Congratulations to Folsom Middle eight-grader Snehaa Ganesh Kumar, who finished third last week in the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee!

Snehaa made her second straight appearance in the national finals - last year she tied for fourth.  She told journalists that after last year's finish, she would rise at 5 a.m. each day to study, poring over word lists and dictionaries to prepare.

Some of the words she spelled correctly to reach the 16th round: "Anakim" (a Hebrew race of giants), "rafale" (multiple volleys fired from the same weapon), "porporate" (wearing purple) and "scyphate" (cup-shaped)

Read more in this Sacramento Bee article!

Camila Merlos, a fourth-grader at Theodore Judah Elementary, stood before the crowd of 150 people last month and proudly read a deeply personal, two-page essay she had written for class. 

And just four years prior to that moment, she had only known a few words of English.

Camila was one of 60 students who were honored at the annual Districtwide Writing Celebration, a celebration of young writers that encourages students of all ages to share their best work before a crowd of teachers, families, and students. Hundreds of pieces were submitted from schools throughout the District, and 13 of FCUSD's elementary, middle, and high schools were represented at the May event.

Camila's moving personal essay was one such honoree. In it, she told the story of her first year living in the United States, after her family moved from Mexico, when she copied her classmates because she didn't know how to say basic sentences. "The only two options that I saw were to play with kids that spoke Spanish, or play with kids that didn't speak Spanish and just nod my head and keep playing with them," she wrote.

By first grade, however, her confidence in speaking English grew as she learned from her classmates. In 2013, she earned a reclassification from English Learner to Fluent English Proficient - and has even begun taking Mandarin classes. "Learning a new language is a very interesting experience that can be facilitated by conversing, writing, reading, and also copying local idioms," Camila wrote.

MORE PHOTOS: Visit our Facebook page for photos of Camila and other student writers at this year's celebration!

Story and photos by Hla Elkhatib, FCUSD Communication Internship Program

Folsom High School students taking computer science classes just finished this year in a newly redesigned, 21st-century learning space some students are comparing to working at Google.

 
This year, students in Jean Cavanaugh's nontraditional classroom had the opportunity to use new laptops, flat screen interactive televisions, and other learning tools to encourage critical thinking, curiosity, innovation, and collaboration.

"The room feels so open and makes the environment more fun and exciting," said junior Rachel Elson. "I love walking into class every day!"

(TAKE THE TOUR: Click here for a 360-degree virtual experience inside the Folsom High classroom! )

Cavanaugh said the idea to redesign her room came from evaluating the needs of her existing computer lab. Teaching courses such as Exploring Computer Science and Game Design require collaboration and modern tools, she said.

In April 2015, Folsom High received a $100,000 state grant - money awarded to programs that provide students with advanced learning opportunities - to begin designing a new computer lab. With that grant Cavanaugh was able to purchase new desks, chairs, laptops, and flat screen interactive touch screen TVs.

The design of the room, she said, allows the students the opportunity for full immersion into the inquiry-based learning style of the course.  The new desks allow students to work together and gives the ample space for moving around.

"For the first time in 20 years, I have been able to get rid of the front of the room,'" she said.
"I love being able to teach from any part of my classroom and the movement and flow of the extra space around the desks allow me to get to the students quicker than in my old lab. Students feel like they are the focus of the room, not the teacher."

Dane Leinke was Cavanaugh's student for three years. Before the redesign, she said, "it was dull and boring; nothing special. Now, every day I step into her classroom, I feel like I'm a Google employee arriving for another day on the job."

Seven members of our school communities - teachers, educators, a student and community member - were honored last month as individuals who have gone above and beyond to help special education students succeed. All winners and nominees were recognized in the District's first-ever Excellence in Special Education Awards Ceremony, organized by the Special Education Community Advisory Committee and the District's Student Support Services office. 

This year's winners are:

• Linda Calhoun, special education teacher at Cordova Villa Elementary
• Andy Evans, vice principal at Sutter Middle School
• Debbie Greene, general education teacher at Folsom High School
• Julie Nervo, parent and community member, Cordova High School
• Julia Roberts, student at Folsom High School
• Lori Sims, administrative assistant at Folsom Lake High School
• Carmen Wille, school psychologist at White Rock Elementary School

VIDEO: Click here to learn more about each winner and why their nominators selected them from recognition!

Congratulations to Folsom High School students Sydney Hess and Ally Lowry, who were selected as a winner in the 50th Annual California Student Media Festival for the category Secondary - Science/Health.

  

The project the students submitted is titled: Creation of a Habit.  The video is about the ingredients that go into cigarettes and the dangers smoking causes.

  

California Student Media Festival is our nation's oldest student media festival.  The Festival exists to celebrate the amazing media and multimedia projects produced by California's students and teachers.

  

To watch the video, click here!

Mather Youth Academy is not only getting a new home next school year, but an inspirational new name and mascot to go with it.

The FCUSD Board of Education last month approved the name change of Mather Youth Academy (MYA) to Prospect Community Day School. In considering the name change, the school was inspired by a definition of "prospect" - "someone or something that is likely to succeed."

The new name comes with a new mascot as well: The Falcons, who "SOAR" - Strive, Overcome, Achieve, and are Resilient.

MYA is scheduled to relocate to the Kinney High School campus in Rancho Cordova in the 2016-17 school year. In recent years, MYA has evolved from a military-influenced community day school to a positive behavioral supports and restorative justice community day school, and the school sought to change its name to better reflect that transition.

Meet 17 year old Kitauna Glover. Kitauna was just a freshman at Cordova High when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) on Dec. 27, 2013. While in maintenance phase, she was then diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and is now battling for her life.

Kitauna needs your support now more than ever! Kitauna would much rather be back at school with her friends - especially her Color Guard Teammates (watch a video of a special tribute they held for Kitauna earlier this year!). She considers them her second family, and they keep her fighting!

Kitauna needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life, and like 70 percent of all patients, there is not a match in her family. Matches are based on ancestry and DNA. Kitauna needs a donor who is African American and Thai - just like her. 

How can you help Kitauna? Please consider joining the registry and encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. You could be the cure for her or one of the other 14,000 people who are searching for a marrow donor. Donors (18-44) never pay to donate marrow. All medical costs for the donation process are covered by the patient's medical insurance and Be The Match. You can give someone hope for a better tomorrow, today.

Join the Be The Match Registry today at http://Join.BeTheMatch.org/Fight4Kitauna . Complete the online questionnaire and Be The Match will send you a swab kit to your home. Easy as that!

Learn more: Click here for a flier with additional details.

Nearly two dozen students at Cordova High School finished their year on an additionally positive note as they were honored for never missing a day of school. Each of the 23 honorees received a pin for the their graduation robe - one pin for each year at Cordova with perfect attendance.

Some students were honored for multiple years of attendance streaks: Christopher Brownell and Grace Ramirez, each with four years of perfect attendance; Annie La with five years of perfect attendance; and Hyun "Alan" Choe, with six years of perfect attendance. These top attendance award winners each received an Apple iPad, with cover and keyboard, donated by Cordova Lancers, Leaders and Legends, a newly formed mentoring program for Cordova High Students.