Chaffey school district deals with tragedy
3 students, teacher die in the last week
Chaffey Joint Union High School District is coping this week after a weekend of tragedy.
The three students — siblings Elias and Sarah Cruz of Los Osos High School, and Feiloaki (Junior) Mateni from Rancho Cucamonga High School — died in two separate automobile crashes March 8 and March 9. On
March 9, the district learned that longtime teacher and football coach John Kusleika at Ontario High School died after a year-long battle with cancer.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic deaths of three students and a teacher this past weekend,” Superintendent Mathew Holton said in a statement this week. “All were beloved members of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District family, and our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.”
The district is providing counseling resources as necessary on all three campuses and asked the community to keep students, staff and the family members of Elias, Sarah, Junior and John in their thoughts and prayers, Holton said in the Monday statement.
Elias was a junior on the junior varsity baseball team and Sarah, a freshman, who played volleyball and softball.
Mateni, transferred to RCHS as a sophomore in January and was active on the track team and was looking forward to joining the football team in the fall, said Holton.
Kusleika had a 32-year career with the district and taught or coached at six of the 11 schools. He was named head football coach at Ontario High in 2014. Holton said Kusleika’s legacy would continue on in the hearts and minds of the district.
“These are difficult days for our District as we mourn the loss of these three young adults with so much ahead of them and a teacher who made it his life’s work to help students achieve their dreams,” Holton said.
INSIDE: