Erik Swanson, Superintendent, Folsom Cordova Unified School District

Three weeks into the 2026–27 school year, I can still feel the energy of our first day.

On August 6, I had the opportunity to visit several of our schools, and what I saw across FCUSD was pretty special. Across our 33 campuses, there were students excited to see their friends, teachers ready to welcome their classes, families taking those first-day pictures, and school teams working hard to make students feel like they belonged.

There were banners, balloons, music, pom-poms, mascots and plenty of high-fives. Was some of it a little over the top? Absolutely. And that’s exactly the point.

We want our students to know that we are excited to see them. We want them to feel welcomed, seen and connected. We want them to walk through our doors knowing that this is a place where people care about them and believe in what they can accomplish.

But the energy of the first day isn't the destination. It is the starting line.

The joy and connection we create are what allow us to do the harder work that follows. At FCUSD, we believe students deserve both: joy and rigor, care and high expectations, belonging and excellent instruction.

Three weeks in, classrooms across our district are settling into the real work of learning. Teachers are building relationships while establishing routines and expectations. Students are being challenged to think, create, problem-solve and grow. Our schools are using data to identify where students are thriving and where they need additional support. And our teams are already looking for those small improvements that, over time, create lasting impact.

That is what excellence looks like to me. It isn't simply having a great first day. It's taking the energy of that first day and turning it into great teaching, meaningful learning and better outcomes for students every day that follows.

And our students' education doesn't stop at the schoolhouse door. Families are our most important partners in this work. Whether it's helping with homework, encouraging a child through a challenge, attending a school event, volunteering, coaching, or simply asking a student about their day, those connections matter. So do the partnerships we have with businesses, community organizations, colleges and others who help expand opportunities for our students.

Our students will learn in classrooms, but they will also learn through Career Technical Education, the arts, athletics, robotics, field trips, clubs, internships and the many experiences that help them discover what they are capable of and where they can go next in order to chase their dreams.

None of this happens by accident. It takes 3,400 teammates working together across our schools and district office, along with families and community partners who believe in our students and invest in their success.

We have big work ahead this year. We will have challenges to solve, decisions to make and plenty of opportunities to get better. But that is part of what makes this work so rewarding. We get to come together as a community, keep learning, keep improving and keep raising the bar for our students.

If the energy I saw on August 6 is any indication, I like our chances.

The first day gave us the energy. Now comes the work.

And three weeks in, I couldn't be more excited about what we are going to accomplish together this year.