Category: Education

The Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) has achieved top marks in the 2023-2024 California Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (CA PBIS) program, with Rialto High School and Rialto Middle School earning Platinum recognition, exemplifying the district’s broader success of 24 school sites and a service area that received CA PBIS honors. The recognition by CA PBIS marks a significant achievement in the district’s commitment to fostering supportive educational environments. The schools recognized include: Platinum Level: Rialto High School, Rialto Middle School Gold Level: Casey Elementary School, Curtis Elementary Literacy Academy, Dunn Elementary School, Garcia Elementary School, Henry Elementary VAPA School, Hughbanks Elementary School, Kelley Elementary School, Kordyak Elementary School, Morris Elementary Environmental Literacy Academy, Jehue Middle School, Kucera Middle School Silver Level: Early Education, Dollahan Elementary School, Morgan Elementary School, Myers Elementary School, Simpson Elementary School, Trapp Elementary School, Kolb Middle School, Carter High School, Eisenhower High School, Milor High School Bronze Level: Fitzgerald Elementary School, Preston Elementary School PBIS is supported by the California Department of Education and is designed to encourage positive behavior in students through proactive strategies, such as recognition and rewards

Fontana Unified School District voted to rename Randall Pepper Elementary School to O’Day Short Elementary – shining a light on a dark moment in Fontana’s history while affirming the District’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – during its Board of Education meeting on Sept. 4. Southridge Tech Middle School seventh grader Cyrus Moss first set the wheels in motion for the name change when he presented the Fontana Unified Board with a petition signed by 132 members of the community at its March 13 meeting. In accordance with administrative regulations, FUSD was unable to act on the petition until its Sept. 4 meeting. Fontana Unified’s Board used a traditional roll-call vote to commemorate the historic moment for the O’Day Short family, which is remembered for breaking Fontana’s color barrier in 1945. The name change will officially take effect for the 2025-26 school year. All four members of the African-American family: father O’Day, wife Helen, and children Carol Ann and Barry Short died after their house burst into flames on Dec. 16, 1945. Randall Pepper Elementary was then built on the same site in 1950.

A living legend recently visited Rialto, leaving a lasting impact through her wisdom and experiences. Dr. Joyce Ladner, President Emeritus of Howard University and a distinguished member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), delivered a powerful message during a community event hosted by Dakira Williams. The gathering focused on promoting literacy through oral history and primary source artifacts. “I wanted to share with parents, community members, and students, including my two young girls, the importance of inclusion and history as it pertains to us,” Williams said. The event drew a diverse crowd eager to engage with history in a meaningful way. The highlight was Dr. Ladner’s lecture, where she shared her personal experiences as a young advocate during the 1963 March on Washington. Her firsthand account offered attendees an intimate glimpse into one of the most pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement, as depicted in the recent film “Rustin.” The film, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, tells the true story of Bayard Rustin, a key organizer of the