The Fontana Unified Board of Education selected longtime educator Juan M. López to serve as the District’s interim superintendent, effective Sept. 6, 2022, during the Aug. 10 Board meeting. Per the Board-approved contract, López will serve as the District’s top official through Jan. 13, 2023, providing leadership as the Board conducts a search for a permanent superintendent. He will succeed Dr. Monica Makiewicz, Fontana Unified’s associate superintendent of teaching and learning, who was appointed acting superintendent following the retirement of Randal Bassett.
Canyon Crest Elementary School fifth-grader Dominic Romanio’s track and field career is off to a strong start, after he helped his 10 East track club teammates sprint to a third-place finish in the 4x100 relays during the 2022 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, held July 31 in Sacramento. Racing against the top relay teams in the country – ages nine and 10 – Romanio took the anchor leg in the relay as the team completed one lap around the track in 54.93 seconds, narrowly edging the fourth-place finisher by .08 seconds and securing their place on the winner’s podium as bronze medalists.
Gordon H. Beatty Middle School’s new principal, Joaquin Valdez, lives to inspire his students – helping them turn turmoil into positivity and prepare themselves for college. Principal Valdez started his 17-year educational career as a counselor, encouraging students to think about their futures and careers. He has served as an academic counselor and a California High School Exit Exam counselor before becoming an assistant principal.
Dolores Huerta International Academy and Southridge Tech Middle School have been certified as International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools, officially authorizing their IB instructional offerings and signifying the completion of Fontana Unified School District’s K-12 IB Continuum. The continuum begins with the Primary Years Programme (PYP) at Dolores Huerta International Academy (DHIA), followed by the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at Southridge Tech Middle School and in grades nine and 10 at Jurupa Hills High School. The continuum culminates with the Diploma Programme, offered to juniors and seniors at Jurupa Hills High School.
The Río Hondo College Foundation will host a golf tournament to raise financial assistance for scholarships, programs, equipment and projects that meet the needs of the College’s diverse student population.
Longtime educator Jeselle Mata has been selected as Charles G. Emery Elementary School's new principal, bringing 17 years of educational experience to the role and eagerness to build connections and foster a culture of success for all students.
Principal Mata has taught various grade levels including in public and private schools for South Whittier School District, Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Mata said her daily inspiration lies in providing a brighter future for young students.
Hacienda La Puente Unified students were greeted by balloon arches and red carpets that led them toward teachers and staff during the first day of school on Aug. 3, which also included band performances, hand-painted banners across campus and dancing school mascots. This year, students will have expanded access to programs designed to inspire excellence and boost student achievement, like C-STEM and Transitional Kindergarten.
Banning Unified School District’s new and returning students made their way onto campuses adorned with welcome banners, photo backdrops and streamers on Aug. 4, where teachers, principals and staff greeted them with excitement for the 2022-23 school year. During the welcome festivities, teachers and administrators spoke to families about embracing this year’s theme, “The Time is Now,” which aims to increase support for students and staff and prioritize student success.
Fontana Unified School District welcomed students back to campuses filled with upbeat music, cheerful decorations and smiling faces on Aug. 3, ushering in a new school year focused on empowering students to achieve their full potential. A.B. Miller High School celebrated the first day of school bright and early with a Senior Sunrise event for the Class of 2023. ASB leaders, many wearing cowboy hats, handed out donuts and juice to seniors while a DJ played music. A.B. Miller senior Luis Sainz was one of the first to arrive on campus. Sainz, an ASB and Link Crew leader and a member of the A.B. Miller track and cross country teams, is eager to get the school year off to a good start.
When Summit High School Advanced Placement (AP) teacher Megan Perez graduated from Kaiser High School in 2008, she was certain that she had left Fontana Unified forever. While attending UCLA, Perez was determined to embark on a career as a lawyer, but the former valedictorian soon realized that her destiny was in the classroom and returned to teach history at Kaiser High in 2013. In the years since, Perez has inspired hundreds of Kaiser High students to achieve at the highest levels, with pass rates for the AP classes she teaches – AP Capstone, AP Human Geography, AP Government and AP Psychology – well above the average in California and globally. Kaiser graduates taught by Perez have gone on to attend a number of elite universities, including MIT, Stanford, Johns Hopkins and Yale.
