Fullerton Joint Union High School Board: Meeting May 14

By Vivien Moreno on May 30, 2024

During the last meeting before graduation, the Trustees wished Sunny Hills High School senior Katie Sweeney well as she prepares to attend the University of Washington. They also thanked her for her leadership during the year. Additionally, they welcomed the incoming 2024/25 Student Board Member Noelle Lidyoff and new Vice Chair Oscar Deniz. The Student Advisory Council (SAC) brings together ASB representatives from all FJUHSD campuses to address issues such as updating the dress code and meeting mental health needs during the pandemic, as well as to plan districtwide community service activities. The SAC provides students with a platform to voice their ideas and concerns to district administrators and gain leadership experience.

Dual Language Program Update

Assistant Superintendent of Education and Assessment Services, Dr. Sylvia Kaufman, announced the expansion of the Dual Language Program (DLP) to Fullerton High School for the 2025/26 school year. The program starts with kindergarten enrollment at FJUHSD elementary feeder districts, including Fullerton School District, La Habra Elementary, Lowell School District, and soon Buena Park Elementary.

In the DLP, students learn all subjects with varying ratios of the primary language (English) and the second target language. For example, kindergarten children in the Spanish DLP receive 90% of instruction time in Spanish and 10% in English, with this ratio changing yearly so that by 4th grade, instruction is provided in a 50:50 ratio of the two languages. The DLP aims to develop students’ comprehension and use of two languages, and children in the program have shown significant academic progress, especially in the post-pandemic school years.

Dr. Kaufman reviewed the FJUHSD goals for the Sonora High School Spanish DLP. The curriculum includes daily classes to enhance language fluency, expand literacy, teach academic content in the target language, and provide cultural exposure. Students take AP Spanish, AP Spanish Literature, IB Spanish, and a World History course focused on Spanish-speaking countries, all taught in Spanish.

The Sonora High School program currently has 21 students. Over the next 5 years, hundreds of 8th graders from elementary school districts will join FJUHSD, with some participating in the SOHS and FUHS programs. In 2031, the Fullerton School District will send its first Korean DLP student cohort, who may choose to attend a new Korean DLP at Sunny Hills High School. Trustees Fawley and Klatzker were impressed with the high school DLP expansion, but Klatzker did not publicly follow up on her previous question about embedding the new ethnic studies class requirement in the curriculum.

Classified Employees 2024

Angelica Belmudez, Senior Records Clerk, BPHS
Mark Marshall, District Electrician, DSC
Melanie Garcia, Transportation Scheduler, DTC
Gilbert Calderon, Custodial & Grounds, EC
Benigna Rodriguez, Principal Secretary, FUHS
Lisa Tarnowski, Senior Records Clerk, LHHS
Jill Brand, Data Systems Technician, LSHS
Analizeth Gamboa, Senior Record Clerk, LVHS
Mary Parke, Instructional Aide, SHHS
Aaliya Morales, Senior Records Clerk, SHHS
Cherilyn Lodding, Senior Records Clerk, SOHS
Shannon Cogswell, Senior Records Clerk, TRHS District Employee of 2023/24

Teachers of the Year

Amanda Klaus, Dance, BPHS & District Teacher of 2023/24
Brooke Kerr, English, FUHS
Aaron Riekenberg, Special Education, LHHS & District Teacher of 2023/24
Bridget Reynolds, World History, LSHS • Joel Medina, English, LVHS
Lindsay Safe, English, SHHS
Joseph D’Amelia, History/Business Finance, SOHS
Marisa Sanders, Special Education, TRHS

Scholarships and Honors

FSTO President Angie Cencak announced the annual Fullerton Secondary Teachers Union’s (FSTO) Education Scholarships, which celebrate graduating seniors who are dedicated to majoring in education or fields adjacent to educating students. This year’s recipients’ goals range from mathematics and animal science to speech interventions and special education majors.