Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified’s Annual Sports Fest Delivers a Celebration of Ability and Inclusion

    Under a sunny sky and with cheers of families echoing from the stands, Bonita Unified School District brought together students with special needs from across the District for its fourth annual Sports Festival on March 27, a day celebrating ability and inclusion. The event welcomed students to Saints Stadium at San Dimas High School for a day of track-and-field-style activities, including relays, long jump, ball toss and pool noodle javelin. The day began with an opening ceremony parade for each school participating. Students smiled and waved to families filling the stands, setting the tone for a day of spirited and friendly competition.

     

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  • Bonita Unified Middle Schools Recognized as California Distinguished Schools

    Bonita Unified School District’s two middle schools – Lone Hill and Ramona – have been designated as 2026 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education (CDE) for their efforts to narrow the achievement gap and provide equity in education for every student.

     

    Both Ramona and Lone Hill middle schools, which are among 408 middle and high schools recognized by the CDE this year, have previously earned the Distinguished School designation. The program recognizes schools that are among the highest in the state for academic achievement; successful in closing the achievement gap; or serving rural and Title I communities and demonstrating exceptional outcomes. Eligibility for the honor was determined using metrics from the 2025 California School Dashboard data.

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  • Bonita Unified Elementary Students’ Creative Stories Come Alive via The Imagination Machine

    Oak Mesa Elementary School students saw their creativity take center stage during a campus visit by The Imagination Machine, which transformed student-written stories into lively performances that blended humor and the fundamentals of storytelling. Students gathered with anticipation in March as their classmates’ stories were introduced across three assembly sessions. This year, actors clad in paint splattered overalls brought seven stories written by Oak Mesa students to life through colorful costumes, music, and playful stagecraft. Over the school day, stories such as the mysterious “Ghost of Oak Mesa” and the heroic “Super Friends” were transformed into lively theatrical scenes.

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Bonita Unified Recognized as 2019 Top Workplace by Inland News Group

Bonita Unified School District is being recognized by the Inland News Group as one of 2019’s Top 35 Workplaces in the Inland Empire. Over 1,200 survey responses from more than 600 employees at all 13 Bonita Unified schools reflected a positive culture at Bonita, with faculty and staff relishing the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students and help them realize their potential, the camaraderie of co-workers and being rewarded for good work. The Bonita Unified Teachers Association and the California School Employees Association Bonita Chapter said that they were proud to see Bonita recognized and that they are appreciative of everyone who made the recognition possible.

Bonita Unified, Community to Dedicate District Offices

Students, parents, staff and community members from Bonita Unified will hold a reception at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 to dedicate the recently completed District Office, 115 W. Allen Ave., San Dimas. Superintendent Carl J. Coles will present the District’s mission, vision and core values. The District Office building represents the final project completed with funds from bond measures C and AB.

Bonita Unified Test Scores Among State’s Best

Bonita Unified students are scoring among the highest in the state on standardized tests, boosting scores by as much as 33 percent over five years and achieving proficiency levels in excess of 70 percent in English language arts (ELA) and 60 percent in math. Scores for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) released this week for tests taken in spring 2019 place Bonita Unified among the top 10 percent of unified school districts in California.

Bonita Unified to Offer Free Conference to Support Parents

The fourth annual Parent Partnership Academy, a free one-day conference for all parents and guardians of Bonita Unified students, will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at Lone Hill Middle School, 700 S. Lone Hill Ave., San Dimas. Over 20 workshops and sessions taught by Bonita Unified educators and local experts will provide training, support and demonstrations on a wide range of topics from classroom technology to individualized services for students with special needs.

Bonita Unified Honors Athletes for Academic Achievement

In a ceremony at the 47th Annual Smudge Pot game on Sept. 14, Bonita Unified Superintendent Carl J. Coles and a representative from the Marine Corps presented awards to a senior from each football team for their outstanding academics. Jacob Horne, Bonita Bearcats wide receiver, carries a 4.4 GPA. San Dimas Saints lineman Nicholas “Nicco” Guerra was honored for maintaining a 4.2 GPA, representing San Dimas High at Boys State and serving as a Link Crew member. Both students exemplify Bonita Unified’s focus on academics, athletics, activities and arts.

Bonita Unified Partners with Community for ‘Principal for a Day’ Program

Business and community leaders from La Verne and San Dimas will tour all 13 Bonita Unified schools from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24. The event, sponsored by the La Verne and San Dimas Chambers of Commerce, will offer an inside glimpse of each school, opportunities for partnerships, discuss workforce development training demands and explore ways to bridge the gap between the needs of educators and business leaders. An optional tour of Bonita Center for the Arts will be provided from 12:30 to 1 p.m.

Bonita Unified Elementary Students Receive Civics Lessons from Community Leaders

Oak Mesa Elementary School second-graders learned how government laws and regulations aim to ensure community safety during a week of mini-civics lessons from City of La Verne leaders. La Verne City Councilmember Tim Hepburn, La Verne police Cpl. Mark Gutierrez and La Verne fire Cpt. Kevin Wilton visited Oak Mesa second-grade classrooms to augment curriculum introducing students to basic facets of American government.

Bonita Unified, Soroptimists Treat Students to School Clothes, Supplies

In partnership with Soroptimist International of San Dimas/La Verne, Bonita Unified teachers and administrators treated 70 students to a back-to-school shopping spree at the La Verne Target. In addition to receiving backpacks and school supplies, each student received an $80 clothing budget and a shopping assistant from among 50 volunteers from the Bonita Unified school board, police department, fire department and other local organizations. The “Bonita Children’s Shopping Day” has provided the shopping experience to students annually since 1995.

Bonita Unified Students Prepare for Annual Smudge Pot Football Game

Associated Student Body leaders at Bonita and San Dimas high schools are busy gathering supplies for brightly colored spirit signs and planning events for spirit week, while their bands are practicing pep tunes and half-time shows and cheerleaders are rehearsing routines and chants to keep the crowds pumped during the annual Smudge Pot football game at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. The San Dimas Saints will vie to recapture the trophy from the Bonita Bearcats, who claimed it last year in a 28-14 victory. The game will be held at Citrus College Stadium, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., Glendora.

Bonita Unified Welcomes Students Back to School

About 10,000 Bonita Unified students at 13 schools across La Verne and San Dimas greeted one another with warm hugs, fist-bumped teachers and high-fived principals as they arrived Aug. 19 for the first day of the 2019-20 school year. San Dimas High School students started the day with Senior Sunrise, and staff joined the ASB to welcome new and returning students with fresh donuts. PTAs across the district set up breakfast and snack bars for staff members and hosted welcome events for parents, such as the Yahoo/Boo Hoo Parent Breakfast at La Verne Heights Elementary. Middle school students in matching shirts clustered around the campus entrance at Ramona Middle School with signs reading “Ramona: Where Everyone Belongs,” “We love 6th graders!” and “Welcome Back.”