San Diego Unified School District Newsfeed

$13 million coming to region for career readiness

2015-07-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

The road to a high-skills, high-wage career will now be easier and more accessible for local high school and college students.

The San Diego County College and Career Readiness Consortium (CCRC) has been awarded a grant for more than $13 million by the California Department of Education. The $13 million grant was one of 40 grants given throughout the state and the only grant awarded in the San Diego region. San Diego Unified's portion of the grant will be more than $2.3 million and the San Diego County Office of Education will manage the grant.

"This grant opportunity is about excellence and innovation, not the status quo," said San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten. "Innovation means more than events and opportunities - it means integration - bringing the content to life by allowing opportunities for students to apply what they are learning in the real world and to be asked to do the things that people really do in their jobs. Students will rise to the level that we hold the bar. Hold the bar at excellence and you will get excellence."

The San Diego County College and Career Readiness Consortium is a countywide network of high schools and community college districts that includes 116 high schools and eight community college campuses throughout the county. Lead partners also include United Way of San Diego County and the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The CCRC program will help strengthen career pathway curricula and programs throughout the region, provide coordinated systems, and promote preparation for and effective transitions to postsecondary programs that lead to high-wage, high-demand careers.

A press conference was held July 22 at Kearny High School to announce the grant. Speakers included Mayor Kevin Faulconer; Superintendent Cindy Marten; County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Randy Ward; San Diego Community College District Chancellor, Dr. Constance Carroll; and United Way President and CEO, Kevin Crawford.

“This is about creating opportunities for every family and child," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "Our mission of creating One San Diego and opportunities start here with our innovation economy. I can’t think of a better way to help San Diego families than to help provide them with a better pathway to a job in our innovation economy.”

The initiative will specifically focus on growing three sectors in San Diego including advanced manufacturing, clean energy and information and communications technology. It will also build a regional infrastructure for career pathways by supporting the professional development of teachers and counselors, curriculum development and alignment and robust industry engagement.

Media Coverage of News Conference:

CBS 8

KUSI News

Times of San Diego

Crawford High students lead Restorative Practices workshop

2015-06-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Students from the Crawford High School Academy of Law led an in-depth Restorative Justice workshop on Wednesday, educating nearly 100 teachers, staff and administrators, as well as student leaders, on how to implement restorative practices at their respective high schools. Six San Diego Unified high schools, including Hoover, Madison, Morse, Lincoln and San Diego, are piloting the restorative program. The workshop taught educators and students about using facilitation and peer mediation practices to resolve disciplinary issues as well as develop a stronger sense of community at their individual schools.Watch more at CW 6.

Two Super Bowl MVPs visit Lincoln High School

2015-06-04T10:00:00.001-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Students at Lincoln High School got to hear from two football legends and Lincoln alumnus that if you dream big, anything is possible. As part of the lead-up to Super Bowl 50, the NFL is honoring players who played in the Super Bowl and presenting them with a gold football at their respective high schools. Marcus Allen, Terrell Davis and several other former Lincoln players visited the campus on Tuesday to receive their gold footballs and share their great memories of Lincoln High School.

Watch more on KUSI

Watch more on KFMB

New multi-purpose track and field opens at Whittier K-12

2015-05-27T12:54:00.003-07:00

IN THE NEWS: A multi-purpose tack and field was dedicated Tuesday at Whittier K-through-12 school. However, it isn't your ordinary track. It's customized for special needs students. The promise of leaving "no student behind" isn't just lip service for the San Diego Unified School District, and thanks to tax payer money, school officials turned a dirt lot into a true field of dreams. On Tuesday, district leaders, teachers and parents joined students to celebrate the completion of a new multipurpose, synthetic field. Watch more at CBS 8.

Miller Elementary students learn about healthy eating, gardening

2015-05-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: More than 3,000 students in the San Diego Unified School District are learning valuable life lessons through gardening. The school district received $2.5 million in grant money for the three year program. Miller Elementary is one of five schools to take part in the program to help the kids learn to link what they grow in the garden to what they eat at the dinner table. Angier, Chesterton, Hancock and Mason elementary schools will also participate in the program. Watch more at 10 News.

IN THE NEWS: La Jolla High teachers reflect on love, life, teaching

2015-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

When longtime La Jolla High School teachers Rachel and Howard Tenebaum were in college -- Rachel, a freshman, and Howard, a junior -- they attended an orientation event for students eager to make friends.

Flash forward 32 years, the twosome are still together happily and teaching at La Jolla High School, with Rachel teaching biology since 2002 and Howard teaching environmental science and chemistry since 2007.

Read their special love story published in the La Jolla Light.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Remember to Visit Your Neighborhood School When Exploring Options

2015-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

IN THE NEWS: "Neighborhood Schools are the New Charters"

This is the time of year when many parents of soon-to-“graduate” preschoolers are quietly freaking out. Until now, the idea of your babies going to elementary school had been like some distant, futuristic fantasy/nightmare. Now it looms large, imminent, and fraught with ramifications that seem likely to cascade throughout your precious progeny’s lives. It’s the real deal. The big leagues. Kindergarten.

Read Jefferson Elementary parent, Andy Hinds, complete article in the January 30 edition of San Diego Uptown News.

Supt. Named 2015 Local Peacemaker by National Conflict Resolution Center

2015-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Cindy Marten, head of the San Diego Unified School District, will be honored as local Peacemaker for 2015 when the National Conflict Resolution Center holds its 27th annual Peacemaker Awards.

The event, March 12, also recognizes University of California President Janet Napolitano, the former Cabinet secretary and Arizona governor, as the national Peacemaker for 2015.

IN THE NEWS: Focus on the three Cs for a bright new year: Children, community and communication

2015-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

While I’m not typically a resolution-maker, there’s something about a new year that invites reflection. As I contemplate what I want to accomplish in 2015, rather than focus on individual resolutions, I think about what informs and energizes our work: children, community, and communication.

Children
Several decades ago, past NCTE president and award-winning educator Yetta Goodman coined the term “kidwatcher”—a simple term to describe the potent understanding that the most effective teaching is responsive. Read more from Scholastic's blog.

IN THE NEWS: Computer science program opens world to Hoover High students

2014-12-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hoover High School student Josecruz Morales knows the importance of computer science. After learning computer coding, Morales said a whole new world opened up to him. Read KPBS article >>

Engagement, expectations key to helping students

2014-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Wilson Middle School teacher and San Diego Unified Teacher of the Year, Khamphet "Pet" Pease, was recently named a 2014 San Diego County Teacher of the Year. She shares her love of teaching and her students in a recent UT San Diego commentary. Read the article.

Farm to School program joins California Thursdays pilot project

2014-11-11T14:00:00.001-08:00

San Diego Unified’s Farm to School Program has been “growing” strong since 2010 and is now looking beyond the salad bar.

As part of the California Thursdays pilot project, Food Services will expand its focus to sourcing the entire school meal, not just the salad bar, from California farms. California Thursdays launched at 27 elementary schools on Oct. 23 with a special kick off event and lunch at Pacific Beach Elementary School (right). Lunch featured a freshly prepared school meal sourced entirely from California growers and producers.

Media coverage from PB Elementary

NBC7 San Diego, watch video.

CBS8 San Diego, watch video.

The California Thursdays menu will be served every Thursday and will highlight Mary’s Chicken Drumsticks from Pitman Family Farms located in Sanger, CA, where they raise free-range, air-chilled and antibiotic-free chickens. In addition, our locally grown salad bar, milk from Southern California cows and a whole grain roll will be offered. The goal is to expand to all elementary schools within the district.

To learn more about the district's participation in California Thursdays, watch this video.

National honors for San Diego Early/Middle College

2014-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

San Diego Early/Middle College earned the ranking of 90 out of 500 schools nationwide among Newsweek’s 2014 America’s Top Schools for low-income students. It is the only San Diego County school to earn a ranking.

In its “Beating the Odds” list, Newsweek sought to recognize schools that are performing better than statistically expected for their level of poverty.

“Our college readiness score is 93 percent and we are the only school south of Los Angeles to earn this distinction,” noted Principal Elizabeth Larkin. “We are very proud of our students and out staff for their hard work.”

For this list, Newsweek ranked schools on how well they prepare their students for college, taking students’ socio-economic background into account. The list is the magazine’s way of recognizing schools that narrow the achievement gap.

In addition to the Newsweek honor, San Diego Early Middle College also earned a Silver Medal for U.S. News and World Reports’ 2014 Best High Schools. For more details on this distinction, please visit U.S. News and World Report.

For a complete list of Newsweek honorees, please visit Newsweek’s website.

Keeping parents in loop helped district find its way

2014-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Parents of special-education students in San Diego may not always agree with how the school district educates their children, but they know whom to call when they have a problem, and their phone calls are routinely returned. And when the school district wants to get information out to those families, it has several tools to do so — including emails, texts and robocalls — so that everyone gets the same information at the same time. Read more from the Seattle Times.

District dietitian recognized by FoodService Director Magazine

2014-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: FOODSERVICE DIRECTOR Magazine has named San Diego Unified dietitian, Jessica Keene, R.D., to its list of 30 rising young stars in the industry under the age of 30. Jessica has made an impact on foodservice by aligning menus to new regulations, managing special diets and implementing the TrakNOW system.Read more in FOODSERVICE DIRECTOR Magazine.

Mural drawn by students replaces graffiti in City Heights

2014-09-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Crawford High students spent their summer beautifying the streets of City Heights.

As part of the first pilot project coordinated by the San Diego Cultural Arts Alliance Graffiti Education & Mural Arts Program, 22 students replaced graffiti at the corner of 51st and Polk in City Heights with a hand-drawn mural portraits.

Students painted the mural with help from Crawford teacher Brian Black, local artist Linda Litteral, and community member Lance Reynolds, who purchased the materials needed to create the mural.

Learn more about the project by watching this news clip from 10 News or by visiting the Mural Alliance Project website.

Construction, administrative changes in store for dawn of PB’s new school year

2014-09-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

The first week of school is a big deal for all six schools in the Mission Bay Cluster. Students were greeted by new construction projects — particularly at Mission Bay High — as well as a new principal for the Buccaneers, Ernest Remillard. Meanwhile, Tom Yount, a retired former principal at Mission Bay High, is temporarily overseeing the transition at MBHS and at Pacific Beach Middle School, where Remillard was most recently principal. Read more from SD News.com

Local teachers, educators train at MCRD

2014-08-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Local educators learned an important lesson in what it takes to be a Marine recruit by spending a week experiencing military training meant to show teachers how the Corps can shape the right young person’s career. More than two dozen teachers, counselors and coaches got a different kind of education at the week-long training camp. Watch the video at NBC 7 San Diego.

Emerson Bandini students receive backpacks, school supplies

2014-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Students at Emerson Bandini are feeling a bit more prepared heading into this school year.

Each student received school supplies and a backpack thanks to SDG&E’s Tools for Schools Program. The company took the lead in raising funds to provide all students with supplies, as well as physical education and classroom supplies for teachers. Walmart and the San Diego Food Bank partnered with SDG&E to provide the supplies.

View the news coverage:

SDG&E donates school supplies to 700 local students (760 KFMB/Channel 8)

Tools for School Photo Gallery, courtesy of UT San Diego

KUSI Morning News 8-15-14 (see below)

A new way to mete out discipline in schools?

2014-08-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Starting in September, teachers at some San Diego schools will be disciplining students in a whole new way. The new pilot program is called “restorative justice” ... and the goal is to actually reduce the number of suspensions its already making the upcoming school year. Southern California Public Radio's Alex Cohen talks with Vernon Moore, Executive Director of Student Services for the San Diego Unified School District. Listen here.

Military families ready to go back to school

2014-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: On Saturday, the San Diego Unified School District aimed to eliminate stresses for hundreds of military families new to San Diego. The district, teaming up with the Navy and the Marine Corps, expanded its annual back-to-school event for the military, turning Serra High School in Tierrasanta into a one-stop shop for newcomers. Organizers arranged for immunizations, lined the campus with information booths, and opened about 150 slots for military families to enroll their children of all ages for public school, which starts in just a few weeks. Read more from UT San Diego.

SD schools look to reduce suspensions, expulsions

2014-08-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: Starting in September, teachers at San Diego High and other schools will start asking more questions when it comes to how and why students are disciplined under a pilot “restorative justice” program set to go into effect throughout the San Diego Unified School District. Among other things, the program drastically reduces the number of offenses that trigger an automatic recommendation for expulsion. Read more from UT San Diego.

Growing from STEM to STEAM

2014-07-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dancing parabola? Pantomiming volcanoes? These are not science projects gone awry but examples of STEAM projects at work.

In California, the San Diego Unified School District Visual and Performing Arts Department took on the challenge of developing STEAM curricula for their third through fifth grade teachers. Their work focused on teaching earth, life, and physical sciences along with dance, theater, and visual art. Read more from the Kennedy Center ArtsEdge.

Elementary school students spend summer exploring science

2014-07-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: About 100 second- and third-grade students from southeastern San Diego have been meeting twice weekly for the past month to learn about earth restoration. The students' meetings take place at EarthLab, a 4-acre San Diego Unified School District property in Encanto. At EarthLab, students improve their scientific literacy with science-focused demonstrations and instruction. Read more from KPBS.

Inspirational Teacher of the Month is Muirlands' Michael Fiedler

2014-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS: In a time when many school fine arts programs are being cut, Muirlands Middle and La Jolla High teacher Michael Fiedler has seen his program grow to a crescendo. NBC 7's Educational Reporter Rory Devine has more. Watch the video from NBC 7.