Bedecked in Titan white, blue and orange, Jurupa Hills High School senior Sophia Guevara brought her childhood dream to life with a flourish of a pen, signing her letter of intent for Cal State Fullerton as family cheered her on during a Nov. 11 ceremony. Guevara, who received a full athletic scholarship, will play catcher for the Titans softball team as she pursues a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.
Fontana Adult School to Provide Free Workshop for Computer Skills
Fontana Unified’s Fontana Adult School is offering District students and families a free five-session workshop on “Getting Started with Computers,” beginning Monday, Nov. 16. Attendees can choose from two sessions, 9 a.m. to noon, or 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Workshops will be offered in-person and cover topics such as using Microsoft Teams, using QR codes, PowerPoint presentations and the basics of Microsoft Excel. To register, call (909) 357-5490. Fontana Adult School is at 10755 Oleander Ave., Fontana.
over Fontana Unified’s Division of Teaching and Learning on Nov. 23. Fontana Unified’s Board of Education on Nov. 4 hired Dr. Monica Makiewicz to head the division as the new associate superintendent of teaching and learning. In her new role, Makiewicz will oversee the planning, organization and administration of curriculum development to ensure a comprehensive, articulated curriculum and instructional program.
Two Jurupa Hills High School student leaders have been named QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship finalists, putting them one step closer to being awarded a four-year full-ride scholarship to an elite university. John Nino Requieron and Jesus Rivera-Zamudio are among nearly 7,000 students across the United States chosen as finalists from a pool of over 18,000 QuestBridge applicants, who receive the scholarship when matched with a participating university.
Fontana Unified to Host Session on Social-emotional Support
Fontana Unified will discuss methods of providing social/emotional support to students during a Parent University virtual session from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17. FUSD’s Parent University aims to build capacity for parents and empower them as vital partners in the education process. Families may register for the virtual session on the Fontana Unified website.
Fontana Unified Teacher Selected As 2021 Teacher Ambassador
Mango Elementary School teacher Janet Nasir was selected as a 2021 Epic Master Teacher Ambassador, one of just 32 California educators to receive the honor. As an ambassador she will instill a love of reading and learning in students, share best practices and influence the future development of Epic – described as the world’s largest digital library for children – by providing their expertise and insight through surveys, interviews, and advisory groups.
Students Gain Experience via Micro-Internships
Six Summit High School students have sharpened their online technological marketing skills and learned what businesses are seeking in employees during micro-internships with manufacturing company Tekton Hospitality. Part of a pilot program, the micro-internships teach a few specific skills in a short time. Summit High senior Aaron Vera and juniors Yasmeen Abu-Awad, Mohamad Awad, Leilani Calzada Gonzalez, Harsh Patel and Steven Zaragoza engaged in 90-minute sessions on Zoom, learning how to take and edit job-site and product photos, create websites to highlight the products and promote the products via social media.
Fontana Unified Recognizes National Bullying Prevention Month
Fontana Unified School District is recognizing National Bullying Prevention Month in October, providing resources to help families and students identify, report and prevent bullying and cyberbullying. Students at Jurupa Hills High School also showed their support for the cause by wearing blue in support of World Day of Bullying Prevention, recognized on Oct. 5.
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.
