Sequoia Middle School’s commitment to equity, excellence, and innovation led to it being designated as a National School to Watch by the National Forum Advancing Excellence in the Middle Grades. The recognition serves as a redesignation for Sequoia, which first received the honor in 2017, for the school’s dedication to helping all students belong, learn, and grow. Fontana Unified School District and Sequoia Middle School staff were presented with the accolade at the National Schools to Watch Conference in Washington, D.C. on June 20-22. As a National School to Watch, Sequoia will serve as a mentor and model for fellow middle schools. The National Forum, a nonprofit educators’ association, selects Schools to Watch each year based on key factors including strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to continuous improvement that is based on supporting the whole child through social, emotional, and academic growth.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) and the Fontana Water Company will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a recycled water project and dedication to making conservation a way of life. The conversion of six FUSD schools to recycled water estimates to save enough drinking water to supply more than 200 residences with water for one year.
All 46 Fontana Unified School District schools are gearing up for the start of the 2024-25 school year, with an especially historic day for Sierra Lakes Elementary School, which will celebrate the completion of a school renovation. Sierra Lakes Elementary or District representatives will be available for pre-arranged, on-camera interviews during the first day of school from 8 a.m. to noon on Monday, August 5. The three-phase project included the construction of a two-story building holding 15 new fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, a second-level outdoor classroom area overlooking the San Bernardino Mountains, and a new playground area for students. Sierra Lakes Elementary is located at 5740 Avenal Place, Fontana.
A.B. Miller High School students wowed judges with their original artwork, as five students earned top honors, including two Best of Show awards, at the 2024 San Bernardino County Fair (SBCF)’s highly competitive Youth Arts Competition. Evalena Carbajal and April Garcia won Best of Show awards in the SBCF’s Youth Arts poetry and Día De Los Muertos divisions, respectively. The competition was open to all San Bernardino County residents. A.B. Miller students took first and second in both divisions and swept the top three places in poetry, with Jasmine Mojica and Bella Rojas taking second and third place in poetry, while Adriana Sánchez took second in the Día De Los Muertos division. All five works resulted from projects A.B. Miller students worked on throughout the school year in Spanish teacher Dr. Sybil Acevedo’s class. Each year, Dr. Acevedo collects and submits the pieces to the SBCF – covering the cost of submission herself.
Fontana Unified School District’s work to increase student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism culminated in the District’s School Attendance Review Board (SARB) being recognized as one of California’s 23 model SARBs for 2024. FUSD posted a 94% attendance rate while dropping its chronic absenteeism rate from 30% to 20% for 2023-24. Throughout the year, the District hosts campaigns to help boost its attendance and also organizes its annual Perfect Attendance Spells Success event, which celebrates and rewards students for their exceptional attendance and academic achievements.
Virginia Primrose Elementary School Kitchen Operator Nailly Salib has been recognized for her dedication to fighting child hunger and commitment to supporting school meals, earning a 2024 Hunger Hero Award from the No Kid Hungry national campaign. City of Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and No Kid Hungry School Meals Access Manager Robin Hernandez presented the award, along with a certificate, a trophy, and goodie bags, to Salib during Primrose Elementary’s fifth-grade promotion ceremony. Warren honored Salib’s dedication to ending hunger with a speech during the event, which was also attended by Fontana Unified Superintendent Miki R. Inbody and Board of Education President Marcelino “Mars” Serna, on May 24. Every May, No Kid Hungry – a campaign of Share Our Strength, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger – celebrates school employees and programs that ensure every child has the nutrition they need to reach their full potential.
It is no secret where MaiKaley Orosco’s passion lies, as the Almeria Middle School student walks into class carrying a box stocked with a lab coat, microscope, and a binder filled with science experiments. With her sixth-grade year complete, Orosco has mapped out a 12-year plan to become a trauma physician. Orosco is already diligently working toward her goal and will be one of 32 middle school students across the country selected to attend the Joint Science and Technology Institute East summer program in Maryland, a one-week, fully-funded residential science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) research program for middle school students in July.
Fontana Unified School District’s Class of 2024 graduates marked their milestone achievement with a myriad of unique, dynamic celebrations, from business-like handshakes to fist pumps, selfies, and even dances, as they crossed the stage to accept their diplomas during their respective graduations. Over eight vibrant commencement ceremonies, FUSD honored more than 2,000 students in its Class of 2024 from seven high schools and one adult school from May 21 to 23. This year’s Fontana Unified class includes more than 580 high school seniors who will graduate with the California State Seal of Biliteracy for a high level of proficiency in bilingualism and biliteracy, marking a more than 200% increase for FUSD over the last two years.
Fontana Unified School District’s secondary school music programs demonstrated their prowess at the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Band & Orchestra Festival, with five school groups earning superior ratings for their talents. Twelve FUSD music ensembles across five schools earned honors at the SCSBOA Band & Orchestra Festival, which took place at Fontana High School, showcasing the exemplary programs that nurture musical talents across the region. Wayne Ruble Middle School’s orchestra secured a unanimous superior rating, while its band was also judged superior. Three Summit High groups – prep orchestra, prep orchestra, and concert band – were named superior, while Almeria Middle School’s orchestra secured superior status.
Fontana High School students in the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) career technical education (CTE) program handmade more than 100 posters and treated nurses at the Citrus Nursing Center to ice cream, photo opportunities, and a selection of ‘90s music, as they recognized National Nurses Week on May 13 and celebrated the hardworking healthcare professionals of the nursing center. It marked the end of a banner year for FOHI’s CNA program, which achieved outstanding testing pass rates, with a 97% pass rate for overall tests and a 100% pass rate for the skills testing.
