El Monte City School District’s (EMCSD) Cheer program is officially off and running for the 2025-2026 school year! Last year was EMCSD’s inaugural year for their cheer program, which featured hundreds of student participants across the district.
This year, cheer has over 300 students in grades 2-8 registered and practicing weekly. The program is run in partnership with El Monte Parks & Recreation. Over the summer, EMCSD agreed to a $822,000 contract with the City of El Monte to coach their students, as well as organize performances and cheer events, both at school and throughout the community. This year’s cheer program debuted at the 28th Annual Children’s Day Parade. Their next major public appearance is slated for El Monte’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Cheerleaders will also perform and appear at school events throughout the year, culminating in a district showcase and competition in May 2026 at Columbia School.
Cheer is one of many programs and experiences EMCSD is offering its students in the 2025-2026 school year. “Our goal is to foster purpose within every child,” said Dr. Jacob Muniz, EMCSD’s Coordinator of Engagement and Enrichment. In addition to cheerleading, EMCSD offers additional sports programs like soccer, flag football, and golf. Currently, golf is available at two schools for the Fall season. The district also offers various arts and trade-based programs to diversify student interests and develop real-world skills. These programs include their Mariachi program, Musical Theatre, as well as Film and Culinary academies. Parents can reach out to their schools for more information on programs available to their students and how to register.
EMCSD is doubling down on the student experience because they believe they complement classroom learning. Dr. Muniz explained, “The benefits of student participation are the experience and exposure that lead to a child discovering their spark, talent, and passion. They can explore these passions and maybe turn them into future areas of expertise, which then lead them to discover their purpose.” EMCSD is also finalizing logistics to continue their 4th grade Sacramento, 6th grade Science Camp, and 8th grade Washington DC study trips, which are all provided at no-cost to students and families.
Making its return this year are Enrichment Days, which are optional attendance days for students designed to provide flexible scheduling for families. Last year, EMCSD debuted six Enrichment Days where parents could keep their students home without affecting their attendance record, or choose to send their students to school for themed learning activities. This year, three enrichment days are scheduled with the first on Monday, November 10th, the day before the federal Veterans Day holiday. This gives families the opportunities to turn the holiday into a 4-day weekend, with school still being open in case students want to participate in the district’s programming.
The theme for the November 10th Enrichment Day is Coding Masters, giving TK-8 grade students the opportunity to engage in technical skills revolving around coding and problem solving. It will also feature study trips for 5th and 7th grade students to Virtual Reality museums and interactive centers.
