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.
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.
Bonita Unified School District celebrated achievements in academics, athletics, arts and activities – and honored the students, staff and community partners who have supported these successes – during the 2022 State of the District luncheon, held April 12 at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel and Conference Center. During the event, Superintendent Carl Coles reflected on the District’s successes over the last year and outlined goals for the coming years, which include the launch of a universal transitional kindergarten program in 2022-23, as well as a recommitment to closing achievement gaps and pursuing proficiency levels in excess of 80 percent in English language arts and 70 percent in math.
Bonita Unified School District recognized its Classified, Certificated and Management Employees of the Year during the Board of Education meeting on April 6, honoring them for their dedication and hard work in helping District students live their purpose. Bonita Unified named La Verne Heights Elementary School secretary Tanya Bartholomew as the District’s Classified Employee of the Year, Grace Miller Elementary School preschool teacher Tony Garza as Certificated Employee of the Year and Director of Student Services Mark Rodgers as Management Employee of the Year.
San Dimas High School students Vanessa Sandoval and Eva Yassine were selected to serve on the California Association of Student Leadership (CASL) Board in 2022-23, through which they will work to foster positive and nurturing school environments across the state and empower students to help shape their school communities. The two were selected at the annual CASL leadership conference, held April 2 to 4, where they networked with student leaders from across California and discussed leadership projects.
San Dimas High School seniors took part in the City of San Dimas’s Students in Government Day on March 23, which provided students with a real-world look at the challenges and rewards of running a city. Fifteen San Dimas High students had the opportunity to tour City departments, run the March 22 City Council meeting and discuss the pros and cons of a fictitious housing development.
Twenty-five Bonita Unified School District teachers were awarded mini-grants from the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation, providing financial support for educators who aim to enrich classroom experiences for their students. The mini-grants, totaling nearly $9,500, were presented to this year’s awardees during their March 2 Board of Education meeting. Since 1983, the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation has been committed to enriching and enhancing educational opportunities for Bonita Unified students and teachers.
Bonita Unified High School Athletes Recognized by Board of Education
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education recognized student-athletes from San Dimas and Bonita high schools for their CIF championship wins, during the Board’s March 2 meeting. The Board of Education recognized Bonita High School’s girls water polo for winning the CIF-SS Division 3 championship, and recognized San Dimas High School’s Juliana Marquez, Esperanza Dorantes, and Cameron Ortiz for placing at the CIF wrestling state championship.
