Over the last three decades, South El Monte High School (SEMHS) Athletic Director Sonia Ayala has been instrumental in shaping the school’s 17 competitive sports teams while also committing herself to the physical wellness of her students as a freshman physical education (PE) teacher. In recognition of her dedication to student success in her hybrid role at SEMHS, Ayala was named the District’s 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. She received the award at the Oct. 2 Board meeting and was also honored as a 2024 Educator of Distinction by 56th District Assemblymember Lisa Calderon.
The El Monte Union High School District and Rosemead High School community will come together for a carnival to kick off the school's 75th anniversary celebration with "Panther Palooza." The event will include a senior night and tailgate, student performances, games, a DJ, photo booth, food, and music. Hosted by Rosemead High's Associated Student Body and the Class of 2025, the Panther Palooza will feature a tailgate for seniors as they introduce the Rosemead High School football team before its game against Mountain View High School at 7 p.m. on the Panthers' field.
El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) and the South El Monte High School (SEMHS) community celebrated the school’s revamped landscaping, outdoor seating areas, upgraded classrooms, a new library, and a state-of-the-art administration building during a ribbon cutting ceremony, which marked a major milestone in the SEMHS Modernization Project, on Sept. 26. The event featured heartfelt speeches from EMUHSD Board of Trustees President Ricardo Padilla, Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga, SEMHS Principal Dr. Jorge Morales, and Associated Student Body President Gabriela Garcia.
The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of South El Monte High School’s (SEMHS) Modernization Project, which features renovations to the entire campus including redesigned landscaping and outdoor seating, upgraded classrooms, library, and administration building, and state-of-the-art technology. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature speeches from SEMHS principal Dr. Jorge Morales, Associated Student Body President Gabriela Garcia, EMUHSD Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga, and Board of Trustees President Ricardo Padilla, and a taco celebration, with local dignitaries, school officials, students, and community members in attendance.
Mountain View High School (MVHS) students packed the school’s cafetorium to hear three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Primetime Emmy nominee Jane Kaczmarek share her expertise and experiences in the entertainment industry during a recording of the school’s “The Art of Talking” podcast on Sept. 4. Kaczmarek, best known for her role as the sharp-witted mother on "Malcolm in the Middle," brought her on-screen passion and intensity to “The Art of Talking’s” first episode of the 2024-25 season. The podcast is produced entirely by Mountain View students in the Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy (VISTA) and was recorded in front of a live audience of eager Mountain View High yearbook and journalism course students, along with fans spanning generations.
South El Monte High School's (SEMHS) Andrea Pablo-Matamoros will amplify the voices of El Monte Union students and help shape District policies as she steps into her new role as the 2024-25 Board of Trustees Student Member, following her official swearing-in during the Aug. 7 Board meeting. Family, friends, community members, and District officials gathered to celebrate Pablo-Matamoros as she officially assumed her role as Student Board Member and took on the additional responsibility of serving as president of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC) during her senior year.
Across El Monte Union High School District’s (EMUHSD) six schools, large assemblies of staff, student leaders, cheerleaders, marching bands, and school mascots welcomed more than 7,300 students back for the first day of the 2024-25 school year on Aug. 19. Students were greeted with red carpets, lively musical performances, cheers, shaking pom-poms, fist bumps, and high-fives as they walked onto campus. At the same time, parents said their goodbyes and captured the festivities and excitement on camera.
El Monte Union High School District will welcome more than 7,000 students back to school on the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, celebrating a historic start to the new academic year with major improvements at the five comprehensive high schools under the District’s Modernization Program. Notable upgrades at Mountain View and South El Monte high schools include revamped landscapes and quads, offering enhanced spaces for student activities and events. Student leaders at Mountain View will greet students with school pride, guiding them through the updated campus and festivities.
El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) celebrated alumna and renowned singer Vikki Carr with a lively July 31 dedication ceremony at Rosemead High School (RHS), renaming the school’s historic auditorium the Vikki Carr Performing Arts Center to honor her illustrious career and inspire future generations of artists. The event, bedecked with a red carpet and floral displays, praised Carr’s achievements while students had the opportunity to showcase their talents. Guests enjoyed a light reception, heartfelt speeches, energetic performances by Rosemead High School’s cheer team and choir soloists, and a touching tribute Carr sang for her late father.
El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) is welcoming three new administrators to the District for the 2024-25 school year, with each new appointee bringing a breadth of experience and passion for education to their positions. At the District level, EMUHSD has hired Dr. Michael Lin as the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services and Dr. Refugio Gracian as Director II of Human Resources. El Monte Union also appointed Renee Tellez as South El Monte High School’s new assistant principal.
