Live Oak Elementary School teacher Michelle Vazquez discovered her calling for teaching and advocacy at a young age, growing up in a family that ran a foster home for adults with special needs. Vazquez credits her childhood for teaching her the importance of dignity, patience, and creating spaces where everyone feels valued. It’s a lesson the Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teacher has carried with her throughout her 16-plus years in education. That dedication helped lead to her recognition as Live Oak Elementary and Fontana Unified School District’s (FUSD) 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, as well as one of the 2026 San Bernardino Countywide Teachers of the Year. With the county recognition, Vazquez is now a finalist for the 2026 California Department of Education Teacher of the Year award.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) will strengthen and broaden academic and support services for its continuation high school students as it merges its two Model Continuation High Schools, Citrus and Eric Birch, beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Both continuation schools will consolidate under the name Eric Birch High School, relocating to the former Citrus High site at 10760 Cypress Ave., and adopting the Citrus Jaguars mascot. The FUSD Board of Education approved the merger and an estimated $150,000 cost associated with renaming the Citrus campus to Eric Birch High School during its June 18 meeting. Fontana Unified’s continuation school instruction has been recognized by the California Department of Education (CDE) for its comprehensive excellence. Both Citrus and Eric Birch earned Model Continuation School designations from the CDE for their innovative approach to alternative education, with Citrus earning the three-year status in 2023 and Eric Birch securing recognition in 2024, which extends into the 2025-26 school year.
Fontana Unified will host a renaming ceremony as Randall Pepper Elementary School officially transitions to O’Day Short Elementary in the 2025-26 school year, honoring the O’Day Short Family, which is remembered for breaking Fontana’s color barrier 80 years ago. District middle school student Cyrus Moss championed the renaming of O’Day Short Elementary. Moss submitted a petition with 132 signatures to rename Randall Pepper Elementary to the Fontana Unified Board of Education in March 2024. The Board unanimously voted to rename the school in September 2024 after all administrative regulations were met.
Fontana Adult School will hold free English as a Second Language (ESL) and citizenship classes from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 6. Classes will be held at Eric Birch High School, 7930 Locust Ave., Fontana. Call 909-357-5310 to learn more.
Fontana Unified’s Alder Middle School will hold free nutrition classes from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 29, providing families with tools to learn healthy recipes and plan budget-friendly meals. The classes, provided by the University of California Cooperative Extension, will be at the school’s parent center, 7555 Alder Ave., Fontana. Call 909-357-5330, ext. 30237 to register or learn more.
Fontana Unified School District will hold free Parent University workshops from 9 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, highlighting strategies for promoting health and wellness for the entire family. The workshops will be at the John D. Piazza Educational Center, 9680 Citrus Ave., Fontana. Childcare services for children ages 3 to 11 will be available, as well as translation services. Call 909-357-7600, ext. 29409 to register or learn more.