Fontana High School showcases AVID success to local educators

Nearly 50 local educators on Oct. 22 visited Fontana High School classrooms, met with administrators and learned from students about the school’s highly successful Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.

The showcase provided teachers, principals, superintendents and school board members with a look at the inner workings of an AVID National Demonstration School – a status Fontana High School has held since 2006.

“AVID boosts achievement by initiating and supporting all students in their efforts to become college and career ready,” Fontana High School AVID Coordinator Jo Sisk said. “AVID students make up more than a quarter of our students, and their work in academics and goal setting has helped to shift the culture of our entire campus in a positive way.”

AVID aims to narrow the achievement gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students and ensure more students enroll in four-year colleges and universities.

The showcase was held in response to a large number of requests to learn about Fontana High School’s AVID success. In addition to the meetings with administrators, visitors joined AVID students to tour elective classes and sit in on tutorials.

As an AVID National Demonstration School – a status held by less than 3 percent of AVID schools nationwide – Fontana High School serves as a model. Demonstration schools undergo a rigorous validation process and must be revalidated every few years to ensure high levels of implementation, as well as quality and fidelity to AVID strategies.

In addition to offering AVID electives, Fontana High School incorporates AVID principles into every class, including collaborative study groups, tutorials, self-assessments and focused notetaking techniques.