MET Teachers Get the Last Word

“Wisdom begins in wonder,” said the philosopher Socrates, and that’s exactly what the teachers at San Diego MET High School believe too! Teachers were curious about the best ways to get their students thinking and talking critically about topics in all their subject areas. They wondered how best to set up Socratic Seminars as a discussion routine so the teachers started by practicing the skills themselves. Teachers engaged in an activity called Save the Last Word for Me discussing the concept of “daring greatly” and leading their students to do the same. Many of them said they were planning to try it in their own classroom as soon as possible. The MET teachers are excited to build a culture of student-led discussions. When student voices dominate class, you can hear the learning happening! Great work MET teachers!

Authentic Work Keeps Students Engaged

Students at De Portola Middle School in Brenda Mueller’s 7th grade class are working on understanding landslides and learning how to stabilize hillsides. They first learned about the geology of the California area and discovered the location of fault lines (they were not given a map of the fault lines, but rather investigated through maps that showed depth and historical information of where most likely the fault lines were located). Upon that understanding, they were shown a clip of a real landslide that happened in the Southern California area due to a train and basic geology of the area. They were then tasked to recommend how to stabilize the area. Instead of just googling the information, they were given real materials to test out their theories and create prototypes. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are encouraging teachers to be facilitators of information, rather than the gatekeepers. This work provided students the opportunity to do relevant, critical thinking.

Point Loma High School hosted dignitaries from Portugal to observe and celebrate our Portuguese Language Program.

Point Loma is the only public school in southern California to offer Portuguese. It is the result of years of collaborating with the Portuguese Historical Society and the school district.

PLHS is proud of our history and our future work with outside agencies.

Pictured alongside some of our Portuguese language students are:

President of the Camões Instituto of Portugal, Ambassador Dr. Luís Faro Ramos
João Caixinha, Coordinator of Portuguese Language Programs in the U.S.
Portuguese Consul General in San Francisco, Dra. Maria João Lopes Cardoso
Honorary Consul of Portugal em San Diego, Idalmiro da Rosa
Linette da Rosa Baptista, retired SDUSD administrator and community liaison 
Hans Becker, Point Loma High School Principal 
Board of Education Representative of the San Diego Unified School District, Dr. Michael McQuary,
Ze Garcia Jr, Portuguese classroom teacher, Point Loma High School

Welcome to the Linda Vista STEAM Magnet Pathway

Students Show Their Stuff at the County Science and Engineering Fair

The 65th Annual Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF) took place March 13-17, 2019 at the Balboa Park Activity Center. Students throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties spent “judging day” sharing their student STEM research projects with industry professionals. Student exhibitors discussed their project design, experimentation, and results with three to five category specific judges. There are fourteen categories in the Senior Division (grades 9-12) and fifteen categories in the Junior Division (grades 7-8).

Categories include Animal Sciences, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering, Medicine and Health and Plant Sciences. Students also speak with STEM professional societies, organizations and companies who wish to recognize the excellence in their work.

This year San Diego Unified had nine projects in the Senior Division representing the following schools: La Jolla High, Scripps Ranch High, Serra High, and University City High. Forty-eight projects in the Junior Division were from SDUSD middle schools (De Portola, Farb, Marshall, Marston, Mt. Everest Academy, Pacific Beach, and Wangenheim). The sixth-grade showcase debuted this year at the GSDSEF with eight projects from Marston Middle.

San Diego Unified students showed their excellence beyond competing in the Fair. Morse High School’s Hungry Tiger culinary arts students catered the breakfast service for 300+ professionals who volunteered their morning to judge the Fair. In the afternoon, they catered lunch with continued professionalism to 100 judges who decide the Fair’s top winners. Judges appreciated and raved about their excellent service and food.

Eighty-nine students from the GSDSEF will move on to compete at the California State Science Fair in April. The GSDSEF is an Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) affiliate fair. A limited number of Senior Division Sweepstakes Award winners (highest award) will go on to compete at Intel ISEF in May for university scholarships, educational trips (such as the Nobel Prize ceremony) and cash awards in Phoenix, AZ.

Kimbrough Elem Principal Guest Speaker at One San Diego Neighborhood Experience Event

Principal Hernan Baeza from Kimbrough Elementary School was asked to speak at the VIP reception of the One San Diego Neighborhood Event. Principal Baeza shared with the crowd, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Katherine Faulconer the impact of the "We've Got Your Back" Backpack Event that One San Diego donors helped support.

The "We've Got Your Back" Event provided every student at Kimbrough a backpack and school supplies for the start of the 18/19 school year. Principal Baeza expressed his gratitude and shared inspiring stories of students and families who may otherwise have not been unable to provide the materials for school.

Hygiene Donations for Students in Need

 SDUSD Office of Children and Youth in Transition staff partnered with National Insurance Housing during their yearly conference at the US Grant Hotel to fill hygiene bags for students in need. National Insurance Housing selected to support SDUSD students as part of their annual community project. Over 1,000 hygiene bags were filled containing socks, soap, shampoo, deodorant, and dental products. Bags will be dispensed to school sites for students and families in need throughout the year.

Morse High School’s Peace March

Morse High School’s One World Club is advocating for the end of Hate Speech during their week of consciousness from March 18-22, capping the week off with a school-wide organized Peace March starting at Morse and ending at O’Farrell Middle School. Each year the One World Club chooses one world injustice to raise both awareness and funds, with this being their 13th year with a Week of Consciousness. Over the course of the year they also engage in mini-projects such as starting a school pantry and school supply drive that has now turned into another official school club. Students from Hoover High School’s Student Awareness Club will be in attendance to learn from this inspiring example of Youth/Adult Partnerships to advocate for community change that The Peace March at Morse is offering. The Youth Advocacy department supports this continued work and their advocacy clubs to support these positive Youth/Adult Partnerships in community change.

SDSU College of Education

SDUSD school counselors had a constructive and collaborative meeting with SDSU’s Dean Chung of the College of Education. We discussed how to increase college awareness and expand college access opportunities for local K-12 students and families.

PrimeTime Scholars: Opportunities Abound

PrimeTime Scholars, through San Diego Unified School District’s Extended Learning Opportunities Department (ELO), provides students with an opportunity to participate in a five-week program where they build critical thinking skills, self-confidence and decision-making skills through public-private partnerships. The students receive 10 hours of rich and rigorous classroom instruction with a credentialed teacher, four to six hours of outreach and 12 hours of hands on experiences at various museums/programs in San Diego County.


Euclid and Garfield’s PrimeTime Programs took advantage of the opportunity afforded them through these amazing partnerships. Euclid’s third graders collaborated with the Living Coast Discovery Center and the San Diego Zoo while Garfield’s fifth graders with the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) and the Children’s Museum. In order to share in the excitement PrimeTime Scholars provides to the students, ELO tagged along with Euclid and Garfield’s PrimeTime Programs as they went on one of their many adventures.


Euclid’s third graders visited the San Diego Zoo where educators from the San Diego Zoo spent an hour with students talking about adaptations and provided students an opportunity to engage with some really cool biofacts, a king cheetah pelt, hippo lip, and porcupine quills, to name a few. They then took a guided walking tour of the Zoo looking for different adaptations; the highlights, sitting up close and personal with an orangutan and feeding a giraffe, experiences they will never forget.


Garfield’s fifth graders had an opportunity to visit Irving Penn’s photographic exhibit at the MOPA. There a docent provided them with information pertaining to the different periods of Penn’s lifelong photographic journey. In his own words, “A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.” Students discovered style techniques and then in turn practiced what they learned through using a photo booth as well as making postcards with photos they had taken.


PrimeTime Scholars provides students opportunities they may otherwise not be afforded and the smiles on their faces as they engage with those they are partnered with is priceless.

College Board Female Diversity Award for Computer Science Goes to Kearny SCT, Crawford, and San Diego High

Teachers Corri-Anne Burgess at Kearny SCT, Jim Jenkins at Crawford, and Ray Kinne at San Diego Business have earned the first College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. Out of more than 18,000 schools worldwide that offer AP courses, only 490 schools earned the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science Principles.

The AP Computer Science Principles course launch in 2016 was the largest in College Board history. AP Computer Science Principles has promoted the growth of computer science in high schools by 135% since 2016, broadening STEM career opportunities for more students. San Diego Unified, through the College, Career and Technical Education Department joined this effort in conjunction with UCSD through the CS-CaVE grant, which provided training and support. SDUSD has ICT pathways from middle school to high school, with courses such as Game Design, GIS, Web Design, and Cybersecurity, as well as AP CS A and AP Computer Science Principles.

For more information about AP Computer Science Principles and ICT pathways in our district, please contact Gail Lake in the Office of College, Career, and Technical Education.

Trauma-Informed Care Parent Workshop at Porter Elementary School

On Friday, March 15th, the Restorative Justices Practices (RJP) Department and the Children and Youth in Transition (CYT) Department collaborated to deliver a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) practices presentation to parents at Porter Elementary School. The workshop “Trauma-Informed Practices - Home Connection, Building Awareness” is a new offering for families in our schools that was developed in order to build on the Trauma Informed Care and Restorative Justice Practices professional development offerings for staff by sharing the information and strategies with families.

The presentation, created and facilitated by school counselors Irene Ortega and Patrick Chen, focuses on building awareness and shared understanding of trauma for our parents and guardians. It also highlights how trauma affects the brain, health, behavior, and cognitive development of our students. Participants learned strategies on how to build safety and enhance connections with their children in order to help those affected by trauma practice self-regulation and increase protective factors. Parents and guardians also walked away with strategies and ideas for self-care for their children and for themselves so they are able to model positive and healthy coping skills for their children. After the workshop, many parents and Principal, Graciela Chavez, shared that the training was impactful and more parents could benefit from the training in the future. Porter Elementary was the first school to receive this new offering for families in the San Diego Unified School District and many schools are scheduled to receive this training in the coming months.

Lincoln High School Maritime Photography Experience

Lincoln High School CTE Photography students experienced the San Diego Maritime Museum through the lens of their cameras this past week . Students spent the morning photographing historic ships and specific nautical details as part of their CTE Photography assignment. The lesson incorporated the elements of art, form, space and composition. Later this spring, students will have the opportunity to enter their best Maritime photographs in CTE showcase photography competition which takes place on May 22, 2019.

Student Athletes Create New Bonds with the Hornet/Caver Cookout

The Lincoln High School Hornets and San Diego High School Cavers boys lacrosse teams recently came together after their game for a barbecue as a way to build community between their two schools. It was an event enjoyed by both teams and was a memorable and impactful experience for all that were in attendance.

Lincoln Student Named Union-Tribune All-Academic Team Captain

Lincoln High School senior Phonisha Pruitt, a San Diego Section champion in her weight class, is the Union-Tribune All-Academic Team Captain for girls wrestling.

Click here for more information: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/high-school-preps/sd-sp-preps-all-academic-team-captains-20190313-htmlstory.html

Students Present to the Board of Education

Students presented to the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education on Vision 2020's LCAP Goal 2 Broad and Challenging Curriculum. They reported on the great work they are doing around civics education in the areas of student government/ASB, student equity, state and national participation, youth advocacy, LGBTQIA, wellness, and student events, such as the November March event at Morse HS and the TEDxYouth@SanDiego event at Lincoln HS, and then shared a proposal for a student Board member.

Students shared work from Correia and Muirlands Middle School, iHigh Virtual Academy, Madison High School, Mission Bay High School, Morse High School, Mt. Everest Academy, San Diego High School, Scripps Ranch High School, the San Diego Met and University City High School with special shout outs to Crawford High School, De Portola Middle School and TRACE.

Trauma Informed Training at Euclid Elementary

On March 13th the Children and Youth in Transition Team (CYT) presented a trauma informed practices presentation to Euclid Elementary staff. The professional development training “Trauma and the Brain” is one of a series of four presentations that the CYT department offers. The presentation focuses on building awareness and shared understanding of trauma. It also highlights how trauma affects the brain, health, cognitive development and behavior of our students. One participant commented, “This was a phenomenal training …There was a great combination of information and scientific knowledge!” Over twenty-five school sites in San Diego Unified School District have participated in the professional development series in the 18-19 school year thus far. Interested schools should contact the CYT department to sign up for trainings. The remaining trauma informed practices presentations include: “The Trauma Informed School Site,” “Self-Care for the Educator” and “Mindup Curriculum Implementation.” The professional development trainings are available throughout the 18-19 school year. 

The San Diego Food Bank

Did you know that the San Diego Food Bank offers many programs to assist the community with hunger-relief and resource programs?

The Neighborhood Distribution Program distributes food to thousands of individuals and families once a month at more than 20 different sites throughout San Diego County. Neighborhood Distribution Program sites welcome anyone in need of food assistance. I.D. and documentation ARE NOT required, and there are no income or asset restrictions for this program. Please visit the website for distribution locations: https://sandiegofoodbank.org/programs/neighborhood-distribution-program/

The Food Bank started the Diaper Bank Program to help solve an important piece of the poverty puzzle for young parents living in poverty by giving them the hand up they need to work for their families. Diapers are expensive — a month’s supply for one child can cost between $70 and $80, and diapers cannot be purchased with CalFresh benefits or WIC. As a result, parents try to make do without diapers by stretching their supply by leaving babies in dirty diapers longer or by reusing diapers. The Food Bank partners with 8 nonprofit organizations to distribute diapers throughout San Diego County. Each location has different operating hours, and may have different eligibility criteria to receive diapers.

For specific information regarding the Food Bank’s programs, please call 1-866-350-FOOD (3663) toll free. A Food Bank staff member will be happy to assist you.

Students Join Educators, Community Members and Partners for the XQ Super School Live Show

As part of an immersive and innovative 7-city tour across America, the XQ Super School Live Show stopped by Spreckels Theatre in San Diego. Students from across San Diego County joined educators, community members and partners for a show that combined the power of storytelling and theater to inspire communities to re-imagine high schools. XQ partnered with Pop-Up Magazine to provide a night of high school drama filled with transformations, teen detectives, poetry, mystery meat, school portraits, viral gratitude, multimedia, adventures and more.

San Diego High School Hosts the Meb Keflezighi Invitational Track Meet

The 4th annual Meb Keflezighi Invitational track meet was held at San Diego High School's Balboa Stadium. Among the people honored was Meb’s high school coach, Ed Ramos, who also coached Olympian Marc Davis. The girls long jump winner was San Diego High freshman Charlize James with a jump of sixteen feet and three inches. Caver’s Sonia Redon won the 100-meter hurdle with a meet record time of 15:02 seconds.


Click here for more information: https://www.kusi.com/3-9-19-track-and-field-meb-invitational/

Get CalFresh

CalFresh is a nutrition program that can help households buy healthy foods. In California, CalFresh used to be known as the Food Stamp Program. Nationally, the program is called SNAP. It is funded by the federal government. CalFresh benefits are issued on an EBT card that works like a debit card and can be used at most grocery stores and many farmers markets to purchase food. CalFresh is for people with low-income who meet federal income eligibility rules and want to add to their budget to put healthy and nutritious food on the table. 

Here’s how CalFresh works. 

1. Submit an application and documents to verify your situation. 

2. Do an interview with your county. 

3. Your county will contact you within two weeks to clarify your situation and tell you if you are missing any verification documents. 

4. Get money for groceries. If approved, you’ll get an EBT card with money for groceries within 30 days.


Apply for CalFresh online at: http://mycalfresh.org/results/?county=sandiego 

Eligibility Guidelines: http://mycalfresh.org/the-basics/

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 March Council meeting. The Council of ASB Presidents is made up of high school ASB Presidents from both traditional and atypical high schools. The March agenda included such topics as upcoming elections, updates from Board of Education meetings and strategies to maintain motivation on their campuses throughout second semester.

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

Phonisha Pruitt, the ASB President of Lincoln 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.

School Nurses: Keeping Students Healthy, In School, and On Track!

 Marshall Elementary School held an attendance challenge in February and students celebrated their good attendance at a special event with the theme “I Love School”. 

School success goes hand in hand with good attendance! As early as kindergarten, too many absences can cause a student to fall behind in basic academic skills that are hard to make up. As students get older, schoolwork becomes difficult, students lose interest in school, and frequent absences can become a habit. In addition, it is important to know that all absences – whether excused or unexcused – have the same effect: the loss of valuable learning time.

Missing just two days a month throughout the school year adds up to 10%, which identifies the student as “chronically absent”. By 6th grade, chronic absence is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school, and by 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores. Building the habit of good attendance early develops an important life skill that will ultimately help your child to be successful in college and work career.

In 2016, the Nursing & Wellness Department adopted an Attendance Protocol to define school nurse work in the area of Attendance. Every day, school nurses work to ensure that individual health needs are met so students with health conditions can safely attend school. They monitor absence reports to identify students who have frequent absences due to illness, and work with students, parents and health providers to solve the issues and improve attendance. In addition, school nurses manage students who visit the health office to minimize time out of class and are available to advise parents about when a student is well enough (or too sick) to attend school.

School nurses participate on school Site Attendance Teams and support school-wide attendance activities such as incentive challenges and attendance celebrations. To promote a healthy and positive school environment, school nurses educate students, families, and staff about healthy habits to improve overall wellness.

For tips on helping to improve your child’s attendance click on these links:

https://attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/AW_HS-flyer-1-pager.pdf

https://attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Attendance_ESP1PG_English_062614.pdf


If you have questions or concerns about your child’s health as it relates to school attendance, do not hesitate to contact your school nurse via the school office. She or he is eager to help you!

Patrick Henry PHAME Hosts Opera

Over the weekend of March 8-10, Patrick Henry High School’s PHAME auditorium was home to a production by the San Diego Opera. The chamber opera “Three Decembers” was part of the Opera’s dētour series, which their website describes as a combination of “the expressive nature of opera with the potency of intimate theater.” The opera featured a small cast of three singers, and a chamber orchestra of 11 players from the San Diego Symphony.

With this production on their campus, music students from the high school got an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the life of a professional musician. Advanced choral students were able to observe rehearsals and afterward participate in a talkback with the singers.

In this production, PHAME itself has had high praise from performers and audience members alike. In an interview with KPBS, soprano Kristin Clayton said, “This is amazing. I am just so impressed that San Diego had a theater like this built into a high school." Mezzo-soprano Frederica Von Stade echoed that sentiment in the same interview, saying, "This hall here is a dream. The acoustics are terrific.”

The run of performances was a success and practically sold out. While this may have been the first time PHAME at Patrick Henry was host to an opera production, it might not be the last.

https://www.sandiegounified.org/vapanews/patrick-henry-phame-hosts-opera

Cox Communications Offers Low-Cost, Home Internet with WiFi

Cox Communications and Connect2Compete 

For students and parents, having a computer and Internet service at home is no longer a luxury—it’s essential. Cox® understands this new reality and, through our partnership with EveryoneOn, works in the communities we serve to provide low-cost Internet and devices to low-income students and their families through the Cox® Connect2Compete program. This is a great opportunity for families to invest in their child's education. 

Find out if you are eligible by clicking here: https://www.cox.com/aboutus/connect2compete/low-cost-internet.html

Walker Elementary Celebrated Read Across America in True Dr. Seuss Fashion

The National Read Across America event is celebrated each year on Dr. Seuss' birthday with schools all over the country participating. This year Walker Elementary transformed into the "whimsical world of Walkerville" and had organized a week long schedule of activities. On Wednesday, February 27th they hosted several community leaders to come read to Walker students in grades TK-5th. The list of community leaders included District Attorney Summer Stephan, Channel 10 News morning team, Channel 7 Whitney Southwick, D6 staffer Luis Pallera, along with District staff from the Integrated Youth Services Division. Community Leaders were treated to breakfast and a school wide assembly and then were invited to read their favorite books to various classrooms.

Office of LGBTQIA+ Education & Advocacy Holds 3rd Annual GSA Student Leadership Academy

The Office of LGBTQIA+ Education and Advocacy was at Scripps Ranch to hold the 3rd annual GSA Leadership Academy. With over 80 participants, the academy was a huge success! 

Students arrived at Scripps Ranch and engaged in workshops around identity, diversity, intersectionality, consent, toxic masculinity, and GSA leadership. We hosted resource tables, raffled off LGBTQIA+-focused texts, and networked with GSA students and advisors across the district. 

We have over 140 middle school students registered for the next GSA Leadership Academy. If your school hasn’t signed up yet, contact us at youthadvocacy@sandi.net.