The Cordova High School auxiliary gym buzzed with activity Wednesday morning as community leaders, city officials, educational leaders, and students gathered in attendance for the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD) annual State of Our Schools event and breakfast.

Shortly after the doors opened, attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a student-served breakfast buffet while experiencing performances from the district’s various music programs. District officials took to the podium to enlighten the community on what’s been happening across the FCUSD abroad over the past year.

The program opened with Angela Griffin, FCUSD director of communications and community engagement, welcoming guests and recognizing the many dignitaries in attendance prior to opening ceremonies that included performances by the Cordova High School drumline, the Folsom High School Choir, and the presentation of the colors by the ROTC, led by Master Sergeant Erick Gardner prior to the pledge and the National Anthem performed by the Folsom High School Choir. This was followed up with a great rendition of “In Meeting We Are Blessed” by Troy D. Robertson and Christina Aguilera’s “Something’s Got a Hold of Me” by Shohini Chakraborty.

Following the musical showcases, Griffin opened up the presentation with a long list of acknowledgments for the many that took part in the event. Griffin proceeded to introduce the Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s Board of Directors, Executive Cabinet, along with Union leaders and district leadership before turning the microphone over to Board Vice President Jennifer Laret who welcomed all on behalf of the Board of Education.

“FCUSD is committed to providing excellence in educational programs that carry high expectations for each student’s success,” were words included in Laret’s presentation before Folsom Cordova Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Sarah Koligian stepped up to the podium to deliver her 2024 address.

“In collaboration with our community, the mission of FCUSD is to ensure all students demonstrate high levels of learning through our commitment to continuous cycles of improvement, transformative social-emotional learning, and engaging, culturally responsive instruction,” she continued.

For Koligian, Wednesday marked the final State of the Schools event she will lead as the long-time educational leader will be retiring at the end of the school year as the district seeks her replacement.

Koligian kicked off her address with an update on the demographics of FCUSD over the past year. She noted that the district most recently served a total of 20,986 students among its 37 different schools that operate with over 2,800 employees. She also noted that in the past school year 33.2% of students served were considered to be low income, 13.2% were English learners, 12.4% were students with disabilities, 0.1% were that of Foster youth while 2.8% of those enrolled were classified as being homeless in the past year.

Koligian went on to share the district’s “roadmap to success,” as she put it. She explained that the “roadmap” consists of empowering student growth and success first and foremost. Additionally, she noted that the district continues to partner with students, families, and the community, fosters a diverse, inclusive, and thriving work environment, and works to optimize systems and a culture of innovation.

Koligian praised the district’s many programs and facilities that make it unique in providing “educational opportunities for all students with a variety of schools and programs.” Awards received by the district most recently included being named among California’s Distinguished Schools and claiming honors from the California PBIS awards, boasting award-winning CTE students and programs, top-performing academic decathlon teams, and award-winning athletics where 35% of middle and high school students across the district participate in sports amongst its 114 high school level teams and 48 middle school teams that tallies up to more than 3,000 different athletes in a single school year.

The importance and success of the district’s visual and performing arts were also among the top talking points and presentation.

“FCUSD emphasizes the importance of visual and performing arts for every student, aiming to empower them with the belief in their ability to succeed,” she shared as she continued to explain that FCUSD continues its “commitment to the whole child, removing barriers to learning from the start to the finish and continues.” She noted that the district remains committed to equity and inclusion as well as safety, wellness.

Koligian praised FCUSD’s expanded learning that includes before and after-school engagement in several fashions before she focused on future goals and challenges the district is tackling. Among those on the horizon included the district’s search for a candidate to fill the soon-to-be-vacant Superintendent role as well as the future growth of the district which will be highlighted with the opening of Alder Creek Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year. Koligian noted as the district carries forth, that input, engagement, and support from those in the community are important.

As the presentation wrapped up, guests enjoyed a closing performance by the Mills Middle School Drumline as Koligian officially “signed off,” from her final State of the Schools address, recognizing the real reason everyone was there being, “the students.” She then thanked the Cordova High team and the FCUSD communications team for hosting the event and the entire community for its continued support of FCUSD’s students.

Dr. Koligian spent the last seven years of her 37-year career in public education serving Folsom Cordova schools, where she has supported over 21,000 students and nearly 2,700 employees across 36 schools. During her tenure, Folsom Cordova has opened two new schools, increased its educational offerings to include expanded Transitional Kindergarten, Extended Day Opportunities, Community Schools, and seen the growth of Career Technical Education programs and facilities.

Under Koligian’s years of guidance, FCUSD has continued to be one of the top-performing districts in the region with outstanding schools and programs that have won multiple awards. Her dedication to making sure every student has opportunities to achieve their full potential has made her a leader for educational equity and excellence, where she contributed to the “roadmap” she laid out in her final address on Wednesday.

Those who were unable to attend Wednesday’s event can view the video shared during the presentation below and can also learn more on the district’s website at/www.fcusd.org.