Dear Bonita Vista Middle School Community,

Good morning. I hope this message finds you well and that you had a restful weekend, despite the unpredictable weather.

As we enter the final week of the school year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge and reflect on the important work we've accomplished together, while also focusing on what lies ahead. First, if you haven’t yet read last Friday’s message regarding the unfortunate incident involving two of our students, I encourage you to do so. For your convenience, the message is included below. Transparency and communication remain key pillars of our school community.

This week is significant for many reasons. Please take note that students will be on minimum day schedule the entire week--dismissal time will be 12:50 pm. Our 7th-grade students will be taking their end-of-course exams from Tuesday through Thursday (you can find our schedule for this week below). These assessments are essential—not only in measuring academic progress—but in helping us evaluate how we are doing as a school in comparison to other schools in the district. At Bonita Vista Middle, we are committed to continuous growth, and we rely heavily on both academic and behavioral data to guide and improve our efforts.

One example of this commitment is our focused work on credit recovery (we had 3 credit recovery sessions this year) and academic support (we had both advisory and after school tutoring all year). This year, we proudly tied for first place (with one neighboring middle school) among all middle schools in our district for the percentage of 8th-grade students who are on track for promotion and high school readiness, reaching 88%. This achievement is a direct reflection of our teachers' dedication, in-class academic support, multiple credit recovery sessions, and the strong partnership we have with families like yours. Still, 88% is too low and we promise to continue increasing this percentage for all students for years to come!

As a reminder, per Sweetwater Union High School District Policy, students must earn a minimum of 21 semester credits to be eligible to participate in the 8th-grade promotion ceremony (this Thursday) and be considered on track for high school success. While this standard is firm, it ensures that we hold high expectations for every student and provide the necessary supports to help them meet those expectations.

With that said, we recognize that some students have not met the eligibility requirements to participate in this week’s promotion ceremony. While this is understandably disappointing, it is not the end of their academic journey. Our priority is ensuring that all students receive the support they need to succeed in high school and beyond. We will be working closely with Bonita Vista High School to share this information and coordinate efforts so that each student receives continued guidance and support.

In addition, for those students who will not be participating in promotion events, our counseling team has prepared meaningful, reflective activities designed to support their transition to high school. These sessions aim to inspire, refocus, and build confidence as they prepare for a successful high school experience. We are proud of every single Crusader at BVM --middle school is a growing and learning experience.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you. It has been an honor to serve this community—a community I’ve grown to respect, admire, and yes, truly love. I also want to thank the families who worked collaboratively with us, even when we didn’t always see eye to eye. Your professionalism, support, and commitment to your child’s education have made a lasting impression on our school.

As I prepare to continue serving many of you at Bonita Vista High School, please know that my commitment to your children’s success remains as strong as ever. Thank you for trusting us with their growth, and for being valued partners in this important work.

Let’s finish the year strong—together.

Sincerely,
Dr. Alexander Salazar
Principal
Bonita Vista Middle School

POST SCRIPT: PLEASE EXPLORE THE BUTTONS BELOW THAT CONTAIN ALL INFORMATION NEEDED AROUND THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE AND ANY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT PROMOTION.

Parents and guardians, to report a student absence, please make sure to fill out the following form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLJrFXTi9s9G9nIzEOJSMEn2NeMLbDqMYUseHAKr5YRwJmYQ/viewform.

For any absences extending to 5 or more school days, please contact Ana.Monge@sweetwaterschools.org, our Attendance Coordinator, to complete an short-term independence study contract.

Please contact Ms. Rubi.deleon@sweetwaterschools.org, our attendance technician, to report any attendance errors.

The Acknowledgment Corner will be continued to be used to highlight and celebrate our students at any opportunity that we can! If you would like your student acknowledged for something we may not be aware of, please feel free to contact me (include a picture or video if possible).

Nominated by Mr. Claudio, Sophia Javier. Sophia is most deserving of the 7th Grade Crusader of the Week award! She completed the Roblox lesson in record time. In addition she earned a completion certificate from tynker.com for completing 100 lines of code!!! Congratulations Sophia! Let's go BVM!!!

Nominated by Mr. Kasem, Tiffany Martin. I am nominating Tiffany Martin for Crusader of the Week because she embodies all of the qualities of a conscientious, positive, and kind Crusader. Tiffany does justice to our mission statement everyday in my class. She is always focused on her work and attentive to our lessons. Beyond that, Tiffany is always clam, kind and positive while turning in exemplary work on every assignment. She takes it upon herself to turn in her assignments on time, everytime! If she is absent to class she is still among the first to turn in her daily work. I would like to thank Tiffany and all of my students for bringing out the light in every day and bringing their teachers clarity of purpose while making a positive contribution to our community and our society.

Congratulations to all our 32 students who have now rightfully and deservedly been recognized for achieving straight As in both academics and citizenship during their time here at Bonita Vista Middle School. A couple of students were mistakenly left off the original list. We apologize to those students and their families. Those students have since been recognized:

ALSTON, AVA MISHEL

ARMAS, SAMUEL OTTO

ARREOLA BLANCAFORT, MILA DAMARIS

AUDIRAC, ISAAC

BAUTISTA, SAMUEL

BECERRA CONTRERAS, SAKURA BETZY

BERNARD, KAILYNN ALURE

BURDICK, COOPER DAVIS MICHAEL

CATALAN, GAREN

DEWYEA, ADDALYNN LEE

ELLIOTT, ALEXA

GAYTAN, JADEN ALAN

GEORGE, BETHLEHEM ALEX

GUSTAFSON, AMAYA

HERNANDEZ-TAMAYO, LUIS ENRIQUE

LADRILLONO, JAYNEE ISABELLA PANGILINAN

MACK, DUSTIN ASHER

MONDARES, KHAMRON

MURO GUZMAN, DEREK

PADILLA, DAVID

PADILLA, REMY FRANCO

RAMIREZ, MORGAN ALLAN

RIOS, ELLIOT

ROBERTS, ALYSSA

ROM, MICHAEL ELIAS

SMITH, MARLO

TAKAKI, JOHN THOMAS

TRUJILLO, CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER

VALLADARES, TATIANA NAILA

YTURRALDE, DREW CHARLES

ZUNIGA, ARMANDO JOSUE

HANCOCK-WILKIE, SCARLETT DAVINA

Congratulations to all our 69 students who have rightfully and deservedly earned the distinct recognition of making it on the Principal's Honor Roll. To qualify for Principal's Honor, students must have acheived between a 3.99 - 3.75 GPA in both academics and citizenship during their time here at BVM. Several students were mistakenly left off the original list. We apologize to those students and their families. Those students have since been recognized.

:

AGUILERA, JACOB

ALONZO, ANNA CASTANEDA

ALVAREZ, ISABELLA IRENE

ANDARA, ISABELLA

BARRIOS, XAVIER ROMEO

BURGOS, ELIZABETH A

CARDENAS, SEBASTIAN ESTEBAN

CHHINA, HYANNA AINGEAL

CISNEROS, ANDREW

CISNEROS, JACOB

CORREA, MIKAELA RENEE

CUEVA, SELAH

DELACRUZ, MAEGAN JORGE

DOMINGUEZ, ABRAHAM SANTIAGO

ELAGO-EDWARDS, AZALEA IVA

ESCAMILLA, LOLA IRENE

ESPINOZA, JADIEL AIDAN

ESQUIVEL, IKER SEBASTIAN

FORTIN, ATHENA

GALVEZ, LORENZO ALEJANDRO

GARCES, BALERI EVA

GARCIA, ALEXA

GARCIA, SOFIA GABRIELA

GREGOIRE, MORGAN

GURUNG, AARNAV BIKRAM

HANDY, ISAAC LEE

HEREDIA, ANTHONY J

HEREDIA, GABRIEL ROBERT

HERNANDEZ, GISSELLE M

HOPIDA, ALIYAH MARYAM

JOHN, KIARA ELIZABETH

JONES, TRISTAN CHANNING-ZARATE

KAY, KATIANA ARIA

KELLER, CHARLES JACOB

KESETE, KALEB TEWELDE

KING, SAMANTHA HAILEY

LANDA, ARIANA

LARENA, ARIANA OSORIO

LEMUS ARAMBURO, YERIKA MARGARITA

LUNA, CLAUDIA MARISOL

MABALOT, BRANDON MATTHEW EUGENIO

MACIAS ARGUELLO, ANALIESE SOPHIA

MEJIA, ANISSA

MERAZ, EURIDICE SOPHIA

MERCADO, CATHIREN JEWEL

MOUANGKHOT, VIENNA ROSE

MURILLO, TONALI AMELIA

NORTON, ALESSANDRA THERESA

OSUJI, EMMANUEL

PARRA III, GERARDO GABRIEL

PEREZ, NORA YAVIERA

QUINONES, VICTORIA

RAMIREZ, ISABELA MARIA

RIGGS, LILY JULIANA

RODRIGUEZ, IVAN GERARD BELANDE

RODRIGUEZ, MILA NICOLE

ROMO, LUKE EDWARD

RUEDA, EMMA VICTORIA

SACHS, ALIANA MARISOL

SAPADEN, DIANNE GRACE RAMOS

SCOTT, GEORGE ANTHONY

SOLER, SOFIA RAYNE

SUGAPONG, KEIRA

TIONGCO, MAXWELL BASCO

TUCKER, ALYSSA

UGARTE, ADRIANNA MARIA

WILDER, GAVIN CRUZ

WILLARD, EMMA REESE

WILLIAMS, ICHIRO

Last week, we had the pleasure of recognizing our 7th-grade students currently enrolled in accelerated courses. Our counselors and I took the opportunity to meet with them, commend their efforts, and congratulate them for challenging themselves academically. These students are excelling in accelerated English, Science, and World Cultures courses. Many are also enrolled in Compacted Math 7—a rigorous course that combines 7th and 8th-grade math and prepares students for Integrated Math I (a high school-level course) in 8th grade. Each of these students received a letter of recognition sent home to their families, celebrating their hard work and commitment.

In addition, we were excited to meet with another group of students who have been recommended by their teachers to enroll in accelerated courses next year. While they are not currently in accelerated classes, their growth and potential stood out. We congratulated them on their recommendation and encouraged them to take at least three accelerated courses in 8th grade. Their families also received a letter recognizing their positive contributions and academic promise.

Both groups of students received a small treat from our ASB store to celebrate their achievements! We are incredibly proud of our Crusaders for their dedication, growth, and pursuit of academic excellence.

Let’s go, BVM!

Mr. Claudio, though only with us for a short time, has made a remarkable impact in just one year. His energy, enthusiasm, and generosity were immediately felt by our students and staff alike. By volunteering to run various clubs on campus, he created spaces where students could connect, engage, and thrive beyond the classroom. We are incredibly fortunate to have had him as part of our team, and we are thrilled to share that he will continue to support BVM next year as a retired educator. His commitment to our students is something we deeply value and celebrate.

Ms. Kavouklis has not only been a dedicated and skilled English teacher for many years, but also a mentor to new staff members. Her guidance and support helped many new teachers find their footing and grow into strong educators. Her professionalism, experience and wisdom have been a valuable asset to our school, and she leaves behind a lasting legacy of mentorship. She will be forever be remembered for putting on the 1st Drama production at BVM with an anti-bullying message that allowed us to secure the distinct designation of No Place for Hate! Let's go!

Mr. Kennedy, often referred to by his peers as one of the most intelligent human beings they’ve had the pleasure of working with, is dearly missed by students and staff alike. His depth of knowledge and love for teaching made a profound impression, and his absence is felt in our classrooms and hallways. Personally, I will forever miss the wonderful conversations we had over curriculum and instruction. He always reminded me to keep the main thing, the main thing --students!

Ms. Funk, thank you for making our library not just a resource, but a true haven for students. Through the library club and your daily interactions, you created a safe and inclusive space where all students felt welcomed, respected, and empowered. Your impact on school culture and student well-being cannot be overstated. We can only hope that the person that replaces you can create the same kind of wonderful environment that you have created for our students out of the library!

Ms. Caldwell, one of our most organized and consistent math teachers, will be missed for the structure and clarity she brought to her classroom. Her steady presence, high expectations, and thoughtful instruction made a real difference in the lives of her students. Thank you for always adopting new teachers and providing them the support only our seasoned, veteran teachers are able to provide!

And of course, Ms. Cardenas—a cornerstone of our Science Department—leaves behind a legacy of excellence. As a consummate professional, she not only delivered exceptional instruction, but also worked tirelessly to onboard and support new teachers and students she also worked tirelessly everyday for all her students because that is who she is—a quality and highly dedicated teacher. Her leadership played a critical role in the Science Department’s top SBAC scores last year, and her commitment to the betterment of all students at Bonita Vista Middle has set a standard of excellence we will strive to maintain.

To each of our retirees: thank you for your unwavering dedication, for the lives you’ve touched, and for the ways you’ve made Bonita Vista Middle School a better place. You will be missed but never forgotten.

Character building is embedded in an IB education. We want our students to learn and embody 10 Learner Profiles (See attachment below). Our Eighth Learner Profile: Thinkers: use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. Thinkers exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

IB Learner Profile Thinkers: We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Are you passionate about performing arts? Do you dream of dancing on Broadway or acting on stage? Bonita Vista Middle School is excited to partner with Southwestern College to offer two amazing courses this Fall—right here on campus!

📢 Open to all students looking to explore their creative side!

🔥 Dance 181: Musical Theatre Dance I
📅 Tuesdays & Thursdays | 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

• Learn foundational musical theatre dance techniques

• Perform choreography from Broadway & Off-Broadway musicals

• Final showcase performance required!

🎭 Theatre Arts TA 141: Performance Studio I
📅 Tuesdays & Thursdays | 4:00 PM - 6:05 PM

• Master the art of acting & stage performance

• Develop skills in script analysis, rehearsal techniques, & ensemble work

• Mandatory participation in rehearsals & live performances!

💡 Why enroll?
✅ Earn college credit while in middle school!
✅ Get hands-on experience with industry-level training
✅ Prepare for high school & beyond in the performing arts
✅ Have fun, express yourself, and shine on stage!

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of something extraordinary! Spots are limited—sign up today!

For more information, see the flyer above!

🎶💃 Let’s bring the stage to life, BVM! 🎭🔥

We are thrilled to celebrate Ms. Laurel Bade, who has been honored as Bonita Vista Middle School’s 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year—an award voted on by her colleagues in recognition of her dedication and impact.

On Thursday, March 21st, we had the privilege of celebrating Ms. Bade, a longstanding Spanish teacher who has played an instrumental role in fostering a love for the Spanish language, Latin American cultures, and traditions among our students at Olympian High School (see the pictures and video above). Beyond her exceptional teaching, Ms. Bade is known for her kindness, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to student success.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Bade as part of our BVM family! Congratulations, Ms. Bade, on this well-deserved honor! 🎉👏💙 #BVMTeacherOfTheYear

Families, below is a message from Superintendent Aguirre that was sent to you on Friday, February 7, 2025.

• In recognition of the complexities surrounding immigration matters, we have developed a dedicated section on our website aimed at providing accessible, reliable information and resources for all members of our community. It is our commitment to ensure that everyone has the necessary support to navigate these issues effectively.

• I encourage you to visit our website to explore these valuable resources. Our goal is to empower our community by providing the information needed to address any questions or challenges related to immigration.

• Click on this LINK to access the resources.

We understand that with busy schedules and different work commitments, finding time to eat together can be challenging. However, research shows that teens and kids who share meals with their families regularly are significantly more likely to achieve excellent grades—up to 40% more likely to earn A's and B's compared to those who have fewer family dinners each week.

At BVM, we encourage you to prioritize family meals, even if it’s just on weekends or during holidays. These moments you share around the table can strengthen your family bond and create great memories, fostering communication and support.

We recognize that every family's situation is unique, and even a few shared meals can make a big difference. So, let’s celebrate those opportunities to come together, nourish our bodies, and deepen our connections whenever we can. Thank you for your efforts to make family time a priority!

Congratulations to our very own Ms. Karla Castro, who has been selected as Bonita Vista Middle School’s Certificated Employee of the Month for June and July.

Ms. Castro teaches both Social Science and English, and her classroom is a reflection of her deep commitment to students. Her lessons are thoughtfully designed—visual, clear, and accessible to all learners. Beyond her instructional excellence, Ms. Castro is known for her kindness, patience, and unwavering dedication.

Step into her classroom, and it’s immediately clear how much care and intention she puts into creating a welcoming and supportive environment where students feel at home.

Thank you, Ms. Castro, for all that you do. We are proud to have you as a valued member of our BVM team.

We have been reviewing the study cited above in our efforts to always work on improving our school culture. Although we have seen significant improvements in student behaviors the past 5 years (according to our student incident data), we are always looking for areas of improvement. Our latest area of focus is targeting behaviors related to bullying, especially the bullying of students with disabilities. In following some of the strategies cited in the Princeton study above, we will be pursuing the following steps:

1. Setting Clear Expectations --In Progress

2. Enforcing Consequences for Bullying Behaviors --In Progress

3. Recruiting the help of our Students to Improve Student Culture and Target Bullying Behaviors (Begins 2nd Semester)

Remember to report Bullying of any kind Crusaders:

Assistant Principals:

Students Last Name (A - L): Roberto.Bonilla@sweetwaterschools.org

Students Last Name (M - Z): Marisol.Higareda@sweetwaterschools.org

Counselors:

Students Last Name (A - Gomez): Woodie.Taeatafa@sweetwaterschools.org

Students Last Name (Gon - Mc): Alexa.Vera@sweetwaterschools.org

Students Last Name (Me - Z): Veronica.Sandoval@sweetwaterschools.org

General Support:

MTSS Coordinator: Karla.Leonhardt@sweetwaterschools.org

Prinicpal:

Alexander.salazar-arbelaez@sweetwaterschools.org

Reach out and communicate with us!

Email: alexander.salazar-arbelaez@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: http://bvm.sweetwaterschools.org/
Location: 650 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619-397-2200
Twitter: @BVM_Principal