Longtime educator Nicasio “Nick" Salerno has been selected as Fontana Unified’s interim associate superintendent of teaching and learning, bringing 38 years of public education experience to the role. Salerno was selected by Fontana Unified’s Board of Education during a special meeting on Sept. 30. He has spent much of his education career serving high school students in El Monte, working as a teacher, coach, counselor and mentor teacher before stepping into administration as an assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.
When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted school closures in March, Fontana Unified’s Food Services department, led by director Trieste Huey, immediately sprang into action, establishing a food distribution network that has served nearly six million free meals and provided a crucial lifeline of nourishment and support to the Fontana community. Huey’s leadership skills, organizational acumen and ability to gather resources and bring diverse District departments together as a team has been recognized by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), which has bestowed Huey with its 2020 Spotlight on Excellence Award.
Fontana High School senior Fatima Kamara will serve as Fontana Unified’s 2020-21 Board of Education student representative. Since arriving from Sierra Leone three years ago, Kamara has embraced Fontana Unified’s learning opportunities and extracurriculars, maintaining a strong GPA and earning multiple Jerry Dison Awards, Student of the Month and Most Outstanding AVID Student. She has served as the student representative to Fontana High’s School Site Council, highlighting the academic and social needs of her peers; worked to establish a wellness center and meditation garden as part of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team; and served as a peer mentor in Link Crew, helping incoming freshmen transition smoothly into high school. Kamara is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation, a 2019 junior honor attendant, and a regular volunteer at the Lewis Library and Technology Center.
Jowah Scott enrolled in Kathy Binks Elementary School as a third grader with a big goal: to learn how to read, despite not having attended school consistently and not knowing his letters and sounds. Scott, now a fourth grader, has grown from not knowing how to read to confidently reading at his grade level. For his perseverance and dedication to learning, Scott has been selected as one of 15 students in the country to receive 2020 180 Student Awards from learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The 180 Student Awards celebrate students who have overcome challenges to achieve remarkable reading and math gains.
Sequoia Middle School has been designated a 2020-21 U.S. Showcase Incubator School by Microsoft, recognizing its commitment to developing robust, technology-driven instructional practices and supporting student success. As a Showcase Incubator School, Sequoia Middle School is on the path to becoming a Microsoft Showcase School, a designation given to an exclusive global community of schools dedicated to pursuing innovative technologies for bolstering student achievement.
Fontana Unified Launches 2020-21 Year with Online Learning
Fontana Unified School District launched the 2020-21 year on Aug. 24, providing students with rich educational opportunities through state-mandated online distance learning. The District prepared students and families for online instruction by distributing laptops to students from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade, offering tech trainings to help parents navigate digital learning tools, and launched online resources to address frequently asked questions and provide tech support.
A.B. Miller High School Spanish teacher Dr. Sybil Acevedo’s teaching career began as a junior in high school when she founded the Culver City High Spanish Club to tutor fellow students, one of several public service projects Acevedo initiated before attending college. More than 30 years later, Acevedo’s leadership and passion for education is being recognized by Assemblymember Eloise Reyes, who has selected Acevedo as a finalist for the 2020-21 District 47 Woman of the Year.
Fontana Unified’s ‘Every Day Counts’ Campaign Prepares Families for 2020-21
Fontana Unified families and students will begin the 2020-21 year on Monday, Aug. 24 equipped with helpful tips and resources from the District, thanks to its 10-day Every Day Counts campaign. The campaign highlighted a different topic on preparing for the school year each day, delivered through videos posted on the District website and social media pages. Topics included digital citizenship, taking care of one’s physical and mental health, setting up a home education space for distance learning, and more.
Fontana Unified School Lauded for Financial Aid Application Completion Rates
For the second consecutive year, Jurupa Hills High School has been recognized by the California Department of Education’s Student Aid Commission Race to Submit campaign as one of the top 24 schools in the state with the highest financial aid application completion rates. According to the 2020-21 Race to Submit Dashboard, Jurupa Hills scored a completion rate of 90.41%, with 424 of 469 students in the Class of 2020 completing either a FAFSA or California Dream Act application and submitting a GPA verification form. Additionally, more than half of Jurupa Hills grads have been awarded a Cal Grant.
For the second consecutive year, Jurupa Hills High School has been recognized by the California Department of Education’s Student Aid Commission Race to Submit campaign as one of the top 24 schools in the state with the highest financial aid application completion rates. According to the 2020-21 Race to Submit Dashboard, Jurupa Hills scored a completion rate of 90.41%, with 424 of 469 Class of 2020 graduates completing either a FAFSA or California Dream Act application and submitting a GPA verification form. Additionally, more than half of Jurupa Hills High School graduates have been awarded a Cal Grant.
