• Fontana Unified Senior Wins State Contest for Mental Health PSA
Summit High School senior Nicole Quinonez-Frias’ raw and emotional approach to highlighting cultural stigmas around depression and suicide, captured in a 60-second film, has earned statewide recognition as a category winner in the Directing Change Program and Film Contest. Quinonez-Frias’ film, titled “Our Story,” captured first place statewide in the Through the Lens of Culture – Suicide Prevention category, earning her a $1,000 prize. She is the first Summit High TV Production student to win an event in the competition. The Directing Change Program and Film Contest is part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement. The program offers students an opportunity to lend their perspective to the movement by creating PSAs about suicide prevention and mental health, which are used to support awareness, education and advocacy efforts. Quinonez-Frias plans to attend UC Riverside in the fall.
Fontana Unified Senior Earns President’s Award, Scholarship
A.B. Miller High School senior Claudia Villegas Rios has been named a Cal State San Bernardino President's Academic Excellence Scholars (PAES) award recipient, which recognizes students from San Bernardino County who graduate in the top 1% of their high school class. PAES award recipients receive funding to cover any tuition or fees not covered by state or federal financial aid, a supplemental award to cover first-year housing costs, and automatic admission to the University Honors Program.
Fontana Unified School District will provide high-speed internet access for its more than 36,000 students – at home and in their community – by creating the nation’s first Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) private network of its scale dedicated to education. The Board of Education on April 15 approved a five-year initiative, in partnership with Crown Castle Fiber LLC, to establish a private cellular network that students can access on District-issued devices.
Southridge Tech Middle School has been named a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), marking a milestone in the District’s efforts to establish an IB Continuum. As a candidate school – a status achieved ahead of the District’s schedule – Southridge Tech will begin to develop its MYP units of study and pursue authorization as an IB World School. MYP provides a rigorous, inquiry-led framework of learning that fosters creative and critical thinking.
Fontana Unified AVID Program Boasts 100% College Admission Rate
A.B. Miller High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program is celebrating a 100% admission rate to four-year universities for the 10th year in a row. AVID aims to narrow the achievement gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students and ensure more students enroll in four-year colleges and universities. Many of A.B. Miller’s AVID seniors will pursue degrees in STEM fields, including biology, chemistry, computer science, nursing and more.
Fontana Unified Senior Named Edison Scholar, Earns $40,000 Scholarship
Summit High School senior Michael Dugbartey has been named a 2020 Edison International Scholar, receiving a $40,000 scholarship toward his pursuit of a degree in computer science. Edison International awards $1.2 million annually to seniors who are pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields at four-year universities. Dugbartey is among 30 high school students across Southern California selected this year. Photos are available.
Fontana Unified to Offer Wireless Access to All Students
Fontana Unified School District will guarantee internet access for its more than 36,000 students – at home or wherever they may be – by creating the nation’s first school-operated private network through the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). The Board of Education on April 15 approved a five-year initiative, in partnership with Crown Castle Fiber LLC, to establish a private cellular network that students can access on District-issued devices. The network is part of a long-term District plan to ensure access to instructional materials and close the achievement gap.
Fontana Unified High School Engages Students in Virtual Open Mic
A.B. Miller High School’s library is challenging students to flex their creativity during a virtual Rebel Open Mic, to be held all day Friday, April 24. Students are encouraged to share their family-friendly talent – whether it be in the form of music, poetry, jokes or dance – by tweeting videos to @ABMRebelLibrary and tagging them #RebelOpenMic.
Fontana Unified to Hold Dual Language Enrollment Lottery on Facebook
Fontana Unified School District will hold lotteries for 2020-21 kindergarten enrollment in its Spanish Dual Language Immersion program – available at Dolores Huerta International Academy (DHIA) and Redwood Elementary – via Facebook Live on Friday, April 24. DHIA will hold its lottery at 3 p.m.; Redwood Elementary will follow at 4 p.m. Parents can tune into the lotteries on the District’s Facebook page or view the videos on the District website in the evening.
Amid school closures and concerns over COVID-19, Fontana Unified is tackling the challenge of keeping students well-fed through its “Grab and Go” meal distribution program, which provides breakfast and lunch meals for children ages 18 and under. Meal distribution began on March 16; each weekday, Food Services staff and District employees prepare and deliver meals curbside to families at 10 FUSD schools. To date, the District has served up to 8,600 meals on a single day.
