Chaffey Joint Union High School District

Updated on Sep 23, 2024

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School type School district Superintendent Mat Holton Enrollment 25,000 Founded 1882		Established 1882 President Josie Estrada Founder George Chaffey Number of students 25,000

School board Chaffey Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees Headquarters Ontario, California, United States Motto "Nothing is important than student learning and student achievement." Communities served Ontario, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Chino, Mount Baldy, California

Chaffey Joint Union High School District is a 9-12 school district located in San Bernardino County, California that serves the communities of Ontario, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga, and portions of Fontana, Upland, Chino, and Mount Baldy. With more than 25,000 students, it is one of the largest high school districts in California. The District operates eight comprehensive high schools, one online high school, one continuation high school, one community day school, and one adult education school.

Map of Chaffey Joint Union High School District, CA, USA

History

The union high school district began in 1882 when George and William Chaffey, the founders of Ontario, began the Chaffey College of Agriculture and an on-campus secondary school with assistance from the University of Southern California. Ironically, the university abandoned the agricultural school while Chaffey was away in Australia, so he pursued litigation and eventually won. In 1901 control of the secondary school was given to the local community and it was named Ontario High School, only to be renamed Chaffey High School in 1911. It would be the only secondary school in the area until end of World War II when an increase in Ontario's population prompted additional schools.

Upland High School, Montclair High School, Alta Loma High School, and Ontario High School were built between 1955 and 1967. Another school did not open until Etiwanda High School in 1987. Upland High School left the district and became part of the Upland Unified School District in 1991. Shortly after, Rancho Cucamonga High School opened in 1992. Funds from Measure X, a $128 million General Obligation Bond, allowed the district to build additional schools. Colony High School and Los Osos High School opened in the Fall of 2002.

The District enrolls students whom desire a high school education but cannot speak English to Newcomer School for one year in order to learn enough English to complete the high school curriculum, graduate and continue their education.

In 2012, voters within the District passed an $848 million bond issue—the largest investment in classrooms, facilities and technology in the District's more than 100-year history. More than 60 percent of voters supported the measure. On September 10, 2013, ground was broken on the first significant project to be paid for under the bond, a two-story classroom annex at Ontario High School.

In recent years, too, the District has entered into formal agreements with California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California State University, San Bernardino, and California State University, Bakersfield to guarantee admission to Chaffey District students who meet minimum requirements for admission.

On April 21, 2014, Chaffey Superintendent Mathew Holton was honored as Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators Region 12.