TUSD Weekly Update
"Every kid is just one caring adult away from being a success story." ~Josh Shipp
TUSD Going Pink in October!
#FightForACure
Join Turlock Firefighters this October as we wear Pink to Raise Awareness and Funds for the Fight Against Breast Cancer. 2018 Pink Shirts are NOW AVAILABLE at the Emanuel Hospital Gift Shop, Crivelli's, Fire Administration and selected locations in TUSD! All proceeds will benefit the Bill & Elsie Alhem Cancer Endowment.
The Science Guys
Eric Hauck and Ryan Hollister, Science Instructional Coaches
The dynamic duo of science coaches Eric Hauck (TK-6) and Ryan Hollister (6-12) are working hard to make the TUSD a trailblazing leader in NGSS implementation at the local, state and national level. The collaborative synergy between the two has already lead to many innovations. Several are listed below and many more will have their own special announcements in the near future. 

TUSD is pioneering VR (Virtual Reality) lesson study. Teachers can use lesson video studies in the same way athletes use “film study” to improve their technique.  Recording lessons using 360 degree cameras allow viewers of the lesson study to quite literally look around the room and see what every student is doing at any given time. Videos can be viewed on YouTube or in a VR player like Google Cardboard.  We currently have five videos of Eric and Ryan at PD’s, and 3 videos inTK-6 classes, but will be expanding this technology to more classrooms very soon.

TUSD has partnered with CSUS’s Geography Department to place one PurpleAir Air Quality Monitor at every elementary school in the district. This will supplement the three sensors that are about to come online at each of the high school sites. After the network goes live, the City of Turlock will have one of the most dense air quality monitoring networks in the entire nation (and perhaps the world)! TUSD high school students and teachers will then spend several Saturdays being trained by Stan State Geography professors on how to incorporate the data into GIS maps and how to start long-term air quality studies driven by student questions!  Teachers, students and community members alike will be able to freely access the air quality readings in real-time HERE .

Erick and Ryan have already run multiple PDs at various sites and grade levels which has provided face-to-face NGSS support to over 120 teachers before October! We’ve explored the mysteries of magnetism and its relevance to society, landslides and erosion and their impact on Turlock, life’s features, chemistry gas laws applied to the atmosphere and much, much more. 
We look forward to collaborating with even more teachers as the year progresses! 
Follow Ryan on Twitter!
Follow Eric on Twitter!
ICYMI 'This is TUSD' Videos
Ben Liang
Maintenance and Operations
Beni Rodriguez
Osborn TWI Academy
Craig Chittim
Child Nutrition
Sharon Mendes
Transportation
Take Your Parent to PE Day
Robin Swartz, Health and Fitness Instructional Coach
Active Schools, a national movement to help schools provide at least 60 minutes a day of Physical Education (PE) before, during, and after school for all students, sponsored the second annual “Take Your Parent to PE Week” last week!

Parents of 4th and 5th grade students at Brown School were invited to participate in a health and fitness lesson with their child which included circuit training out on our blacktop! We also had staff members, CSUS nursing students, and a Character Coach who volunteered to “buddy up” with students.

The time that parents spent with their child was a good introduction to Brown's fitness program and will hopefully encourage them to be physically active together at home and in the community.

Our goal at Brown School is to integrate health and wellness into our academics to enrich, enhance, and extend our students' learning opportunities. We hope to develop a love and passion for living a healthy lifestyle by incorporating fun exercise opportunities as well as learning about a variety of tools, resources and options for keeping oneself healthy and well.
Induction Update
Denise Duewell, Coordinator of Professional Development and Induction
What an awesome way to start induction! Our first and second year teachers were treated to BeGLAD management strategies and to tools for improving academic discourse in their classrooms by instructional coach Megan Bernard. She shared the power of teaching students, elementary and secondary, to show respect, to make good decisions, and to solve their own problems. The key is to adapt the basics to meet individual needs.
 
In addition to the professional development, teachers set goals and determined their action research for their first inquiry cycle of the year. While all teachers make decisions to affect change in their classrooms through data collection, research, analysis, and reflection, our newly credentialed teachers write about it and present it. They use the question, “How will this help students learn?” as the backbone of all they do. Consequently, we have true teacher researchers right from the beginning of their careers.
Focus on a Photographer
Elyse Bucheli, Pitman High School
What is your favorite thing to photograph? My favorite thing to photograph is people. Portrait photography always brings out great emotions and makes people feel like models. I have been trying really hard to improve my portrait photography skills over the past year.
How would you describe your style? My style is precise and clean. I tend to be a perfectionist so I strive for perfect alignment and clean edits.
How long have you been into photography? Photography has been a passion of mine since I was able to hold a camera. I taught myself how to use Photoshop apps in the 6th grade and fell in love with it!
Do you feel more comfortable behind the camera or behind the computer? I feel extremely comfortable behind the camera and the computer. I honestly cannot choose which one I enjoy more.
What are your plans after college? I plan to major in graphic communications in college. After I receive my degree, I hope to pursue a career which will allow me to utilize my creative and artistic abilities.
What advice would you give a beginner? The best advice I could give to a beginner is to take advantage of YouTube tutorials about photography and to practice! The more you know about photography tips and tricks, the easier it is. 
Catching Up with . . . Josephine Hazelton
Turlock High School
What schools did you attend in TUSD? Crane, Dutcher Elementary, Dutcher Middle School, and Turlock High School
What year did you graduate? 2013
What schools did you attend after high school? I am currently a PhD student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha studying public administration and transportation governance. I received my Master of Public Administration (with Distinction) and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Summa Cum Laude) from California State University, Stanislaus.
What are your career goals? In 2015 I was selected by former CIA Director and U.S. Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta to work for a member of Congress in Washington, DC. I worked for a member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where I learned the value transportation research has in informing transportation policy decisions. In addition to being a PhD student, I am currently a Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellow with the U.S. Department of Transportation researching topics of social equity as they relate to bicycle and pedestrian safety. My ultimate goal is to be a transportation researcher, where I hope to help make empirical transportation research practical for transportation practitioners and elected officials.
What teachers/classes made an impact on you? So many! To name just a few teachers I feel lucky to have had while at TUSD:
  • Mr. Hollister’s AP Environmental Science class helped me to appreciate the relationship between humans and the natural environment.
  • I feel fortunate to have had Mrs. Asgill for two years of English. Mrs. Asgill instilled the importance of good writing while helping to cultivate my ability to critically think about topics and communicate a meaningful message in writing. On tough days, I can still hear her recite her encouraging mantra, “You’re already good enough”.
  • I use the skills I gained from four years of Speech and Debate daily. Mrs. VanNieuwenhuyzen taught me how to formulate compelling ideas and share them effectively. Speech and Debate also taught me the importance of understanding the validity in other people’s points of view.
  • Although I did not realize it until years later, Mr. Rosengarth’s AP Human Geography class had a great impact on my intellectual interests. Mr. Rosengarth gave me a curiosity for the world and equipped me with the tools and resources to be successful in studying it.
  • I am also appreciative of the educators I crossed paths with outside of the classroom. My educational growth benefited from extracurricular activities made possible by the countless hours teachers dedicate. Additionally, my parents, Paul and Anne Hazelton, both of whom are teachers, taught me the value of hard work and gave me a love for learning.
Any advice for students? Strive to maintain an open mind and do your best at every opportunity that comes your way. In so doing, the knowledge or skills gained from something seemingly unrelated to your overall interests may significantly enrich an experience later.
Hobbies? Things you enjoy in your spare time? I spend my spare time bicycling, growing vegetables, traveling, playing board games, and cheering for the Dodgers. I also enjoy long-distance train travel—fellow THS graduate, Katelyn McGinnis and I spent June 2016 traveling across the United States by Amtrak. 
School Spotlight: eCademy
We’re visiting eCademy Charter at Crane School today! Here are some facts about their school: ✔️Est. 2010 ✔️Principal: Tim Norton ✔️Teachers: 8 ✔️Staff: 6 ✔️Students: 134 ✔️School Mascot: Crane ✔️Fun Fact: eCademy was formerly the site of Crane Elementary School. Have a great year, Cranes! 

TUSD District Writing Coach Mary Asgill stopped by eCademy Charter at Crane School to meet with their Professional Learning Community. In addition to working on writing, eCademy staff continue to plan how to best support students who may be struggling academically, socially, or emotionally. Keep up the great work! 
This is TUSD
Meet Pat Puthuff
How long have you worked in TUSD? I have worked at TUSD for 38 ¾ years—39 years in March.
What is your job title? Coordinator of Campus Supervisors
Things you are most proud of? One thing I’m most proud of is at Back to School/Open House, former students always approach me and tell me how glad they are that I’m still here for their children. Every day is a new day at TJHS. There’s always drama with middle schoolers—I love it!
Challenges? The biggest challenge is understanding and taking care of the needs of so many students.
Favorite memory? One of my favorite memories is an ex-student who I had numerous home visits on because he invited all his friends over to his house to party during school hours. We got him through 8th grade and I didn’t see him for years when all of a sudden he appeared on campus . . . as a new TJHS teacher! I am very proud of this guy.
Anything surprising we may not know about you? Something that might surprise a few is how hard it was to have TUSD accept my application as a Campus Supervisor. I had no paid jobs pertaining to kids and no college classes. I listed all my volunteer work with various youth organizations and they eventually accepted my application and hired me. I was very lucky and thankful!
What is your favorite TV show? I usually like to watch Fox News at night but I have to fight with my husband for the TV as he likes to watch M.A.S.H. and Andy Griffith re-runs.
Family? I have been married for 57 years, had 4 kids (one deceased), 8 grandkids (one deceased), and 2 great grand-daughters.
The 411
Seen on Social Media
State of Business and Education
TUSD was in the house at the State of Business and Education program at the Stanislaus County Office of Education. We ❤️ their motto: ‘Building a Bridge Between Business and Education.’ We are proud of TUSD’s efforts in this area, especially through our CTE programs and community partnerships. 
Trivia is Back!
Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!
Counting down to the TUSD Farm Harvest Festival, we will have a weekly trivia question related to the TUSD Farm! Several folks correctly answered that the TUSD Farm has 3 acres of almonds. Our randomly selected winner is Jamie Nascimento from Pitman High School. Jamie, please e-mail Laura Brem about your FREE pumpkin. Hope you try again this week!
Share Your Awesome!

Marie Russell
Chief Communication Coordinator
mrussell@turlock.k12.ca.us
209.648.0968
@tusd_mrussell

We would love to have ALL staff help share our TUSD story to the world, but if that is not really your thing, just click on link below to download an opt-out form and return to "Marie Russell, D.O." via district mail.