Fontana Unified Celebrates 25th Annual ‘Fontana Santas’ Toy Drive
Fontana Unified School District is celebrating 25 years of bringing holiday cheer to local families in need with the kickoff of the annual Fontana Santas Toy Drive. Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards can be dropped off at the Fontana School Police Department, 9680 Citrus Ave., Building 9, Fontana. The Fontana Santas Toy Drive will culminate with a drive-thru distribution event, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the District Office. There, families in need identified by school sites will enjoy the sights and sounds of cheerful holiday decorations, festively dressed volunteers and classic holiday music as they receive age-appropriate gifts.
Fontana Unified School District has named Dr. Kimberly Moyer, an accomplished leader dedicated to innovation in education, as the new principal of Palmetto Elementary School. Moyer has 15 years of experience in education and has served in a variety of positions in Fontana Unified in recent years. She brings with her a passion for rigorous instructional experiences, educational technology, wellness in schools, and college and career readiness at the elementary level.
Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) Raider teams and Drill teams delivered showstopping performances during the fifth annual Santiago High School Raiders and seventh annual Santiago Drill competition on Nov. 5, continuing the program’s successful streak as it seeks to capture a national championship. Fontana High School’s two Raider teams earned the first-place overall award, as well as first place for the circuit physical fitness challenge, first- and second-place trophies for the speed orienteering challenge, first place for the top female physical fitness event, first- and second-place awards for the litter carry challenge, and second place for the single rope bridge. The Drill team, consisting of 10 students, brought home first place for the Unarmed Regulation Drill and second place for the Unarmed Inspection.
Four Fontana Unified schools received donations and food gift cards from Northgate Gonzalez Market during a grand opening celebration and special VIP reception on Nov. 29. Harry Truman Middle School and Cypress and Randall Pepper elementary schools received $1,500 each. Fontana High School received $2,500 to put toward the FOHI choir and ballet folklórico programs, as well as $3,000 to support families in need and student scholarships. Cypress Elementary will invest the donation in student, staff and parent incentives; Randall Pepper will use the funds for Northgate Market gift cards for families to spend over the holidays and school year; Truman Middle also will use the funds for food gift cards to help students’ families enjoy the winter season.
A.B. Miller High School senior Damien Herrera has always had an interest in flying – one that turned into a passion through the school’s aviation career technical education (CTE) pathway. Now, Herrera will have the opportunity to turn that passion into a career, aided by a $10,000 scholarship from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Herrera, who was surprised with the scholarship on Nov. 11, is the second A.B. Miller aviation student to receive a scholarship this year. Fellow senior Nathan Aguilar also secured one in June 2022 from the EAA, a community of engaged aviation enthusiasts dedicated to growing participation in aviation.
Former A.B. Miller High School media teacher Leo Rivas was named a San Bernardino County 2023 Teacher of the Year, a fitting final tribute for the popular teacher who inspired scores of A.B. Miller students to develop a passion for TV and film production before leaving the District to work for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Rivas, who was previously recognized as the Fontana Unified 2021-22 Teacher of the Year, helped create a three-year media production pathway at A.B. Miller, teaching beginning and advanced concepts of TV and film production, giving students a chance to earn college credits, and paving the way for the acclaimed student-produced news program ABTV and the annual A.B. Miller Film Festival. He is one of four educators to be honored as a San Bernardino County Teacher of the Year.
Citrus Elementary School fifth-grade students held flags and banners aloft, waved blue and yellow pompoms and shouted “U-C-L-A, fight, fight, fight!” in honor of their adopted homeroom university during a college day rally designed to encourage Citrus students to plan their future in higher education. The monthly rallies are just one element of Citrus Elementary’s schoolwide College Bound initiative that includes instruction provided by the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) college-prep program. Every Citrus class, from kindergarten to grade six, employs AVID strategies that help students organize their tools, time and thought to spur student achievement and inspire students to think of college as their destiny.
A.B. Miller High School is seeking additional community input via survey and town hall meetings as it undergoes the process to rebrand its Rebel mascot image, asking the question “what mascot best represents A.B. Miller High School Rebels and its core values?” A rebranding committee composed of students, alumni, certificated and classified staff, administrators and parents gathered in late August to discuss the purpose, parameters and intended goal of the process, which aimed to gain consensus regarding whether the school should retain the Rebel name and change its mascot image, or change both the name and the image.
Fontana Unified School District educators have been honored by the UC Davis C-STEM Center for the fourth year in a row, recognizing the District’s excellence in implementing an innovative curriculum to close achievement gaps, boost social-emotional wellness and help students discover a love for mathematics. Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Monica Makiewicz was named a 2022 C-STEM Administrator of the Year during the center’s annual conference, held Oct. 21. Elementary school teachers Greg Bradshaw, Monica Reyes and Heather Williams were also named 2022 C-STEM Teachers of the Year for their excellence in supporting student achievement through C-STEM instruction. C-STEM is currently available at 23 FUSD elementary schools, five middle schools and one high school.
Twenty-seven students from Henry J. Kaiser and Fontana high schools have received the National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA) from the College Board, recognizing their academic achievement and strong performance on college-preparatory exams among underrepresented students. Each Fontana Unified student received the award – which can be included on college and scholarship applications to help them stand out in the admissions process – for placing in the top 10 percent of students taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or placing in the top 10 percent of Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores among California Hispanic students.
