CONNECT
: SLUSD'S NEWSLETTER
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December, 2018
Volume 4, Issue 4
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Measure I Steering Committee members honored at December SLUSD School Board meeting
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A Message from the Superintendent
Dear SLUSD Families,
As the holidays approach, we want to express our deep gratitude for your ongoing commitment to our schools, and especially for the recent success of Measure I, which restored essential funding to protect the quality of education in SLUSD. With California ranking among the lowest in the nation for per-pupil spending when adjusted for the cost of living, we continue to rely on financial support from our community to support our initiatives.
The Measure I steering committee, led by SLED Executive Director Morgan Mack-Rose and former San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy, was central to the success of Measure I. Committee members included SLUSD School Board Trustee Evelyn Gonzalez, Trustee-Elect Christian Rodriguez and his wife Marina, SLUSD Assistant Superintendent Kevin Collins, Chris Deng, Lesley Feikert, Mike Katz, Jill Stowe, and Kathy Vitz. We want to convey our sincere appreciation for their tireless work on our behalf. The great strides we have made in SLUSD are due much to their leadership.
Again, on behalf of myself and our district staff, thank you for your advocacy as we continue to create a culture of excellence for our students and our community. We encourage you to visit our website at
slusd.us
to see your money in action as we continue our culture of excellence in 2019. Have a safe and festive holiday season.
Sincerely,
Mike McLaughlin, Ed.D. Superintendent
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SLUSD 2017–18 California Dashboard Results
The California Department of Education (CDE) has released the 2017-18 performance reports for California districts and schools via the California Accountability Model & School Dashboard web page at
https://www.caschooldashboard.org
. This data tool was introduced last year to allow the public to see how well students within a district or school are performing on student achievement indicators which include test scores, graduation rates, suspension rates, attendance rates, and college/career readiness. The comprehensive data helps identify strengths and weaknesses while highlighting performance gaps between student population groups.
The 2017-18 results for SLUSD indicate some key areas of success over the past year:
- SLUSD’s graduation rate of 91.8% is 4.4% higher than last year. SLUSD is one of the top three districts in Alameda County with increases in this indicator. The state graduation rate is 83.5%.
- The college & career readiness indicator for SLUSD has increased by 4.9%, as the district has put forth significant efforts towards preparing in students for life beyond high school.
The results have also highlighted areas for growth within the district:
- SLUSD will receive differentiated assistance for students with disabilities. The California Department of Education defines Differentiated Assistance as a significant student subgroup that is red in two or more achievement indicators.
- SLUSD will also receive differentiated assistance for homeless students. 11 out of the 13 districts in Alameda County with homeless students as significant subgroup will receive differentiated assistance. Overall, one out of three districts in California will be in differentiated assistance next year.
“As a district that is committed to continuous improvement, we welcome any opportunity to analyze our efforts so we can better allocate our resources,” said Dr. Mike McLaughlin, district superintendent, “Our successes show we are making progress towards our goals for student achievement, but we have much work to do.”
In the coming weeks, SLUSD will have a series of open meetings to discuss progress towards local and state indicators through discussions regarding the 2019-2020 Local Accountability Action Plan (LCAP). The public is encouraged to attend these meetings to better understand future goals and to assist in focusing and aligning resources. Dates, times and locations of these community engagement events will be posted on the district website at
www.slusd.us.
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Two New SLUSD Board of Education Members Take Oath
Two newly elected school board members were sworn in at the board’s regular meeting on December 11, 2018. Beginning their new four-year terms are:
Christian Rodriguez, SLUSD Governing Board Member, Area 2
James Aguilar, SLUSD Governing Board Member, Area 6
Leo Sheridan, SLUSD Governing Board Member from Area 4, was also re-elected to a new term, and will serve as President of the Board of Education. Peter Oshinski, SLUSD Governing Board Member At Large, will serve as Board Vice President and Monique M. Tate, SLUSD Governing Board Member, Area 1, will be taking over as Board Clerk.
Returning to continue their terms are:
Evelyn Gonzalez, SLUSD Governing Board Member, Area 3
Diana Prola, SLUSD Governing Board Member, Area 5
Our new school board will continue to support the 2017-2020 district strategic plan. The plan serves as our roadmap as we continue our mission to educate students to achieve and demonstrate academic excellence and become confident, collaborative and competitive in a global society. To learn more about our school board and meeting dates,
click here.
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SLED Donates $100,000 for SLUSD STEAM labs
Students at Garfield and McKinley Elementary Schools are the fortunate recipients of newly remodeled science facilities, known as STEAM labs, thanks to a $100,000 donation from the San Leandro Educational Foundation (SLED).
This generous support from SLED represents the single largest donation from the foundation in their 10-year history and will be renewed for the same amount the following school year. The funding is underwriting salaries for newly trained Lab Coordinators to support elementary teachers with integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and math instruction from kindergarten to fifth grade. “The idea behind this initiative is to support engaging instruction in difficult subjects at an early age to capitalize on young children's love for learning,” said SLED Executive Director Morgan Mack-Rose, “Our hope is that they will be inspired to take more challenging courses, especially in math and science, as they continue with their education. Solid math and science skills are integral to success in college as well as technical trades careers.”
For more information about SLED’s mission to inspire students, support schools, and strengthen the community, visit their website at
www.sledfund.org
.
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Free Grab and Go Breakfast
In addition to
FREE
universal breakfast across SLUSD, did you know that we now offer grab and go breakfast items at many of our schools? These quick, healthy meals are perfect for those time-strapped students and families on the go. Research has proven that children who eat breakfast have higher test scores, improved attendance, and better classroom behavior. Why not save yourself some time and Learn more by visiting our
Food Services website
.
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Part Time & Flexible Job Opportunities Available
San Leandro Unified is looking for substitutes in a variety of positions. Para educator positions are great for those interested in the classroom experience. Playground supervisors, custodians, campus supervisors, and office clerks offer experience throughout the school. All substitute positions offer competitive pay rates and schedule flexibility. No experience is required, and you can make such a difference for so many students and staff! Pay ranges from $17.50/hour to $22.62/hour depending upon position. Apply on Edjoin today and become an important part of the SLUSD team.
Click here.
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New & Renovated Classrooms = Better Learning Environments
Using J1 Bond funding, we’ve kicked off the process of replacing aging portable classrooms at many of our schools. These learning spaces will be renovated or replaced with brand new modular classrooms. Our facilities team is starting installation where students have the most need and renovating existing spaces to modernize the learning experience. These changes will support teaching for our educators and improve learning for all students. To see the latest J1 projects in action,
click here.
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Magnificent McKinley Mural titled “Our Differences are our Strength” celebrates our diversity in San Leandro
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Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno enchants elementary students
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San Leandro High School Wins $5,000 KNBR Step Up to the Plate Grant
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Bancroft Middle School Wins $3,500 KNBR Step Up to the Plate Grant
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Important District Dates to Note:
December 21 - Teacher Planning Day - No School for Students
December 24 - January 6 - Winter Vacation - No School
January 7 - School Resumes
January 14-18 - No Name Calling Week
January 21 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
January 21 -
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Festival and Poetry Slam 2019 at 10:30 at the San Leandro Senior Community Center
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San Leandro Unified School District | communications@slusd.us | www.slusd.us
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