Morse High School ASB President Serves as Honorary SDUSD Student Board Representative

Amie Bagay, the ASB President of Morse High School, recently served as a San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Student Board Representative. She joined the Board Members on the dais and provided a report about what has been happening at her school both socially and academically.

SDUSD Schools Going to JROTC National Finals

The Navy and Air Force have just completed their national qualification rounds for the JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl. Patrick Henry Navy JROTC and Scripps Ranch Air Force JROTC will both compete in the national finals, June 21-25 in Washington, D.C. The SRHS AFJROTC Academic Team will be returning to Washington D.C. for the fourth year in a row to defend the championship crown.

Scripps Ranch Wins CIF Battle of the Fans Newcomer Award

Scripps Ranch student sprit section, The Cage participated in the CIF Battle of the Fans competition this year.  Last Friday, they were announced as the winners of the "Newcomer" award, which is only 1 of 3 awards given in this competition (newcomer, small school, and large school).

Go Falcons!

If TK Can Do IT, So Can You!

Crown Point Junior Music Academy teacher, Tirza Bennett, has integrated technology in her TK classroom like a pro. She has created many age appropriate strategies to overcome the obstacles that her students encounter when using classroom software and hardware. Her classroom has become a nurturing center that allows students to work on their sense of agency while using technology.

Students were engaged in many different types of activities using technology. They independently used the classroom microphones, they utilized the Promethean board to complete independent work, read out loud using laptops (Chromebooks), graph on Chrome Music Lab, created videos on Flipgrid to describe their science notebook work and review books, as well as watched science, math, language arts, and peer videos. Children in this classroom are proud when they are able to enter site passwords independently, and they are eager to help by showing their peers how to do the same. Many of the children seek a peer’s assistance when they want to learn how to do a task or find a game on the computer.

Ms. Bennett is approximating her use of classroom technology by introducing new resources as she learns about them through the SDEA Workshops and SDUSD’s ITN. These children are digital learners; they are very comfortable with technology and are excited to try out new technology with their teacher.

Kearny Math Teachers Calculate How Literacy Matters

Last week, the math teachers at Kearny High School came together to think about how literacy support in math can be reflected in daily instruction. They unpacked the language demands of the Smarter Balanced math performance task and planned for ways to adjust instruction so that students approach the exam with more confidence. They spent a good part of the day thinking about the English Language Development standards for the state of California and made connections to where students can practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening while learning important math concepts. They considered math procedures, and looked for ways to increase depth of knowledge through critical thinking and problem solving. In the end, the teachers came up with performance tasks for units of study for Integrated Math 1, II, and III, and left with teaching tools and strategies to empower students toward greater success in high school mathematics.

Why Students Need to Opportunities to Learn Outside the Classroom

For students who struggle sitting still in a classroom, being outdoors may help improve focus and motivation to learn. Learning while outdoors engages active, place-based learning, and studies show that it helps students improve retention and recall of learned material.

A group of students at Hoover High went on a field trip to mountain bike and understand the impacts of human activity on climate change. This was a collaboration between the Principles of Biotech and English teacher who share a group of students. Half the class learned to mountain bike, and for several students it was their first experience on a bike, while the other half of the class focused on understanding plastics, BPA, and the effects that human activity on current climate. Then the groups swapped. Students who might generally struggle to stay focused in a classroom got an opportunity to practice leadership, learn new skills, and, when assessed, to show understanding and engaged inquiry. Hopefully more students will be able to experience learning while outdoors soon!

“But You’re Not My Teacher!” Students Get Feedback From Teachers

English teachers from across the district gathered at Madison High School to learn more about giving feedback to students - - - but the students weren’t their own! Teachers spent the morning learning about giving effective feedback on students’ writing that is specific, timely, and in the right dose. Then 11th graders came in and sat next to a teacher they didn’t know and received feedback on a writing prompt they had written the day before. Some of the feedback teachers gave included tips for writing clearer claims, citing appropriate evidence, and organizing the writing. Students were receptive to the feedback and commented that it was a fun experience, “It’s weird getting feedback from an English teacher from another school. But the teacher I met with said the same thing my teacher always says!” Teachers loved the “learning by doing” method. One appreciative teacher commented, “Most professional development for teachers includes reading and watching videos about effective strategies. But the best teacher training comes from working directly with students!”

Kearny High School Students Experience BioLabs

Ninth graders from Kearny High School Science Connections and Technology participated in a unique hands-on learning experience at BioLabs. BioLabs offers co-working spaces for life science startups; unique places where you can test, develop, and grow your game-changing ideas. The goal is to change how scientific entrepreneurs do business by building an ecosystem that empowers bioinnovators to grow quickly, while maximizing capital efficiency.

For the primary hands-on, minds-on activity, the students were presented with the following design challenge: How might we design a solution to combat the spread of a flu outbreak? Students worked in groups and used design thinking strategies to create a "pitch" that would solve an influenza outbreak for a specific population. They presented their pitches to a panel of mock investors to simulate an experience a startup biotech company would participate in.

After they pitched their solutions, they had the opportunity to have conversations with real world BioTech entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs shared their passions and paths to success and answered questions posed by the students. The opportunity to interact with industry experts was the icing on the cake to an great day of learning.

San Diego Unified is very fortunate to have partners like BioLabs who create unique learning experiences for students!

From Inquiry to Action

On Feb. 8, 2019, 177 History-Social Science (HSS) teachers attended the annual SDCOE HSS Conference. The theme this year, “From Inquiry to Action,” connects really well to the HSS & C3 Frameworks as well as the Civic Learning Resolution adopted by SDUSD in April 2014.

The morning began with keynote speaker Sarah McGrew, a PHD candidate from Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) , who presented on Civic Online Reasoning, which involves teaching students how to evaluate online information as a vital skill to maintain democracy. She explained the various approaches that historians and fact checkers take as they examine the information on the website.

She demonstrated the Lateral vs. Vertical reading to determine the reliability of information. While historians typically read vertically (from beginning to end), fact-finders read laterally (checking on the source and bias of article information). Through this process, students will begin to think in terms of: Who is source? Who is behind the information? What evidence is being used to determine these? What do other sources say about the topic? SHEG is a free open resource designed to assist teachers with teaching this skill to students as well as offering a host of innovative world and U.S. history lessons. 

The rest of the conference enabled teachers to attend sessions of their choice with breaks and lunch in between for teams to share their learning and network with HSS teachers around the District and county. The excitement and energy around the new Framework is intoxicating!

Facing International Justice during the Two Great Wars

On February 5, 2019, U.S. History teachers completed the fourth session of a five-part series facilitated by Facing History and Ourselves called “Identity and Agency in U.S. History,” designed to support the roll-out of SDUSD’s new high school US History course by the same name. Twenty eight teachers from all over the District analyzed three events: Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, and Japanese Internment, and located where they and the nation stand in terms of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Facing History and Ourselves https://www.facinghistory.org/ has free resources and lessons for teachers around social justice topics. The materials include culturally responsive teaching strategies that get students moving around the room, participating in conversations with partners and the whole class, and push students to figure out who they are, using rigorous and engaging primary and secondary sources.

Pictured on the left is a great teaching strategy called “Human Timeline.” While history is not all about dates, chronology does matter. Teachers put themselves in the role of their students and walked around reading different events in Eleanor Roosevelt’s life in order to connect how she came to write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is a great activity to engage reluctant readers in historical chronology. The fifth and final session of the series culminates on April 9, 2019 with “Choices and Civil Rights: A Case Study of Little Rock, Arkansas.”

Everything is Awesome: Learning is Fun with LEGO!

Who says teachers can’t have fun while learning? San Diego Unified teachers got together at Morse High School to explore different ways to give feedback to their students. They experienced how to effectively communicate while using LEGO to build structures. Pairs of teachers sat back-to-back and one teacher built a structure using six pieces of LEGO. This teacher had to communicate to his/her partner how to build their structure without looking. The room was buzzing with teachers giving instructions like “Put the green piece on the blue piece horizontally.” “Make sure your two yellow rectangular pieces aren’t next to each other.” Some teachers wanted to peek at their partner’s structure because they were frustrated with the kinds of directions they were given. Other teachers commented that their partner’s directions were very clear. Teachers had a good time comparing LEGO structures at the end of the activity and reflected on the importance of effective communication! Teachers commented that building a matching structure was much easier when their partner used specific details and when they were able to ask questions to clarify what they needed to do next. We are pretty sure teachers will be trying this activity on with their students in order to show the importance of effective communication for feedback. As the lyrics to the theme song of the LEGO Movie say, “Everything is awesome - - when you’re part of a team!”

CTE Students participate in NC3 Miramar College Signing Day

Miramar College hosted 130 Career Technical Education students from Clairemont, Lincoln, Madison, Mira Mesa, Morse and University City and were invited to participate in their NC3 National Signing Day. Students were given an opportunity to experience CTE offerings at Miramar College that included their Fire Technology, Administration of Justice, Automotive, Diesel and Physical and Exercise Science programs. Students were given an opportunity to sign letters of intent to these various programs offered at Miramar for the next school year.


Click here see News 8's coverage of the event. 

Celebrating Student Attendance

Rosa Parks Elementary held an Attendance celebration to recognize students who had perfect attendance for the entire 2017-2018 school year, students who had perfect attendance during the first semester of the 2018-2019 school year, and students who had the most improved attendance. Smiles filled the auditorium as Marjorie Rice, a Cal Coast Representative, handed out the Perfect Attendance certificates along with school counselor Chet Brower. Vice Principal Prado handed out the remaining awards for students with perfect attendance and most improved attendance while encouraging student to come to school everyday "even if it is really hot out and even if it is raining and really cold out". Attending school everyday is critically important for student academic success. United Way's community partnership encourages students to be a HERO (Here Everyday Ready On time) Backpacks with HERO capes were raffled off to students who had received recognition for their attendance. Students also received buttons, a bumper sticker, and a book along with their certificates. #attendancematters #celebrateattendance #HERO

STRIVE at Perry Elementary

Third grade students at Perry Elementary's PrimeTime program participate in Student Targeted Reading Intervention Via Extended Learning (STRIVE ) with third grade teacher, Ms. Mickles. The third grade teachers at Perry Elementary recently participated in Student Centered Coaching Cycles where lessons are designed with targeted reading strategies to improve student reading achievement. The students in Ms. Mickles' STRIVE program are reading two non-fiction articles, then writing a compare/contrast essay by locating the main idea in each article, comparing the similarities and contrasting the differences while highlighting textual evidence. This integrated approach is a collaboration with Extended Learning Opportunities PrimeTime program and Office of Leadership and Learning. For more information on the STRIVE program, contact Steffanie Zambrano at szambrano@sandi.net.

3 San Diego Unified Schools Place in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Food Drive Challenge

Congratulations to Scripps Ranch High School and iHigh Virtual Academy for taking 1st place and East Village High School for taking 3rd place in the 11th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Food Drive Challenge. The results were announced and the schools were awarded at the Washington-Lincoln Laurels for Leaders Luncheon. San Diego County's 90+ high school Associated Student Body (ASB) organizations were invited to show how much they care about the community by participating in the challenge.

ASB Presidents Attend the Annual Laurels for Leaders Luncheon

The San Diego Unified high school ASB Presidents attended the 62nd annual Laurels for Leaders Luncheon at San Diego State University's Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. The Washington-Lincoln Laurels for Leaders luncheon is held in February each year around the time of the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Each ASB President was seated with other ASB Presidents and sponsors from the community, in order to facilitate networking and building connections. School staff, parents and guests were welcome to attend the luncheon and sit in a special section in order to observe their students being honored. Washington-Lincoln Laurels for Leaders was established in 1957 as a way of honoring and recognizing the achievements of ASB presidents of San Diego County high schools. Laurels founder Dr. Frank Lowe, then-president of the San Diego Unified School District, believed that such recognition would encourage a lifelong commitment to service among the student leaders.

Athlete with Autism Provides Amazing Moment for Mission Bay

In the fourth quarter against La Jolla High School, Mission Bay High School basketball player Coby Herroon provided the most memorable moment of the season...

Click here to see it...https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Athlete-with-Autism-Provides-Amazing-Moment-for-Mission-Bay-505871111.html

School Counselors Presented at 2019 San Diego School Counselor Leadership Conference

San Diego Unified school counselors had the amazing opportunity to present at the San Diego School Counselor Leadership Conference, hosted by the San Diego County Office of Education. Head counselor Andreanna Murphy was fortunate to present two awesome breakout sessions titled: Unlocking the Genius - Showcasing Students Strengths AND Preparing for Careers of the Future: School Counselors Lead the Way! Head counselors Eri Nall, Jessica Snyder, Irene Ortega and Jason Maher presented a breakout session titled: RAMP UP your Counseling Program Using Google Classroom, Drive & YouTube. Jason Maher also presented on Dual Enrollment: Top 10 Tips for a Successful Program.

This was a special day for school counselors to invest in their professional development. Hundreds of school counselors used this event to recalibrate, destress, and get re-energized for their busy spring. The School Counselor Leadership Conference is the go-to annual event for school counselors. We are proud of SD Unified school counselors who gave back to the profession and shared their knowledge and experience with other working professionals. Conferences like this allow school counselors to gather useful strategies to change student's lives. Remember to follow the Counseling and Guidance department on Instagram and Twitter: @CounselingSDUSD

Kearny High School DMD starts the critical work of “Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices.”

Kearny High School's DMD team completed Youth Advocacy’s “Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices” training. Teachers and administrators held discussions around unconscious bias, creating safe spaces on campus for students, and awareness of bias and microagressions in an effort to create a campus culture that supports and embraces our diverse student body. Teachers at Kearny will be implementing identity-based curriculum modules and diving into culturally responsive teaching strategies.

Youth Advocacy Teams with Unified's Libraries to Honor African American History Month

The Department of Youth Advocacy and SDUSD libraries have teamed up to honor African American History Month! We have designed and distributed a small display which includes celebrations of African American pioneers, facts about African American History Month, and information for students to get involved. A big shout out to Standley, De Portola, Muirlands, CPMA, Memorial Prep, Marshall, and Innovation Middle for sharing their displays! Contact us at youthadvocacy@sandi.net if you'd like to request display material for your school.

HERstory lessons at Grant K-8 Primetime

The Integrated Youth Services Division believes in an integrated approach to empower, engage, and inspire students in their learning. Our Extended Learning Opportunities in collaboration with our Youth Advocacy Department have teamed up to bring culturally responsive teaching practices to PrimeTime before and after school programs. Grant K-8 is one of the many PrimeTime Programs that are integrating the learning opportunities for students after school. English teacher, Dennice Rousey, has spent the last few weeks teaching students in PrimeTime all about women's history using the Youth Advocacy curriculum "HERstory" developed by resource teacher Ebonee Weathers. When the students were asked what their favorite lesson was, sixth grader Katie shared, "My favorite lesson was the one about our Identity!" and Joshua, a seventh grader, said "You remember the one with the Ted Talk? It was where they asked you if you knew any of the famous women. I didn't know any of them." For more information around PrimeTime programming contact Steffanie Zambrano szambrano@sandi.net or for culturally responsive teaching contact Ebonee Weathers: eweathers@sandi.net.

Student-Designed Banners Along Linda Vista Road- A Result of Community Collaboration

On Friday, March 1, 2019, students, parents, faculty and staff from Montgomery Middle STEAM Magnet School and San Diego Unified School District, together with longtime community partners Linda Vista Town Council (LVTC) and University of San Diego (USD), will celebrate the unveiling of student-designed banners along Linda Vista Road and Ulric Street at John Baca Park in Linda Vista.

With the theme “We Are Linda Vista” this day is the culmination of an 8th grade design-based unit spearheaded by Montgomery teacher Aimee Welshans. Since the fall, students have been focused on the community of Linda Vista and their role in it. At the same time the students were thinking critically about their community, USD and the LVTC were exploring options for the next series of banners along Linda Vista Road that would authentically represent Linda Vista. “Because of our historical partnerships in Linda Vista, connections were made between the 8th grade students and USD’s Publications Department and University Designer,” said Malia Pfister, Senior Advisor in the Office of Community and Government Relations and sponsor of the banners. She added, “What better way to show off Linda Vista than through the lens of our best asset---our youth.” 

After launching the collaboration in November, Montgomery students worked in teams to create a visual representation of Linda Vista for the banners. Prototypes were produced and the teams pitched their designs at an exhibition in December 2018 to USD staff, the Linda Vista Town Council, Montgomery faculty, staff and families as well as students from neighboring elementary schools. “Our students were able to use skills gained in other classes in order to pitch the banner to a real life client and see it come to fruition,” noted Welshans. “This real world experience is exactly what we want for our students here at Montgomery STEAM Magnet.” John Nielsen, President of the LVTC, added, “It’s been wonderful to see a project that brings community members and students together to create art representing Linda Vista as a whole.”

The banners can be viewed along Linda Vista Road and Ulric Street.

Special Education Students Team Up With Student Athletes for Schools’ Annual Unity and Unified Games

The Point Loma High School gymnasium was packed this past Wednesday, and it felt like the entire community was ready to celebrate one of the most anticipated basketball games of the year. Not far away at Clairemont High School, an identical scene was playing out. Then a few days later, San Diego High School hosted Morse High School for their very own Special Olympics Unified basketball game. 

Click here: https://www.sandiegounified.org/newscenter/special-education-students-are-biggest-stars-schools%E2%80%99-annual-unity-games

The Council of ASB Presidents Continue Their Monthly Meetings

The San Diego Unified School District Council of ASB Presidents continue their monthly meetings at the February Council meeting. The Council of ASB Presidents is made up of high school ASB Presidents from both traditional and atypical high schools. The agendas are prepared and the meetings are led by the Council officers: 

• Council President, Jerry Yang from Scripps Ranch HS 
• Council Vice President, Huda Ahmed from Crawford HS 
• Council Secretary, Dahlia Canonigo from iHigh Virtual Academy 
• Council Treasurer, Gwyn Qua from San Diego HS 

This Council provides a liaison between the SDUSD Board of Education and students, student representation at Board of Education meetings, and a continued focus on strengthening operations of ASB organizations at their schools.

SDSCPA and East Village High School ASB Presidents Serve as Honorary SDUSD Student Board Representatives

Marilaine Kate Roque, the ASB President of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, and Nolan Grecia Jimenez, the ASB President of East Village High School, recently served as San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Student Board Representatives. The students joined the Board Members on the dais and provided reports about what has been happening at their schools both socially and academically.