Fresno Unified School District kicks off new school year

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Unified welcomed back students for the first day of class Monday.

The district serves more than 70,000 students - making it the third-largest school district in the state.

From the elementary to the high school level, students stepped foot on campus -- greeted with welcome banners and smiles from staff.

The district understands the morning sets the tone for the rest of the school day, which includes getting in a healthy meal before the learning begins.

Free breakfast is available at all campuses.

"They need to be focused. They need to be fueled. So we have those on our campuses, and even the younger siblings who are coming to school with their older siblings for drop-off, they can come on in and have a free breakfast with them that's nutritious and healthy," said Nikki Henry, FUSD Chief Communications Officer.

While inside the classroom, district leaders said parents can feel at ease knowing there are several safety enhancements this year. They include new security cameras, crosswalks and an executive safety director.

"We've invested in a safety specialist for every single region. All of our elementary schools, which we've never done before, now have campus safety assistants," said Misty Her, FUSD Deputy Superintendent. "We've also been working with our police department, so all of our middle and high schools have SROs on their campus now."

This school year also brings more opportunities for students, specifically 9th graders. Fresno Unified is participating in Fresno State's Bulldog Bound program, which guarantees college admission to high school freshmen -- as long as they maintain a C-average.

"What an amazing thing to create a college-going culture for the Valley and to have every single one of our 9th graders know that it's a very real possibility for them to go to college," Superintendent Bob Nelson said.

Fresno Unified is also focused on parent engagement.

At Ayer Elementary in southeast Fresno, Principal Lauren Trzeciak said visibility is key throughout the school year.

"These are our babies," she said. "So it's making sure that parents know you, that they've seen you, that you had a conversation with them. Communication is honestly the biggest thing. So making sure that they know how they can reach you, how you can reach them."

Parents are encouraged to download the Parent Square app - which is where they'll find district, school and classroom updates.

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