On May 20, 2005, sixty-six students, staff and
volunteers from San Bernardino County school districts were honored at the
18th Annual Multilingual Recognition Program. Five of the
honorees recognized for their work to improve the educational opportunities
for English Learners were from the Fontana Unified School District.
“It’s a celebration of the excellent programs available to
English Learners,” said Martha Lilia Hall, multilingual coordinator for the San
Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. “It honors the individuals who
have made a difference and who have gone beyond the call of duty.”
The following FUSD representatives were recognized for their
contributions and achievements:
Ever Dominguez
Student at Fontana High School
Ever came to Fontana High School from Mexico in the 10th
grade. Overcoming cultural and language barriers, he worked hard to
accelerate his learning. Now in his senior year, Ever is an Advanced
Placement (AP) student and is
ranked at the top of his class with a straight "A" average.
Juan Carlos Marlia
Second Grade Teacher at Date
Elementary School
Mr. Marlia is dedicated to working with second language learners and their
families. He has served on the English Language Advisory Council and as a CBET teacher. Mr. Marlia keeps in close contact with Spanish-only speaking
parents at Date Elementary School, keeping them informed of school-wide events
and effective ways to help their children acquire English. As a second
language learner himself, Mr. Marlia is a role model for every second language
learner in his classroom.
Maria Ortiz
Community Volunteer at Fontana High
School
Mrs. Ortiz has seven children who have grown up in Fontana. She has been
a volunteer at both Sequoia Middle School and Fontana High School and was
instrumental in helping Fohi with its Western Association of Schools and
Colleges accreditation process. Many ELL parents call Mrs. Ortiz for advice
and information. She is an active member of the PTSA, volunteering countless
hours to coordinate staff appreciation and host events such as Community
Relations Day and PTA Recognition Dinner. As a bilingual parent, her input
has been invaluable and she recently volunteered to serve on the
Superintendent’s District English Language Advisory Committee.
Kristi Cayton
Outreach Consultant at Fontana High
School
Mrs. Cayton works with at-risk students, including ELL. She has been
instrumental in chairing the Coordination of Services Team (COST), which
oversees students submitted for Student Success Team interventions. Many of
these students are referred for English Language Development placement,
special education, or other services. When needed, Mrs. Cayton makes home
visits to ensure that students continue to be successful. She
serves the school and community as tireless volunteer.
Aida Guerrero
Bilingual Aide at Shadow Hills
Elementary School
Ms. Guerrero is dedicated to assisting ELL students acquire English skills
and keep up with their school work. Beyond the school day, she has worked
with students and parents, helping them understand their homework assignments
and assisting parents in learning how to assist their children succeed. This
year Ms. Guerrero implemented a parent education program to teach at-home literacy
skills to Spanish-speaking parents. For many of Shadow Hills’s ELL students, Ms. Guerrero is the main link that they have to the
culture they were born into and the one they are trying to understand and
become a part of.
