FONTANA, CA – Fontana Unified School District on April 17 renamed Dorothy Grant Elementary School and Southridge Middle School to reflect the schools’ efforts to prepare students for the academic and professional challenges of the future.

Grant becomes the Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy, paying homage to the school’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) academies. Grant is also home to one of Fontana Unified’s two Code to the Future programs, which engages students in technology-based lessons and develops block coding, robotics and scripted coding skills.

“Over the last few years, Dorothy Grant Elementary has moved forward in providing opportunities for students to explore STEM fields, become proficient in coding through the Code to the Future program,” Dorothy Grant Principal Anne-Marie Cabrales said. “We wanted our school’s name to reflect this progress while still celebrating the legacy of Dorothy Grant.”

Southridge is now Southridge Tech Middle School, reflecting efforts to boost academic achievement through technology and celebrating the school’s status as a Microsoft Showcase School. Southridge Principal Dr. Roy Rogers said the name reflects not only how students and staff have embraced technology, but also alludes to technical education the school hopes to offer in the future.

“We want our school’s name to have longevity and be representative of the learning opportunities that are unique to Southridge,” Rogers said. “We are also focused on how to improve instruction with technology, introduce students to new platforms and become digital citizens ourselves.”

Each school formed a renaming committee of parents and staff members to conduct research and provide the Board of Education with suitable names. Both committees surveyed staff, parents, students and community members about proposed names.

“Fontana Unified continues to make great strides in providing exceptional learning opportunities that prepare students to thrive in college and an ever-changing job market,” FUSD Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “We are proud to honor the history of our schools while also celebrating their futures.”

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FUSD_NAMES: Dorothy Grant Elementary has been renamed Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy, reflecting the STEM-focused learning offered through the Code to the Future program. Southridge Middle School was renamed Southridge Tech Middle School.