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Our monthly employee newsletter
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Our Mission is to graduate every student college, career, and community ready.
In doing so we lift all youth out of circumstances of poverty and scarcity.
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Submit Your Content for
The Buzz
We want this newsletter to be valuable for you so please, please share your feedback and suggestions to help this improve! All SUSD employees are encouraged to submit their stories for
The Buzz
at
www.stocktonusd.net/BuzzContent
.
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“
You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world…but it requires people to make the dream a reality.
”
― Walt DisneyVern Dosch,
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Background:
The California Complete Count Census 2020 (Census) is a statewide outreach and awareness campaign designed to ensure an accurate and complete count of all Californians in the upcoming 2020 United States Census. The purpose of the State’s Census school outreach program is to educate, motivate, and activate students, parents, and families to engage in the 2020 Census.
Support for Districts:
To support the work of the Census 2020, the state has made funding available to County Offices of Education (COE) in areas with specific hard-to-count demographic populations. This includes families living in poverty (Title I), English learners, and Immigrants/Refugees.
District Activities:
In accepting these funds, districts are committing to provide outreach at the district level and at their local schools (with a focus on Title I schools.) We have a list of activities that we will be participating in as a District throughout 2020
Census Week.
Prior to 2020
Census Week
, materials will be delivered to your site courtesy of our Mail Room Department.
SUSD Resolution 19-28:
On January 14th, our School Board voted to approve Resolution 19-28 proclaiming March 30th-April 3th as
2020 Census Week
.
Lessons
Teachers in grades 5, 8, 11, and 12 are asked to complete at least one social studies inquiry lesson prior to
2020 Census Week
. The State of California has worked with California teachers in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Office of Education and the Sacramento County Office of Education to create complete sets of social studies inquiry lessons for grades 5, 8, 11, and 12 where the content focus is U.S History and Government.
The lessons explore the historical foundations and the importance of the census and meet History/Social Science contents standards, California Common Core ELA, ELD, and Literacy standards respective to each grade level. These lessons may be modified and incorporated with the SUSD adopted curriculum. Teaching the lessons yearly will benefit students in the future. If teachers need guidance in planning and implementing the lessons, please refer them to Renee MacLeod, History/Social Science Curriculum Specialist K-12 at
rmacleod@stocktonusd.net
or 209-933-7030 ext.2314
SUSD Census 2020 Door Decorating Contest
All SUSD classes are encouraged to participate in the
2020 Census Week Door Decorating Contest. The theme is
Count Me In! The winning class will earn a whole-school concert by Rhymosaurus and be featured on our District’s social media accounts and website.
2020 Census Week Activities
Monday, March 30
Please distribute wristbands to all students and staff. We are encouraging them to wear it until they; or their families, take the Census. Please also distribute the Census Book to all Prek-2nd graders and facilitate a read aloud with them. Students may keep this book.
Students in our After School Program will be creating Census 2020 posters.
Tuesday, March 31
We ask that all teachers play the SUSD Census Video for their students. You will receive the link via email.
During the After School Program, students will be hanging the posters they created.
Wednesday, April 1
Stockton Unified will hold a live press conference at San Joaquin School. We will have student speakers and other members of the community advocating for our SUSD Families to take the Census 2020.
Following the release of school, each site’s After School Program will have devices available for families to complete the 2020 Census.
Thursday, April 2
Following the release of school, each site’s After School Program will have devices available for families to complete the 2020 Census.
Friday, April 3
Pre-K- 12th-grade Census 2020 Door Decorating Contest submissions due. Sites will be asked to submit a clear picture of their doors using a digital link that will be provided prior to Census 2020 Week.
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Local Control And Accountability Plan
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We greatly appreciate all of the support and leadership you provide our students and ways in which you support colleagues. Collaboration in the development of our LCAP has provided data to support and help sustain the services we are providing our students, families, and staff.
Common themes that have been shared by staff, students, families, and community members are the desire for students to have access to after school tutoring, homework assistance and enrichment opportunities, internship/apprenticeship opportunities provided to high school students, desire for more integration of art and hands-on collaborative experiences within learning, opportunities for students to experience and apply their learning within field trips or on-site project-based activities, and funds to be utilized for academic and attendance incentives. We appreciate your strategic planning in utilizing your Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) site allocation for meeting the academic achievement needs, social-emotional development, staff professional development, and increased family involvement and participation.
The following are the 8 State Priority areas that Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funds are to be utilized for and our 3 District LCAP goals:
8 Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) State Priorities
- Basic Services
- Student Engagement
- Implementation of State Standards
- School Climate
- Parent Involvement
- Course Access
- Pupil Achievement
- Pupil Outcomes
SUSD LCAP Goals
Goal 1: Student Achievement (SA)
Increase student achievement by providing high quality first instruction supported by a Multi-Tiered System of Supports to graduate every single youth college, career, and community ready.
Goal 2: Equitable Learning Environments (ELE)
Provide equitable and healthy learning environments that enhance the social-emotional and academic learning for all students utilizing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
Goal 3: Meaningful Partnerships (MP)
Create a culture of inclusion and collaboration with families and community stakeholders that builds meaningful partnerships focused on increasing student engagement and family and community participation in support of developing leadership at all levels.
Please make sure at your School Site Council and English Learner Advisory Committee meetings you are sharing your Local Control Funding Formula budgets, how the money is being utilized, and the data you are collecting to demonstrate the desired impact it is having on student academic growth, social-emotional development, and family outreach to influence increased participation and involvement.
Here are the links to an overview presentation of our District’s 2019-2020 LCAP (current year LCAP) that you can present to your School Site Council (SSC) & English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC):
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25 Books in 25 Weeks Literacy Challenge
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It is hard to believe we are in the last week of the 25 books in 25 weeks challenge. Here are a couple of important updates.
1) Teachers will hold on to all 25 Books in 25 Weeks completed reading logs this year. We have already received a few and plan to send them back.
2) Once your class has completed the challenge, please complete the
Teacher Verification Form
.
This form will ask you to input the names of each student in your class that completed the challenge. Please read the questions carefully. We ask that you, please make sure each student's name is spelled correctly, as we will use this data to generate the certificates.
3) The very last day to submit verification forms is March 30th at 3:00 pm.
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We continue to closely monitor COVID-19 (coronavirus) in partnership with the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), the San Joaquin County Public Health Services, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At this time, there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in San Joaquin County. It is important to take steps to be prepared, but we want to reassure our community that the current threat to our county is low and there is no cause for panic.
We will continue to keep our students, staff, and families informed as we receive guidance from public health officials. You can find the most up to date memos on the Coronavirus on our homepage on the
Stockton Unified School District Website.
You may also utilize school nurses as a contact for additional questions or concerns. Below you will find answers to some of the most common questions we’ve received from staff in recent days.
Our amazing Health Services Department continues to monitor the recommendations from the California Department of Public Health. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to:
Bernadette Bettencourt, RN
Director of Comprehensive Health Services
975 North D Street
Stockton, CA 95206
(209) 933-7060
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SUSD began a pilot of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science curriculum in January of 2020.
This is the next step in a process that began in March of 2019 with the formation of our district Lens for science. SUSD is using the State created TIME (Toolkit for Instructional Material Evaluation) process for the entire adoption process. A prescreen of 7 curricula was conducted. That was narrowed to 2 curricula for each grade band (K-5, 6-8, Biology, Chemistry, Physics through the paper screen process.
The curricula to be piloted are:
- K-5: HMH Science and TWIG Science
- 6-8: HMH Science and Stemscopes
- Biology: Biozone and Stemscopes
- Chemistry: HMH Science and Stemscopes
- Physics: HMH Science and Discovery Science
The pilot is to conclude by March 13th with recommendations for adoption going to the Board at the conclusion of the pilot. More information is forthcoming.
The K-6 pilot and potential adoption for NGSS science will occur next school year. FOSS kits will continue to be the curriculum for K-6 next year. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) materials are not the adopted science curriculum and are considered supplemental.
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Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled. This is not a crazy, idealized notion. Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things.
In his work with organizations around the world, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives are offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why?
The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general. "Officers eat last," he said. Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line. What's symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: Great leaders sacrifice their own comfort--even their own survival--for the good of those in their care.
Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best ones foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a "Circle of Safety" that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside.
Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.
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Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing?
In
The Culture Code,
Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world’s most successful organizations—including the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs—and reveals what makes them tick. He demystifies the culture-building process by identifying three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and explains how diverse groups learn to function with a single mind. Drawing on examples that range from Internet retailer Zappos to the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade to a daring gang of jewel thieves, Coyle offers specific strategies that trigger learning, spark collaboration, build trust, and drive positive change. Coyle unearths helpful stories of failure that illustrate what
not
to do, troubleshoots common pitfalls, and shares advice about reforming a toxic culture. Combining leading-edge science, on-the-ground insights from world-class leaders, and practical ideas for action,
The Culture Code
offers a roadmap for creating an environment where innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded.
Culture is not something you are—it’s something you do.
The Culture Code
puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams that can accomplish amazing things together.
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Created by the SUSD Community Relations Department
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DOES YOUR SCHOOL OR DEPARTMENT HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?
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