June 25, 2007

Voices from the Front Line: A Conversation about No Child Left Behind
Administrators, teachers and parents are encouraged to come share their personal anecdotes and stories about the impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). A community conversation, moderated by Channel7/39 Education Reporter Rory Devine, is being held today, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Roosevelt Middle School Library. Panelists include Wangenheim Principal Robert Grano, PB Middle Principal Michelle Irwin, San Diego Unified Council of PTA President-elect Cindy McIntyre, SDEA President Camille Zombro, Deputy Superintendent Geno Flores and Superintendent Carl Cohn. The goal of the forum is to raise awareness of the impact of NCLB and prompt a ‘call to action’ among elected officials prior to its reauthorization. Seating is limited. RSVP required. For information or to RSVP, contact communications@sandi.net or (619) 725-5578.
Center Offers Early, One-Stop Fall Enrollments
In order to ease the flood of school site enrollments and provide ‘one-stop shopping’ for parents wanting to enroll their children before the new school year, the district is piloting a Central Enrollment Center Adobe PDF at Roosevelt Middle School in July and August. The center, open to families across the district, will provide new-to-the-district enrollments, transfers within the district enrollments, and VEEP, Choice, Magnet, and NCLB enrollments (if available). For information and to view the center’s schedule, visit the website at www.sandi.net.
PeopleSoft Financials Upgrade Brings New Features
Improvements to eProcurement, Travel Expenses, and other tasks in PeopleSoft Financials are coming this fall. Starting July 1, the first phase of a reconfiguration of the Asset Management module will be implemented. The Information Technology (I.T.) Training Team is developing a series of job aids and online tutorial demonstrations to assist e-Pro Requesters. For information about the upgrade, visit the PeopleSoft website or contact Jessica Youngs at jyoungs@sandi.net.
New Contact Info for Procurement & Contracts, Materiel Control Depts.
The Procurement and Contracts and Materiel Control departments have relocated to a new building and staff members have new phone and fax numbers Adobe PDF. The mailing address remains the same:

2351 Cardinal Lane, Bldg. M,
San Diego, CA 92123

For information, contact Linda Podewils at lpodewils@sandi.net or (858) 522-5808.
Professional Development
• Helping Schools Deal with Trauma
The San Diego Group Psychotherapy Society is presenting a seminar, Caring for a Traumatized School Community Adobe PDF, on Friday, June 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Prado in Balboa Park. Scholarships are available for school personnel (school counselors, psychologists, nurses, teachers, etc). For information, call Liz Hammer at (619) 306-5727.
• High School Earth Science Teachers: Earn While You Learn
In celebration of the International Polar Year (IPY), the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory are seeking high school earth science teachers to participate in a two-day professional development workshop entitled, Engaging in Earth’s Energy -- E3. The workshop will be held Wednesday, August 22, and Thursday, August 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and will explore the influence of the Polar Regions on Earth’s climate, environments, and ecosystems. Upon completion of both days of the workshop, participating teachers will receive a $350 stipend. For information and to RSVP, contact Debbie DeRoma at dderoma@rhfleet.org or (619) 238-1233, ext. 714.
Funding Alert
• Funds for Reading and Literacy Efforts
The International Reading Association (IRA) honors educators, authors, and others involved in reading and literacy efforts through nearly 40 awards and grants. An overview of each award—with lists of guidelines and application forms—can be found on the association’s website.
• National Weather Association Grants for Meteorology
The Sol Hirsch Education Fund awards grants of $500 to K-12 teachers to help improve the education of students in meteorology. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 1.
• Grants for K-12 Aerospace Classroom Activities
The Air Force Association Educator Grant Program is designed to promote aerospace education activities in classrooms from kindergarten through twelfth grades. The maximum award is $250. Applications will be accepted online beginning Wednesday, August 1. The application deadline is Thursday, November 15. For information, go to http://www.afa.org/aef/aid/educator.asp.
Student Opportunities
• The Edward Davis Education Fund Scholarships
The Edward Davis Education Fund (EDEF) grants scholarships to minority high school and college students working toward a degree in automotive related fields of study. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,500 each. The application MS Word deadline is Wednesday, August 1. For information, go to www.onwheelsinc.com.
Upcoming Events
• Parent Celebration
The Harold J. Ballard Parent Center and San Diego Parent University will host the final Parent Celebrations for this school year on Tuesday, June 26, and Wednesday, June 27, from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m., at the Ballard Center. Nearly 130 parents will receive certificates for completing six weeks of academic and parenting classes. For information, contact Elneda M. Shannon at eshannon@sandi.net or (619) 293-4431.
• Birney Swap Meet/Rummage Sale
Birney Elementary will host its first annual Swap Meet on Saturday, July 7, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Buyers and sellers are welcome. Spaces for sellers are $10 each and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For information or a reservation form, contact the school at (619) 497-3500 or e-mail ptabirney@yahoo.com.
In The News
The San Diego Unified School District Class of 2007 was highlighted in print and on the air waves last week. The San Diego Union-Tribune featured a photo of Mira Mesa High School graduates. Garfield High School graduates caught the attention of KPBS-FM and KNSD-TV
Are there any other topics on which you'd like an update? Send a "Newsline Idea" email to communications@sandi.net.