Bonita Unified School District

  • 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 Culinary Team Wins Second Consecutive California ProStart Cup, Heads to Nationals to Defend Title

    The Bonita Unified ProStart Culinary program made history once again when the San Dimas High School culinary team was crowned the California ProStart Cup champion for the second consecutive year, giving the student chefs an opportunity to defend their title at the National ProStart Invitational, to be held in Baltimore in April. San Dimas High School is the first back-to-back California ProStart Cup champion since 2010-11. Following closely behind in second place was 2024 California ProStart Cup champion Bonita High School, giving the District its first-ever one-two placement at the Cup, adding another successful chapter in the District’s storied history in the competition. For the third consecutive year, Bonita Unified will represent California in one of the country’s most popular and challenging amateur culinary competitions.

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San Dimas High School Achieves Highest AP Test Pass Rate in School History

San Dimas High School achieved its highest Advanced Placement (AP) test pass rate in school history during the 2021-22 school year, reflecting the school’s commitment to fostering academic achievement and preparing students for the rigor of higher education. San Dimas High School students collectively earned a pass rate of 68.2% during the first full year of in-person instruction following the COVID-19 pandemic. The average national pass rate is 60.5%. San Dimas High offers AP courses in 20 subjects.

Bonita Unified Named Best School District in San Gabriel Valley Readers Choice Awards

Bonita Unified School District has been recognized as the Best School District in the San Gabriel Valley, receiving a 2022 Readers Choice Award that reflects the District’s commitment to fostering a nurturing environment full of learning opportunities that empower students to achieve their full potential. The Readers Choice Awards is an annual readers poll conducted by the Southern California News Group, which publishes the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star News and the Whittier Daily News. Votes were tallied from ballots that ran in the group’s newspapers and corresponding websites during March and April.

Bonita Unified Named Best School District in San Gabriel Valley Readers Choice Awards

Bonita Unified School District has been recognized as the Best School District in the San Gabriel Valley, receiving a 2022 Readers Choice Award, which reflects the District’s commitment to fostering a nurturing environment full of learning opportunities that empower students to achieve their full potential. Such opportunities include an array of Advanced Placement courses, 21 career technical education pathways, and award-winning athletic and arts programs. The Readers Choice Awards – released on June 26 – is an annual readers poll conducted by the Southern California News Group.

Bonita Unified Honors Accomplished Class of 2022 with Dynamic Commencement Ceremonies

With the majestic presence of the San Gabriel Mountains as a backdrop, Bonita Unified School District celebrated its Class of 2022 graduates with commencement ceremonies that honored the academic achievements, camaraderie and resilience of more than 800 students from Chaparral, San Dimas and Bonita high schools. The ceremonies, held June 7 and 9, highlighted the myriad accomplishments of the Class of 2022 and put the spotlight on the graduates who will continue their education at institutions such as UCLA, USC, Duke University, Purdue University and Otis College of Art and Design, as well as those who have enlisted in U.S. Armed Forces or will enter the professional world.

Bonita Unified Middle School Students Provide Leadership as WEB Mentors

A select group of Ramona Middle School eighth-grade students have demonstrated their leadership capabilities while helping their sixth-grade classmates acclimate to a new school through the Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) program, an elective that eases the transition from elementary school to middle school. Whether leading a Friday lunchtime dance party, organizing a game of Knockout, or posting inspirational messages around campus such as “Be Kind” and “Be the Light,” Ramona WEB mentors dedicate themselves to ensuring that incoming students receive the support and resources they need to navigate their way through a new school system with more teachers, classes, students, and academic and social responsibilities.

Bonita Unified School District Honors Accomplished Class of 2022

Bonita Unified School District will conclude a successful academic year by celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2022 during commencement ceremonies for its two comprehensive high schools and continuation school. Chaparral High School will kick off the festivities with a 5 p.m. ceremony on Tuesday, June 7 at the Bonita Center for the Arts, 822 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas; San Dimas High School will follow with a spirited ceremony at 7 p.m. at the school’s stadium, 800 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas. Bonita High School will close out the District’s commencement celebrations with a 6 p.m. ceremony on Thursday, June 9 at Glenn Davis Stadium, 3102 D St., La Verne.

Bonita Unified High Schools Recognized for Excellence in 2022 ‘Best High Schools’ Rankings

Bonita Unified School District’s culture of excellence – which includes strong academic performance, high graduation rates and robust college readiness efforts – have earned its two comprehensive high schools a place among the top-performing public high schools in the state and country, according to the 2022 Best High Schools rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Among approximately 1,600 high schools in California, Bonita High School ranked in the top nine percent of schools and boasts a 98 percent graduation rate; San Dimas High was listed among the top 15 percent of schools, and has achieved a graduation rate of 97 percent.

Bonita Unified Culinary Students Take Top Honors at ProStart Cup

San Dimas High School culinary arts students found the recipe for success at the 2022 California ProStart Cup, where they matched their culinary and entrepreneurial skills against the top high school programs in the state, taking home more awards than any other school during the competition. San Dimas High finished in the top three in the ProStart Cup’s two signature team competitions, the Culinary Cup and the Management Cup, and earned numerous accolades during the fast-paced individual condiment topping competitions. San Dimas High was the only school to place in every contest, held at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Bonita Unified Selects New Asst. Superintendent of Business Services

Bonita Unified School District appointed Sonia Eckley as its new Assistant Superintendent of Business Services during the May 4 Board of Education meeting. Eckley, a certified public accountant who has served as the Senior Director of Fiscal Services since 2017, will step into her new role on July 1. She brings 16 years of leadership experience to her new position; prior to joining Bonita Unified, Eckley worked in local school districts and as an accountant for private firms.

Bonita Unified High School Students Learn Dangers of Impaired Driving

San Dimas High School students received a sobering look at the consequences of driving under the influence on April 26 and 27 during “Every 15 Minutes,” an emotionally charged event that included a simulated car crash, which resulted in the arrest of the driver and claimed the lives of their peers. Throughout the day, students were pulled from class by the Grim Reaper every 15 minutes to become part of the “living dead,” and participated in an overnight retreat without contact from their family and friends. The event concluded with a mock funeral for participating students the next day and was held in partnership with the county sheriff’s department and fire department.