News, Announcements, & Success Stories
VIDEO: Beloved school bus driver leaving heart print on students for over four decades
Betty Summers, fondly known to many as Ms. Betty, just started her 44th year driving students to and from school for the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

The first day of school was like many for Ms. Betty over the years: She starts her day at 3:15 a.m., has breakfast, makes her lunch, then heads off to the transportation yard for her shift by 6 a.m. On her current route she transports students to Navigator Elementary and Mitchell Middle schools. You'll hear her often greeting students with a warm welcome - and telling them to make sure their seat belts are fastened.

Before Ms. Betty was a bus driver, she used to babysit for parents that worked in her neighborhood. What has kept her going all these years as a bus driver is that she truly enjoys working with children and driving a bus. She says she's great at double clutching, and the first bus she drove "purred like a kitty."

What Ms. Betty enjoys most about her job is being able to make a difference in the lives of children. Her goal every school year is to help shy children come out of their shells and to be the friendly face and person they connect with.

Hear Ms. Betty's words of wisdom first-hand in this video .
#FCUSDProud: Heroic brothers save lives in Rancho Cordova 
Two brothers, a graduate of Cordova High, and his brother, attending Kinney High, were honored for their heroic acts of bravery this month.  
 
Ulices and Moises Buenrostro didn't hesitate to rescue young children when their apartment caught on fire. Even as their own home was being consumed. 


Mayor Linda Budge recognized their bravery in a public address, and their Folsom Cordova family could not be prouder of these young men.  
 
Conrad Mayer, who runs a character-building and mentoring program at Cordova High, had this to say about the brothers: " Ulices often said, 'Mr. Mayer I'm not a leader I'm really not.' Seems to me he was and went right past leader to HERO!"
 
Cordova High School's Zandi Llanos shared this: " I taught Spanish to Ulices Buenrostro when he was in 8 th grade at Mitchell Middle School. As a fluent Spanish speaker in a beginning level course, he became a leader and was willing to help his peers in class. He was a good kid back then so I'm not surprised in his heroic effort now."
Welcome back to families from Superintendent Koligian!  
Dear Folsom Cordova families and community,

It has been so exciting to welcome all of you back to another successful school year! I can feel the enthusiasm and positive energy as I begin my visits to our schools. It is clear that many of our teachers and staff members are using this time to make meaningful connections with each other, with our families, and with our students. This relationship-building sets the tone for the student learning environment year-round, and I am proud to say we are off to a strong start.

Though our schools are now buzzing again with teachers, students, and families, much hard work and effort went into preparing for the school year behind the scenes. Our summer maintenance crew and technology team are unmatched in skill and dedication, and we are grateful for these unsung heroes who helped get our schools prepared and looking as sharp as our kids on the first day of school.

This year you might hear your principal talk about our District goals focused on what I am referring to as the ABCs: Attendance, Budget, and Culture. You might ask, "Why the ABCs?"

Click here to read Dr. Koligian's full message to our families and community members!
VIDEO: FCUSD Teacher of Year delivers speech at county gala
Folsom Cordova's Teacher of the Year, Kristy Guarienti was one of 14 educators honored on Aug. 24 at the 2019 Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Awards Banquet.

Guarienti, who teaches chemistry and honors chemistry at Folsom High School, brought unique props to the stage to demonstrate how she uses the power of storytelling to help connect students to complicated scientific concepts.

VIDEO: We streamed Guarienti's speech live on our Facebook page. Watch an archived video here !
Valued partners help kick off school year at Cordova Villa
Every year, the week before school starts, the staff at Cordova Villa invite families to campus and celebrate the new school year. Students get a chance to meet their teachers, and connect with friends, new and old.  
 
For the fourth year in a row, River City Church, just down the street, made sure every participant received a meal at this annual event. Over 500 hot dog meals, slices of melon, chips and drinks were served to the happy crowd. This year they are providing each and every student with a Cordova Villa school spirit t-shirt!

Throughout the year, River City stays in touch with the school to provide donations, volunteer help and respond to needs. They participate in the annual Spelling Bee, provide cupcakes after fifth grade testing, and supply all the seeds, soil and tools for the garden. On top of it all they coordinate a week-long staff appreciation breakfast, lunch and gift cards!

There are many ways the community can support students and staff. River City Church has been a strong partner in education and great example to others. We appreciate all they do!
SHARE YOUR PHOTOS! It's Cool 2B Kind Week in our schools 
The district's PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) theme for its annual Cool 2 Be Kind Week, Aug. 27-31 is "Color the World with Kindness."

Schools are participating in various character-building activities throughout the week promoting kindness on our school campuses.

If you'd like your acts of kindness photos to be included in a photo gallery on the district's Facebook page, tag us on social media @FolsomCordova and use the hashtag #TeamFCUSD. Or, you can send your photos to Multimedia Communication Specialist Kathy Escobar at kescobar@fcusd.org.
Community Readers needed! Help boost a student's reading skills
Would you like to help a young student become a better reader? Some of our students just need a little extra practice after school. Our award-winning Community Readers program matches volunteers in the community with a 1st or 2nd grader, struggling to read at grade level. Just twice a week, 30 minutes at a time for six weeks can make a big difference.Take a look at this video of volunteer experiences to see what it looks like.

Our program will begin the week of October 15 and the tutoring times are 2pm and 4pm. If you are interested, now is the time to become an FCUSD Volunteer and sign up for a Training Session  Questions? Please contact Community Engagement Specialist Angela Griffin Ankhelyi at agriffin@fcusd.org
In the News: Meet Zoe, Rancho Cordova PD's newest partner!
As students head back to school, the Rancho Cordova Police Department is introducing the newest member of the Youth Services Unit that supports Rancho Cordova schools: detection K9 Zoe!

Zoe is a 20-month-old German shorthaired pointer who is focused, driven, playful and friendly. Zoe is certified to California Peace Officer's Standards and Training, which followed a 120-hour training course from Top Dog Police Canine Training Center. She is trained to identify narcotics, firearms, ammunition and explosives to help keep our students and schools even safer.  

Watch the news clips, below, to hear from Cordova High's principal, student body president, and school resource officer!
Attendance Matters: Help your child succeed with these habits
Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student's academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school.  
 
Did you know:
  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with work, or dealing with some other serious difficulty.
  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of the three signs that a student may drop out of schools.
  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days of school every few weeks.
What families can do:
  • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other adults to learn more about what root causes might be factors.
  • Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
  • Stay on top of your child's social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
September is Attendance Awareness Month . Each week we'll highlight the importance of students arriving to school on time, every day, and provide tips for families and others to support student success!
In other news ...
                                
Family Engagement Forum: Tune in for tips

The Family Engagement Forum is an education collaboration in Sacramento that believes in encouraging relationships with families and schools to actively support their student's learning and development.

Premiering Tuesday, Sept. 4, tune in to Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium (SECC) Channel 15 every week for tips on how to help your student succeed.

Tuesdays: 7-8 p.m.
Thursdays: 7-8 a.m.
Saturdays: 9-10 a.m.
Sundays: 9-10 p.m.

Each week videos selected by the local districts containing vital information for families will air.

For more information visit:

https://www.secctv.org/family-engagement/

 
  
 
  
 
FCUSD is hiring: Find open positions here!
 
Here are some current employment openings with Folsom Cordova Unified School District:
 
 
Food Service Worker I (SMS)
Visit www.edjoin.org 
frequently for the most up-to-date postings throughout the year!  
 
 
Board of Education:  August 23, 2018
 
The FCUSD Board of Education held its regular meeting on Thursday, August 23, at 6 p.m. in the Education Services Center Board Room, 1965 Birkmont Drive in Rancho Cordova.
 
Agendas are posted online the Friday before each regularly scheduled meeting. 

Last week's agenda items include: 

Special Presentation
Installation of Student Board Member: Maira Medina, Cordova High School

Discussion/Action
  • Adopt Resolution 08-23-18-02: Approve Provisional Internship Permit (PIP) Request
All agendas can be found here.
Stay Connected
FCUSD Communication and Community Engagement Office
(916) 294-9000 ext. 104530