Bonita Unified School District Board of Education member Diane Koach is retiring at the end of her term in December 2020. The announcement came during the June 10 regular board meeting, where members acknowledged retirees throughout the District. Koach was elected to the Board in November 2007 and has served three terms in office.
The Bonita Unified culinary arts program is truly a family affair. Led by the husband-and-wife team of Nick and Laurie Brandler – instructors at San Dimas High and Bonita High, respectively – the pair are preparing their students for highly competitive food service jobs through a rigorous curriculum that encompasses all aspects of running a restaurant. The Brandlers and their students found the recipe for success during the 2020 Virtual ProStart Cup held in April, winning several major awards including California ProStart Student of the Year and California ProStart Instructor of the Year, with first-place finishes in the Innovation Cup and Management Cup competitions.
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education on May 6 appointed Krista Chakmak – a parent, school volunteer, Save the Heartbeat Foundation volunteer and member of the City of La Verne Youth and Family Action Committee – as its newest member. Chakmak, who will serve the seven months remaining in the term of retired member Matthew Lyons, was chosen unanimously from among four candidates interviewed by the board.
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education on May 6 appointed Krista Chakmak – a parent, school volunteer, Save the Heartbeat Foundation volunteer and member of the City of La Verne Youth and Family Action Committee – as its newest member. Chakmak, who will serve the seven months remaining in the term of retired member Matthew Lyons, was chosen unanimously from among four candidates interviewed by the board.
Bonita Unified School District Superintendent Carl J. Coles participated in a digital interview via Zoom, answering frequently asked questions to update the Bonita Unified community on resources such as free meals for students, Chromebook distribution to support remote learning and grading, graduation and fall enrollment.
Bonita Unified seniors from San Dimas High School are being honored with congratulatory lawn signs all across the city. Teachers, coaches and parents are posing with the signs and sharing them on social media to honor the class of 2020 graduates. The District continues to find innovative and creative ways to celebrate the students, for whom in-person graduation ceremonies are likely postponed or cancelled due to social distancing regulations.
Bonita Unified School District Board of Education Vice President Matt Lyons is resigning his seat effective April 16. Lyons was appointed to the Board in December 2017. His term runs through December 2020. He has served as vice president since December 2019.
San Dimas High School seniors got a crash course in money management and financial planning during the school’s annual Career Day on March 4, using the app-based simulation “A Bite of Reality” to mimic real-world budgetary decisions. Students were given occupations, families and a net monthly income, along with a list of debt obligations. They were tasked with paying recurring expenses – such as housing, clothing and entertainment – with a goal of retaining a positive bank balance by the end of the exercise.
Bonita Unified School District shared student success stories, celebrated achievements in academics, athletics, arts and activities, and presented awards to students and community partners at the 2020 State of the District luncheon on Feb. 25 at the Hillcrest Meeting House. Superintendent Carl J. Coles shared stories of students who have discovered their purpose at Bonita Unified – like Chaparral Vista High School senior and student board representative Justine Plowman, who is working to become a sheriff’s deputy, and Ekstrand Elementary second-grader Jordan Mulgado, who is looking at colleges that will teach him to design race cars.
Bonita Unified School District will host its 2020 State of the District, sponsored by the La Verne and San Dimas rotary clubs and chambers of commerce. Check-in will be at 11 a.m. with a $25 lunch; attendance after 12:15 p.m. is free. The event will be Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Hillcrest Retirement Community, 2705 Mountain View Drive, La Verne.