This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Palmetto Elementary School.  On December 15, former staff members and students joined students of today and their parents to take part in Palmetto's Holiday Homecoming Jubilee.

After welcoming the approximately 710 attendees (not counting Palmetto's 900 students), Principal Mercedes Walker and Assistant Principal Dr. Carole Lee (in photograph at left) introduced Sari Kustner who was principal at Palmetto from 2001 until her retirement in 2004, and retired second grade teacher Brenda Odell.  District administrators Oscar Duenas, Interim Superintendent, and Jason Angle, Director of Elementary Instruction, were also on hand to lend their support to the event. 

Students sang seasonal favorites, such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman," in enthusiastic performances in the cafeteria.  After the vocal music presentation, parents and students visited their classrooms, had photos taken with Santa, and viewed the art show in the library, where students also received a special gift of a grade-level book of their choice.

As one of Fontana's older elementary schools, many of the current students at Palmetto are the children and even grandchildren of Palmetto alumni.  When Ms. Walker asked the crowd of parents how many of them had been students at Palmetto themselves, dozens of hands shot up into the air.  As parents milled through the campus, many of them commented on how much - or how little - they thought the campus has changed over the years.  One thing they all seemed to agree upon is that Palmetto is still a Grrrreat school. 

.

---

Please address questions, comments, and suggestions regarding this web site to: webmaster@fusd.net