Rialto Middle School Celebrates 100 Years of Integrity and Determination

A monumental centennial milestone awaits as Rialto Unified School District’s Rialto Middle School (RMS) prepares to celebrate its 100th Anniversary, honoring a century of educational excellence and community engagement. The grand celebration, themed “Celebrating 100 Years of Integrity and Determination,” is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, 2024, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at RMS, located at 1262 W. Rialto Avenue in Rialto. 

Founded in 1924 as Rialto Junior High School, located at 324 N. Palm Ave., in Rialto, RMS has been an unwavering educational pillar in the community, shaping the minds and futures of countless students during the past century. After 85 years at its original location (which is now the Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta Center for Education), the first middle school in Rialto relocated in 2009, to a modern, state-of-the-art facility on a sprawling 17.6-acre site. 

The 100th-anniversary celebration promises exciting festivities, including a historical picture gallery, captivating student performances, a time capsule ceremony, and inspiring speeches from past and present teachers, principals, and staff. There will also be light refreshments and food vendors, offering a variety of options for guests to enjoy as they mingle and reminisce. 

“It is an honor to be part of an institution that has been educating the Rialto youth for a century,” said RMS Principal Ricardo Garcia-Felix. “RMS came into existence back in 1924, with a student body of only 28, and now, we have grown to a student body of 1,020. We are continuing to foster a legacy of academic excellence and community growth for generations to come. As always, we welcome everyone to the 100th Anniversary with open arms to the Home of the Tigers, where we roar with Integrity and Determination.” 

This centennial celebration comes on the heels of several prestigious recognitions, most notably the recent California Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (CA PBIS) Platinum Award. The Platinum Award is the highest level of recognition for schools that have successfully implemented systems to improve student behavior and academic outcomes. This award highlights RMS’s dedication to creating a positive and effective learning environment. Along with former and current students, families, and staff who are invited, former principals, such as Lupe Andrade, Mark Bline, Gail Matthews, Dr. Rhea McIver Gibbs, Dr. Robin McMillon, Anna Rodriguez, and Adam Waggoner will be in attendance. 

“Reaching the 100-year milestone is a deeply humbling and proud moment,” reminisced Bline, who opened up “the new” RMS facility in 2009. “It signifies not only the resilience and growth of the school, but also the unwavering dedication of generations of educators, students, and families who have shaped its legacy. For the community of Rialto, this milestone represents a rich history of commitment to education, symbolizing both progress and continuity. I look forward to attending.” 

RUSD Acting Superintendent Dr. Edward D’Souza, added, “Rialto Middle School’s centennial is a celebration of the past 100 years, an unyielding statement of our commitment to academic excellence and social and cultural growth for our students. RMS has won many prestigious awards, including the California Distinguished Schools award and the California Green Schools Gold recognition. This celebration is not just about looking back at our storied past, but also about embracing the future with the same integrity and determination that has defined RMS for 100 years.”