The bright lights of the theater are beckoning for 20 Fontana Unified elementary school students looking to sing and dance their way into the hearts of their classmates and community, as they prepare for their stage debut as cast members in “School of Rock,” a musical adaptation of the 2003 box office smash, to be held March 17 to 19 at the storied California Theater in San Bernardino. Canyon Crest and Dorothy Grant elementary school students have been rehearsing for weeks with A.B. Miller High School multimedia design and drama teacher Joseph Henson, who is serving as producer and director of the play. The students are being choreographed and coached by professionals and will perform alongside professional actors. In an exclusive arrangement, more than 1,200 of the District’s elementary school students will be able to see the show, made possible through a partnership between the career technical education (CTE) and visual and performing arts (VAPA) departments, which will pay for tickets and transportation to the event.
Fontana Unified Elementary Students to Appear in ‘School of Rock’
Students from Canyon Crest and Dorothy Grant elementary schools will make their professional stage debut when they appear in “School of Rock: The Musical,” to be held Friday, March 17 at 8 p.m.; Saturday March 18 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. at the California Theater of the Performing Arts. The students will sing and dance alongside professional actors and musicians as part of a collaboration between the District’s career technical education and visual and performing arts departments. The musical is directed by A.B. Miller High School multimedia design and drama teacher Joseph Henson. The California Theater is located at 562 W. 4th St., San Bernardino. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.
Fontana Unified High School Theater Troupe Sets Sail with ‘Moana’
Looking to draw on their success at the recent California Educational Theater Association High School Festival, the award-winning Jurupa Hills High School “Players of the Palace” theater group will set sail on a wondrous journey across the high seas during its spring production of the Disney musical “Moana JR.” Performances are set for Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday March 18 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and $15 and can be purchased online. Jurupa Hills High is located at 10700 Oleander Ave., Fontana.
Looking to draw on their success at the recent California Educational Theater Association (CETA) High School Festival, the award-winning Jurupa Hills High School Players of the Palace theater group is preparing to set sail on a wondrous and fraught journey across the high seas during their spring production of the musical, “Moana JR.,” to be staged in March. Based on the 2016 Disney animated classic “Moana,” the musical will highlight the full range of talents of the Players as they sing and dance their way through an epic journey of self-discovery and camaraderie, fresh off a production of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful World of Oz” that was named the No. 1 fall production at the CETA festival in January.
Recognizing a need to increase mental health awareness throughout the school district and community, Fontana Unified will begin a comprehensive mental health and wellness training initiative after being awarded a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services worth more than $400,000. The SAMSHA grant, which will be split over four years, will go to the District’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) department to fund specialized training in detecting the signs of mental illness so that District staff can respond in a timely manner to avert a mental health crisis. Training will also be provided to the community so that families can better identify early warning signs of mental illness. Fontana Unified is one of just two California school districts to receive a SAMSHA grant in 2022. The grant will be supplemented by a California Department of Education Antibias Education grant worth nearly $200,000. The grants further bolster the District commitment to mental wellness, which includes the hiring of three additional full-time District social emotional support specialists and seven mental health therapists in the last year.
Fontana Unified Teacher Honored for Commitment to Social Justice
Ashley Silva believes that providing students an opportunity to learn a second language will create a community empowered to fight for social justice and guide future generations. Inspired by the Hawaiian concept of ‘Ohana, the Dolores Huerta International Academy sixth-grade Spanish dual-language immersion teacher considers each student in her classroom to be part of her family. In Silva’s classrooms, students support and encourage each other, even in their most difficult moments, and grow as a family, sharing stories and building on personal connections. For providing these unforgettable learning moments, Silva received the fifth annual Alma Flor Ada Award for Social Justice during the Jornada Pedagógica Professional Development Conference on Feb. 4.
Dolores Huerta International Academy (DHIA) has earned the 2023 Seal of Excellence School Award from the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), celebrating its commitment to preparing students for college and careers through its popular dual-language immersion (DLI) program. DHIA is one of a few K-6 full DLI and International Baccalaureate authorized schools in the country. The Seal of Excellence is one of CABE’s highest awards and recognizes schools for their vision of biliteracy, multicultural competency and commitment toward educational equality for all. DHIA will be honored at the CABE 2023 Seal of Excellence Banquet on March 24.
Fontana Unified’s Citrus High Named Model Continuation School
Citrus High School has been named a 2023 Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education, recognizing its holistic approach to supporting student success and social-emotional wellness on the path to graduation. Citrus High is among just 37 continuation schools to receive the award this year, which were celebrated for providing exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services to “at-promise” students through an alternative educational program. This is Citrus High School’s first Model Continuation High School designation, which it will retain for three years.
Fontana Unified High School Theater Troupe Sets Sail with ‘Moana’
Looking to draw on their success at the recent California Educational Theater Association High School Festival, the award-winning Jurupa Hills High School Players of the Palace theater group will set sail on a wondrous journey across the high seas during its spring production of the Disney musical “Moana JR.” Performances are set for Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday March 18 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and $15 and can be purchased online. Jurupa Hills High is located at 10700 Oleander Ave., Fontana.
Fontana Unified School to Hold Black History Month Celebration
Southridge Tech Middle School will hold a Black History celebration for the community from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22. The event, held in honor of Black History Month, will feature cheer, dance, choir and Casa Del Tambor performances from Southridge Tech students, as well as poetry readings, arts and crafts, and food. Southridge Tech Middle School is located at 14500 Live Oak Ave., Fontana.
