As the 2023-2024 school year draws to As the 2023-2024 school year draws to a close, students and staff reflect on the changes Principal Emily Bonilla implemented during her inaugural semester at Communications High School (CHS). Bonilla took over the role of CHS principal in January 2024, after 25 years of James Gleason occupying the position.
Since assuming her role, Bonilla has spent time introducing reforms and setting her sights on a promising future for the CHS community.
One of the most notable changes under Bonilla’s leadership has been the emphasis on student engagement and empowerment. From revitalizing extracurricular activities to implementing student-led initiatives, Bonilla has made it her mission to ensure every student feels heard and valued, taking into account student and staff opinions on everything from school lunches to course names.
CHS staff feel Bonilla’s presence has made a drastic improvement to the school environment.
“I thought she was very energetic and knowledgeable and seemed to have a lot of ideas about what the school could evolve into,” Digital Video teacher David Salowe said.
As the semester went on, Bonilla only proved Salowe correct.
Recently, Bonilla met with Nutri-Serve, the CHS school lunch provider, to discuss possible changes after students raised concerns about meal quality. She sent a survey to all CHS students and staff including questions about how often school lunch services are used, opinions on health and taste and general thoughts on what could be improved. After receiving feedback, Bonilla scheduled a meeting with a Nutri-Serve representative and several student representatives to improve school-provided lunches.
Principal Bonilla applauded how open people were to curricular changes and how open people were to new ideas. However, she also acknowledged that there are things she wished she had done differently.
“I guess going to more senior classes, to get to know [them],” she said, “I did want to memorize everyone’s names, and that didn’t happen.”
Bonilla’s first impression of the student body was immensely positive. “You guys were friendly and talented,” Bonilla said. “If there is one piece of feedback I can give, the work is a little too last minute. Because you are all so talented, you think that you can wing it really well. I think sometimes you’ve gotten a little too complacent with that, I don’t think it’s always a healthy thing.”
Looking ahead, Bonilla outlined her plans for the upcoming year and beyond.
“We’re going to have a laptop cart for people to borrow that will have adobe. I’m also going to fix the parking issue,” Bonilla said. “I also want to work on a new schedule that can allow for more APs.”
While recognizing the progress made, Bonilla acknowledged areas that require improvement. She expressed her commitment to addressing these challenges and hopes to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
“We do a really good job here of what this school is,” Salowe said. “But I think we could expand upon some of our theme courses and give more options to students who are interested in the communications aspect of the school.”
Teachers feel a sense of optimism and anticipation for the future. As Principal Bonilla’s first semester comes to a close, the school community eagerly awaits the next chapter in the journey towards excellence.
