Newsline - February 11, 2008 :: San Diego Unified School District

Newsline

February 11, 2008

Schools, Offices Closed February 15 and 18
All schools and central offices will be closed Friday, February 15, in observance of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, and Monday, February 18, in observance of George Washington’s birthday. Have a safe and relaxing four-day weekend.

Budget Update
Thanks to the many employees who have submitted more than 200 ideas on how the district might reduce expenditures and/or increase revenue. These ideas are being evaluated by the interim superintendent and his leadership team. To submit an idea or for updates on the budget process, visit the About the Budget web page.

Nominate Your Site Classified Employee of the Year
School sites and district offices are encouraged to nominate a deserving candidate for the 2008 Classified Employee of the Year awards. A nominee must be a classified employee with at least three years of service in a monthly position. The deadline to submit a nomination petition is Friday, March 7, by 5 p.m. Completed petitions should be sent or hand-delivered to Gloria Rangel, Education Center, Room 1241. For information, contact Gloria at grangel@sandi.net or (619) 725-8172.

February and Summer School Post and Bid
The deadline to apply online for February post and bid positions is Friday, February 29. For information, check the “Quick Links” section on the Employment website or see Admin. Circular 49 . The posting for Summer School positions will be February 29 – March 28, which is later than usual to provide a more accurate estimate of the positions that will be needed.

Community Relations 2006-07 Data
The 2006-2007 Partnerships in Education Data Report is now available on the Community Relations Dept. website. The data is a compilation from the End-of-Year and Volunteer Coordinator Surveys completed last spring. Highlights from 2006-07 include: 1,472 business/community partnerships – 77.6% were rated very effective. 26,790 volunteers (up from 22,000 in 2004-2005) and 994,054 volunteer hours (an increase of 317,282 hours over 2004-2005) with a monetary value of $18,658,394. $5,614,611 – partner donations of human, financial, and in-kind goods and services. Nearly 67.3% of partnership support was given in the classroom through tutoring and mentoring.

Loss of Funds Eliminates Short-term Free Meals for Students
For many years, Food Services had access to a privately-funded program called the Bosch Fund, which allowed students who forgot their lunch money or had difficulty paying for meals to receive free meals for one or two days. This program has been discontinued due to lack of private funds. If a student is having difficulty paying for meals, make sure the family has been given the opportunity to submit a Meals Application. Free and reduced-meal applications are available to district students throughout the school year, including summer school. The parents/guardians of a paying student can deposit money into the student’s meal account through the school cafeteria or on-line via the PayPAMS Support System Program. For assistance, contact the Food Services Financial Section at (858) 627-7328.

Cost-savings on Office Depot Copy Paper
The district’s most frequently purchased item from Office Depot is a case of 8 ½"x11" white copy paper. As a cost-savings measure, the district is standardizing copy paper purchases to Office Depot’s most deeply-discounted paper, item number 636024. This paper is used daily by Printing Services and will work in district copiers and printers. Office Depot online orders for copy paper will now automatically be cross-referenced to item number 636024 and be shipped to the requester. This change is necessary and appropriate to best manage the scarce dollars in a time of budget crisis, and will result in a cost savings of app. $12,000 annually. If a site needs to purchase an alternate item, it should be purchased at an Office Depot Retail Store using a District P-Card. For information, contact John Groll at jgroll@sandi.net or (858) 522-5821.

PTA Council Office Moves to Fay Elementary
The San Diego Unified Council of PTAs has moved from the Ed Center campus to the newly-built Mary Lanyon Fay Elementary School. The new address is 4080 52nd Street, San Diego, 92105. The phone number (619) 297-7821 and fax (619) 297-2152) remain the same. The mailing address will remain 4100 Normal St. Visitors should call for an appointment. The PTA Council office is staffed by volunteers and is not always open.

Support for K-12 Military-Dependent Students
The School Liaison Officers (SLO) for Commander, Navy Region Southwest provide support to military dependent children in grades K-12 by assisting military families to achieve success during their transfer and transition into a new school. They also advise students and parents and make referrals regarding all issues related to the students’ academics. The School Liaison Officers have resources and information that many military families and educators do not know. For information and assistance, call (619) 556-7412.

District Trainings
Nell Soto Grant Coordinators Schools that have received or applied for Nell Soto grants should send their grant coordinators to a Training of Trainers workshop on Tuesday, February 12, from 3:30 – 5 p.m., at the Ballard Parent Center. For information and to register, contact Bea Fernandez at bfernandez@sandi.net or (619) 293-4431. Additional School Site Council (SSC) Trainings Added Three additional training sessions of Improving Student Achievement: Revising your Single Plan for Student Achievement have been scheduled in February. The training increases participants’ knowledge of SSC responsibilities in revising the Single Plan for Student Achievement. Translation services and child care will be provided. For training dates and to register, go to http://studata.sandi.net/saa/app/trainingreg/. For information, contact the Program Monitoring Department at (858) 496-4048.

Professional Development
Service-Learning Training for Educators Volunteer San Diego is offering a series of service-learning trainings. The introductory Service Learning 101 will be offered Tuesday, February 12, from 4-7 p.m. On-Site Service Learning Projects and Reflection will be offered Thursday, March 13; Student Motivation and Character Education on Tuesday, April 15, both from 4-6:30 p.m. Principals, teachers, staff and parents are invited to attend. To register, visit www.volunteersandiego.org and select “Educators”. Click on “Professional Development”. Cost is $30 per training. Fee waivers are available on a first-come, first-served basis for district staff. Participants who attend all three trainings can earn .5 district credits through the Discover Program with an additional $45 fee. For information, contact Nancy Hemmings at nhemmings@sandi.net or (619) 725-5597. Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Annual Conference The San Diego affiliate of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is holding its Annual Workshop on Friday, February 15, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Handlery Hotel. Dr. Howard Richmond is the keynote speaker. For information and to register, go to www.ncadd-sd.net New Masters Program in Math, Science ant Technology Education San Diego Unified, in partnership with the University of San Diego, is developing a new program that will give teachers the opportunity to earn a Masters in Education with a focus on Math, Science and Technology. To learn more, attend an Open House on Tuesday, March 4, from 4-6 p.m., at USD. For information or to RSVP, contact Sandy Buczynski at sandyb@sandiego.edu or (619) 260-7991. Information Meetings on Ed.D in Educational Leadership Program An overview of the new independent doctoral program at San Diego State University will be presented at several informational meetings in February. For information and an application, visit http://eddleaders.sdsu.edu or contact pk12-eddleaders@interwork.sdsu.edu or (619) 594-4063. SDSU Administrative Services Credential Program Beginning March 1, San Diego State University will be accepting applications for the fall 2008 Administrative Services Credential Program. Students may enroll in the Credential Only program or in the Master’s Degree/preK-12 Educational Leadership program. For information, go to http://edweb.sdsu.edu/edleader .

Funding Opportunities
The ING Unsung Heroes program rewards K-12 educators who use new teaching methods and techniques that improve learning. One hundred finalists will receive a $2,000 grant. An additional $25,000 will be awarded for first place; $10,000 for second; and $5,000 for third place. The application deadline is Wednesday, April 30. For information, visit www.ing-usa.com. For a complete listing of current grant and funding opportunities, visit the district Office of Resource Development website at http://www.sandi.net/depts/grants/ .

Student Opportunities
High School Junior, Senior Student Leaders Wanted Bank of America is looking for high school juniors and seniors with a passion for making a difference in the community to apply to the Student Leaders program. Awardees will participate in a six-day, all-expense paid Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. The application deadline is Friday, February 29. For information and to apply, visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation. Contest for Military-Connected K-12 Students The Military Child Education Coalition is sponsoring The Art of Being a Military Child . Military-connected children in grades K-12 can express themselves through their artwork, film and writing. The deadline to enter is Monday, March 3. For information, visit www.militarychild.org. Taylor Guitars is Looking for Student Success Stories Taylor Guitars and the San Diego Music Foundation have been providing guitars to the district's music programs for several years. Taylor is looking for great stories about students who started out in San Diego Unified playing a donated Taylor. Do you know a student who has become a professional musician or gone on to postsecondary music school? Share your story with Andy Robinson, Marketing Director, Taylor Guitars, at andy.robinson@taylorguitars.com or (619) 258-1207.

Upcoming Events
Jazz & Black Art Showcase Porter Elementary is hosting a Jazz & Black Art Showcase (English \| Spanish ) on Saturday, February 23, from noon to 5 p.m., on the school’s north campus. For information, contact Yvette Porter at (619) 251-5067. Area 5 Parent Community Forums Area 5 Superintendent Dr. Delfino Alemán will host Parent Community Forums on Wednesday, February 27, at Roosevelt Middle School; (English \| Spanish ) Tuesday, April 15, at Burbank Elementary; (English \| Spanish ) and Tuesday, May 20, at Bird Rock Elementary (English \| Spanish ). All forums will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Childcare, and interpreter services will be available. For information, contact Albert Servin at aservin@sandi.net or (619) 525-2053.

In the News
Barnard Elementary School celebrates Chinese New Year on February 7. Source: KPBS-FM Local news program spends the morning with drama students at CPMA. Source: XETV Sophomore twins compete for Clairemont High's surfing team, coached by their father. Source: San Diego Union-Tribune Students from elementary to high school have a variety of options to make music a part of their life, including programs at Hage and Hickman elementary schools. Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

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