Fortuna Elementary School District

Superintendent’s Report

December 2024

Curriculum and Instruction:

Teachers met with families the week of November 18th-22nd to review students’ academic progress for the first trimester.  Overall, the attendance at these conferences was between 92%-95% district-wide.  

For the 2024-2025 school year, our District is required to provide Expanded Learning Opportunities for 30 non-school days throughout the year.  We offered 20 days from July 8, 2024-August 2, 2024.  We offered 3 days from November 25th-27th, 2024.  We are planning to offer the additional 7 days on the following dates: 

February 19th-21st, 2025

April 15th-18th, 2025

The sign-ups for the ELOP days were sent home in early October and were due by October 23rd for us to staff the program.  The upcoming program dates will be held at Walker Elementary, and transportation will be provided through contracted services with Fortuna High School.  The program will run daily from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., with meals and snacks provided.  

Budget:

As referenced on the December FESD Board Agenda, the 2024-25 First Interim Report is ready for review and approval. The second and third-year projections are our “best guess” because they are assumptions based on the information that we currently have.  At this point, our District can meet the financial obligations for this fiscal year and the two subsequent fiscal years, resulting in a positive certification.  

The projected COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for 2025-26 is 2.46%.  We will have more information regarding next year’s budget after Governor Newsom releases his Budget Proposal on January 10, 2025.  

Construction and Maintenance:

We held construction walk-throughs for the two upcoming bond projects (TTMS Administration Building Remodel & Fencing and FMS Canopies & Fencing) on Monday, November 25th.  Pierson Company attended the walk-through for Toddy Thomas.  Pierson Company and Sequoia Construction attended the walk-through for Fortuna Middle.  The next step is to wait for sealed proposals due December 10th and then interviews (if necessary), scheduled for December 16th. 

Miscellaneous:

The new phone systems are being installed at Ambrosini and Toddy Thomas this month.  The emergency alert system is also being installed at all sites this month.  Our administrative and office staff began some of the training on the system on December 3rd, with additional training happening in early January.  

The Cardboard Challenge held at Toddy Thomas on December 4th was awesome!  The 5th & 6th-grade students spent a few weeks engineering arcade games constructed mainly from cardboard.  They hosted a night of fun for families to come and enjoy playing the games created by the students.  The idea behind the Cardboard Challenge comes from Caine’s Arcade.

Caine's Arcade is an 11-minute short documentary film directed by Nirvan Mullick, released on April 9, 2012. The film documents a cardboard arcade created by then 9-year-old Caine Monroy, operated from his father's auto parts store in East Los Angeles in mid-2011. Mullick encountered the arcade by chance while purchasing a door handle for his car. After becoming Caine's first customer by purchasing a $2 Fun Pass, Mullick decided to create a documentary highlighting Caine's work and dedication to his arcade.

Following its upload to YouTube, the short film quickly gained popularity and went viral. In response, numerous individuals contributed to a college fund established by Mullick for Caine. The film's success also led to the creation of similar cardboard arcades in schools worldwide and inspired the formation of the Imagination Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on fostering creativity and entrepreneurship in young people globally.

Thank you to all the staff who put in the extra time to make the Cardboard Challenge happen!

Once again, I would like to thank our staff and students for handling the earthquake and its aftermath calmly, with safety always being the number one priority.  Thank you to our families for their patience, understanding, and for following our schools’ protocols during natural disaster/emergency situations.  I am very proud of how our District came together and ensured the safety of everyone involved.   

Ambrosini School will host their Winter Concert at the River Lodge on December 11th, Walker Elementary will host their Winter Concert at the River Lodge on December 12th, Toddy Thomas will host their Winter Concert in their gymnasium on December 18th, and Fortuna Middle School will host a Winter Formal for students in their gymnasium on December 19th.

Our District’s break is scheduled for December 23, 2024-January 3, 2025.  We will return to school on Monday, January 6, 2025.  I hope everyone has a wonderful winter break!

Respectfully Submitted,

Amy Betts