San Diego Unified School District Newsfeed

IN THE NEWS: Students Uplifted by Citizenship Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:09:00 +0000

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Gerda Weissmann Klein watched Friday as the dreams of 50 people were made real during a citizenship ceremony at San Diego High School. Friday’s event took place at the downtown San Diego campus because teacher Arlene Harris uses civics and citizenship curriculum created by the nonprofit group Citizenship Counts, which Weissmann Klein founded. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune»

Whitman Elementary PTA Wins $1,000 National PTA Grant

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Whitman Elementary’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was one of 45 PTAs nationwide to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the 2012 PTA Take Your Family to School Week Grant Program. The grant is meant to enable PTAs to implement programs that engage families in the school community.

Whitman was awarded the grant in December and its PTA plans to use it for activities centered around the school's Family Science Week Feb. 13-16. Families and friends are welcome to join Whitman in these fun-filled and informative activities:

Monday, February 13, 2012: UCSD Jacob’s School of Engineering

Come learn about the basic concepts of Engineering from one of Whitman’s Partners.
Two assemblies: Grades 4-6: 1:20 p.m. – 2:20 p.m., Grades K-3: 2:25 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.

Monday, February 13, 2012: Family Science Night, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Reuben H Fleet, Whitman’s Partner, will be presenting concepts of science and offer hands-on experiments sure to delight children.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012: Career Day

In-school event where parents and community members will visit classrooms to speak about their careers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012: Read to Your Student Day

Parents and caregivers are welcome to read to their student’s classroom.

Thursday, February 16, 2012: Robotics Day

Students from the James Madison High School involved in the Robotics Club will be invited to partner with classrooms to explore and build robotics using Kinetic Robotics.

Each year, "Take Your Family to School Week" is celebrated as a way to honor PTA’s legacy of building family-school partnerships. This year, the celebration runs February 12–18, 2012.

PTA "Take Your Family to School Week" is sponsored by the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable. The AXA Foundation is a Proud National Sponsor of PTA. The AXA Foundation provides more than $1.3 million a year in scholarships to make college a reality for students across the country.

For more information, contact Laura Schumacher with the San Diego Unified Council of PTAs at 619-297-7821 or www.sdcouncilpta.org.

IN THE NEWS: Cluster Association launches initiatives for better education

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

About 85 elementary school educators in La Jolla came together on Jan. 18 at La Jolla Elementary School to learn new strategies for teaching mathematics, at a training supported by the La Jolla Cluster Association (LJCA). The gathering marked the first time that different public schools in La Jolla brought their teachers together for professional development. The principals of La Jolla, Bird Rock and Torrey Pines Elementary Schools organized the event. San Diego Unified School District math experts showed a video and led grade-level group discussions. Read more from the La Jolla Light»

United Nations Conference Preparations Under Way

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Human rights, food security, the use of child-soldiers and nuclear disarmament are being researched as students at several schools prepare for May's Regional Junior Model United Nations Conference.
Schools involved include Grant K-8 School; Lewis,Wangenheim and Mann middle schools; and Scripps Ranch and Patrick Henry High schools.

An academic simulation of the United Nations, Junior Model United Nations educates participants about civics, current events, effective communication, globalization and multilateral diplomacy. Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems.

The two-day conference, schedule for May 30-31 at the University of San Diego, encourages study of United Nations principals of democratic life, such as respect for the rule of law, civil discourse, the peaceful competition of ideas, and consensus-building and consensus-conversion through international governing institutions.

If you or your school is interested in participating in the San Diego Regional Model United Nations Conference, please contact Anne Anthony at aanthony@sandi.net or visit our website at http://www.sandi.net/Page/2738.

All Schools Fair Set for Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:06:00 +0000

Back by popular demand, the Fourth Annual Enrollment Options/Magnet All Schools Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Recital Hall in Balboa Park (next to The Puppet Theater). More than 1,500 families attended last year's event.

The free event highlights schools and student performances from throughout San Diego Unified. Families across the county can learn first-hand about the many educational opportunities available to students, including those whose parents work but do not live within the district’s attendance boundaries.

Information about district-run schools, including neighborhood, magnet and International Baccalaureate, as well as other innovative programs will be in one place. Representatives from the enrollment office will be available to answer questions.

For more information, visit the All Schools Fair webpage.

Read story from San Diego Union-Tribune»

Cubberley Elementary Students Treated to Harp Concert

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Cubberley Elementary students were treated recently with a 45-minute harp concert by Sarah Davis, courtesy of the Musical Merit Foundation of Greater San Diego's "Close Encounters" program.

Davis played songs from several genres, including current tunes such as Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” Students also learned about the history of the harp and how it works. Davis is completing her last year at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music on full scholarship.

The Musical Merit Foundation of San Diego helps discover, encourage and present young music students of exceptional talent. The Foundation raises funds to provide scholarships to those students who show exceptional musical talent and who pass preliminary and final auditions and evidence exceptional talent. The Close Encounters program enables schoolchildren of all ages to hear a young artist in an intimate setting at no cost to the school.

For additional information, contact Principal Rosemary Cruz at rcruz1@sandi.net or (858) 496-8075. For more information on Close Encounters and the Musical Merit Foundation, visit the website http://www.musicalmerit.org/

Dancers from SCPA headed to National High School Dance Festival

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Dancers from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts will be performing under the direction of internationally-known choreographers and in front of an international audience in March at the prestigious National High School Dance Festival.

Scheduled for March 9-11 at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, 25 dancers from SCPA have been selected to perform two dances:

Excerpts from the Disinherited will be choreographed by Tony Award winner and SCPA friend Donald McKayle. McKayle returns to SCPA this year to teach students his politically revealing dance, House of Tears, which will be performed April 19-28 at SCPA.
Echoes of Ailey, choreographed by Christopher Huggins, a former dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and the Aterbaletto of Reggio Emilia in Italy.

SCPA dancers performed Excerpts and Echoes of Ailey during the school's 2011 annual dance concert.

The four-day festival will welcome 1,500 students in grades 9-12 from around the world representing their high school. The festival also offers a full day of scholarship auditions, as well as more than 200 master classes including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, musical theater and salsa.

For more information on SCPA, contact Mitzi Lizarraga, principal, at (619) 470-0555.

IN THE NEWS: Farmers brings “Blessings in a Backpack” to Miller Elementary

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

“Blessings in a Backpack” is a new program designed to feed elementary school children whose families qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program and may not have any or enough food on the weekends. The backpacks will be delivered to Doris Miller Elementary school on the morning of Friday, January 28. Kate Rose and other PGA TOUR wives will lead the delivery of the backpacks to the school. Read more from Farmers Insurance»

Junior Achievement Crown Goes to Clairemont

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Clairemont High’s Academy of Business Technology won the fourth annual Junior Achievement Titans of Industry Challenge, managing a virtual corporation better than the other 17 high schools in the competition.

The competition placed grade 10-11 high school students in the seat of a chief executive officer of a virtual corporation for a day, required to wrestle with sales, profit margins and market share in a high-tech, competitive market.

Team Apprenti’s win is the third year in a row that a team from Clairemont High has won first place. Patrick Henry High's team, The 1%, took second place, while another team Clairemont team, Team Identity, placed third.

In addition to the competition, students were given the opportunity to hear the real-life application for what they are learning through their Junior Achievement program. Chris Goodman, Vice President/Finance and Accounting, Sony Electronics, Inc., shared the relevance of knowing how his team’s financial decisions determine the continued success of the company. And Dr. Cecilia Williams, University of Phoenix School of Business Campus College Chair, gave the students insight on how Junior Achievement Titan applies to future college business courses as well as working in the field upon graduation.

Junior Achievement is a worldwide organization that strongly believes education in economics and finances are important in preparing students for success in a global economy. For more information about JA, go to www.jasandiego.org.

For more information, please contact Alan Walter, AOBT Teacher, at dwalter@sandi.net.

Mission Bay Students Explore Career Options

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

More than 1,000 Mission Bay High School students were introduced to a variety of careers at a career-ready event, "If The Shoe Fits."

More than 100 local business and community organization representatives were on hand to speak with the students about becoming college and career ready.The event was sponsored by San Diego Unified's Office of College, Career and Technical Education (CCTE) to give students a look at a variety of professions.

“Different occupations require different skills and education," said Ralph West, Instructional and Community Development Program Manager. "Just like shoes, you’ve got to try them on to see if they fit so you can make appropriate decisions for future classes and post-secondary education.”

All industry sectors from California were represented at the event. Some of the highlights of the 35 interactive exhibits included the U.S.Marshall’s Office Explosives Unit and their bomb-sniffing dog, the UCSD Neuroscience Graduate Students who brought surgical gloves for students to wear while handing human brain specimens, the Mossy Automotive Group which provides student internship sites every year, the U.S. District Court, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, a 20-foot by 20-foot weather station depicting water shortage and irrigation education by the City of San Diego Water Conservation Program, the San Diego Humane Society, San Diego Fire and Rescue and San Diego County Hazardous Materials Division.

For more information, please contact West at rwest1@sandi.net or (858) 503-1747.

Community Helps Birney Elementary Recover and Thrive

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The tragic fire at Birney Elementary School has resulted in an outpouring of community support. The school's foundation, Friends of Alice Birney Elementary, is managing the relief effort through its website, www.friendsofalicebirney.org. The PTA sponsored a bake sale on Saturday, Jan. 21 and raised more than $2,000.

Several other events are in the process of being organized, including the “Food Trucks Rally for Birney Elementary Fire Relief,” scheduled from 3:30-7 p.m. next Friday, Feb. 3. Five gourmet food trucks will circle in the parking lot of the New Vision Christian Fellowship, 4353 Park Blvd., with 20 percent of the proceeds going to the school. Special thanks to everyone who has donated their time, talent, items or money.

The fire damaged the school kitchen and combination cafeteria/auditorium, where the before and after school programs were housed, as well as the recently outfitted “Birney Buddies” room, a center for non-directed play for students experiencing difficulties adjusting to school.

With their indoor cafeteria out of commission, Food Services has set up a large tent on the playground to serve breakfast and lunch, so the students haven't missed a meal. The before and after school programs (prime time and ices education) have been relocated elsewhere on campus. Repairs continue on the school.

Freese Elementary Gets $100,000 Grant from Target Corp.

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:53:00 +0000

Freese Elementary Arts and Culture Magnet School in the Skyline neighborhood has been awarded a $100,000 grant by Target Corporation, nominated by viewers of TV's Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The grant will be used to support the school's Arts and Culture Magnet Program and purchase new books.

"I'm just so excited at what this will mean for our school," said Alma Hills, Freese Principal. "Due to budget cuts, our Arts and Culture program, which provides every Freese student with rich experiences in music, dance, theatre and visual arts, has been in danger of being eliminated.

"Additionally, Freese library book collections have been severely worn, due to our ambitious Scholastic Reading Counts independent reading program, in which Freese students have read more than 100 million words for multiple years. I want to especially thank Mary Pat Hutt, Freese's Arts and Culture Resource teacher, who submitted the nomination."

As an Arts and Culture Magnet school, Freese students constantly expand their cultural knowledge by exploring topics with local artists, musicians, dancers and actors, both on and off campus. All students in grades kindergarten through five participate in six- to eight-week arts and culture rotations, which are often enhanced by field trips and assemblies.

Superintendent Bill Kowba saluted not only the commitment to education by Target and the Ellen DeGeneres Show, but the excellent program at Freese.

"The Freese community took the initiative to pursue this important opportunity and deserves great credit for that," he said. "Not only is the funding appreciated, but the national recognition again highlights the quality education that students receive at Freese and all over the San Diego Unified School District."

As the Feb. 15 deadline for school choice applications approaches, Freese is holding open houses so prospective parents can tour the site and explore the programs. Contact the school at (619) 479-2727 for a schedule.

In addition, Freese will have a display at this Saturday's All Schools Fair, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Recital Hall in Balboa Park. Find Freese online at www.sandi.net/freese

Lindbergh Schweitzer Holiday Efforts Paid Off

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

What's a "service learning magnet school"?

For the students and staff at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School in Clairemont, it means helping the community. Two projects during the holiday season were examples of this every day effort:

The second annual Emily Palmeter Toy Drive took place at Lindbergh Schweitzer Service Learning Magnet School shortly before the winter break. Honoring the memory of a former student, parents and staff donated more than 180 toys which were given to the school's partner, SAY San Diego, for its Adopt-a-Family Program. The Palmeter family graciously agreed to distribute the toys to this organization because it provides needed holiday support for families in the Clairemont community.
Lindbergh Schweitzer Service Learning Magnet School found a way to promote parent involvement and help those in need at the same time. The school’s recent holiday dance admission was a canned food donation or a check written to help homeless families. Parents eagerly donated approximately 200 cans of food which was given to the school's partner, SAY San Diego, that will help stock their pantries for families in need. $150 was donated to the district's Office of Children and Youth in Transition that helps families who are homeless.
The veterans at the VA Hospital in La Jolla received holiday card tray favors created by students and families while taking a break during the holiday dance.

For additional information contact Media Production Assistant Julie Harris at jharris2@sandi.net or 858-496-8400.

Shoes Tell Story With Today's Kids

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Old school at Morse.

Styles come and go and come back again.

At Morse High School, old school shoes are back in style according to Morse seniors, Tyrone Patrick and Ben Manu, reports Greg Quirin, a San Diego Unified Resource Teacher in the College, Career and Technical Education program.

"I couldn’t help but notice that a majority of the male students were wearing Converse All-Star shoes. I couldn’t resist and asked the students if I could photograph their shoes," said Quirin.

“A lot of students like the old school Converse All-Stars," said Manu.
"They are pretty cool shoes to wear, comfortable, in style, and great for skateboarding and sports," said Patrick. "They come in different colors and styles and can be customized with different color laces.”

Manu noted while most wear Converse, some still prefer the classic style Van’s shoe which is also popular among skaters and very similar in style to the nearly century old and still going strong Converse All-Star.

The truth is, the All-Star still remains strong and popular among many of our youth. The All-Star shoe has evolved into a global youth symbol of originality, individuality and self-expressionism. Chances are you or someone you know has owned a pair of Converse All-Stars.

To date, more than 750,000,000 pairs have sold since their debut in 1917 and there are no signs of losing popularity.

What are your thoughts? Contact Greg at gquirin@sandi.net.

Pepsi Grants Go to EB Scripps Elementary, University City High

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

UC High students Kimia Nouri and Jazzy Cranford

Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary School in Scripps Ranch and University City High School have received grants from Pepsi's Refresh Everything program.
Both schools received $10,000 grants, with University City High using its grant for band and color guard uniforms, while EB Scripps will hold Family Science nights with its proceeds. In each case, a proposal was written and posted on Pepsi's RefreshEverything.com website; the proposals need to be one of the top vote-getters in their category for the month.

Kimia Nouri and Jazzy Cranford saw a huge opportunity to help their their University City High Band and Color Guard through Pepsi's program. With their teacher, UCHS Music Director Cameron Brown, the joined with the school's Music Boosters to write a grant application for new instruments and other materials for the program. With heavy voting by the University City High community, the entry came in second for November voting and was awarded the $10,000 grant.

Family Science Nights are on the horizon at Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary School, after the school community also won a November grant for $10,000. Science lab equipment bought with the grant will allow experiments and other demonstrations during the family events.

"We are so thrilled to finally be able to move ahead with this project," said Greg Collamer, EB Scripps Principal. "We have a team of parent volunteers who have been eager to get started with the purchases and preparation for this program."

For more on the program, go to the Pepsi website.

SCPA Singer Wins National Honor

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Victoria Matthews with her 2010 Craig Noel Award.

Victoria Matthews from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) is a 2012 YoungArts Merit Award Winner in Voice from the YoungArts Program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. She receives $100 from the program, which identifies emerging artists and assists themat critical junctures in their educational and professional development.

“Victoria Matthews is most deserving of the Merit Award which acknowledges Victoria’s work ethic, determination, talent and intellectual pursuits," said Mitzi Yates Lizarraga, Principal of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. "I am equally proud of our young dancers who push themselves athletically in the beautiful art form of dance.”

Victoria also received the 2011 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Young Performer from the San Diego Critics Circle. She was honored for her performance of Little Inez in Hairspray, produced by the San Diego Repertory Theatre in partnership with SCPA. The school counts five Tony Award-winners among its alumni along with countless others who are working professionally in the artistic arena.

One of 271 YoungArts 2012 Merit Award Winners,Victoria was selected in a blind adjudication process of applicants from around the nation. She is eligible to participate in regional competitions in New York and Miami.

For more information aboutYoungArts, visit www.youngarts.org. For more information on the school, visit its website at www.sandi.net/scpa

IN THE NEWS: A Touch of the Classics

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

For nearly two decades, the San Diego-based nonprofit Classics 4 Kids has been filling the arts education void, using its multidisciplinary music programs to engage elementary school children in classroom learning. Lessons are developed in partnership with San Diego Unified School District and include trainings that show teachers how to incorporate music and arts into their classroom. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune»

Roosevelt IB Middle School Breaks Ground for New Grass Park, Tennis Court Renovation

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

During winter break the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council held a groundbreaking ceremony for a renovated four-court community tennis complex at Roosevelt IB Middle School. In addition to the tennis court upgrades, the project includes improvement of the existing sand surface field to a multi-purpose grass park. Both developments will provide an enhanced experience for the student body as well as the community.

The existing four asphalt-surfaced tennis courts that are on the west side of the school will be resurfaced to a state-of-the-art conventional two-toned hard court surface and the potentially dangerous metal nets will be replaced with conventional tennis nets. The courts will also be lined for USTA “10 and under tennis” to enhance the enjoyment and development of younger children. The tennis courts are being renovated and resurfaced. This project was jointly financed by a combination of foundations, private donors, and a grant from the San Diego District Tennis Association.

Dr. Arturo Cabello, principal of Roosevelt stated, “It’s an honor to be a part of this collaborative effort to support academics and athleticisms. We encourage our students to find a sport they like and become good at it so they might compete for academic and athletic scholarships to college one day.”

The president of the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council, Ben Press, commented, “As an alumnus of Roosevelt Middle School, I remember playing on two white cement tennis courts. Now four tennis courts will be renovated for the enjoyment of students and community members for many years to come.”

Former NBA superstar, television sportscaster, and a neighborhood member, Bill Walton showed his support by attending the ground breaking event. “I am proud, privileged, honored, humbled and most fortunate to be directly involved in this wonderful project," said Walton. "We owe our children the best, and this is a huge step in the right direction."

The Greater San Diego City Tennis Council is a 501-C3 charitable organization whose mission is to repair and resurface public tennis courts within San Diego County.

For more information, contact Principal Cabello at (619) 293-4450 or acabello@sandi.net

IN THE NEWS: Chinese, It’s the New Spanish

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Robert Dorsey is not Chinese, but he drives 25 miles from El Cajon to Point Loma every morning so his two daughters can learn to speak, read, and write in Mandarin. “In my culture, it’s English, Ebonics, and maybe a little bit of Spanish,” says Dorsey, who is African American. “About ten years ago, my wife was in college, and her professor told her Chinese was the language to learn. I want to give my kids a little bit of an edge in life.”

December Nights Showcases de Portola Middle Music Students

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

De Portola Middle School’s award-winning Advanced Chamber Orchestra and Symphonic Band were the opening acts at the Balboa Park Annual December Nights event. It was the first time the de Portola Middle School Instrumental Music Program performed at what has been called the “nation’s premier holiday festival,” held in the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Afterwards, one audience member wrote to de Portola principal, Elizabeth Gillingham, stating, “I was very impressed with your performances. You all looked great, keen attention to the conductor and absolutely beautiful music. I and everyone else were very proud of your accomplishments; the best of the whole day.”

In addition to her kind words, she donated $500 to help support the de Portola music program. For more information, contact music teacher Brad Pulverenti at bpulverenti@sandi.net.

District P.E. Depts. Receive Record Number of Sports Balls

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Muir K-12 students J.J. Schmike, Xavier Sullivan-Roe and Amaya Ollison.

Thanks to Kaiser Permanente’s generous donation of thousands of sports balls, district physical education teachers can now offer more activities in their classes that were not previously possible due to a shortage of balls. The December donation also set a new Guinness World Record for the most balls collected in a single day.

With class sizes increasing, and equipment budgets decreasing, this donation has had a tremendous impact on the quality of service to our children. Kaiser Permanente gives our physical education teachers and their students some hope during a time when most budgets have run dry.

Schools received the equipment based on their physical education teachers’ regular attendance at professional development events this fall and their ongoing commitment to improving their programs. Kudos to the physical education teachers at the following schools for going the extra mile:

Audubon K-8, Bell MS, Clairemont HS, CPMA MS, Correia MS, Crawford HS, Fulton K-8, Golden Hill K-8, Hoover HS, Innovation MS, Knox MS, Lincoln HS, Marston MS, Memorial Prep MS, Millennial Tech MS, Monroe Clark MS, Montgomery MS, Morse HS, Muir K-12, Muirlands MS, Pacific Beach MS, Patrick Henry HS, Point Loma HS, Roosevelt MS, Scripps Ranch HS, Taft MS

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), “Teachers [must] organize their classes to maximize opportunities for all children to learn and be physically active. Enough equipment is provided so that children spend virtually no time waiting for turns or standing in lines...” NASPE calls for one ball for every two children to increase the opportunities for students to acquire new skills and be successful in physical education. However, many schools have not seen new physical education equipment for 3-5 consecutive years or more.

For more information, contact Brenna Baringer at 619-725-7124 or bbaringer@sandi.net.

JROTC Cadets Collect 5.5 Tons of Food

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

JROTC students at Scripps Ranch High collected over 1 ton of food for local charities, churches and food banks.

Each year, San Diego Unified School District's JROTC cadets rally to support San Diegans by collecting food during the holiday season. This year was no exception as 13 JROTC programs conducted the annual JROTC Holiday Food Drive.

Together with friends, families, school faculty and students, the cadets collected an amazing 10,960 pounds (almost 5.5 tons). Donations of canned and dried goods went to various local charities, churches and food banks to be distributed to families just before the holidays.

A Community Service Streamer, special recognition given to the school that donates the largest amount per student, will be presented to Scripps Ranch High for collecting 2,120 pounds (over 1 ton). San Diego High placed second and Lincoln High placed third.

Thank you to all cadets for their donations to this worthy event.

For more information, contact LTC David Guzman at dguzman1@sandi.net.

From the Superintendent: Our Four Budget Realities

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

At the onset of 2012, our school district continues to face significant financial challenges stemming from the deep and prolonged state budget crisis. Five years of K-12 education cuts has taken its toll on everyone. All of us who care deeply about preserving the quality of education will struggle with balancing tough trade-offs in the weeks and months ahead.

In this letter, I provide a first look at the 2012/13 budget to establish a common appreciation of the district’s fiscal realities. During this very difficult time, it is critical that we all comprehend the realities that we must face together and that we openly communicate with one another about our concerns. I believe that it is important for every employee, parent and community member understand the basics of our budget situation and to appreciate the difficult work underway by the Board and our staff to balance our budget. I am very sensitive to Board meeting testimony and casual conversation that suggests that this will be a better budget cycle with new resources and minimal cuts. That is not the case based on current information.

The fiscal landscape is a very sobering one as outlined below.

Budget Reality #1: The Governor’s Budget Does Not Increase School Funding. The proposed November Ballot Measure Does Not Improve K-12 Education Funding.

Contrary to some early media reports, the proposed 2012/13 budget IS NOT a good one for school districts. The great ambiguity associated with state revenues, the legislative turmoil in Sacramento, and the high stakes gamble of a November ballot measure has put us out on a limb.

School districts will not receive new or additional funds for educational programs or staffing. The proposed K-12 state budget is one of flat funding. San Diego Unified will experience about the same funding level next year as this year. A flat budget is a negative budget because there are no cost-of-living adjustments for fact-of-life expense growth tied to utilities, health care, fuel, and the like. With flat funding from the state, our district will still face a significant deficit which I explain below. Rather than provide any real increase in resources, the proposed state budget is shifting money to remove previously planned deferred payments to school districts. This means we may receive our General Fund allocations in a timelier manner, but no additional money from redevelopment agency accounts or other sources.

School districts face a potentially HUGE midyear cut dependent on the passage of a tax measure by California voters in November 2012. The Governor’s strategy for a November ballot measure also has NO additional money for schools; it would just keep our funding at the current threshold. Simply put, a successful ballot measure only preserves the status quo for K-12 funding. But, per the proposed state budget, a failed ballot measure could result in a $4.8 billion cut to education. The governor’s staff has said that a funding reduction of this magnitude would be the equivalent of cutting three more weeks off school next year. Such an outcome translates into a devastating resource cut halfway through the school year.

Budget Reality #2: Our Expenses Exceed Our Revenues.

For several years, San Diego Unified has been able to partially offset our revenue shortfall by using one-time funds and reserves. This amounts to deficit spending and it must stop. We continue to face a reality that the district’s total operating expenses significantly exceed our total annual revenues. Given that there are no additional monies forthcoming from the state, we must significantly cut district costs again, recognizing that more than 90% of our expenses are connected to salaries and benefits.

The fiscal facts are straightforward:

San Diego Unified is projecting an operating deficit of more than $90 million for the 2012/13 fiscal year and more than $125 million in 2013/14 if budget reductions are not made.
There no longer are adequate reserve funds to accommodate revenue deficiencies.
Our expenses must be realigned to match our revenues for the district to become financially stable.
Our Board of Education is committed to balancing the district budget and will do everything necessary to maintain the district in a solvent position, thereby avoiding a state takeover.
Positive cash management remains a crucial and challenging element of the district’s budget.

Budget Reality #3: We Have to Fix a Multi-Year Structural Deficit Problem.

To achieve and sustain a stable financial footing, it is necessary to solve our multi-year structural deficit with ongoing expense reductions and limit the use of one-time solutions like proceeds from the sale of real estate. My goal is to guide the Board to a plan that can stabilize our budget not just for next year, but for the foreseeable future to avoid the annual trauma of program cuts and layoffs.

Financial stability is dependent on making very difficult reductions for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 budget years. Our list of cuts, reviewed by the Board at the first interim financial report presentation on December 13, will serve as the basis for more than $150 million in reductions to our General Fund Unrestricted budget over the next two years. These adjustments include significant class size increases and educational and support services decreases, actions that no one wants to even consider…but unfortunately that is our reality.

Budget Reality #4: Given No New Revenues in Sight, Both Employee Concessions and Layoffs Must Be Considered.

With flat budgets looming in the “best case” scenario and expenditures exceeding revenues, the District has few options with which to overcome the budget shortfalls. We are at a crossroads where the choices are bleak and severely impact both central office and campus operations.

At this juncture, the Board has asked that we reach out to our unions to address a package of employee concessions that can help the district mitigate the number of layoffs needed to balance the budget and safeguard our academic and administrative programs so critical to student achievement.

We are hopeful that the conversation with the employee collective bargaining teams will begin in the very near future. Some suggested concessions include deferring the negotiated salary increases in current contracts, continuing the current five-day furlough of the last two years, applying salary rollbacks, and/or reshaping health benefit contributions. Contingencies also have to be considered in response to mid-year cuts. We all must approach these negotiations open minded and committed to equitable agreements that lessen the blow of personnel reductions and personal sacrifices.

What’s Next?

On Jan. 24, Chief Financial Officer Ron Little and I will present a budget overview to the Board of Education. In preparation for that meeting, we are collecting technical information, analyzing the proposed state budget, and updating our financial projections. A key element of this work will be the direction received from the County Office of Education about factoring midyear cuts into our proposed district budget.

We are also stepping up advocacy with our elected representatives in Sacramento. “The devil is in the details” and that is very true for the state budget. We are awaiting specific legislative budget language forthcoming in early February. It will provide more details about how school districts can be expected to implement a possible midyear cut, such as legislative authorization for a three-week school reduction as a contingency.

We will continue to face great uncertainty about our budget for the next six months. The state budget will evolve and change during a time when school districts are required to make layoff notice decisions. This is a terribly disconnected process where local agencies act on and react to State government decisions with no synchronization between the two parties. We are likely to face the reality of issuing March 15 certificated layoff notices in unprecedented numbers and subsequently rescinding some number as budget details are updated and employee group negotiations become finalized.

In conclusion, the budget situation is very serious, but one we can overcome through our demonstrated past resiliency and commitment to expending our best efforts. Let me assure all of you that I will continue to present complete and factual budget information to you and the Board. I will devote all of my energies to finding solutions that can minimize the impacts of these difficult fiscal realities.

I ask that each of you continue to stay focused on our mission to provide a quality education to our students each and every day. We are a team and by working collectively and collaboratively, we will get through the worst of times in California public education.

Sincerely,
William Kowba
Superintendent

IN THE NEWS: ESPNHS CA Athlete of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

It was a difficult start for Briteesha Solomon and the rest of the San Diego Mission Bay girls basketball team at the 2011 West Coast Jamboree that was held in Orinda just before the start of the new year. But Solomon went on to show she’s one of the most explosive and talented guards in the state and is the first ESPNHS Cal-Hi Sports Athlete of the Week among basketball players this season. Read more on ESPN»

Students, Community Gather for First Student 2 Student Council Day

noreply@blogger.com (San Diego Unified School District News) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

More than 70 students, staff and community members involved with Student 2 Student (S2S) clubs in San Diego County came together January 7 to share best practices and energize school programs at the first-ever Student 2 Student Council Day.

The S2S Council Day offered teams the opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies. Teams learned from each other’s presentations and brainstormed long-term goals and plans for future program improvement. Students from Pt. Loma and Serra high schools were among the attendees.

S2S clubs help students face the daunting experience of changing schools. Team members offer incoming students a forum to quickly feel welcomed, included, and accepted into their new school community. Student tours, welcome packets, and social gatherings during the school year help to diminish the stress and uncertainty of the first days and weeks at a new school. Friendships often start with S2S.

The Navy and Marine Corps School Liaisons partnered with the San Diego Unified School District to present the event, which was made possible by the collaborative outcome of the Department of Defense Education Activity’s Operation Student Success Grant (OSS).

S2S is a powerful high school program designed by the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). Students and staff receive extensive training from MCEC to customize an individualized program for implementation at school sites.

For more information on S2S and MCEC, please contact Kimberly Shapazian in the Office of Children and Youth in Transition at kshapazian@sandi.net or (619) 725-8168.