 |
|
Message from Superintendent Skelly
|
 |
|
|
Assistant Superintendent Julia Kempkey, Superintendent Skelly and Board President Linda Lees Dwyer.
|
When one is enmeshed in the hard work associated with the beginning of the school year, it's not unusual to feel nostalgic over pleasant memories of the summer. That said, a lot happens in the district over the summer, much of which involves preparing for the next school year. The focus of this issue is highlighting some of the activities that took place while students were away.
Yes, the summer is a productive, more sane time of the year for educators, but we miss our students! Now that they are back there's an energy to our tasks and a renewed sense of purpose.
Thanks, as always, for sending your student to us as we work together to make these four most formative years in their lives as enjoyable and productive as they can possibly be.
|
|
District Goals 2018-2019
Our school board is constantly pushing us to do better by our students. This involves helping us craft initiatives that will propel us toward excellence. District staff and the School Board set annual goals that go beyond the usual work and provide focus for our year.
This year
our goals
focus on
student support services
,
academic achievement and stewardship of resources
. Here are three specific goals that may be most important to parents.
-
Student Support Services --
Learn about our proactive training for students, parents and staff that addresses building healthy relationships in a culture of consent.
-
Academic Achievement -- Homework Policy Addresses School/Life Balance
-- Learn more about our new board-adopted homework policy that addresses student health and wellness.
-
Stewardship of Resources -- Construction Update
-- District unveils modernized science building at Capuchino High to provide 21st century learning space and MORE!
|
Real You -- Building Healthy Relationships in a Culture of Consent
We live in a time when issues of sexual assault and harassment are finally receiving the attention and outrage they deserve. Our students confront issues of sexual relationships in high school, of course.
These issues can become supercharged in college and postsecondary life, and it has been my experience that even the most naive and innocent high school student can suddenly be involved in a romantic, intimate relationship.
Like all of society's problems, we look to our schools to guide young people and help to shape their values and judgment. We think we are well positioned to do this and have the right experts to help us in this work.
In the next few months, our district will embark on sexual consent training for all our students. Every student whose parent/guardian does not opt out will attend an assembly at school in October or November. You are also invited to a parent/guardian training on Tuesday, November 27 at 7 p.m. in the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.
My own children are (nearly all) out of college and I have to say that this issue is one I worried about more than almost any other during this time in their life. I had neither the right words nor the training to have these conversations.
I wish I could have built on something from their school. In the meantime, if you want to have something serious yet amusing to discuss at the dinner table, check out the Tea Consent Video.
|
| Homework Policy Addresses School/Life Balance
In June, our Board of Trustees adopted a homework policy to address student health and wellness and to help students achieve a good school/life balance. We believe students need time for adequate sleep, extracurricular and family activities, hobbies and even unstructured time.
Many parents, teachers and students see the value in homework assigned over the summer or breaks. The difference moving forward, will be the intrinsic value a student feels from learning through study rather than a grade received for work completed over the summer.
Our homework policy, which was developed with the guidance of a committee made up of students, parents, teachers and administrators, is a work in progress, and it is intended to be implemented with common sense and fairness in mind. We'll continue to work to ensure that it is effective in meeting the social, emotional and educational needs of our students.
|
Construction Update
The only thing that remains the same in life (and at SMUHSD) is change, and this couldn't be more true for the construction taking place to better serve our students and the public.
Science Building at Capuchino
 Our district recently completed renovation of a new science building at Capuchino High School. The modernization included seven new classrooms for biology, chemistry and physics giving Cap's students access to the latest equipment and technology for 21st century learning. The district celebrated the official opening of the building at a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 6.
District Office
We opened the doors to our new district office just before the start of the school year. I am somewhat sheepish about how wonderful the building is -- after all, schools should be A LOT nicer than the district office, and ours is the nicest district office I have ever seen.
If you registered your student before this year or came to the old district office, it would be hard to say our old buildings weren't in need of repair. They were over 60 years old, sewers backed up, roofs leaked, the building lacked meeting spaces, and people literally lacked the space to change their mind!
I love our new building, and so does everyone who works here! The new office has 11 conference rooms. Now virtually every meeting across schools happens here. Not only can we collaborate, but we have the chance to run into each other and make connections that simply didn't take place when people were spread out all over the district. For me and others here in the district office it is so inspiring to see staff members engaged in planning and training to get better as educators.
The building was constructed with sustainability in mind. Its design incorporates the latest advances in green construction, integrating heating, lighting and HVAC systems to make operations as efficient as possible. We will reuse solar panels from our old parking structure in the new parking lot slated for completion in November. (Note - if you come to the district office during school time, please park on the street -- not San Mateo High School!)
|
SMUHSD Grads Gain Valuable Experience in Technical Theater
Over the summer, a number of recent SMUHSD graduates worked as stagehands and stage managers in our performing arts facilities. Many had actively participated in their high school drama or music programs and already had experience with sound, lighting and AV systems. This unique employment opportunity helped broaden their skillset and gave them a unique view into what it's like to work on a professional or semi-professional event and even consider this type of work for a career. These theater employees worked with full-time technicians, outside rental groups, and theater professionals to learn technical theater and hone their craft. They worked on everything from middle school promotions to choir and orchestra concerts to cultural events.
Our auditorium manager Lindsay Martens tells me: "It has been really rewarding to me to have someone start working for my department at age 16 and continue that work into early college. We are fortunate to have some genius level young people working for us who know the ins and outs of these theaters and troubleshoot any problem or solve any challenge put in front of them."
Our theater department is always looking for new student employees. Students must be at least 16 years of age. No experience is necessary, but an interest in theater is a must! For more information email Lindsay Martens.
|
Web Interns Create Best Practices Guide for School Websites
Eight students and one 2018 graduate from Aragon, Capuchino, Mills, Hillsdale and San Mateo High Schools joined forces as interns at the District Office this summer.
Working as a team, the interns helped write a "Best Practices" guide for web administrators at each of the District's seven schools to assist with ADA accessibility standards.
The students also worked with the district's Information Technology Group to prepare more than 3,000 Chromebooks for the new school year, set up computers at the new District Office, install digital signage for conference rooms, and assist in daily help desk operations.
Thank you Matthew Hahn, Leila Tamale and Kimberly Woo of Aragon; Leonidas Balladares and Joshua Hafter of Capuchino; Chantel George of Hillsdale, Zachary Loh of San Mateo; and Collin Floyd and Michael Huang of Mills.
|
|
-
21 - district students named as National Merit Semifinalists 48 - fall sports (cross country, football, girls' golf, girls' tennis, spirit squad, girls' volleyball, and boys' and girls' water polo) underway at our seven high schools.
-
6 - fall productions coming to a performing arts center near you soon.
-
3 - Incumbent board members who decided to run again. Because there were no other candidates, there will be no board election this November.
-
61 - the number of cumulative years of service the board members have.
|
|
Closing Thoughts - Making Our Schools Greater
 When my four siblings and I were in school, our parents never visited the school except to observe our sporting events. They were immigrants to this country from Ireland. Their experiences reaffirmed their belief that the only time you visited a school as an parent was when your child did something terribly wrong -- and then it was to support whatever discipline you had received!
American schools are unique in their openness and parental involvement. I'm unaware of another country where parent volunteers, school site councils, and other forums for parent input are such a salient feature of primary and secondary education.
A wise philosopher said that "we get the government we deserve." The same is true, I believe, of school districts. It is the collective commitment to education of our residents that goes a long way toward determining what happens in our classrooms and the excellent experiences your students enjoy. Your generous giving of time, talent and treasure (including property taxes!) is noted and appreciated!
Of all the purposes of government, schools may be the one where people have the strongest, most heartfelt opinions. The quality of our interaction goes a long way in shaping our views.
I hope you feel comfortable sharing any concerns and issues you might have with our work with the person most able to effect change. The collection of educators here are committed to listening and taking your ideas seriously. They may not agree, but like me, they have undoubtedly found that every opinion has a kernel of truth that helps schools work better. If you're particularly happy with something you observe, teachers and others never tire of hearing good things as well, in no small part because teenagers aren't the most adept praisers one can find!
Here's hoping that the year is off to a great start! And if not, or if so, I welcome your input --
kskelly@smuhsd.org
.
Dr. Kevin Skelly
Superintendent, San Mateo Union High School District
|
|
|
|
|
|
