Unified Board of Education unanimously approved Matt Wien to serve as the District’s superintendent during its Feb. 1 meeting, a decision met with deafening cheers and a standing ovation from a packed room of District teachers, staff, community leaders and families. The approval of Wien’s three-year contract for superintendent follows his success as acting and interim superintendent over nearly six months, during which he continued to serve in his previous position as assistant superintendent of educational services.

Bonita Unified Accounting Students Offer Free Tax Filing Services

Students in Bonita High School’s accounting class are putting their knowledge into practice by filing free tax returns for students, as well as local taxpayers with income below $60,000, through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. Sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, the VITA program has provided free tax assistance for more than 50 years. Under the supervision of Bonita High accounting teacher Madhu Sekhri, students will be available to assist their peers and community members with their tax returns from 11:35 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Sekhri at m.sekhri@bonita.k12.ca.us or call (909) 971-8220.

Bonita Unified Board Approves Matt Wien as Superintendent

The Bonita Unified School District’s Board of Education unanimously approved Matt Wien as superintendent during its Feb. 1 meeting, earning deafening cheers and a standing ovation from a packed room of District teachers, staff, community leaders and families. The approval of Wien’s three-year contract for superintendent follows his success as acting and interim superintendent over nearly six months, during which he continued to serve in his previous position as assistant superintendent of educational services. Wien has more than 20 years of experience in education, nearly 13 of which have been spent in Bonita Unified.

4 Bonita Unified Students Named to All-State Honor Choirs

Bonita High School choral students Jhett Buggle, Trinity Moreno and Joe Ensign and San Dimas High School student Ethan Maun were selected for the California Choral Directors Association 2023 All-State Honor Choirs. The students will perform with the top high school musicians from across the state at the annual California Music Educators Association conference, to be held Thursday, Feb. 16 to Saturday, Feb. 18 in Fresno. Buggle, Moreno, Ensign and Maun were also selected to the Southern California Vocal Association Honor Choirs – an honor awarded to just 270 students this year – and showcased their musical talents in a culminating performance in November.

Bonita Unified Musicians Showcase Talents in 2023 Tournament of Roses Honor Band

New Year’s 2023 will hold a special place in the memories of an elite group of Bonita Unified students, who were selected to don traditional red and white uniforms, march down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena and showcase their musical talents on a world stage as part of Pasadena City College’s (PCC) Tournament of Roses Honor Band. Six students from Bonita and San Dimas high schools were among the 230 musicians to march with the prestigious group, which consists of high school students from throughout Southern California and members of the PCC Lancer Marching Band, down the 5.5-mile parade route on Jan. 2.

Bonita Unified Students Perform in 2023 Rose Parade Honor Band

New Year’s 2023 will hold a special place in the memories of an elite group of Bonita Unified students, who were selected to don traditional red and white uniforms, march down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena and showcase their musical talents on a world stage as part of Pasadena City College’s (PCC) Tournament of Roses Honor Band. Six students from Bonita and San Dimas high schools were among the 230 musicians to march with the prestigious group, which consists of high school students from throughout Southern California and members of the PCC Lancer Marching Band, down the 5.5-mile parade route on Jan. 2. Bonita Unified was represented by Bonita High senior Matt Siasoco (trombone), Bonita High juniors Aidan Millan (trombone), Charlotte Gann (xylophone), Evan Wang (clarinet) and Lake Ericson (cymbals), as well as San Dimas High School sophomore Maisie Phan (trombone).

Bonita Unified High School Receives AP Female Diversity Award

San Dimas High School has been recognized by the College Board for its work in establishing equal gender representation in its Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) class, honoring the school with its 2022 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award. This is the first year that San Dimas High has been recognized with the award since initiating its program in 2019. The award is given to schools that have AP CSP classes with 50% or more female exam taker representation, or a percentage of CSP exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population. San Dimas is one of just 832 high schools across the United States to receive the award in 2022.