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San Dimas – Bonita Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Robert C. Otto announced plans to retire from the District at the end of the current school year. Dr. Otto, who has led the District for the past five years, made the announcement at the BUSD Governing Board meeting on May 10, 2006. He will retire effective July 1, 2006. “Because of my commitment to, and my love of this District, this has not been an easy decision to make,” Dr. Otto said. “My experience in the Bonita Unified School District will be one of the finest memories of my educational career.” Dr. Otto was appointed Superintendent in 2001, after a period that saw several persons occupy the top staff position during the previous two years. During his tenure at Bonita, Dr. Otto led the effort to establish leadership and fiscal stability. He also led Bonita Unified during the campaign to pass Measure C, which brought more than $50 million to support modernization at campuses throughout the District. During his tenure, both comprehensive high schools were named California Distinguished Schools and Chaparral High School was named a model continuation school. From the start, Dr. Otto focused the District’s attention on classrooms and student progress. The District has moved to a full day Kindergarten program and has increased the art and music offerings in the elementary schools. The before and after school programs have been expanded to better meet the needs of students. Major revisions have also been carried out throughout the curriculum and major changes have been made in the use of technology. During Dr. Otto’s tenure, Bonita Unified has seen API the District’s score rise to 781 for the 2005 test. In 2005, seven schools had an API score of 800 or better. (In 2002, Bonita’s base API score was 734, with only two schools scoring 800 or higher. |
Dr. Otto received his doctorate in Organizational Administration from U.C.L.A.; Master of Arts in Instructional System Technology from Chapman College; Master of Science in Educational Administration from Creighton University; and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Mathematics from the University of Nebraska. Dr. Otto began his work with Bonita Unified School District in 2000 as the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services. In 2001, he was appointed Superintendent. Prior to joining Bonita, he had served as Superintendent of Schools in two other school districts and has held top level management positions with several educational technology companies. “While I have enjoyed the position of Superintendent and the teamwork that has resulted in the accomplishments and successes of the past six years, I am looking forward to spending more time with my wife of 45 years, our 5 children and their spouses, and our 12 grandchildren, along with spending some time on my multiple hobbies,” Dr. Otto said. Bonita Unified School District works in partnership with the community to create a safe, challenging and comprehensive learning environment that will shape character, nurture intellect and build skills for success in an ever-changing world. |