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El Monte Union High School District

  • El Monte Union Multi-Purpose Building Renamed to Honor Legacy of Brothers, Former Board President

    The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) will honor the legacies of two brothers and a former EMUHSD Board of Trustees President after voting to rename the newly renovated Fernando R. Ledesma High School (FRLHS) multi-purpose building and gymnasium to the Freddy and Bernie Arteaga and Frank Ogaz Center. The Freddy and Bernie Arteaga and Frank Ogaz Center is the culmination of a shared vision that began decades ago. The Arteaga brothers, who immigrated from Mexico in the 1970s, met with Ogaz, a former EMUHSD Board President, and longtime administrator Fernando R. Ledesma to lay the groundwork for FRLHS, a high school that would go on to help at-promise youths overcome educational obstacles and put them on the path to becoming lifelong learners. Freddy and Bernie Arteaga have dedicated more than 30 years to Fernando R. Ledesma High School, starting when it was known as Valle Lindo Continuation School. Freddy, who spent 13 years as a teacher and counselor, has served as principal since 2006, while Bernie has been a counselor at the school for three decades. Valle Lindo was renamed in 2005 to honor Fernando R. Ledesma, who served the District for nearly 40 years.

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  • El Monte Union Students Chosen to Join L.A. County Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council

    Four El Monte Union students have been selected from a competitive pool of applicants to serve on the 2024-25 Los Angeles County Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo’s Student Advisory Council, providing them with a leadership platform to engage in meaningful conversations on critical issues in public education. Rosemead High School (RHS) senior Alexis DiPrima, junior Van Do, and Mountain View High School (MVHS) junior Alejandro Dena and sophomore Noah Reyes have joined fellow student leaders across Los Angeles County public high schools on the council. The group meets virtually every quarter throughout the 2024-25 school year to discuss and influence decisions on key educational topics, including educational equity, student well-being, and the overall quality of our schools.

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  • El Monte Union Student’s Día De Los Muertos Art Honored in Tournament of Roses Contest

    For El Monte High School (EMHS) junior and art student Michelle Garcia, Día de los Muertos is a holiday to be celebrated with vibrant colors, a special day when family and friends come together to pay tribute to loved ones, and a sacred observance rich with symbolism and traditions that evoke happiness and memories of the past. To honor Día de los Muertos, Garcia created an artwork bursting with radiant imagination, communicating the delicate dance between life and death. The piece features brightly lit marigolds, a dapper calavera in a flower-lined sombrero, nostalgic Lotería cards, and the mysterious, watchful gaze of the Día de los Muertos icon, La Catrina. Garcia’s captivating art was honored by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, winning first place in the fifth annual Día de los Muertos Art Competition, in the 14 to 18 age group. Along with the recognition, Garcia received a $2,000 scholarship, presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles. Her work can be viewed online.

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El Monte Union Celebrates Completion of South El Monte High’s Modernization Project

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.

El Monte Union to Host Ribbon-Cutting of South El Monte High’s Modernization Project

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.

Acting Legend Jane Kaczmarek Guest Stars on Mountain View’s Student-Run Podcast

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.

El Monte Union Celebrates Swearing-In of New 2024-25 Student Board Member

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.

El Monte Union Schools Roll Out Red Carpet to Celebrate Start of 2024-25 School 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 to Welcome Students Back for First Day of 2024-25 School Year

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 Honors Alumna Vikki Carr with Joyful Dedication of Performing Arts Center

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 Welcomes Three New Administrators for 2024-25 Academic Year

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.

El Monte Union to Name Rosemead High’s Performing Arts Center After Alumna Vikki Carr

The El Monte Union High School District will celebrate the grand opening and dedication of Rosemead High School’s Vikki Carr Performing Arts Center at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31. The performing arts center is part of the school’s Modernization Project and will include a new exterior plaza, auditorium access, doors, landscaping, exterior paint, a remodeled lobby, restroom upgrades, interior finishes, and improved audio. Carr, a 1958 alumna of RHS, has enjoyed a prolific six decades in music. With top hits in English and Spanish, Carr has won four Grammy Awards and released more than 60 best-selling recordings; she will be in attendance for the dedication.

El Monte Union Earns Top Honor for Academic Excellence

For the second consecutive year, El Monte Union High School District has been selected as a San Gabriel Valley Tribune Readers’ Choice School District, reflecting the District’s unwavering commitment to academic success in the classroom and providing healthier outcomes for the communities it serves. El Monte Union, which was also cited in the Tribune’s 2023 Readers’ Choice poll, has experienced another banner year, as it works toward maintaining positive school culture and academic rigor for its students by providing career technical education pathways and innovative technology, as well as social and emotional support through its wellness centers.