On Monday, February 13, all school sites and district offices will be closed for the Lincoln Day Observance.
Cookies With Carl
All SDCS employees (classified and certificated) are invited to attend the next “Cookies with Carl” on Wednesday, February 22, from 4 -6 p.m., at Bethune Elementary School, 6835 Benjamin Holt Road, San Diego, 92114, (619) 267-2271. This third in the series of informal meetings with Superintendent Cohn gives employees the opportunity to come by and speak with Dr. Cohn as well as to hear what others are saying. If you have something you would like to share with or ask of the superintendent, please plan to attend.
Nominations for Classified Employee of the Year
In May, the Board of Education will present the 2006 Classified Employee of the Year Awards to an outstanding man and woman. School sites and district offices are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates. A nominee for the award must be a classified employee with at least three years of service in a monthly position. The deadline to submit a Nominating Petition is Friday, March 3, by 5 p.m. Completed petitions should be sent or hand-delivered to Gloria Rangel at the Education Center, Room 1241. For information, contact Gloria at (619) 725-8172 or grangel@sandi.net.
National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID)
February 13, 2006, has been designated as National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) in an effort to encourage African American parents to visit their children’s schools and open up dialogue among parent, teacher, and student. In conjunction with NAAPID, the African American Coalition for Education (AACE) is presenting a community forum on Wednesday, February 15, from 6 – 7:30 p.m., at the Southeast Community Presbyterian Church, 210 S. Euclid Avenue, San Diego, 92114. Councilmember Tony Young, School Board Trustee Shelia Jackson, Deputy Superintendent Geno Flores, other community leaders and parents will engage in a discussion on strategies for increased parent involvement and ways to improve the academic achievement of our children. For information, contact the Center for Parent Involvement (CPIE) at (619) 262-6954 or PAZZAZ at (619) 264-6870.
Refrigerator Replacement Program is Underway
Through March 31, the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Center will be replacing more than 900 older refrigerators at school sites and central offices with brand-new, energy-efficient models. The new refrigerators are being purchased at a reduced rate with rebate assistance from SDG&E. The program will result in a cost savings of more than $200,000 per year. School sites and district offices will no longer be able to accept donated refrigerators unless the refrigerator is a model approved by the Energy Office. For more information, call the Energy Office at (858) 627-7413 or visit www.sandi.net/energy.
Free SAT and ACT Preparation Workshop for SDCS Juniors
The San Diego County chapter of California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) is conducting a workshop series to help SDCS Class of 2007 prepare for the SAT or ACT college admission tests. The workshop is free and will be held on three consecutive Saturdays, March 11, 18, and 25, from 9 a.m. to noon, at UC San Diego, Center Hall 113, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Attendees must pre-register and commit to attending all three sessions. For information and registration form, click here. For additional information, contact Karla Whitaker at (858) 569-1866 or kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu.
District Workshops
Race/Human Relations & Advocacy Diversity Workshop
SDCS Race/Human Relations & Advocacy Department is continuing its series of workshops for administrators, teachers, counselors, nurses and other interested staff on “Building Positive Relationships with Students of Color.” Contemporary topics applicable to urban school settings are being offered in the workshops.
Workshops being offered in March are:
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Tuesday, March 14, 3 – 4 p.m., at the Malcolm X Library Peer Mediation- Discussion and information regarding the merits of effective conflict resolution on school campuses utilizing students as Peer Mediators.
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Thursday, March 16, 3 – 4 p.m., at Serra High School Biases and Stereotypes-Discussion exploring deeply held myths and beliefs regarding cultural/ethnic groups, religious affiliation and gender preferences.
RSVP by March 7 to Race/Human Relations & Advocacy at (858) 490-8678.
Emerging Technologies Workshop
SDCS Educational Technology Department is presenting a series of workshops to provide an overview of and resource for some of the latest technologies. The next workshop being offered is:
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Wednesday, February 15, 4 – 6 p.m., at the Center for Technology, Montgomery Middle School, 2470 Ulric, Room 305, San Diego, 92111 How to Make a Podcast-This workshop will give an overview of Podcasting, demonstrate Podcasting software, and provide ideas for student projects, assignments, and other educational uses.
To register for the workshop, click here.
Future workshops include Blogging in Education, Create an Educational Online Learning Community using Moodle and Wikis.
Grant Opportunities
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The Giant Step program from Thomson Gale and Library School Journal recognizes outstanding school and public libraries that make significant improvements or create innovations in programs or services that have a positive impact on student development and learning. The maximum award is $10,000. For information and an application, goto www.galeschools.com. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 15.
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Raytheon Company’s MathMovesU Grants and Scholarships Program recognizes middle and high school teachers who inspire students by creating fun, challenging and innovative learning environments. An award of $2,500 will be granted to recipients with a matching grant going to the school where the recipient is employed. In addition, $1,000 scholarships are available to middle and high school students who demonstrate an enthusiasm for math. For information and applications for both programs, goto www.mathmovesu.com. Applications must be received by Wednesday, February 15.
For more information about these and other grant opportunities, visit the SDCS Office of Resource Development, Current Grant Opportunities page or contact Aly Evans at (619) 725-7221 or aevans2@sandi.net.
Scholarship Opportunities
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Kaiser Permanente’s Asian Pacific American Network (KP-APAN) will award scholarships to six eligible Southern California high school seniors graduating in Spring 2006. Relatives of Kaiser Permanente (KP) physicians and employees, as well as members of the community in the region, are eligible for the scholarships. The scholarships will be divided equally among internal and external applicants. Applicants must be of Asian descent and planning to attend an accredited college, university, trade or technical school in Fall 2006. They also must be residents of the Southern California Kaiser Permanente service area and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The application deadline is Saturday, April 15. To obtain a copy of the application, go to http://financialaid.kp.org. For information, contact Pauline Tsai, MD, at pauline.b.tsai@kp.org .
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The Officers’ Wives’ Club at Miramar is offering continuing education scholarships to spouses or children of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar active duty, retired or deceased military members of any rank. Scholarships are not need-based. Applications must be received no later than Saturday, April 1.
School Theatre Performances
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Valencia Park Center for Academics, Drama and Dance is presenting, “Cinderella: The World’s Favorite Fairy Tale,” the story of Cinderella as she is known in China, Russia and by Native Americans. The show will be performed in the round on Thursday, February 16, and Friday, February 17, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for students. For information, call (619 264-0125, ext. 3022 or 3023 .
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Mira Mesa High School is presenting, “Once on This Island,” the original musical and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale "The Little Mermaid.” Performances are Thursday, February 16, at 3:30 p.m.; February 17, 23, and 24, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, February 25, at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available at the MMHS Finance Office, by phone at (858)-566-2262 ext. 4401 or email at dkriley@sandi.net .
For a calendar listing of theatre performances throughout the district, visit the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA), Theatre Performances page or contact Denise Lynn, at (619) 539-5350, or dlynn@sandi.net
Overflow Parking for Board Meetings
During Board of Education meetings at the Education Center, overflow parking is now available at First Southern Baptist Church at 4353 Park Blvd. This parking arrangement is available ONLY for Board Meetings regularly scheduled for Tuesdays from 2:30 - 6:00 p.m. (typically the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month). The church is located on the east side of Park Blvd. between Meade Ave. and El Cajon Blvd. (across from Birney Elementary). In exchange for the use of the church parking lot, the church will use a portion of the Education Center parking lot on Monday evenings from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Invitation to Hear Dr. Henry L. Johnson, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education
All San Diego County educators are invited to hear Dr. Henry L. Johnson, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, give the keynote address at the opening session of the National Association of Year-Round Education ( NAYRE) 37 th Annual Conference – Creating More Time for Learning - on Sunday, February 26, at 6:30 p.m. Attendance at Dr. Johnson’s keynote is free. It will be held at the Town and Country Resort, Windsor Room, 500 Hotel Circle North in Mission Valley. Interested individuals are welcome to register to attend the other sessions of the conference on Monday, February 27, and Tuesday, February 28. Full-conference and one-day registrations are still available. For additional information about conference sessions and registration, go to www.nayre.org. For additional information, contact Jeannie Steeg at (619)295-2118 or jeannie@aasdcs.org .
Administrators Association Of San Diego City Schools (AASD) Annual Professional Development Conference
On Thursday, March 23, at 8:15 a.m., Jim Grant, executive director of Staff Development for EDUCATORS (SDE) will address the topic: “Maximize Learning with Differentiated Instruction for Grades 1-12.” Grant is an internationally renowned educator, author, and keynote speaker, and is regarded by fellow educators as one of America's most passionate advocates for children. The conference is being held at the Mission Valley Resort, 875 Hotel Circle South in Mission Valley. Cost is $50.00/person, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Seating is limited. Early registration is recommended. Contact Linda Crout-Hamel, AASD office manager, at (619) 295-2118 or via e-mail at linda@aasdcs.org for a registration form or additional information.
Old Globe Offers Special $19 Student Tickets
The Old Globe is offering student tickets for the special price of $19 for every performance of the Theatre’s world-premiere, Broadway-bound musical, The Times They are A-Changin’. Twenty student tickets will be available for each performance and must be purchased in person at the Globe Box Office, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park with a valid student I.D. Tickets can be purchased in advance for any performance through March 5, 2006. One ticket per student. In addition, the Globe will be offering a special student matinee on Wednesday, March 1, at 10:15 a.m. Tickets for this performance are $19 per person (students, teachers, chaperones) and include a session with an in-class professional teaching artist. To reserve tickets for this special matinee, contact the Globe’s Group Sales Department at (619) 231-1941 ext. 2408 or email Groups@TheOldGlobe.org.
Young People’s Concerts Sound Connections
The San Diego Symphony Young People’s Concerts presents Great Masters of Paint and Sound on Wednesday, February 22 at 9:30 and 11 a.m., and Thursday, February 23 at 9:30 and 11 a.m., at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street in Downtown San Diego. This program, designed for K – 8 grades, includes a multi-media concert, classroom packets and great music. The program aligns with California State Visual and Performing Arts Standards. Tickets are only $5. For information, contact James Miles, education manager, at (619) 615-3911 or visit the San Diego Symphony website.
Phi Delta Kappa Hosts County Superintendent Dinner
Phi Delta Kappa ( San Diego and East County Chapters ) along with Delta Kappa Gamma Society International are hosting a County Superintendent Reception/Dinner on Wednesday, March 8 , 2006 , at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, 2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, 92101. Dr. Michael Caston, Superintendent, Escondido Union Elementary District , will be the guest speaker and will address the topic, “Surviving the Superintendency .” The event begins at 5:00 p.m. The cost is $30.00 per person. Send your registration to Dr. Jeannie Steeg, Administrators Association of San Diego City Schools (AASD), 3505 Camino del Rio South, Suite 236, San Diego, 92108 . For information, contact Jeannie at (619) 295-2118 or e-mail jeannie@aasdcs.org.
San Diego Walk and 5K Run for Autism
The San Diego Race for Autism raises funds to benefit children living with autism in San Diego. On Saturday, March 25, at 8 a.m., friends, family and community members will gather in Balboa Park to run, walk and enjoy music, activities and prizes. Proceeds from last year’s event funded the San Diego Autism Teacher Fund, which provided grants to 35 teachers throughout San Diego. The funds are being used to buy specialized programs, software, materials and equipment to enhance a student with autism’s ability to learn. For information, visit the website www.NFAR.org, email Race@NFAR.org or call (858) 679-8800 .
Art in the Classroom Workshops
Center ARTES (Art, Research, Teaching, Education, Schools) at Cal State San Marcos in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education is offering several workshops on integrating arts into the classroom. The workshops are based on the California Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts. For a list of spring 2006 workshops, go to www.csusm.edu.
New on the Web
A web page about Celebrating Black History Month has been added to the website.
The Catch a Rising Star program was profiled in The San Diego Union Tribune on February 7, 2006. The program targets struggling students at six elementary schools who have shown improvement, “not the straight-A children who typically get recognized,” according to the article. Currently only Baker, Birney, Kimbrough, Jackson, Edison and Garfield elementary schools participate, but Board of Education Trustee John de Beck hopes to expand the program across the district. Those seeking additional information about the program are also encouraged to read the article in Staff Bulletin.
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