The TUSD Board of Trustees put in some miles last Thursday as they visited a number of sites to get a first-hand look at new and upcoming developments in TUSD: 

We appreciate our Board members willingness to take time away from their busy schedules to conduct these bi-annual tours and all their hard work on behalf of TUSD!

Last Friday the following message was shared with the families of all seniors in TUSD:

This is to notify the parents of TUSD seniors that the student-organized "Senior Assassination" game IS NOT affiliated with TUSD nor sponsored by TUSD in any way.

 

If students are in possession of a squirt pistol, water rifle or any other water-related weapon on campus, they are in violation of Ed. Code Section 48900 (k) and also potentially subdivision (m) and will be suspended from school. Furthermore, planning and organizing such an activity during the school day could also result in disciplinary action. Any student participating in this game could be removed from Senior Activities such as prom, Grad Nite, and commencement.

 

In addition, please note that Turlock Police is aware of the activity and will continue to be vigilant in their enforcement of city laws. There will be zero tolerance for violations such as trespassing, thrown objects from vehicles, vandalism, speeding, reckless driving, etc.

 

Parents and residents of the Turlock community are concerned about the safety and well-being of our teenagers. TUSD highly discourages this "game" and we are particularly concerned that students with a replica firearm could be harmed inadvertently. We encourage parents to discuss this "game" with their students and discourage them from participating.

 

Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe.

If you’ve been using Google for a while you know that one of the great features is the ability to comment on shared documents. It makes collaboration more efficient and helps address issues and concerns in real time. One of the drawbacks, however, has been that the commenting feature has been limited to GSuite products like Docs and Slides…. until now!

Google has released an update to the commenting feature that allows us to comment on non-Google products, in particular PDFs and Microsoft Word Docs (so they don’t have to be converted to Google Docs to comment). When you open a non-Google resource, like a PDF, look up to top right of the screen, where you normally see the icon for commenting. If it’s there, you can add comments. Try it out the next time your PLC or grade level is working together in a shared folder or Team Drive. Click HERE for more details.

Ever since we started the feature on retirees in the TUSD Weekly Update a common refrain was heard: When are you going to interview the Donaldsons? Many who attended Turlock High School in the past 30 years fondly remember Ken and Kathlyn Donaldson both of whom not only taught math, but were also Department Chairs. Ken taught at THS for 34.5 years before retiring in 2011 while Kathlyn taught there 31 years and an additional three at Redmond High School in Washington. Since retiring, Ken has enjoyed golfing while both Ken and Kathlyn have appreciated more time to spend with their family, including 14 grandchildren, as well as traveling. They greatly miss the camaraderie of the THS Math Department including their frequent get-togethers and BBQs. Unsurprisingly, in light of the numerous accolades given to them by THS students, they also miss time spent teaching math, especially to those who loved this subject. Best wishes to you both on your retirement! 

P.S. Who would LOVE to hear a Podcast featuring Mr. Donaldson’s greatest stories such as the time he accidently ran over his prom date?!

David Lattig has worked at TUSD the past two years and in his short tenure has made a big impact! David started in TUSD as the Principal of Adult and Career Technical Education and this past year he served as the Director of CTE and Program Equity. He was just recently hired as our new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the 2018-2019 school year. Prior to coming to TUSD, David worked for Escalon Unified School District for 14 years as a teacher, elementary school principal, high school assistant principal, continuation high school principal, and high school principal for five years. In reflecting on his time in TUSD, David shared that the past two years have been the most rewarding of his career. Working closely with CTE teachers and the community, TUSD has been able to establish industry partnerships that have created some incredible opportunities for our students including career exploration, job shadowing, general work experience, as well as paid and unpaid internships. The most rewarding aspect of his job, according to David, is placing students in paid positions where they are using the skills they learned in our classrooms, shops, and kitchens. David is also proud of the significant progress that has been made at our TUSD Farm. The CTE Office has coordinated efforts with our Agriculture departments, culinary arts classes, and elementary schools to increase student access and use of our farm. David exclaimed that, “TUSD is simply doing amazing things for kids! It is a pleasure to be part of the TUSD team!” In his free time David enjoys gardening, woodworking, backpacking, fishing, and pretty much anything that includes spending time with my family. We are happy David is part of the “US” in TUSD!  

Please contact Chief Communication Coordinator Marie Russell if you have a recommendation for future content including a retiree to catch up with, student to recognize, or employee to feature.