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Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified Choir Students Celebrate Selection to SCVA Junior High Honor Choir

    Now in her 12th year, Ramona Middle School music teacher Caitlin Shaw has provided the crucial link between elementary school novice singers and Bonita High School’s prestigious Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. With more than 270 students in her program, Shaw teaches singers how to harmonize, read music, and prepare for auditions and live performances. Channeling Shaw’s mentorship and guidance, 11 Ramona music students, along with three Bonita High School freshmen, have been selected to join the Southern California Vocal Association’s (SCVA) 2025 Junior High Honor Choir, underscoring the hard work and dedication that epitomize Bonita Unified’s successful and award-winning Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) programs. Ramona placed more students in the honor choir than any other Southern California school. The SCVA Junior High Honor Choir 2025 spring performance will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Portola High School in Irvine.

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  • Bonita Unified Middle School Theater Performances Receive Awards, Accolades

    The Ramona Middle School Drama Society is celebrating another season of outstanding performances, earning awards and accolades at prestigious theater festivals across California in February, then returning home to stage its showstopping annual musical, “Shrek Jr.” for three performances, including a sold-out, standing-room-only show on the final night. A touring group of 24 Ramona Drama Society students traveled to Sacramento for the 2025 Junior Theatre Festival – the world’s biggest theatre festival – featuring drama programs from across the United States, as well as Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, China, and Australia. Ramona Drama Society members performed a 15-minute section from their 2024 production of “Annie, Jr.,” earning an exclusive Excellence in Ensemble award, presented to only five groups in the 55-team field. Not to be outdone, a group of 11 Ramona Drama Society students attended the Junior Thespian Festival at the Orange County School of the Arts, with seven students competing in the Solo Musical or Duet Musical categories. Ramona eighth-graders Lillian Krane and Tia Kaldas received “Superior” rankings and Judges Choice Awards in the Duet Musical category, while eighth-grader Peyton Lokar received a “Superior” ranking in the Solo Musical category.

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  • Bonita Unified Students Celebrate Black History Month with BCA Art Exhibit

    Energized by the pioneering legacy of Black and African American artists, San Dimas High School art students have created work in a diverse range of styles, themes, media, and cultural influences, assembling them for the exhibit, “Inspired by Black: Student Reflections on African American Artistry,” currently on display at the Bonita Center for the Arts (BCA). Curated by San Dimas High visual and performing arts chair and art teacher Dominic Black, the exhibit features drawings, paintings, sculptures, and mixed media pieces from dozens of art students, who engage and reflect on the work of Black or African American historic and contemporary artists.

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Bonita Unified Demonstrates Key Gains on State Dashboard

Bonita Unified School District boosted performance in multiple areas on the updated California School Dashboard. Released on Dec. 6, the updated Dashboard includes two new metrics for evaluating school and District performance and a user-friendly interface that makes complex data easy to understand. Bonita Unified students continue to perform strongly on the state’s English language arts and math proficiency tests. The District also boasts strong graduation rates and exceptional college and career programs.

Bonita Unified Elementary Choirs to Celebrate Holidays with Winter Concerts

Bonita Unified’s elementary school choirs will ring in the holiday season with four performances on Monday, Dec. 17 and Tuesday, Dec. 18. Oak Mesa and Shull elementary students in the Allegro Honor Choir will perform at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Bonita Center for the Arts (BCA). Grace Miller and La Verne Heights elementary students in the Allegro Honor Choir will showcase their skills at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at the BCA. Gladstone and Ekstrand’s Allegro Honor Choir students will perform at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18, followed by Allen Avenue and Roynon Allegro Honor Choir students at 7 p.m. at the BCA.

Bonita Unified Seniors Earn Perfect Scores on SAT

Four Bonita Unified seniors earned perfect scores of 800 on the math and English language arts (ELA) sections of the SAT. Students include Bonita High School senior Celina Bernal and San Dimas High School seniors Daniel Farag, Aidan Ferguson and Aidan Phipps. The SAT is used in the admissions process at many colleges and universities.

Bonita Unified Honors Retiring Board of Education Vice President Patti Latourelle

Bonita Unified celebrated retiring Board of Education Vice President Patti Latourelle on Nov. 27 during an evening filled with moving testimonials from community and District leaders who spoke about the tremendous impact Latourelle had on the school community over her 17 years of service. Latourelle, who was elected in November 2001, championed the expansion of career technical courses and programs.

Bonita Unified’s High School Presents “Guys and Dolls”

Bonita Unified’s Bonita High School will perform the popular musical “Guys and Dolls” from Thursday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 17. Tickets are $15 for students with an ASB card, $17 for students without an ASB card and $20 for adults. For the first time, Bonita High School’s band will perform alongside the drama department for the musical production.

Bonita Unified Celebrates Arts Education with Reflections Program

Bonita Unified School District celebrated student achievement in the arts during the district’s Reflections Awards Ceremony on Oct. 17. Parents, community members and staff recognized students who submitted entries in the National PTA Reflections Program, centered around the 2018-19 theme “Heroes Around Me.” Nineteen Bonita Unified students earned Merit of Excellence awards and will advance to the First District competition in November.

Bonita Unified School District Celebrates High-Achieving AP Scholars

The College Board has recognized 11 Bonita Unified Class of 2018 graduates and a current senior as National Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars, highlighting a successful year for the District’s AP program as it continues to increase pass rates for AP exams and the number of students attending four-year universities. Bonita High School’s graduates named as National AP Scholars include: Stephen Brod, Rachel Cheung, Cynthia Dang, Garrett Palmer, Valerie Warner, Justin Woo and Monica Wu. San Dimas High School’s students include: Cameryn Baker, Aidan Ferguson, Ahmed Hasan and Jonathan Tsai.

Bonita Unified Announces 2018-19 Student Board Representatives

Luke Melkesian from Bonita High School, Naomi Pearson from Chaparral High School and Erik Vargas from San Dimas High School are the newly appointed Board of Education student representatives for the 2018-19 academic year. Melkesian, a senior at Bonita High and Associated Student Body (ASB) president, has taken seven Advanced Placement (AP) courses over the last three years. He holds a 4.25 GPA.

Bonita Unified Announces 2018-19 Student Board Representatives

Luke Melkesian from Bonita High School, Naomi Pearson from Chaparral High School and Erik Vargas from San Dimas High School are the newly appointed student board representatives for the 2018-19 academic year. All three students were sworn in at the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 3. The three seniors are active in campus clubs and sports, including the Associated Student Body.