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MISSION STATEMENT
All San Diego students will Graduate with the Skills, Motivation, Curiosity and Resilience to Succeed in their choice of College and Career in order to Lead and Participate in the society of Tomorrow. |  |
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Monday, June 15, marks the end of the traditional school year. Before many of our staff members leave on summer break, I want to extend my deep appreciation for everyone’s hard work and dedication throughout this often challenging year. As we struggle with the ever-widening budget gap, you have all stayed focused on what matters most, our students.
I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge and give special thanks to all the teachers, administrators and other staff who are retiring. Many of you are starting a new adventure after - literally - decades of service to our students and staff. We will miss your expertise and experience and wish you all the very best.
For those who will open our classrooms at the start of the new school year, we are grateful for your continued commitment and dedication. Have a restful and enjoyable summer.
Best regards,
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Revised Bell Times for 2009-10 School Year |
Start and end times will be 15 minutes later at most San Diego Unified campuses when the new school year begins September 8. The changes are a result of a more cost-efficient bus schedule and the decision by the Board of Education not to have any school start before 7:30 a.m. Parents and guardians should double-check the new schedule  , as some school start and end times are changing by more than 15 minutes. For more information on bell times, please contact the individual school.
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EdCAST: 2009 iVIE Grand Recognition Award "The Boulevard" |
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Educate for the Future Forum |
 Board of Education Vice President Richard Barrera is hosting a community forum, "Navigating the Classroom Budget Cuts" (English | Spanish ), tomorrow, Saturday, June 13, from 2-5 p.m., in the cafeteria at San Diego City College. Attendees will learn about school volunteer opportunities, school accountability and legislative action. RSVP to raquel.nunez@cgu.edu . For more information, please contact Bernie Rhinerson, chief district relations officer, at (619) 725-5568.
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Exxon Mobil Teachers Academy |
Ten San Diego Unified elementary teachers will be traveling to Houston at the end of June to participate in the week-long Mickelson Exxon Mobil Teachers Academy. Funded by Exxon Mobile in collaboration with golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy, the program exposes teachers to new approaches to teaching mathematics and science. SDUSD teachers (pictured above) include Melissa Bird, Freese; Carroll Carinne, Fay; Michelle Collins, Ibarra; Michelle Gonzalez-Clark, Encanto; Diana Dent, Cherokee Point; Nina Dixon, Freese; Holly Hendrickson, Lafayette; Penny Kincaid, Marshall; Allison Vinci, Central; and Kathryn Schulz, Elementary Instructional Support. For more information, please contact Linda Gohlke at (619) 725-7253.
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District Newsfeed Puts Up-To-Date Info on School Websites |
About 60 school websites are now carrying the SDUSD Newsfeed, a blog-based headline service produced by the district Communications Department. The Newsfeed, in the district News section and on school websites including Serra High, Clark Middle and Birney Elementary, generally features links to media articles about the latest district news and our students. Parents, students and staff can find out about all the great things happening at San Diego Unified just by checking your school website. With nearly 35,000 views since its rollout in mid-April, the Newsfeed has also proven to be very beneficial in an emergency. During the recent H1N1 virus outbreak, school websites with the Newsfeed had the latest information within minutes of material being posted by the Communications Department. Best of all, it saves time for a school’s webmaster, as the html code only has to be installed once. The Newsfeed is available in both English and Spanish. For more information or to have it on your website, please contact Jack Brandais, media relations specialist, at jbrandais@sandi.net .
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The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education, in collaboration with the Special Education Division, recognized the outstanding contributions of community leaders and district staff at its annual Above and Beyond Awards on June 4. Pictured above (left to right) are Special Education Director Susan Martinez with Above & Beyond Award recipients Sharon and Juan Leon, National Foundation for Autism Research; Edith Smith, San Diego Urban League; Mary Schidlowski (Beth Scott), Mira Mesa High School; Becky Brillo, Del Sol Academy; and Kristen Kosaka, Fletcher Elementary. For additional information, please contact Moira Allbritton at moira.allbritton@gmail.com.
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Summer Fun Café Kickoff Event |
Join Chargers linebacker Matt Wilhelm at the kick-off event for the Summer Fun Café Program on Wednesday, June 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Skyline Hills Community Park Recreation Center, 8285 Skyline Dr. (92114). A free BBQ lunch will be provided.
The Summer Fun Café Program provides free summer lunches, Monday – Friday (except July 3), to all children ages 2-18 years. Lunches are served at designated City of San Diego Park and Recreation Centers and schools. No enrollment, paperwork or income qualifications are required. Visit http://www.sandi.net/food/ to see a list of dates and locations. For more information, please contact Joanne Tucker, food services marketing coordinator, at (858) 627-7316 or jtucker@sandi.net .
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Grant Provides Funds to Expand “Green Fleet” |
For the second time this year, Transportation Services has been awarded grant money to continue to improve and retrofit our school bus fleet. The San Diego Air Pollution Control District is providing $157,170 to retrofit ten in-use diesel school buses. Our school bus fleet has been fueled with low-sulfur “Green Diesel” for many years. Now, with this recent grant award, all buses will have the particulate trap necessary to filter NOx from the environment and further reduce emissions. Special thanks to Debora Beaver, fleet coordinator, who submitted the grant application in a record 13 minutes. For more information, please contact Alex Robinson, director of transportation, at (858) 496-8701 or
arobinson@sandi.net .
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School Police Sergeant Completes Leadership Training |
School Police Sergeant Alfonso “Al” Contreras recently completed Peace Officer Standards and Training at the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute. The program is designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making in California law enforcement front-line supervisors. Supervisors with a minimum of two years work experience are eligible to attend. For more information, please contact Lieutenant Paula Rivera at (619) 725-7002 or pfrivera@sandi.net .
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Super Science Saturday Generates Future Scientists |
The Science Education Association of San Diego (SEASAND) Teacher Retention Initiative (TRI), comprised of San Diego High and Roosevelt Middle School science teachers, hosted its second annual Super Science Saturday on June 6. Approximately 80 students and 6 teachers from Roosevelt joined 30 San Diego High students and staff for a morning of science and fun. High school students led activities such as "Criminal on the Run," "Rocket Launch" and "DNA Diversions". For more information, please contact Stephanie Rico at srico@sandi.net .
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- 13 Years of Perfect Attendance
According to Marshall Elementary School records, Vanna Sumontha began Kindergarten on September 3, 1996. Since that date, the senior at Crawford High School of Community Health & Medical Practices (CHAMPs) has not missed a single day of school in 13 years. After Marshall Elementary, Vanna attended Mann Middle School and for the past four years has attended Crawford CHAMPs. She will be graduating with honors on Monday, June 15, and plans to attend San Diego State University in the fall, majoring in Psychology. For more information, please call Principal Mike Rood at (619) 583.2501.
- Lincoln High Public Safety Program Saves the Day
The Fire Protection Academy at the Lincoln High Center of Public Safety closed the year by taking a field trip to the San Diego Fire Rescue Training Facility. San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarman encouraged the students to work hard in school to prepare, especially in math and science. The day’s activities included a simulated live house burn, rappelling off a three-story building, search and rescue, and a confidence obstacle course. Many of these students will be taking the Emergency Medical Technician course this summer at Miramar Community College. For more information, please contact Dean Darley, program specialist, Office of College, Career and Technical Education, at (858) 503-1752 or ddarley@sandi.net .
- Memory Project Display at LEADS High School
Students from San Diego High - Learn, Explore, Achieve, Discover and Serve (LEADS) are currently participating in the Memory Project, a unique initiative that helps high school art students create portraits for children in orphanages around the world. Under the direction of art teacher VC Groves, students received a photo of their “child,” created a portrait and are currently displaying the portraits at the high school. The portraits will eventually be presented to the children. The goal of the project is to inspire caring, friendship and a positive sense of self. For more information, please contact VC Groves at vgroves@sandi.net .
- Mann Middle School Student Earn Trip to UCLA
Eight students who attend Mann Middle School have been awarded scholarships to spend a week on the UCLA campus using the Bruins facilities and enjoying exposure to college life. The scholarships were provided by Mann partners in education, the All Peoples Church and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Scholarship recipients are Israel Barbosa, David Fritz, Michael Green, Said Ali Jabir, Jamie Johnson, Ruben Martinez, Gerardo Vasquez, and Grace Ward. For more information, please contact Principal Esther Omogbehin at (619) 582-8990.
- LCI Student Selected for Kaiser Internship
Talisha Esquerra, a student in the Licensed Children’s Institute (LCI) program, has been awarded a paid summer internship with Kaiser Permanente to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Talisha was selected from over 175 applicants from 20 schools. Only 24 students were chosen to participate. The six-week internship includes weekly educational sessions where workforce preparation activities are reinforced. For more information, please contact Pamela Hosmer, program manager, at (619) 725-7054.
- UC High Presents Visual Arts Awards
On June 5, the Visual Arts, Technology and Theatre Academy of University City High School held an award ceremony and culminating art exhibit at Woodbury University. Eleven of 23 seniors received College and Career Ready certificates and pins; seven received this honor with distinction. Students showcased their best work in a gallery space provided by Woodbury University. Academy coordinators Lauriel Adsit and Brad Milhoan received recognition for Innovations in Education from the Classrooms of the Future Foundation. For more information, please contact Shawn Loescher, program specialist, Office of College, Career and Technical Education, at (858) 503-1751 or sloescher@sandi.net .
- Hoover High Interns Become “Teachers” at Elementary School
Thanks to a partnership with Rosa Parks Elementary, students at Hoover High not only get to learn, they get to teach. Through a Regional Occupation Program (ROP) class called Developmental Psychology of Children, 40 Hoover students spent seven weeks studying teaching techniques and approaches to learning, then more than 60 hours working directly with Rosa Parks students. They spent time in the classroom, physical education, the library, music room, State Preschool, and the PrimeTime after-school program. For more information, please contact Angela Croce, program specialist, Office of College, Career and Technical Education, at (858) 503-1750 or acroce@sandi.net .
- Madison High School’s First Annual Earth Fair
The first all-day “Earth Fair at Madison” was held Wednesday, May 27. The fair included food, films, workshops and booths organized by students, the community and non-profit organizations. Sage Mountain Organic Farms sponsored a tasting table, raising awareness about the environmental benefit of consuming local and organic food. Additional topics included sustainable living, recycling, water and air pollution, and composting. Students signed up for earth-friendly projects and presentations and also pledged to stop using plastic bags and water bottles that eventually end up in our ocean. For more information, please contact teacher Kimberly Coelho at (858) 496-8410, ext. 4404 or kcoelho@sandi.net .
- Hughes Scholars from San Diego High
Three students from the San Diego High School Educational Complex have been selected to participate in the prestigious Hughes Scholar High School Summer Research Program. Congratulations to Taynel Albarran, School of the Arts; Francisco Madrigal, School of International Studies; and Yaritza Benitez, LEADS High School. For more information, please contact Tony Burks, executive director, office of small school innovation, at (619) 725-7295.
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