SDUHSD Interim Superintendent Update (9/15/22)

Good afternoon SDUHSD Community, Last night we heard from our school community and we have a shared goal for all students to feel safe on campus.   We are focused on building understanding and moving forward, working together toward our commitment to the well-being and safety of all students . Over the past few months we have seen many wonderful instances of our district students speaking up to make a difference on their school campuses and advocating for their right to an equitable learning environment, free from discrimination and harassment. This will forever be one of the shining moments that I will look back upon with  admiration.  Our students continue to take the courageous step to advocate for themselves as well as for others at our student forums and board meetings, and we are extremely proud of them.  In addition to the remarks heard from our students and community during public comments, last night’s  Board of Trustees Special Meeting at San Dieguito High School Academy also included a few other student-centered items and resources I would like to share with our community. A s a reminder, all items from the Board Agenda can be found on the district website or directly  here . Welcome to our Student Board Representatives for 2022-23 I hope that everyone will extend a warm welcome to our five Student Board Representatives for the 2022-23 school year. Last night Ruthie Bell (SDA), Sasha Bell (LCC), Nina Bernstein (Sunset), Julia Liu (TPHS), and Lexi Worms (CCA) were sworn in to their official duties and presented their first board reports of the year. For a highlight of each of their board reports, visit the  September Student Board Rep Community Spotlight .  Drug Awareness Month and Red Ribbon Week Resolution The Board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution to declare October 2022 as Drug Awareness Month and to join the nation in support of  Red Ribbon Week from October 23-31, which will encourage all students to make a visible statement of their commitment to a healthy, drug-free community in which to raise a generation of healthy, drug-free youth.  This resolution, centered around our students, is so meaningful, and we look forward to seeing another student-centered resolution on the agenda for the October board meeting. College & Career Board Update SDUHSD staff members, Melissa Sage and Jayme Cambra, presented an  update  on College and Career resources and offerings that are available to all students at the district level and on school campuses.  We are extremely proud of our counselors and all of the support and guidance that they provide to all of our students for their plans after high school. Our  College Application Workshop Series  begins Monday with the first of seven Fall webinars designed for 11th and 12th grade students to support post-secondary planning. Be sure to  register  for each webinar that you are interested in, and we hope to see you at as many as possible. Remember to keep an eye out for our November 9 webinar titled “Community College + Career Opportunities” as well.  AP Test Registration Remains Open Please be aware that  AP Exam Registration for 2022-2023 runs until October 5 for the optional AP exams corresponding to AP courses being taken in Fall semester or Yearlong AP courses. Visit  https://www.sduhsdapexams.com/  to review instructions and submit exam fees. I also want to recognize today being the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture and achievement of the United States. As always, please visit our  Diversity and Heritage Calendar  each month to see a sampling of various cultural, religious and other days of celebration.  I want to reaffirm that SDUHSD  will conti nue to comply with state and federal laws and  Board Policies (BP/AR) that provide guidance and requirements to school districts with regard to nondiscrimination, equity and access, including  AB 1266 ,  Senate Bill 48 , BP 0410:  Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities , BP 0415:  Equity , as well as  BP  /  AR  5145.3: Nondiscrimination/Harassment. Let’s all continue to work together, and to all of our students, keep up the amazing work as we reach the midpoint of the first quarter. It is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Friday, Sep 16 2022

Message to the SDUHSD Community (8/31/22)

Good afternoon SDUHSD Community, SDUHSD strives to maintain a  welcoming and safe   environment for all our students and families of all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and faiths. W e want to reiterate that all SDUHSD school personnel will follow procedures to comply with applicable state and federal laws, and board policies and regulations to protect the rights of all students.   Our  Assurance of Nondiscrimination  can be found on our website.  San Dieguito Union High School District policy prohibits, at any district school or school activity, unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying, targeted at any student by anyone, based on the student's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.  SDUHSD requires that school personnel take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so when staff witnesses an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying. We anchor our work around the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), board-approved in June 2022, where our areas of focus include Staff and Student Wellness and Equity and Access. We will continue to collaborate with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) to provide meaningful training for teachers and staff.   SDUHSD recognizes that recent comments about LGBTQIA+ hurt and offended students, staff, and parents within our district community.  We stand by and with our students and are dedicated to ensuring their safety and well-being in all of our schools.    In August, the district provided a workshop for approximately 700 staff members hosted by the SDCOE, titled “LGBTQIA+ 101: The Basics-Terminology, Laws, Best Practices, & Policy Change''. At this training, staff walked away with a basic understanding of laws and policies to support LGBTQIA+ youth, pronouns and gender-inclusive language, facilities, steps for providing a more inclusive environment, and community resources available to our students, staff, and families.  In the spirit of inclusivity, every month a  Heritage & Diversity Calendar  is posted on the district website with a small sampling of cultural, religious, and other days of celebration. For September, one highlight is the 2022 High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year - scheduled to begin at sunset on September 25 and end at nightfall on September 27. Students should never feel pressured to choose between school activities attendance and religious observance.  Education Code 48205 and  Administrative Regulation 5113  allow for excused absences for observance of a religious holiday or ceremony with advanced notice to the school .  In observance of these holidays, parents may elect to keep their children out of school or other extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities. All staff have been made aware that these are excused absences, and students may not be penalized for missing school activities related to these observances.  We remain committed to  providing an inclusive and safe learning environment for all of our school community. It is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Thursday, Sep 01 2022

Excessive Heat Warning - San Diego County

SDUHSD Staff - The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for San Diego County for Tuesday through Monday. SDUHSD outdoor activities and indoor practices may be modified accordingly to ensure student safety.  SDUHSD principals, teachers, staff, coaches, and physical education professionals will continue to monitor the heat and take all necessary precautions. Resources American Red Cross - Heat Wave Safety What to do before and during a heat wave and how you can treat heat related illness. California Department of Public Safety - Extreme Heat Be informed on extreme heat. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Extreme Heat Information on extreme heat preparedness and hot weather tips. Cal OES - Summer Heat Resources Resources to help deal with the summer excessive heat. National Integrated Heat Health Information System Extreme heat warnings in California and how to stay safe. Ready.gov - Extreme Heat Information on extreme heat preparedness.

Tuesday, Aug 30 2022

SDUHSD Interim Superintendent Update (8/26/22)

Good afternoon SDUHSD Community, We had a wonderful start to the school year and it was so great to welcome students back to campus!  Please help me thank our phenomenal teachers, amazing classified support staff and rock star administrators for all the hard work leading up to our students' first day. The energy has been infectious and I know it’s going to be a great school year. Today, August 26, is National Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the 19th amendment allowing women the right to vote and reminds us of the hurdles overcome by the heroic women who faced violence and discrimination to propel the women’s movement forward. This spirit of non-discrimination is an important reminder of the responsibilities we all have as a community to provide a welcoming environment for all students and staff. Our  Assurance of Non-Discrimination  is posted on our district website, and in all matters related to the rights and protections   of students,   all SDUHSD school personnel will   comply with applicable  board policies and regulations , state and federal laws. Last night, the District held its Board of Trustees Special Meeting at San Dieguito High School Academy, and I want to share a few highlights from that meeting as well as important information happening around the district. As a reminder, all items from the Board Agenda can be found on the district website or directly  here . While the modernization of the District Office is underway, regular board meetings have been held at the San Dieguito High School Academy Mustang Commons. The start time of the regular board meetings is 3:00 p.m. With the implementation of SB 328, high schools shall begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. This means that our high schools are not out until later. San Dieguito High School Academy specifically ends at 3:30 p.m. So that we do not impact the student use of the Mustang Commons, we will be canceling our future regular board meetings that start at 3:00 p.m. and rescheduling special board meetings on the same day, but with a later start time of 5:00 p.m. Although they will be special meetings, the Board will follow the public comment protocols for regular meetings since the meetings will be scheduled in place of a regular meeting. We appreciate your understanding during this time. Assistant Principals Named at Earl Warren and Oak Crest Middle Schools We are extremely proud to announce that all of our school-site leadership teams for the 2022-23 school year are completed with the approval of assistant principals at Earl Warren Middle School and Oak Crest Middle School. Erica Williams has been appointed the assistant principal at Earl Warren where she currently teaches English, ASB and yearbook. Chris Green will be the new assistant principal at Oak Crest having spent the past five years as an assistant principal at El Camino High School in the Oceanside Unified School District.  CCA’s Timothy Stiven Named a SDCOE Teacher of the Year Finalist Canyon Crest Academy’s Timothy Stiven has been named a finalist for the San Diego County Office of Education Teacher of the Year. Mr. Stiven was our 2022 Teacher of the Year here in SDUHSD, and he will be present tonight at the 32nd annual “Cox Presents: Salute to Teachers” gala when the county office will announce its San Diego County Teacher of the Year winners. We’re all cheering for you, Mr. Stiven! You are a wonderful representative of the amazing teachers and staff that we have here in San Dieguito! Safe Storage Ordinance and Prevention of Gun Violence Resolution Two students in our community submitted a thoughtful  resolution  aiming to support the prevention of gun violence in American schools, and it was supported unanimously by the board last night. Thank you to LCC seniors Shane and Andrew Baum for your advocacy.  Additionally, San Diego’s Safe Storage and Firearms Ordinance, which went into effect in September of 2019, requires City of San Diego residents to safely lock or store firearms that are inside their residences when they are not within the immediate control of its owners or authorized user. For more information on how to practice safe storage, please see  this letter by San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott .  Chromebook Insurance The San Dieguito Union High School District is pleased to again offer optional device insurance to our families. A family can choose to purchase insurance annually for each student and costs $42 a year per student. The current insurance being offered will provide coverage from August 10, 2022 to August 9, 2023. Families purchasing device insurance will be able to return their device to the District and receive a replacement device at no charge. Families that choose to not purchase insurance may need to replace a device that is broken, in the same manner that a damaged textbook requires replacement.  To answer a commonly asked question, insurance does not include accessories such as chargers or stylus pens! Visit  SchoolDeviceCoverage.com  for more information on signing up. The insurance enrollment period ends on October 15! Please be aware: Chromebook insurance purchased last year for the 2021-22 school year expired on August 15, 2022. Optional device insurance is only valid for a one-year covered period. High School Testing Registrations - PSAT & AP Tests These final two items that I want to mention are for our high school students, and are related to LCAP Goal #2 in helping to provide the opportunity for all of our students to become career or college ready.  Registration for the 2022 College Board PSAT/NMSQT Exam is open until September 8 at  http://aptsusa.com/sduhsd  for all current SDUHSD grade 11 students. The exam will be administered on  Saturday, October 15  at SDUHSD high schools.  For all of our high school families, please be aware that  AP Exam Registration for 2022-2023 opens September 5 and runs until October 5 for the optional AP exams corresponding to Fall semester or Yearlong AP courses. Visit  http://sduhdsapexams.com  to review instructions and submit exam fees. Thank you to all, and we hope you have a fantastic school year. It is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Friday, Aug 26 2022

Optional Chromebook Insurance

San Dieguito Union High School District is pleased to offer optional device insurance to our families.   A family can choose to purchase insurance annually for each student. Families purchasing device insurance will be able to return their device to the District and receive a replacement device at no charge. The cost for this optional chromebook insurance will be as follows:   ●           Families will pay $42/year, per student. Current insurance being offered will provide coverage from August 10, 2022 to August 9, 2023.    Families that choose to not purchase insurance may need to replace a device that is broken, in the same manner that a damaged textbook requires replacement. Repair costs are for damages beyond normal wear and tear and are based solely on the cost of parts. Please be aware: Chromebook insurance purchased last year for the 2021-22 school year expired on August 15, 2022. Optional device insurance is only valid for a one-year covered period.  ●          The insurance enrollment period ends on October 15!  Click Here  or download the attached form.  ●           Insurance covers the student   and their assigned Chromebook (including assigned loaners). Insurance  DOES NOT  cover accessories, including the Stylus and charger.  ●           A police report will be required for any stolen device(s). ●           Some examples of ‘normal wear and tear’ include: keys with fading print, worn down trackpad stickers, batteries no longer holding a charge. ●           Some examples of beyond ‘normal wear and tear’ include: missing keys, missing or peeled back trackpad stickers, cracked screens, damaged power adapter. The following table shows the repair or replacement costs based on damage type or scenario.  For any questions, please contact:  support@schooldevicecoverage.com .   Damage Type/Scenario Cost without Insurance Cost with Insurance Lost/Stolen Chromebook $360 $0 Broken Screen $170 $0 Broken Keyboard $85 $0 Device Non-Functional; Non-Standard Use (e.g.  beyond  normal wear and tear) Variable; Based on Parts $0 Device Non-Functional; Standard Use (e.g. normal wear and tear) $0 $0     Device Accessories (ie: stylus, charger, etc.)     Stylus - $25     Charger - $28 N/A (not covered)  

Thursday, Aug 25 2022

Welcome Back To School: SDUHSD Updates

On behalf of all district administration, I would like to welcome our San Dieguito community of more than 12,000 students, 1,000 employees and 20,000 parents and guardians back to our school campuses for the 2022-23 school year! I am excited to see and meet our students on campus, and I am looking forward to connecting with our teachers and staff to help make this year another successful year.  Back To School Nights We are happy to announce that “Back To School Nights” will return to an in-person format this year at all of our school sites. “Back To School Night” is an opportunity for parents and guardians to meet their students’ teachers, learn about their classes and familiarize themselves with the campus, atmosphere and resources that are available for their students. With multiple events occurring on different school sites on the same day, representation from the Board of Trustees and of the Superintendent’s Executive Cabinet will be spread among the campuses so we have coverage at each school.  Below are the dates for each school’s “Back To School Night” for the upcoming school year. School site principals will send out more information to you as your school’s date nears.  MIDDLE SCHOOLS Carmel Valley Middle School - September 1 Diegueño Middle School - September 1 Earl Warren Middle School - September 1 Oak Crest Middle School - September 1 Pacific Trails Middle School - September 1 HIGH SCHOOLS Canyon Crest Academy - August 23 La Costa Canyon High School - September 8 San Dieguito High School Academy - August 23 Sunset High School/COAST Academy - September 15 Torrey Pines High School - September 8 Nutrition Services & Universal Free School Meals The Nutrition Services department will continue to serve free meals to all students during the 2022-2023 school year. All in-person students may receive one breakfast and one lunch at no charge at all district middle and high schools. No application or registration is needed! Ongoing disruptions throughout the supply chain coupled with persistent labor shortages have led to challenges in every geographic region and impact school districts of all sizes nation-wide, including ours.   Nutrition Services is taking several proactive steps to manage the challenges we are facing in our district, including: Organization of staff workload to support meal production and service Implementation of updated Nutrition Services hardware/software to improve the speed of service Recruitment of talent to fill multiple current vacancies and staff training Streamlined menus   Please check for program updates at:  www.SDUHSDnutrition.com  and consider joining the Nutrition Services Team. Visit our program website at  www.SDUHSDnutrition.com  for a link to job postings for substitutes and permanent positions. SDUHSD Nutrition Services is committed to creating satisfying dining experiences for our students as we continue to adapt to the current K-12 school nutrition environment. Health & Safety Procedures Please be advised that student, staff and community health is always a top priority on our campus sites. SDUHSD will continue to follow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) K-12 Guidance. For more detailed information about district procedures, please visit this  link .  One important health and safety note as you return to school tomorrow is that masking continues to be recommended but remains optional. Masks will be made available to all students that request one, and all mask choices should be supported and protected by all staff and students. Additionally, if your student is ill, please keep them home until they are feeling well and fever free for 24 hours without medications and consult their medical doctor as necessary.  Thank you and we look forward to another successful year! It is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Monday, Aug 15 2022

Principal Announcement at Diegueño Middle School and...

Good afternoon SDUHSD community, I am pleased to announce the appointments of Dr. Celeste Barnette as the new principal at Diegueño Middle School as well as three new assistant principals at different school sites for the 2022-23 school year as announced in today’s Special Board Meeting.   I am especially proud that all four appointments come from within our district, a testament to the quality of hard-working administrators that we continue to attract to SDUHSD. Dr. Barnette will assume the role of principal at Diegueño Middle School with over 17 years of K-12 and post-secondary administrative experience including a five-year stint as an elementary school principal in the Poway Unified School District. Most recently, Barnette served as an assistant principal at Earl Warren Middle School and at San Dieguito High School Academy. Katie Bendix will be a new assistant principal at La Costa Canyon High School, Jaime Garman will be a new assistant principal at San Dieguito High School Academy and Nathan Molina will be the new assistant principal at Carmel Valley Middle School. We are extremely excited with the staff that we have leading all 10 of our school sites this year, and we look forward to another successful year within the San Dieguito Union High School District. Thank you, and it is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Tuesday, Aug 09 2022

Welcome Back To SDUHSD

Good afternoon SDUHSD Community, We are just days away from the start of the 2022-23 school year, and I am humbled and honored to help lead this school district through the beginning of another year. New school years always bring about an element of change. We will welcome thousands of new students to our campuses, whether they have transferred in from other areas or joined us from one of our elementary feeder districts. We will welcome many new staff members and teachers who will help guide our students academically and make sure our schools run efficiently. We will welcome new principals at five of our schools, bringing a mix of familiarity combined with new energy and new ideas for our students. As we all acclimate to this new school year, new environments, new teachers and new school leadership teams, we want to remind everyone to continue to keep your mental and physical health as top priorities. If you are feeling sick, please stay home. If you are in need of social-emotional support, please contact your school counselors. If you have any questions prior to the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 16, do not hesitate to contact your site administrator. We look forward to seeing each of you soon! It is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Thursday, Aug 04 2022

SDUHSD Annual Data Confirmation (Mandatory)

Dear Parents/Guardians:   Each year, SDUHSD opens an Annual Data Confirmation window for parents to receive and acknowledge required Annual Notification materials and update student data. Knowing your rights and h aving accurate information about your child is imperative to maintain a healthy and safe learning environment.  Annual Data Confirmation is a MANDATORY requirement that must be completed electronically for every student, by parents/guardians, using their Aeries Parent Portal account.  The window to complete this process is NOW OPEN.   We are asking families to complete the Income Survey section. This survey helps to ensure that adequate funding is available to support educational programs that directly benefit your child. Please complete the Income Survey section to ensure your child’s school receives the funding it deserves. Login to your parent portal and complete the Annual Data Confirmation process  BEFORE the first day of school August 16, 2022.    NOTE:  Beginning on September 1, access to student information in your Parent Portal account may be limited if the required data confirmation has  not  been completed.   There are 7 areas that require annual updates.    1. Family Information:  This section includes two surveys; Military and the Housing Surveys. Select whether at least one parent/guardian of this student is active in the United States Armed Forces. The Housing Survey is intended to address the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act. Please select the most applicable home situation for your family. 2 . Income Survey:    This survey helps to ensure that adequate funding is available to support educational programs that directly benefit your child.  Please complete this survey to ensure your child's school receives the funding it deserves. The information submitted on this survey is a confidential educational record and is therefore protected by all relevant federal and state privacy laws that pertain to educational records.  If you wish to skip this survey,  do not check any boxes, click the Confirm and Continue . This will present a message display box, click Decline to Respond. 3.  Student Info : Review, update and confirm the primary telephone number, mailing and residence address if needed OR if it is listed incorrectly.   4 . Contacts : Add, change or delete the work and mobile numbers, as well as the emergency contacts on file for your child. Emergency contacts are those individuals who would be contacted in the event of an emergency if you are unavailable.  Verify the parent education level fields are accurate for each parent/guardian listed and make changes accordingly. 5. Medical History:  Enter any existing medical conditions or indicate if there are no medical conditions to report. 6 . Required Documents  - Annual Notification, Acceptable Use Policy-Student Use of Technology, Residency Policy, Discipline Policy, Attendance Policy, FAFSA/CADAA opt out (Grade 12 Only), CalGrant Opt Out (11th and 12th Grade only), Meal Application and Chromebook paperwork.  and various school related documents are posted in the Documents tab.  Please read carefully and check the box to verify that you have reviewed these documents. Every family must acknowledge receipt of these documents annually for each student.  7. Authorizations and Prohibitions : I ndicate your direction to the district about the release of  directory information regarding your child.   Aeries Parent Portal Accounts : This process requires an ACTIVE Aeries Parent Portal account.  To begin and complete the data confirmation process, please visit the   Aeries Parent Portal  page and login to your account.  Please visit the  SDUHSD Tech Hub Aeries-Parent/Guardian Guide   if you need further assistance with your login.   If you have a child who is NEW to the district this year: A Parent Portal account has already been created for you during the pre-enrollment process and an email was sent with instructions to confirm.    If you DID NOT confirm at that time, search your email account inbox, junk or spam using “Info, info”.   Open or reopen that email and follow the instructions to complete the process.   If you DID confirm at that time, login using your email address and the password you created at that time.  If you do not remember your password, use the Forgot Password function during the login process.  If you need further assistance, please visit the   SDUHSD Tech Hub Aeries-Parent/Guardian Guide For security reasons, changes may only be made using a Parent Portal account. Students are not authorized to make updates or changes through Student accounts. Please be sure that your child does not have access to your Parent Portal account. If you need to change your password, click on the “Forgot Password” link on the login page and follow the prompts. Students are encouraged to create their own Student account with parent authorization. For information on how to create a student account, and for assistance if you encounter any problems, please contact your child’s school.   Thank you for your support for a safe and successful beginning of the 2022-2023 school year!    

Monday, Aug 01 2022

Site Leadership Updates at SDA and PTMS

Good afternoon SDUHSD community, I am pleased to announce the appointments of new leadership at two school sites for the 2022-23 school year as announced at last night’s Regular Board Meeting. Cara Dolnik will serve as the principal of San Dieguito High School Academy (SDA), and Scott Wild will serve as the principal of Pacific Trails Middle School (PTMS). Mrs. Dolnik will assume the role of principal at SDA after spending the past four years as the principal at Diegueño Middle School. Her successes at Diegueño speak for themselves as she has overseen numerous improvements to the infrastructure and facilities at Diegueño and in 2021 became the most recent of our principals to lead her school site to the prestigious California Distinguished Schools Program honor. Mr. Wild joins our district from Oak Valley Middle School in the Poway Unified School District where he served as an assistant principal for the past three years. Prior to that, he served in various roles within the Poway Unified School District over the past 10 years including English teacher, ASB Director and assistant principal at the high school level. He comes to SDUHSD with over 20 years of education experience in San Diego County, and we are extremely excited to have him join our SDUHSD community. District leadership will engage stakeholders in the process to find a new principal at Diegueño Middle School. As we have done with SDA and PTMS, it is our priority to find an exceptional candidate and ensure a smooth transition into the 2022-2023 school year. Thank you, and it is my honor to work for you! Tina Douglas Interim Superintendent

Thursday, Jul 28 2022