And just like that, a new school year begins

And just like that, summer vacation is over and the new school year is beginning for more than 22,000 students in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. The first day of school is Thursday, Aug. 7. To kick off the big day and school year, Superintendent Erik Swanson, along with other school officials and Rancho Cordova Mayor Siri Pulipati, will welcome families and students at Riverview STEM Academy, which has expanded to serve grades K-8, the first K-8 school in the district. Sixth-grade students are being welcomed for the 2025-26 school year, and seventh- and eighth-graders in school year 2026-27. The school, located at 10700 Ambassador Dr. in Rancho Cordova, is an example of how FCUSD is evolving to serve the growing community, according to Swanson. "Expanding this award-winning STEM magnet program to a K-8 school is an exciting step forward for Folsom Cordova Unified and our community," said Swanson. "We're building on a legacy of excellence to give students a world-class education right in their own neighborhood." While parents in the region spent the week doing the annual shopping for school supplies, FCUSD officials prepped behind the scenes, ensuring all campuses are ready for the onslaught of students. Recently, principals from around the district gathered to prepare for the upcoming school year to review instructional and operational updates, according to school officials. New teachers joining FCUSD this year also gathered recently at Vista del Lago High School to meet their peers and discuss the mission of the district, and were given an overall orientation. Meanwhile, maintenance and operations teams for FCUSD have been hard at work preparing the campuses. Crews have been busy with tasks such as power-washing walkways, preparing lawns, changing air filters and deep-cleaning classrooms. FCUSD serves 22,338 students across 37 schools with 4,355 staff members and teachers.