A.B. Miller High School Class of 2001 graduate Lourdes Alcaraz was so intent on learning photography that she would spend hours after school in the darkroom perfecting her images. Known to family and friends as “Lulu,” the skills Alcaraz acquired at A.B. Miller led to a successful career as a professional photographer, specializing in weddings and portraiture. Alcaraz was just hitting her stride as a professional when she was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2011. Family and friends gathered at A.B. Miller High’s fine arts building to pay tribute to her, dedicating a mural in Alcaraz’s honor on April 30.
Fontana Unified STEM students showcased their talent for innovation and creativity at the 39th annual San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties (SIM) Science and Engineering Fair, earning two gold medals, three silver medals, and garnering several special area awards. Alder Middle School eighth-grader Barbara Gonzalez Lagunas and Almeria Middle School eighth-grader Alejandra Delgado were awarded gold medals in the Junior Division during the March regional fair and advanced to the California Science Fair, held April 13. Kaiser High School students Jose Centeno, Amitoj Lobana and Frida Monreal were awarded silver medals in the Senior Division during the regional fair.
Fontana Unified School District has been designated as a 2021 Model School Attendance Review Board (SARB) in California, honoring the District’s efforts to reach disengaged students during the COVID-19 pandemic and connect families with resources and support. Fontana Unified is among 20 Model SARB Award winners this year, which include 19 school districts and one county office of education, and is the only SARB in San Bernardino County recognized this year.
Almeria Middle School Principal Kim Bente will retire at the end of the 2020-21 year after 25 years of service in the District, all at the same campus. Felix Jones will serve as Almeria Middle School’s principal in 2021-22, bringing nearly 20 years of education experience to the role. Bente came to Almeria Middle School in 1995 and has worked there ever since, serving as a seventh- and eighth-grade math and science teacher, then as assistant principal and principal. Jones, a Fontana Unified alumnus and resident, began his education career in 2002, working as a special education teacher and then as a math intervention teacher in the District. He returned to Fontana Unified in 2018 as the assistant principal of instruction at Henry J. Kaiser High School.
Summit High School senior Emilio Ovando and A.B. Miller High School junior Jazmin Gonzalez both see the world through an artistic lens, allowing them to express themselves in creative ways. Their talent was recently recognized at the Young Artists’ Gallery, where both students received first place in the film and animation and drawing categories, respectively. The Young Artists’ Gallery is a juried exhibition for visual arts students in middle and high school that allows them to exercise their creativity and explore the expression of ideas through various mediums. Ovando and Gonzalez were honored by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre during an awards ceremony in March.
Nearly 70 Fontana High School seniors have earned acceptances to UC Riverside, an achievement supported by the school’s robust academic support programs and a campus-wide effort to bolster college and career readiness. UC Riverside honored the admitted students in a FOHI-exclusive live virtual event on April 14, where students had the opportunity to connect with current UC Riverside students and an admissions counselor, ask questions and receive guidance as they weigh their college options. Fontana High School fosters a strong college-going culture through its robust Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and an annual College Application Day; this year, FOHI seniors submitted more than 2,100 college applications.
Fontana Unified students in transitional kindergarten through second grade were greeted by cheerful signs, lively music and friendly faces as they returned to campus for their first days of in-person instruction on April 5. Instruction is offered in a hybrid model with three cohorts of students; Cohorts A and B receive a blend of in-person and online instruction, while students in Cohort C remain in full distance learning. TK-2 student cohorts were welcomed back to campus on April 5 and 8; grades three to five will return on Monday, April 12 and Thursday, April 15. The District’s return to in-person instruction for elementary students was supported by comprehensive health and safety measures, including weekly testing, partnerships to provide COVID-19 vaccines and advanced cleaning technologies. Photos are available.
Fontana High School seniors Victor Campos, Karen Hurtado-Mendez, Phillip Olguin and Kimberly Sandoval have been named 2021 Dell Scholars by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an honor that comes with $20,000 scholarships to support their dreams of higher education. All four honorees are high-achieving scholars, with plans to attend four-year universities – such as UC Irvine, UCLA and University of La Verne – and pursue careers that support community betterment. As Dell Scholars, Campos, Hurtado-Mendez, Olguin and Sandoval will receive their scholarships over four years, as well as a laptop and textbook credits.
Fontana Unified Begins Return to In-Person Elementary Instruction April 5
Fontana Unified School District will initiate a phased return to in-person instruction for elementary school students, welcoming transitional kindergarteners through second-grade students back to campus on Monday, April 5 and grades three to five on Monday, April 12. Under the Board of Education-approved modified hybrid instructional model, each class will be split into three cohorts: Cohort A will receive in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays and Cohort B will engage in distance learning; Cohort B will receive in-person instruction on Thursdays and Fridays and Cohort A will participate in distance learning; and students in Cohort C will remain in full distance learning. Wednesdays will be dedicated to wellness and attendance checks, as well as teacher/administrator-directed time. Deep cleaning and sanitation would also take place on Wednesdays
Canyon Crest Elementary School fifth-grader Noah Walker wanted to do more to help families facing hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initiating a community fundraiser, Walker raised approximately $650 and used it to purchase a variety of gift cards – including McDonalds, Target, and other food-related cards – for selected Canyon Crest families. The gift cards were distributed from March 29 to April 2, providing families in need with additional support.
