Fontana Unified will welcome back more than 30,000 students for the first day of school, kicking off a landmark year that celebrates 70 years as a unified school district while honoring a legacy of education that began with the opening of its first elementary school in 1888.
Incoming Fontana Unified high school students are strengthening their English language skills and building a peer support system through the Summer Language Academy pilot program, designed to prepare English learners to participate in school socially and academically. Adapted from a culturally and linguistically responsive model developed by Anaheim Union High School District and in partnership with California State University, Fullerton, the four-week program is bringing together 85 ninth- through 12th-grade students, using their home languages and cultures as a foundation for learning English. Lessons center on building conversational skills needed for class, while counseling and community-building activities help develop their confidence and explore different pathways in high school and beyond.
From helping newcomer students navigate life in a new country to teaching middle schoolers how to manage stress, resolve conflict, and build confidence, counseling teams across Fontana Unified School District are supporting students in feeling connected to their school communities, earning them national recognition. Fontana High School and Harry S. Truman Middle School received the Recognized American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Model Program (RAMP) designation on July 13, honoring their counseling teams for implementing data-driven, comprehensive counseling programs that support the whole student.
Fontana Unified School District will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Oak Grove Preparatory Academy, providing a first look inside the District’s newest and most innovative secondary campus before the first cohort of students arrives this fall. Following the ceremony, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a guided tour highlighting the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) labs, robotics and fabrication spaces, media production studios, graphic design studio, collaborative learning areas, research hub, gymnasium, and outdoor learning spaces.
Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Miki R. Inbody has announced her retirement in December 2026, concluding a 35-year career in public education defined by student-centered leadership, expanded opportunities for students, and a lifelong commitment to the community that shaped her. A Fontana Unified alumna and first-generation college graduate, Inbody’s educational journey began as a Head Start student before attending Maple Elementary School, Alder Middle School, and graduating from Fontana High School. She continued her education at Chaffey College before transferring to California State University, San Bernardino, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, along with an administrative services credential.
At Palmetto Elementary School, student scholars cannot wait for Cardio Wednesday celebrations and the opportunity to do the cha-cha slide with their classmates and teachers. At Chaparral Academy of Technology (CHAT), neon LED lights and air hockey games fill the school’s new CHAT-cade game room. The dance parties and game room not only provide a break during the school day, they are also bringing students, faculty, and staff together, transforming the academic experience into a day of learning, connection, and fun.
Fontana High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) cadets stepped onto the national academic stage for the first time from June 12-16, joining the country’s top programs at the JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl (JLAB) National Championship in Washington, D.C. By the end of the competition, cadets Kimberley Flores, Rosario Negrete, Marcos Alvarenga, and Angel Rios had made school history, earning third place among Marine Corps JROTC academic teams and establishing Fontana High as one of the nation’s strongest programs.
More than 2,600 graduates crossed commencement stages during Fontana Unified School District's (FUSD) Class of 2026 graduation ceremonies, celebrating years of academic achievement and personal growth as they prepare to pursue futures in higher education, military service, careers, and skilled trades. Fontana Unified honored graduates from its five comprehensive high schools, continuation high school, and adult school from May 26-28 through ceremonies filled with reflections on family sacrifice, cultural pride, celebrations of first-generation achievement, and heartfelt farewells from fellow students.
O’Day Short Elementary School and Fontana Unified student Cyrus Moss were honored by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) on May 28 with its Community Remembrance Award, marking a milestone in the school community’s effort to preserve and share the legacy of the O’Day Short family. EJI Senior Attorney Jennifer Taylor presented the award during a recognition assembly, where she addressed students and staff, recognized Moss for his role in leading the school renaming effort, and donated books to the school library. The Community Remembrance Award recognizes efforts to memorialize a community’s history in support of developing a more just future.
Lynwood Unified School District’s music programs are reaching new heights, with both Lynwood and Marco Antonio Firebaugh high school bands earning “Superior” ratings at music festival events during the spring semester, a first-time achievement for both programs. The recent accolades shine a spotlight on the District’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) programs and the excitement created by two young and talented music directors who have arrived in Lynwood Unified with a goal of establishing elite programs.
