Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified Holds Ribbon-Cutting for Electric Bus Fleet, All-New EV Charging Stations

    Against a backdrop of new, clean-burning electric vehicles (EV) and flanked by District school bus drivers and mechanics, Bonita Unified School District officially debuted its fleet of all-electric school buses and brand-new Level 2 EV charging stations during a green ribbon-cutting held at the District Yard on Sept. 17. As Superintendent Matt Wien and BUSD Board of Education members looked on, BUSD Transportation Director James Foster and Southern California Edison (SCE) Senior Manager of Medium/Heavy Duty PMO Ailsa Yew cut the ribbon, introducing a new era of clean energy transportation to the District.

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  • Bonita Unified’s 54th Annual Smudge Pot Celebrates Community, First Responders in Honor of 9/11

    Bonita Unified students honored first responders and remembered those affected by the Sept. 11 attacks during the 54th annual Smudge Pot rivalry game, which opened with a pregame ceremony and moment of silence on the 25th anniversary. The Sept. 11 matchup at Mt. San Antonio College’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium brought Bonita and San Dimas high schools together for an evening of community and remembrance. For students whose parents serve as first responders, the tribute carried a personal connection.

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  • Bonita High Culinary Program Seeks New Levels of Achievement, Innovation in 2026-27 School Year

    With a new school year underway, Bonita High School’s ProStart culinary program continues to grow by leaps and bounds, inspiring a new generation of student chefs and hospitality workers. Since becoming Bonita Unified’s first-ever California ProStart Cup champion in 2024 and competing nationally, Bonita High’s culinary students have maintained a high level of achievement and innovation.

    Bonita High’s culinary success continued over the summer at the California Restaurant Foundation’s annual Culinary Clash in Orange County, an event that pairs restaurant leaders with ProStart student sous chefs for a two-month mentorship experience, with the creations brought to life at a high-energy tasting event.

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Bonita Unified Auto Shop Students Hone Technical Skills, Restore Vintage Truck for Community

Bonita High School advanced auto shop students are getting a glimpse of La Verne’s past as they learn skills for the future, working in partnership with the La Verne Historical Society to restore a 1938 International D-35 pickup truck in time for the city’s 2022 Fourth of July parade. The vintage truck has a long and colorful history, representing a time when La Verne served as a hub for southern California’s booming citrus industry, and future three-time All-American halfback Glenn Davis led Bonita High to an undefeated season and its first football championship in 1942. Under the guidance of Bonita High auto shop teacher Rob Zamboni, students are working toward a full restoration of the truck throughout the school year, rebuilding the engine and transmission, adding new tires and brakes, and refurbishing the interior and flatbed. The truck’s rustic exterior will be preserved to retain its authenticity. The restoration is a full one-year project.

Bonita Unified Teachers Receive Mini-Grants from Rotary Club

Twelve Bonita Unified School District teachers were awarded mini-grants from the La Verne Rotary Club, providing financial support for educators who seek new ideas to enrich classroom experiences.The mini-grants, totaling $3,229.56, were presented to this year’s awardees during the Nov. 3 Board of Education meeting.

Bonita Unified Recognized in 2022 ‘Best K-8 Schools’ Rankings

Seven Bonita Unified elementary and middle schools have been recognized among the top performing public schools in California, according to the 2022 Best K-8 Schools rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Shull Elementary School and Oak Mesa Elementary School ranked in the top four percent and five percent, respectively, of elementary schools in the state. They are joined by Grace Miller Elementary, ranked in the top 12 percent, and Gladstone Elementary and Roynon Elementary, both in the top 13 percent. Ramona Middle School and Lone Hill Middle School were also recognized, ranking in the top 11 percent and top 16 percent, respectively. The inaugural K-8 rankings are based on student proficiency and performance in mathematics and reading.

Bonita Unified Offers Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing to Community

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. The next clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 20 at San Dimas High School, 800 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas. The clinics will run through Saturday, Nov. 27. Appointments are not necessary to receive the PCR test, but every participant must complete a patient test request form.

Bonita Unified Receives No. 1 Ranking on California Reading Report Card

Bonita Unified School District has been ranked No. 1 out of 287 of the most populous school districts in the state for excellence in reading comprehension according to the California Reading Coalition California Reading Report Card. Among California school districts with 100 or more socio-economically disadvantaged Latinx third-graders, Bonita Unified topped the Reading Report Card with 64% of the subgroup meeting or exceeding California grade-level standards, according to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress English language arts testing from 2017-18 and 2018-19. The District’s No. 1 ranking is the capstone of a 15-year commitment to boost reading comprehension across all grade levels.

Bonita Unified, Soroptimists Partner for Student Shopping Day

Bonita Unified elementary school students descended on the Target in La Verne on Sept. 15, eager to pick out new clothes and shoes with the help of volunteers during the Bonita Children’s Shopping Day. A collaboration between Bonita Unified School District and the Soroptimist of San Dimas/La Verne, the shopping experience provides students who are selected by their schools with a budget to purchase school clothing basics. The shopping day is funded through a combination of donations, fundraisers and grants garnered by the Soroptimist organization.

Bonita Unified Names Jim Elliot as Provisional Appointee to Fill Vacant Board Seat

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.

Bonita Unified’s Annual Smudge Pot Game Celebrates Athletics, Arts through Friendly Rivalry

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.