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Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified Honors Reclassified English Learners with District Celebration

    In a festive atmosphere that embraced the coming of autumn, favoring tranquil shades of orange that reflected throughout the Bonita Center for the Arts, Bonita Unified celebrated its newest group of English learners (EL) eligible to be reclassified after passing their English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) exams during a Districtwide ceremony on Oct. 1. All BUSD schools with reclassified ELs were recognized at the same time, with 81 K-12 students eligible to participate in the ceremony, where they received a medal, certificate, and goody bag, while their families cheered them on.

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  • Bonita Unified High Schools Recognized Among Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report

    Bonita Unified School District’s comprehensive high schools, Bonita High and San Dimas High, have been named among the top 16 percent of public high schools nationwide in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools” rankings, recognizing the schools’ commitment to academic excellence and college readiness. Bonita High School placed in the top 11% of public high schools nationwide and in the top nine percent of schools statewide. San Dimas High School ranked in the top 16% nationwide and in the top 15% of California schools. Both schools achieved graduation rates of 94% or higher.

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  • Bonita Unified’s 53rd Smudge Pot Game Unites Generations of Students in Display of Friendly Rivalry, School Spirit

    For more than half a century, the Smudge Pot has been more than just a football game in Bonita Unified – it has been a showcase of community pride, student talent, and family tradition. On Sept. 13, that legacy continued as Bonita and San Dimas high schools brought their rivalry to Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) for the 53rd annual matchup. This year marked the first time the storied contest was played at Mt. SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium, where Bonita High secured its seventh consecutive Smudge Pot victory with a 28-14 win. Beyond the scoreboard, the annual Smudge Pot tradition has long been a celebration of the entire Bonita Unified community, District students’ talents in athletics and the arts. Students on both sidelines kept the energy high throughout the game; San Dimas High and Bonita High Associated Student Body (ASB) leaders led their sections in chants, while cheer and dance teams from both schools performed.

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Meet the Brandlers: Bonita Unified’s Award-Winning ProStart Culinary Arts Teachers

Two Bonita Unified ProStart culinary students demonstrated their prowess in the kitchen, whipping up gastronomic delights for attendees of the California Restaurant Foundation’s annual Culinary Clash fundraiser and walking away with top prizes during the event, which raised more than $90,000 for culinary arts programs in California public high schools. Bonita High School rising senior Charli Padilla won the Golden Plate Award for best presentation and San Dimas High School Class of 2024 graduate Kiana Conway won the Culinary Perfect Puree Champ Award for best use of a sponsor product. This is the second consecutive year that Bonita Unified ProStart students have taken home top awards at the Culinary Clash, held this year on June 7 at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Irvine.

Bonita Unified School District Voted a San Gabriel Valley ‘Favorite School District’ for Second Year

Bonita Unified was recognized for the second year in a row as a San Gabriel Valley “Favorite School District” in the Southern California News Group 2024 Readers' Choice Awards, celebrating the District’s commitment to fostering students’ holistic growth through a high-quality education. Bonita Unified earned several state and national academic accolades in the 2023-24 school year, including a National Blue Ribbon School, a 2024 Model Continuation High School, and a 2024 California Distinguished School.

San Dimas High School Students Win Cash Prizes for International ‘Unsung Heroes’ Art Competition

San Dimas High School advanced art students spent months learning about themselves as individuals and as artists as they created artworks centered on historical figures for the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC) ninth annual ARTEFFECT art competition. Class of 2024 graduate Sophia Cabalfin and rising senior Vanessa Hoyt stood out among hundreds of submissions for their creations and were recognized on May 29 in front of classmates and family, as well as leaders from LMC Unsung Heroes and ARTEFFECT, who hosted the surprise visit over Zoom.

Bonita Unified Appoints New Principals, Senior Director for 2024-25

Bonita Unified School District announced four new administrators who will step into new roles or join the District for the 2024-25 school year during the June 12 Board of Education meeting. Phil Heng will serve as Gladstone Elementary School’s principal in 2024-25 after serving as assistant principal at San Dimas High for three years; April Leon joins Roynon Elementary as its principal after five years in the role at Covina-Valley Unified School District; and Christine Wilson will serve as Shull Elementary’s principal following five years as a school administrator in Chino Valley Unified School District. Jessicka Mears comes to Bonita Unified as the new senior director of specialized services after serving as a special education administrator in Compton Unified School District.

Bonita Unified Culinary Team Breaks New Ground at National ProStart Invitational

Bonita High School’s ProStart culinary team wrapped up their most successful year in spectacular fashion, earning a 10th-place finish in their first-ever appearance as Team California during the National ProStart Invitational, held this spring at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel. The five-student team, led by captain Charli Padilla, team manager Laura Mangiafreno, and team members Nicolas Caballero, Cameron Turoci and Michael Vera, wowed the judges with a three-course gourmet meal consisting of raviolo doppio, pan-seared elk tenderloin and a slice of entremet layer cake, propelling the team to a top-10 finish, the highest placement for a California team in many years.

Bonita Unified Elementary Students Bury Time Capsule for 2044

La Verne Heights Elementary School’s fifth-grade class and Associated Student Body celebrated the end of a memorable school year together by creating a time capsule, which was buried on campus on May 31. The time capsule included letters to future students, a yearbook, an aerial photograph of the school, and student-suggested items that are representative of 2024, such as a pair of Crocs, Stanley beverage cups, and Takis. La Verne Heights Elementary will invites its current families to return in 20 years to open the time capsule.

Bonita Unified Graduate Honored for Volunteer Work with Habitat for Humanity Award

Bonita High School Class of 2024 graduate Rishika Ravichandran never passes up an opportunity to help others. Whether she is participating in a local food drive, assisting in a National Honor Society clothing drive, or preparing incoming freshmen for high school life as Bonita’s Link Crew senior director, Ravichandran is committed to helping others in need. Ravichandran’s volunteer spirit was recently recognized by the Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity, who presented her with its Community Builder award, given to young community leaders and high-achieving students, during a ceremony held April 28 at the Fairplex Sheraton. Ravichandran, who maintained a 4.8 GPA her senior year, will attend the University of California, San Diego in the fall to study mathematics-computer science.

Bonita Unified Celebrates Accomplished Class of 2024 with Dynamic Commencement Ceremonies

Celebratory music swelled and streamers cascaded through the evening skies as nearly 800 graduates tossed their caps and shared tearful hugs during Bonita Unified School District’s commencement ceremonies, which marked the end of an award-winning year for the Class of 2024. Chaparral-Vista and San Dimas high schools kicked off the festivities on June 4, followed by Bonita High School on June 6. Each school recognized graduates for their academic, artistic, and athletic excellence, highlighting CIF champions, regional and state honors for arts and music, and nationally recognized career technical education programs. Bonita Unified’s Class of 2024 will continue their education at institutions that include Harvard University, UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, and the California Institute of Technology; many others will enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces or enter the workforce.

Bonita Unified High School Seniors Learn Lessons in Finance During ‘Bite of Reality’

Bonita High School seniors received a taste of what their financial responsibilities will be once they leave high school during Bite of Reality, a money management app-based simulation that guides students through real-life scenarios where they must decide how much money they can spend and balance their budget without incurring significant debt. Sponsored by Chaffey Federal Credit Union, Bite of Reality, held May 23, randomly assigns students new identities, and provides them with fictional occupations, a fixed monthly income, a spouse, and a child. From there, students must decide how to spend their money and prioritize essentials such as transportation, housing, child care, and groceries.