The Bonita Unified Board of Education appointed Jim Elliot to fill an open seat on the Board during a special meeting on Sept. 15. After a lengthy interview process with seven candidates, Elliot – a former BUSD board member – was selected to fill the seat vacated by Krista Chakmak when she resigned in August. Immediately after the selection, Board President Chuck Coyne administered the Oath of Office. Elliot’s appointment will run until the general election to be held in Nov. 2022. Elliot previously served 14 years on the Board, from 2003 to 2017, and has two children who are Bonita Unified graduates.
Bedecked in Bearcat green and Saints blue, Bonita Unified community members filled the stands of Covina District Field for the annual Smudge Pot game on Sept. 11, enjoying an energetic display of athletics, arts and activities from Bonita and San Dimas high schools. The battle for the iconic silver Smudge Pot trophy – an oil-burning tool used to shield fruit trees from frost and a symbol of the two cities’ roots in the regional citrus industry – was accompanied by demonstrations of artistic skill and athletic prowess on the sidelines from the schools’ marching bands, dance teams, and spirit squads. Bonita High School retained the Smudge Pot for another year after a 28-14 win over San Dimas High School.
Bonita Unified Offers COVID-19 Testing at Ramona Middle School
Bonita Unified School District is offering a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic to students, parents, employees, and community members, held 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at Ramona Middle School, 3490 Ramona Ave., La Verne. The next scheduled clinic is Saturday, Oct. 16. The clinic will run through Saturday, Oct. 30. Appointments are not necessary to receive the PCR test, but every participant must complete a patient test request form.
One hundred and fifty Bonita Unified School District students are equipped with backpacks full of school supplies for the upcoming 2021-22 year, thanks to the efforts of Project Boon and the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation. The donated backpacks and school supplies were distributed to Bonita Unified students during a free meals drive-thru event on Aug. 11.
Bonita Unified 2021-22 School Year to Include In-Person, Online Learning
Bonita Unified School District will welcome students back to campus for the 2021-22 school year on Monday, Aug. 23, providing in-person instruction five days a week. Bonita Unified will continue offering online learning for students who choose not to return to in-person learning.
Bonita Unified Honors Girls Basketball Coach on 300th Career Win
Bonita Unified School District honored San Dimas High School girls basketball coach Gary Jackson on his 300th career win, which came during a thrilling season that saw the San Dimas team reach the 2021 CIF Southern California Girls Basketball Championship tournament. Jackson has been head coach for 21 years, as well as San Dimas’ head track and field coach and assistant volleyball coach. BUSD honored Jackson with a certificate of recognition and Challenge Coin.
Bonita Unified School District celebrated the Class of 2021 with spirited and emotional in-person graduation ceremonies for San Dimas, Bonita and Chaparral high schools, held June 8-10, that featured laughs and tears, inspirational music, and fireworks. Family members cheered as the graduates received their diplomas, turned their tassels and sang their alma mater for the last time. San Dimas High graduate Molly Gonzales played guitar and sang “Somewhere Only We Know” while the Bonita High Chamber Singers sang the Bill Withers classic, “Lean on Me.” Chaparral High graduates wrote personalized notes about their high school journey, which were read aloud when they received their diplomas.
Bonita Unified School District will host three separate in-person commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021, allowing seniors to end the year celebrating with family, friends and teachers. San Dimas High School will host its commencement at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 8 at the San Dimas High Stadium; Chaparral-Vista High School holds its ceremony at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 9 at Bonita High Stadium; and Bonita High holds its ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 10 at Bonita High Stadium. Tickets are required for in-person admission. All ceremonies will be livestreamed.
Bonita Unified Teacher Receives Surprise from SoCal Honda Dealers
Andrea Castaneda, a teacher for the Autism Spectrum Disorders Intermediate (ASD-I) classroom at Lone Hill Middle School, received a surprise visit from the SoCal Helpful Honda Dealers on May 7, bestowing her with a variety of tools and equipment, including an iPad charging cart; Hokki stools, which provide flexible seating for students with sensory needs; books; and desk fidget bands, which allow students to move their feet and legs while they sit. Photos are available.
Bonita Unified School District presented members of its Food Services Department with the Purpose Award during an April 7 Board of Education meeting, celebrating their exemplary commitment to students and families throughout the pandemic.
The Bonita Unified Food Services team has provided its community with more than 750,000 free meals via curbside pick-up since the closure of schools in March 2020. On average, the District serves more than 1,700 breakfast and lunch meals daily.
