Fontana Unified School District celebrated its achievements in preparing students for success in life, all while showcasing the wide range of student talent during its first State of the District event in five years, held on April 24. Themed “Believing in Every Student: Fostering Future and Fueling Dreams,” the event highlighted FUSD’s work in four areas targeted for innovation and growth: academic excellence, safe and inclusive learning environments, community engagement, and financial stewardship. The presentation also provided a glimpse into the District’s promising future and unveiled a refreshed District logo.
Fontana High School ensured the legacy of Michael McGinnis, founder of the school’s Fire Technology Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway, will forever burn bright as it dedicated its campus fire station in his honor, officially naming it McGinnis Station 815 during an April 17 ceremony. Fontana High’s campus fire station is a hub of hands-on learning where students enrolled in the school’s Fire Technology and Emergency Services CTE pathways explore careers in firefighting or emergency medical industries. It is a living tribute to McGinnis, who died in 2021 and is remembered for how he inspired Fontana High students to pursue careers in public service.
Three budding Summit High School historians, senior Alyha “Gabe” Madrigal and freshmen Nayleen Pulver and Angel Garay, competed at the National History Day California State Finals at Sacramento State from April 19 to 21. Madrigal finished runner-up as a senior individual exhibitor for his project on the Manhattan Project, while Pulver and Garay took runner-up for their senior group exhibit on the Spanish Influenza. The trio advanced to the state competition after taking first place at the San Bernardino County History Day Regionals in March.
Jurupa Hills High School junior Adriana-Rene Humber will serve as Fontana Unified’s Board of Education student representative during the 2024-25 school year, a role she will leverage to continue her passion for community service. Humber aims to use her position to ensure every student is equipped for success in their educational journey while also promoting an inclusive environment throughout the District and community. Boasting a 3.9 GPA, Humber was selected from a pool of six finalists for the position during a special Board of Education meeting on April 16.
Fontana High School hosted a dedication ceremony on April 17 for its campus fire station, which is used by its Fire Technology and Emergency Services career technical education (CTE) program. The station was officially named McGinnis Station 815 in honor of the first director of FOHI’s Fire Technology program Michael McGinnis, who played an instrumental role in developing the pathway before he died in 2021. The Fontana Unified School District Board of Education approved renaming the station in October 2023 to honor the legacy of McGinnis, who is remembered for how he inspired Fontana High students to pursue careers in public service and strove to provide them with the best experience possible.
Fontana Unified Schools Join Solar Eclipse Watch Party
All 30 Fontana Unified School District elementary schools used the solar eclipse on April 8 as an opportunity to spark curiosity and a love for science among its students. Each District elementary school was provided with solar eclipse viewing kits, including safety-certified eclipse glasses, to ensure students safely observed the natural phenomenon. Teachers integrated the eclipse into their science curriculum throughout the day, turning this event into a hands-on learning experience. Students also took educational materials home with them, giving them a chance to discuss the significant astronomical event at home.
Fontana Unified Senior Surprised with $40,000 Amazon Scholarship
Fontana High School senior Lucia Otanez was surprised with a $40,000 Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship during the school’s Class of 2024 assembly on April 9. Otanez was one of thousands of applicants to be chosen for the scholarship, with Amazon set to award 400 students with scholarships this year. Otanez, who hopes to attend USC or UC Berkeley, has a paid internship offer at Amazon after her freshman year of college through the scholarship. This opportunity will allow eligible scholars to gain hands-on, practical work experience with mentorship from Amazon leaders.
Fontana High School’s highly acclaimed Fire Technology and Law Enforcement Public Service pathways were each awarded national certification from the Law and Public Safety Education Network (LAPSEN), representing the commitment to excellence and quality of both programs. Both of FOHI’s career technical education (CTE) Public Service pathways join a prestigious cohort of secondary and post-secondary schools across the country to be named a LAPSEN National Program of Excellence (NPE). A LAPSEN national certification signifies a program has reached the apex in terms of preparing students for careers in law enforcement, firefighting, emergency management, legal studies, and related fields. Fontana High’s Fire Technology and Law Enforcement CTE pathways are hands-on electives that prepare students for jobs in the public safety sector, with more than 170 students enrolled across both pathways. The pathways fulfill a student’s A-G requirements and are dual-enrollment programs that articulate with Chaffey College, allowing students to earn both high school and college credits and putting them on a fast track for industry certifications.
Fontana Unified School District will expand its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program to Jurupa Hills High School starting in the 2024-25 school year to complete a full K-12 DLI pathway and rigorous and enriching educational experience for District students. The DLI program, a cornerstone of academic excellence within the Fontana Unified School District, has garnered widespread acclaim for its commitment to bilingual education and fostering multicultural understanding. Through a comprehensive curriculum, students have the unique opportunity to become proficient in both English and Spanish, equipping them with invaluable linguistic skills and cultural competence.
Two Fontana Unified School District schools, Sequoia Middle and Fontana High, have been honored for their success in boosting student achievement and fostering college and career readiness. Fontana High and Sequoia Middle schools were both re-designated as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) National Demonstration Schools, retaining statuses held since 2016 and 2019 respectively, that reflect the site’s implementation of AVID instruction school-wide. Sequoia had even more reason to celebrate when it was also redesignated a 2024 California Middle School to Watch on March 8.
