📢 Read District Update: Message from the Superintend...

DISTRICT UPDATE March 3, 2026 Watch Superintendent's Message Rightsizing FAQ Form Rightsizing Webpage At the February 12 Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees announced the following appointments. Please join us in welcoming everyone to their new roles at Santa Clara Unified School District. Gricela Espinoza | Risk Manager We are excited to welcome Gricela Espinoza, a collaborative leader with over 15 years of experience in compliance, safety, and fiscal oversight. A Mills College graduate, Gricela is an expert in managing workers’ compensation, safety initiatives, and complex leave requirements. Throughout her career in California public education, she has been a trusted advisor for organizational transitions and budget accountability. Gricela is dedicated to fostering a safe, transparent environment that prioritizes the well-being of our students and staff. Susan Jezyk | Director of Human Resources Susan Jezyk brings over 20 years of experience in school administration and personnel management to her new role as director of human resources. Having served as a principal and vice principal, and most recently coordinator of personnel, Susan specializes in instructional leadership, compliance, and staff mentorship. She is a proven collaborator known for streamlining operations and fostering transparency. We look forward to her leadership in enhancing our district’s culture and operational efficiency. Alissa Meltzer | Interim Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services With over 25 years in education, Alissa steps into her new role with a deep history in Santa Clara. From her roots as a classroom teacher and Principal of Ponderosa Elementary to her leadership at the County Office of Education, and most recently her role at SCUSD as executive director of schools, Alissa brings a wealth of expertise in district accountability and labor partnerships. A graduate of Brandeis and San Jose State University, she is committed to improving student outcomes through transparent, collaborative leadership. Respiratory Illness Season Resources As we navigate the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season, staying informed is our best defense! Avoid flu, RSV, COVID, and long COVID. Use the link below to stay up to date on the latest information and resources to help prevent severe illness, reduce sick days, and protect the most vulnerable members of our community. Respiratory Illness Resources Our Schools SCCOE Shout-out for Musical Excellence Check out this fun shout-out for two of our teachers in the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s (SCCOE) News Minute. Congrats again to Santa Clara High School’s Music Director Johnny Erdman and Buchser Middle School Music Director Ricky Martinez for their well-deserved recognitions. Read the previously published article “Music Teachers Lead by Example” for more information. Student Musicians Shine During State Assessments Congratulations to student musicians at Peterson Middle School and Wilcox High School who recently excelled on the stage during state assessments. Read the full Student Musicians Shine article. Parent Participation and Parent Education at Wilson Preschool Are you looking for a preschool experience where you can be directly involved and learn along with your child? Wilson Preschool Parent Participation and Parent Education program is now accepting applications for the Fall 2026-27 school year. Read the full Wilson Preschool article. SCUSD Spotlights Check out SCUSD Spotlights, where we highlight some of the amazing people in our district community! Read: Spotlights March 18 | Pride Family Circle In collaboration with The LGBTQ+ Youth Space, we warmly invite adult family members and allies of LGBTQ+ students in grades K-12 to join a welcoming community. This space offers opportunities to connect with other families, share experiences, learn together, and receive encouragement. Learn More about Pride Family Circle. March 23-27 | Math Week Activities We are excited to announce that Santa Clara Unified School District is partnering with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and MIND Research for Math Week 2026! K-8 students and families are invited to participate in a fun, engaging, and story-based online math challenge. Learn more about Math Week. March 24 and 26 | Immigration Family Preparedness Plan This presentation will provide parents and caregivers with essential information and tools to prepare for immigration emergencies, including how to begin developing a family preparedness plan in the event of detention or deportation. View more information about the Immigration Family Preparedness Plan. March 25 | Free Webinar:  Better Nights, Brighter Days - Practical Sleep Strategies for Kids & Teens  Sleep plays a critical role in children’s emotional well-being, learning, behavior, and overall health. Yet many kids and teens aren’t getting enough of it. This one-hour webinar explores why sleep is so essential for developing brains, how insufficient sleep impacts mood, anxiety, attention, and academic performance, and what parents can realistically do to help. View more information about the Better Nights, Brighter Days webinar. April 4 | Early Learning Enrollment Fair Did you know that our Early Learning programs start as young as 6 weeks old? Families are invited to join us at our Early Learning Enrollment Fair on April 4! This fun, family-friendly event is a great opportunity to learn how SCUSD supports children and families from the very beginning of their educational journey. RSVPs are encouraged for planning purposes but not required. Learn more about the Early Learning Enrollment Fair. March 26 | Santa Clara County Community Forum Join Santa Clara County for their Community Forum to learn about the Department of Family and Children’s Services' vision, including progress made and continued partnership development with community partners to improve the lives of children in the welfare system. Register online or contact Enrique.Flores01@ssa.sccgov.org for more information. April 19 | City of Santa Clara STEM Zone The City of Santa Clara is hosting a free, all day STEM Zone: Where Silicon Valley Sparks Innovation and Fun! The STEM Zone brings Santa Clara’s identity as the heart of Silicon Valley into the spotlight. It’s more than just an event — it’s a platform where our students, innovators, and local companies can showcase technology, sustainability, and creativity alongside the global excitement of major sports. Visit the STEM Zone webpage for more information. In an effort to keep the community up-to-date and informed of actions by the Board of Trustees, we share Board Briefs. Board Briefs from the February 12, 2026, Board Meeting Board Briefs from the February 26, 2026 Board Meeting Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes ​  

Tuesday, Mar 03 2026

🆓 Free Workshop: Guiding Kids Toward Safe, Respectfu...

As part of our Santa Clara CARES initiative, parents and guardians are invited to join us for an upcoming virtual workshop on how to guide kids towards safe, respectful relationships. Wednesday, February 25 | 5-6 p.m Please register using the link below. Register for Parent Workshop Workshop Details Relationships play a powerful role in a child’s emotional well-being, from friendships and peer dynamics to early dating experiences. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll help parents understand what healthy relationships look like, how to recognize when a relationship may not be supporting their child, and how to start meaningful, age-appropriate conversations about boundaries, communication, and respect.  Parents will leave with practical tools, conversation starters, and simple skills they can teach their children to support emotional safety, confidence, and long-term relationship health. This session is designed to be supportive, realistic, and focused on strategies families can use right away. This workshop reflects the heart of Santa Clara CARES: Compassion by centering children’s emotional needs Action by providing practical tools and conversation starters Responsiveness by addressing real-world challenges families face today Empathy by helping adults understand what young people experience in relationships Support by equipping parents with strategies they can use right away Questions Contact District Social Worker Leah Cohen at lcohen@scusd.net.

Saturday, Feb 14 2026

📢 Read District Update: Video Message from the Super...

DISTRICT UPDATE February 3, 2026 Rightsizing FAQ Form Rightsizing Webpage Notices Learn More About Our Schools in the 2024-2025 SARCs A School Accountability Report Card (SARC) is required by the California Department of Education to be published by February of each year for the most recently completed school year for each school in the district. The profile provides information about the school and its students, including demographic data, school safety, academic achievement, school completion rates, class sizes, teacher and staff, curriculum and instruction, postsecondary preparation, and fiscal and expenditure data. The most recent SARCs for the 2024-2025 school year were approved at the January 22 Board of Trustees meeting and are now available using the link below. View SARCs Webpage Take the Safe Routes to Schools Survey: Help Make Our Streets Safer Help us make walking and biking to school safer for our community by completing our confidential "Safe Routes to School" survey. This short questionnaire is the primary way for us to understand the barriers your family faces, and it will help our cities secure grant funding for street improvements in Santa Clara, San Jose, and Sunnyvale. Your feedback is completely anonymous and will help us create a safer, more convenient commute for all our students and families. The survey deadline is February 6, 2026. Safe Routes to School Survey Our Schools Townsend Field Renovation Coming to Buchser Middle School On February 1, Bucher community members gathered to celebrate the upcoming renovation of Townsend Field and the unveiling of a new Unity Mural in partnership with the 49ers Foundation. Read full Townsend Field article to view photo highlights from the event. Math Teams Place in the Top 10 Nationwide Congratulations to the Math Kangaroo teams at Sutter, Ponderosa, and Central Park for their exceptional results in the recent Math Kangaroo Team Competition. Out of 594 teams that participated nationwide, five SCUSD teams finished in the top 10! Read full Math Kangaroo article. District Strengthens Commitment to Student Well-being with New Calming Spaces National and local data indicate an increase in mental health needs for students. SCUSD continues to strengthen its commitment to student mental health and well-being by creating dedicated calming spaces. Read full Calming Spaces article. Students Selected for Prestigious California All-State Music Ensemble Five student musicians from SCUSD were recently selected to perform at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) All-State Honor Ensembles. This is widely recognized as the premier musical achievement for K-12 students in California. Read full CASMEC article. Laurelwood Students Bring History to Life On January 16, third-grade classes at Laurelwood proudly presented their learning during a Living Gallery event held in the school cafeteria. Families joined students and staff to celebrate this engaging showcase of learning. Read full Living Gallery article. Kidventure Camp and Camp SPARK Summer 2026 Interest Application Parent Participation Preschool Open House Important Information About Statewide Testing Public Posting: Display of Middle School Dual Language Immersion Textbooks and Instructional Materials Apply now for after-school care in the 2026-2027 Expanded Learning program February 7 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Wilson Preschool Open House Families with children ages one through four interested in parent participation and education are warmly invited to the Wilson Preschool Open House. Read full Wilson Preschool Open House article. February 7 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - NFL Play Football Family Festival Celebrate the excitement of Super Bowl LX while enjoying a day of interactive games, live entertainment, player appearances, and more. Read full NFL Play Football Family Festival article. February 25 - 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Free Online Workshop Parents and guardians are invited to join us for a free virtual workshop on how to guide kids towards safe, respectful relationships. Read full Online Workshop article. In an effort to keep the community up-to-date and informed of actions by the Board of Trustees, we share Board Briefs. Board Briefs from the January 22, 2026, Board Meeting Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes ​  

Tuesday, Feb 03 2026

🖍️ Wilson Preschool Open House: Learn how to build a...

Discover an exciting place where young children learn, and parents grow alongside them through parent participation! Families with children ages one through four are warmly invited to the Wilson Preschool Open House. February 7, 2026 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1840 Benton Street, Santa Clara Wilson Preschool, located on the Educational Options campus, is a unique parent-participation, parent-education preschool serving toddlers through Pre-K and their families. Children explore, play, and learn through hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities guided by the HighScope Curriculum. Parents and guardians participate in supportive educational sessions focused on topics such as kindergarten readiness, positive guidance, conflict resolution, and meaningful adult-child interactions. This collaborative approach strengthens family connections and helps children build the social-emotional skills they need for lifelong learning and success. At the Open House, families can meet our caring teachers, tour the classrooms, learn more about the HighScope Curriculum approach, and register for the 2026–2027 school year. Questions To learn more, visit the Wilson Preschool Webpage or call 423-3500.

Friday, Jan 30 2026

🏈 You’re invited to the 2026 NFL Play Football Famil...

Get ready for the ultimate fan celebration at the 2026 NFL Play Football Family Festival! Whether you're a football fan or simply looking for a fun day out with the whole family, this event has something for everyone. Celebrate the excitement of Super Bowl LX while enjoying a day of interactive games, live entertainment, player appearances, and more. Saturday, February 7 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. MacDonald High School, 3588 Zanker Rd, San Jose Register for the Family Festival Event Highlights Interactive Football Zones: Test your skills with football drills and mini-games at our Play Football clinic Meet NFL Players: Get up close with your favorite NFL stars Fan Zone: A dedicated area for fans of all ages, featuring contests, prizes, and all-day fun for the whole family Food: Savor local cuisine This is more than just a festival — it's a celebration of football, family, and the Bay Area community. So grab your jerseys, bring the kids, and come make memories at the 2026 NFL Play Football Family Festival, presented by the NFL and the 49ers Foundation! Know Before You Go To ensure a smooth entry, please bring only clear bags. Approved bags must not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”. Permissible options include: Clear backpacks Clear fanny packs Clear bags Clear purses One-gallon clear plastic zip-lock-type bags Small clutch bag (the size of an adult hand) (4.5” x 6.5”)

Thursday, Jan 29 2026