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.
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.
For the second consecutive year, El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) has been selected as a San Gabriel Valley Tribune Readers’ Choice Top Three 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.
El Monte Union Teacher Honored for Excellence in Education
Sonia Ayala, a dedicated science teacher and athletic director at South El Monte High School, has been recognized by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon as one of the 56th District's 2024 Educators of Distinction. This prestigious award, presented in tandem with Teacher Appreciation Month, highlights Ayala's exceptional dedication for advancing excellence in education and her unwavering commitment to student success.
El Monte Union Graduate Selected as Dell Scholar Recipient
Mountain View High School Class of 2024 graduate Breanna Montoya has been named a 2024 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Scholar, which includes a $20,000 scholarship to support her higher education goals. Montoya will attend UCLA and pursue a degree in neuroscience. Montoya has demonstrated her commitment to education through academic achievements and leadership roles, including taking part in Mountain View's Associated Student Body, the Class of 2024 Club presidency, a U.S. Bank internship, the Teacher Preparation Academy, and the Pasadena City College Upward Bound Math-Science program.
El Monte Union Grad Earns Posse Scholarship to Middlebury College
Rosemead High School Class of 2024 graduate Kyan Chau has earned a full-ride Posse Scholarship, helping him to attend Middlebury College in Vermont, where he will study medicine and neuroscience. Chau founded Rosemead High’s Medical Club, aiming to increase diversity in the medical field. Chau has also actively engaged in internships, partnerships, and volunteer opportunities with City of Hope, Stanford Neuroscience Journal Club, and the Huntington Hospital Emergency Department. Chau hopes to become a neurosurgeon and establish his own lab to design innovative therapies that will improve the daily lives of his patients. The Posse Scholarship, awarded for extraordinary leadership potential, provides full-tuition scholarships for students to pursue their academic goals at top colleges and universities nationwide.
