FUSD Newsletter

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Board Members

Laura Abernathy-Mancha President

Kathleen (Kathy) Binks Clerk

Julie A. Ramos Alternate Clerk

Larry J. Clark

Fontana Unified School District

9680 Citrus Avenue Fontana, California 92335

Superintendent’s Message Four Schools Exit PI Status High Schools Get New Start Date Construction Update School Wins Award Superintendent Smith Honored Sierra Lakes Receives an 829 API

F

Board Member

Henry (Gus) Hawthorn Board Member

FUSD

Inside This Issue

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit 102 Fontana, CA

Four Elementary Schools Have Exited Program Improvement

On October 17, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, toured Maple Elementary School to honor the staff, parents, and students for making it out of Program Improvement (PI).

“While this is a visit that takes place at Maple, it should be noted that it also honors all the Fontana Unified School District schools that are diligently and consistently closing that gap and creating bright futures for all our students,” explained Superintendent Jane Smith.

Three other elementary schools – Oleander, Ted J. Porter and Primrose – exited the PI designation this school year, making FUSD the district in San Bernardino County with the greatest number of schools exiting PI status. “These Fontana schools had previously been performing inadequately on some indicators, but they have now shown dramatic improvement,” said Mrs. Smith.

“We are thrilled with how well these schools have done.”

FUSD

Fontana Unified School District

ontana Unified School District Dear Parents and Community Members,

June, 2008

Issue No.1

The 2007-2008 school year has been a banner year for Fontana Unified School District. Our students have shown great accomplishments in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in special activities. Here are just a few of the great things happening in Fontana: • Sierra Lakes Elementary School became the first Fontana school to achieve an API over 800. With an API of 829, this school is meeting California’s tough academic standards.

• Virginia Primrose Elementary School has been named a “Title I Achieving School” with over 70 points growth in their API – 800 is not far away!

• Oleander Elementary School was a runner-up for that title; it means that these schools are closing the achievement gap.

• Maple Elementary School’s achievement over the last two years has been so high, it is no longer a state-monitored school. Now our only problem is scheduling all the folks from out of town who come here to see how they did it!

• Kaiser High School’s football team took the Sunkist League championship, and their Academic Decathlon Team ranked fifth among high schools all over San Bernardino County, and already boasts a student accepted to Yale University next year. Kaiser is becoming the home of scholars and champions.

• The district opened two new elementary schools: Kathy Binks and Beech Avenue.

This list is only a partial one – there are many amazing stories to tell about our schools and our students. We know that these stories are ours to tell because of the parents and the incredible community support that we have.

The 2008-2009 school year will bring the construction of our fifth high school and many new milestones. And although it will also be a year of deep cuts to the budget, you have our word that the achievement of our students is always our first priority.

Jane D. Smith, Superintendent

School of Language Development Wins Golden Bell Award

Under the direction of Cristina Nievas, the School of Language Development recently won a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and was honored at the CSBA 28th Annual Golden Bell Awards program in December.

The School of Language Development provides services to students in grades 8-12 who are new to the United States and beginning to learn English. In this school, they are “immersed” in English and benefit from low student-to-teacher ratios, tutoring, and special curriculum designed to meet their unique needs.

Each year, the CSBA Golden Bell Awards promote excellence in education by recognizing exemplary and unique programs in districts throughout California. “Our school leaders are making a difference every day in the lives of our students, and the recipients of this award have demonstrated exactly that,” said CSBA President Dr. Kathy Kinley.

The Sound of Education Construction Update - New Schools and Modernization Program

The Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) presently has about 43,000 students, and is continuing to grow. In order to serve the expanding student population, the District acknowledges it must also grow and is finding ways to meet this challenge head-on.

High Schools Start School in August 2008 Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, all Fontana Unified high school students will begin classes on August 11, 2008, three weeks earlier than usual.

In addition, the calendar changes for the high schools mean that Thanksgiving break will last one full week, and winter break will continue one week longer, starting on December 22 and continuing through January 9.

The school year will end on June 1, and graduation will be scheduled for the week of June 9, 2009.

The change was initiated by some District personnel and parents who had expressed an interest in aligning school calendars so that parents who have children in multiple grade levels could have time off together.

Two new elementary schools opened this school year. Kathy Binks Elementary School, located on Baseline Avenue, opened its doors to students in July and Beech Avenue Elementary School, located at Randall and Beech Avenues in western Fontana, opened in November.

FUSD will build even more in the years to come with plans to add six more elementary schools as well as a middle school and a high school.

Fortunately, last June voters in the FUSD approved Measure C, a $275 million general obligation bond from the state of California designed to help districts build new schools and modernize or repair existing schools.

“The district owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the voters for passing the bond,” said Superintendent Jane Smith. “After years of constant concern about how to accommodate growth, it is gratifying to be able to make our dreams come a step closer to reality.”

A Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee was formed to closely watch how the Bond funds are spent, and early in 2008, the Committee released a report to the Board of Education.

Using the first issuance of the Bond, FUSD has spent nearly $56 million to buy property, add libraries and cafeterias to the two new elementary schools, renovate the football stadium at A.B. Miller High School, and build a new football stadium at Kaiser High School.

The School of Language Development is clearly making an impact in the Fontana community. Over the years, this program has achieved great successes with its students.

For example, the school successfully prepared two students to pass the California High School Exit Exam, both English and math tests, and helped 28 to pass the math portion.

Out of more than 200 applications from different school districts, Fontana Unified was one of only 60 to receive the prestigious CSBA Golden Bell Award.

Superintendent Mrs. Smith Honored for Service to FUSD

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Superintendent Jane Smith has received the Association of California School Administrator (ACSA), Region 12, Marcus Foster Memorial Award.

ACSA established the Marcus Foster Memorial Award to honor educators who are skilled managers of change, are willing to take risks to improve educational opportunities, and work tirelessly on behalf of children. Superintendent Smith embodies each of these characteristics.

Mrs. Smith has served the FUSD and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools for the past 25 years. She adheres to a stringent code of ethics and has established herself as a leader who “does the right thing” and who holds herself to the same high standards she holds her colleagues.

Mrs. Smith has brought stability, compassion, and direction to the District. Mrs. Smith is particularly adept at supporting school administrators and encouraging school success, and her leadership has revitalized the District. In fact, under her leadership and direction, five of the District’s schools are currently exiting program improvement.

Clearly, Mrs. Smith is a tremendous advocate for the children in our community, and her dedication to improving the educational opportunities for them is evidenced in all areas of her leadership and management of the school district.

FUSD, using Measure C funds, also plans to modernize a number of existing schools including Cypress, Live Oak Maple, Oleander, and Primrose Elementary Schools, and Fontana Middle School.

Other construction and modernization projects that will be funded by Measure C are the repairing and upgrading of plumbing and air conditioning at various school sites; projects to increase school accessibility for handicapped students; construction and equipping of swimming pools at A.B. Miller and Kaiser High Schools; installation of security systems at schools; conversion of Jurupa Hills to an adult school.

To view all of the FUSD construction and modernization projects, and to monitor their progress, please visit www.fusd.net.

Hats Off to the Future

Sierra Lakes Elementary Receives an 829 API

In September, only a few weeks after students returned to school for 2007-2008 school year, the California state test scores were released to the public, and Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) was given some exciting news. For the first time in the District’s history, one of its schools, Sierra Lakes Elementary, met and exceeded the State goal of an 800 Academic Performance Index (API) with an API of 829.

Principal Andrea Credille and the Sierra Lakes Elementary faculty, staff, students, and parents are all credited with earning this mark of excellence in academic achievement and for reaching this milestone for the District.

“We have another eight to ten schools that are within striking distance, but Sierra Lakes was the first and it marks a significant milestone for FUSD,” said Superintendent Jane Smith. “Today, 60 percent of our schools have an API over 700. We are confident that soon there will be company for Sierra Lakes in the ranks of 800 schools, but we applaud them for setting the bar higher for the whole district.”