Folsom Cordova Unified School District

Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD) is a school district headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California. It covers the cities of Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and most of Mather. There are 36 separate schools, including adult education and independent study programs. There are four high schools, four middle schools, twenty-one elementary schools, and five alternative schools.[2]

Folsom Cordova Unified School
Address
1965 Birkmont Drive
Rancho Cordova
, California, 95742
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesK–12[1]
Established1949
SuperintendentErik Swanson
Schools36
NCES District ID0613890 [1]
Students and staff
Students20,096 (2020–2021)[1]
Teachers911.19 (FTE)[1]
Staff1,000.47 (FTE)[1]
Student–teacher ratio22.05:1[1]
Other information
Websitewww.fcusd.org

History

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The Folsom Cordova Unified School District was created in 1949 when the Folsom Union High School District joined with the Granite Grammar School District. The new School District was called the Folsom Cordova Joint School District and there were a total of 767 students enrolled at only two school sites which were Granite Elementary School at 909 Mormon Street and Folsom High School at 715 Riley Street in Folsom. In June 1967 the school district was renamed the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. Kitty Hawk and Mather Heights School were located on Mather Air Force Base until that facility closed down in 1993. The after-school Student Care Program started in 1986. The Adolescent Parent Program began in 1985. The school district office was located at 125 East Bidwell Street from 1963 to 2012. (Today that property is the location of an apartment complex.)

The Folsom Cordova Unified School District tried year-round education beginning with the opening of Folsom Hills Elementary School in 1991. Folsom Hills was placed on a single track 60/20 schedule for the 1991–92 school year. All the students and staff were at school for sixty days and then off track for twenty days. Starting in the 1992–93 school year, Carl Sundahl, Folsom Hills and Oak Chan Elementary Schools went on a three-track year-round schedule. Folsom Middle School also began a year-round schedule that same school year however it was a four-track schedule meaning there were students and staff present nearly every day of the year at the middle school. Folsom High never utilized the year-round schedule nor did any schools in Rancho Cordova. By 1998, all schools in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District had reverted to the traditional school schedule and year-round education came to an end.

From 1939 to 1984 the Folsom Union High School District and then the Folsom Cordova Unified School District operated a school at Represa inside Folsom State Prison. The school taught academic and vocational subjects to the prisoners. Numerous high school diplomas were awarded at the prison school. The Federal Government took over control of that school in 1984.

Superintendents

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# Service Name Years (approx.) Ref.
1 1949 - 1965 W.E. Mitchell 16
2 1965 - 1978 Howard C. Wood 13
3 1978 - 1987 Dr. James Loughridge 9
4 1987 - 1990 David Benson 3
5 1990 - 1993 Virgil Jenson 3
6 1993 - 1996 Dr. Caroline Gonzales 3
7 1997 - 1999 Dr. Joe Spaulding 2
8 1999 - June 30, 2005 Norman Siefkin 6 [3]
9 July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2010 Patrick Godwin 5 [4][5]
10 July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2017 Deborah Bettencourt 7 [6][7]
11 July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2024 Dr. Sarah Koligian 7 [8]
12 July 1, 2024 - Present Erik Swanson <1 [9]

Enrollment

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Year Enrollment
1949 767
1958 3,732
1968 11,822
1978 10,549
1982 9,915
1994 12,500
2000 16,357
2020 20,096[1]

Schools

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High schools

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Middle schools

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  • Folsom Middle School (Opened in 1968)
  • Mills Middle School (Opened in 1958)
  • Sutter Middle School (Opened in 2000; former Folsom High location)
  • W.E. Mitchell Middle School (Opened in 1965)

Elementary schools

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  • Alder Creek Elementary School (Opened in 2024)
  • Blanche Sprentz Elementary School (Opened in 1966)
  • Carl H. Sundahl Elementary School (Opened in 1987)
  • Cordova Gardens Elementary School (Opened in 1959)
  • Cordova Meadows Elementary School (Opened in 1966)
  • Cordova Villa Elementary School (Opened in 1964)
  • Empire Oaks Elementary School (Opened 2001)
  • Folsom Hills Elementary School (Opened in 1991)
  • Gold Ridge Elementary School (Opened in 1998)
  • Mather Heights Elementary School (Opened in 1953)
  • Mangini Ranch Elementary School (Opened in 2021)
  • Natoma Station Elementary School (Opened in 1995)
  • Navigator Elementary School (Opened in 2006)
  • Oak Chan Elementary School (Opened in 1989)
  • Peter J. Shields Elementary School (Opened in 1962)
  • Rancho Cordova Elementary School (Opened in 1956)
  • Riverview STEM Academy (Opened in 2014)
  • Russell Ranch Elementary School (Opened in 2007)
  • Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School (Opened in 2003)
  • Theodore Judah Elementary School (Opened in 1951)
  • White Rock Elementary School (Opened in 1961)
  • Williamson Elementary School (Opened in 1963)

Alternative schools

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  • Community Education Center, Adult Education and Adolescent Parent Program
  • Cordova Lane Center, Preschool/Family Programs
  • Folsom Cordova Community Charter School, Kitty Hawk Campus
  • Innovations Academy, K-12 Online
  • Walnutwood High School, an online independent study school

Closed Or Repurposed Facilities

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  • Cordova Lane Elementary School (Opened in 1960, school closed in 2010 and transformed to Cordova Lane Center)
  • Folsom Lake High School at 955 Riley Street in Folsom (Opened in 2000, school relocated in 2020 to Folsom High Campus and buildings on Riley Street removed in 2021)
  • Granite School at 909 Mormon Street in Folsom (Opened in 1915, closed in 1966, transformed to an administration building and property sold in 2021)
  • Kitty Hawk Elementary School (Opened in 1962, school closed in 1989 and transformed to Folsom Cordova Community Charter School)
  • Riverview Elementary School (Opened in 1965, school closed in 2010 and transformed into Riverview STEM Academy)
  • Transportation/Warehouse Building at 701 Bidwell Street, Folsom (Constructed 1946 and property sold in 2015)
  • Walnutwood Elementary School (Opened in 1965, school closed in 1989 and transformed to Community Education Center)

School Board

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The School Board went from "at-large" elections to "by district" elections in 2020.

District Years Name Terms
1 2022 - Kara Lofthouse 1
5 2022 - Jennifer Laret 1
2 2020 - Tim Hooey 1
1 2018 - 2022 Joshua Hoover 1
3 2018 - David Reid 2
4 2016 - Chris Clark 2
N/A 2014 - 2018 Sarah Aquino 1
N/A 2010 - 2018 Zak Ford 2
2 2008 - 2020 Joanne Reinking 3
N/A 2004 - 2008 Mary McCormick 1
N/A 2002 - 2014 Richard Shaw 3
5 2002 - 2022 Ed Short 5
N/A 1998 - 2002 Jim McGowan 1
N/A 1998 - 2006 Sara Myers 2
N/A 1996 - 2004; 2006 - 2010 Roger Benton 3
N/A 1996 - 2016 Teresa Stanley 5

Notable teachers

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  • Pete Chilcutt, former NBA basketball player; sixth-grade math and science teacher at Folsom Middle School.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Folsom-Cordova Unified". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  2. ^ "School Directory Search Results (CA Dept of Education)". www.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
  3. ^ "Search is on for Siefkin's replacement".
  4. ^ "New superintendent returning to his roots".
  5. ^ "School district transition under way".
  6. ^ "School district transition under way".
  7. ^ https://www.fcusd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&PageID=1&ViewID=6446ee88-d30c-497e-9316-3f8874b3e108&FlexDataID=79181 [bare URL]
  8. ^ https://www.fcusd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&PageID=1&ViewID=6446ee88-d30c-497e-9316-3f8874b3e108&FlexDataID=83706 [bare URL]
  9. ^ "New Folsom Cordova Unified superintendent rises from pool of 36 candidates".
  10. ^ Kingston, Gary. "Hunting down Grizzlies, 10 years later". www.vancouversun.com. Archived from the original on 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

4. "The History Of The Folsom Cordova Unified School District" by David Mitchell 2020

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