El Monte Union High School District

  • Student Ideas Take Center Stage at El Monte Union’s ‘Lights On Afterschool’ Celebration

    At El Monte Union High School District, learning doesn’t end when the last school bell rings. The District highlighted the impact of free after-school enrichment programs on Oct. 22, bringing students, families, and community partners together at Rosemead High School for a nationwide Lights On Afterschool celebration featuring hands-on activities, student-led initiatives, and resources available through the District’s partnership with Learning Enrichment & Academic Resources Network (LEARN).

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  • El Monte Union Names Jorane Barton 2026-27 Teacher of the Year

    With an innovative approach to teaching and a commitment to ensuring every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed, Fernando R. Ledesma High School (FRLHS) English teacher Jorane Barton has earned El Monte Union High School District’s 2026-27 Teacher of the Year honor.

    Barton has taught in El Monte Union for two decades, continuing a long family tradition in education. Her approach centers on the whole child, beginning with making sure students’ basic needs are met – that they feel safe, supported, and ready to learn – before turning her attention to academics.

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  • El Monte High School Celebrates Cherished History During 125th Anniversary Gala

    Under sunny skies that accentuated the blue and white spirit of the day, the El Monte community came together on Sept. 19 to celebrate 125 years of Lion pride, tradition, and excellence at El Monte High School (EMHS), as well as the El Monte Union High School District’s quasquicentennial. Community members, alumni, local representatives, District staff, and Lion student groups gathered to honor the school’s cherished and illustrious history, while looking ahead to its future. More than just a celebration of the school and District, the gala honored the unique culture of El Monte and its many contributions to Southern California.

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El Monte Union Celebrates Modern Learning Spaces at Mountain View High School

Mountain View High School students, staff, and the El Monte Union community celebrated the completion of the school’s Modernization Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 9. The event highlighted major campus upgrades including classrooms, athletic facilities, redesigned landscaping and outdoor seating, and infrastructure improvements. The ceremony featured speeches from Principal Jose Bañas, Associated Student Body President Heidi Scanlan, El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustees President Florencio Briones, and Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga, followed by a taco dinner for the community.

El Monte Union Recognizes Generations of Impact with School Facility Dedication

In an emotional tribute to three community leaders whose vision and dedication transformed the lives of generations of students, the El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) officially dedicated the newly renovated multi-purpose building and gymnasium at Fernando R. Ledesma High School (FRLHS), renaming it the Freddy and Bernie Arteaga and Frank Ogaz Center on Aug. 27. The evening ceremony brought together families, staff, alumni, and community members to honor the Arteaga brothers and the late Frank Ogaz for their decades of service to students. The celebration featured heartfelt speeches, special recognitions, a ceremonial unveiling and ribbon-cutting, and a community taco dinner.

El Monte Union to Celebrate Modernization of Mountain View High

The El Monte Union High School District will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of construction for Mountain View High School’s (MVHS) Modernization Project. The project features enhancements to the entire campus, including classrooms, redesigned landscaping and outdoor seating, softball/baseball field improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and more. The event will include a welcome reception, student performances, and speeches.

El Monte Union Students Return to School with ‘A New Hope’ and Pride

Cheer squads, marching bands, and colorful balloons welcomed more than 7,200 students back to El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) on Aug. 19, as campuses came alive with enthusiasm and pride for the 2025-26 school year. Associated Student Body (ASB) and Link Crew leaders across the District greeted students with music, cheers, hand-made posters, chalk art, and photo stations, while parents lined entrances to snap photos and celebrate the start of the school year. Districtwide, campuses also kicked off the year with spirited assemblies, pep rallies, and themed spirit weeks.

El Monte Union Set to Welcome Students to a New Year of Tradition, Achievement

More than 7,200 students will return to El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) for the first day of the 2025-26 school year, which will include spirited campus celebrations, milestone events, and warm welcomes from Associated Student Body and Link Crew leaders, faculty, staff, and administrators. Celebrations will take place across the District, including El Monte High School’s debut of a new state-of-the-art athletic facility, South El Monte High will celebrate two students recently sworn-in as EMUHSD student board members, and Rosemead and Arroyo high schools will commemorate their 75th anniversaries of academic excellence.

El Monte Union Celebrates Swearing-In of New 2025-26 Student Board Members

The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) Board of Trustees made history in the District by expanding student representation with the swearing-in of two Student Board Members, Ashley Yu and Tessa Ocegueda, for the 2025-26 school year at the District’s Aug. 6 Board meeting. Yu and Ocegueda, both South El Monte High School students, will represent the voice of nearly 7,200 EMUHSD students. They step into newly-created leadership roles, with Yu serving as Student Board Member President and Ocegueda as Vice President. Both will continue their service on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, where they served last school year.

El Monte Union to Rename Ledesma High Facility, Pay Tribute to Beloved Educators

El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) will host a dedication ceremony to celebrate the renaming of Fernando R. Ledesma High School’s newly renovated multi-purpose building and gymnasium. The facility will be renamed the Freddy and Bernie Arteaga and Frank Ogaz Center, honoring two longtime educators and a former Board of Trustees President whose decades of service have helped transform the lives of countless students across the District.

El Monte Union Student-Athletes Shine at National Wrestling Tournament through Beat the Streets

El Monte Union High School District’s (EMUHSD) ongoing partnership with Beat the Streets (BTS) Los Angeles continues to create opportunities for student-athletes to shine, with six students — including two recent graduates from the Class of 2025 — proudly representing their schools and community at the 2025 Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals, held June 24-26 at the University of Pennsylvania. BTS, a national mentor and sports-based youth development organization, aims to empower youth through wrestling. Its annual National Camp and Duals combines elite wrestling instruction with mentorship, leadership development, and team-building experiences.

Arroyo High Earns National Recognition in Varsity Yearbook’s Best-of Portfolio

Arroyo High School’s 2023-24 yearbook, "If You Know Us, You Know," has secured national recognition for outstanding quality and student-led creativity after earning a spot in Varsity Yearbook’s Portfolio, a prestigious showcase of the best yearbooks in the country. Selected from more than 2,100 submissions, Arroyo’s yearbook was one of 617 featured in the 30th edition of Varsity’s Portfolio. The publication highlights yearbooks that demonstrate exceptional design, photography, writing, and storytelling. The school’s 2023-24 yearbook focused on capturing the cornerstones of Arroyo culture, including school spirit and academic and athletic success.

El Monte Union Celebrates More Than 1,850 Graduates with Fireworks, Tributes, and Pride

More than 1,850 graduates took center stage in celebrations that featured vibrant tributes, powerful performances, stirring speeches, and fireworks as the El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) honored its Class of 2025 with a series of commencements on May 28 and June 5. Graduates from across the District are bound for leading universities, including Yale, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Stanford, USC, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UCLA. Others plan to attend community college, enroll in trade programs, join the armed forces, or begin their careers. The EMUHSD Class of 2025 also earned prestigious honors for their excellence in academics, athletics, arts, and leadership, including the State Seal of Biliteracy, California Scholarship Federation Gold Seal, QuestBridge National College Match, and Edison scholarships. El Monte Union also bid farewell to South El Monte High School’s Andrea Pablo as she concluded her term as Student Board Member, where she served as a strong representative and champion for her peers.