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San Mateo Union High School District
A Commitment to Qualify Education for a Better Future
650 N. Delaware Street, San Mateo, CA 94401
650-558-2299 | www.smuhsd.org
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The San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees invites you to attend a Board Meeting on Thursday, October 14 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
The Board Meeting will include presentations on the following topics of community interest:
- Report on the District's Certificated and Classified Staffing
- COVID-Related Expenditures Report and ESSR III Plan Approval
- Schematic Design Drawings, Budget, and Schedule for the Transite Encapsulation Projects at Aragon, Hillsdale and Mills High Schools
Zoom Information
- Zoom Link
- Webinar ID: 955 8452 1141
- Passcode: 995656
Public Comments
If you wish to make a comment about the agenda items or during the public comments section at the beginning of the agenda, please send an email to comments@smuhsd.org with your name, email address, and your zoom name (if different). The Board president will call on you. Please note that comments are limited to three minutes. The Board President may increase or decrease the time allowed for public presentation, depending upon the topic and number of persons wishing to be heard.
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Unity in the Community Virtual Town Hall is October 19
The Black Parents Association invites the District Community to the first virtual Unity in the Community Town Hall of the 2021-2022 school year. Mark your calendar for Tuesday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m. to join us for an evening of candid conversation and cooperative learning.
Topics include:
- BPA Impact Highlights & Upcoming Events
- District Goals & News
- Parent Resource Information
- Informative + Interactive Breakout Sessions
- 2020-2021 Scorecard Results
- Live Q&A
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SMUHSD Parents/Guardians: Please take the Panorama Survey
The Panorama Survey is issued to parents and guardians, students and staff of the San Mateo Union High School District every year. Each of these groups is given a survey unique to their group. The District is issuing this survey, because we want to know what each of these groups think about their experience in our schools.
We want to know your thoughts and opinions on:
- School culture and climate
- Communications from the District/school to you
- Opportunities for engagement with your school community
It is important that we hear from a variety of diverse individuals. Your responses help to guide our planning for future academic and enrichment programs and help us to address areas where our programs need improvement. The results also help us to support successful initiatives and evaluate and improve those that are not as successful.
The parent/guardian survey takes about 14 minutes to complete, and can be accessed by visiting:
The parent/guardian survey closes on November 19. Thank you for taking the time to participate. Your thoughts can improve the future for your student and others.
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We Need Bus Drivers!
The District currently has a need for School Bus Drivers. Do you know someone who might be interested in working with us?
Minimum requirements include:
- Valid California School Bus Driver’s Certificate
- Medical Examiner’s Certificate,
- Class B driver’s license with passenger and school bus endorsement
- Valid American Red Cross First Aid Certificate
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Top Six Reasons to Substitute with SMUHSD!
- The SMUHSD Board of Trustees recently approved a rate increase to $200/day
- Opportunities: The District has a growing need for substitute teachers to fill one-day teaching assignments due to our increased Professional Development schedule for our permanent educators.
- Subs Love SMUSHD: We have several teachers who have been substituting for the District for more than ten years.
- We offer incentive programs for our retirees to return to the District and substitute teach. We have 38 SMUHSD retired teachers who have returned to the District to substitute.
- We offer a career path to a teaching position – start as a substitute teacher and build your reputation inside our schools.
- Flexibility: We use the online platform Frontline so substitutes can easily manage their assignments, choosing what days they are and are not available.
As a substitute you play a critical role in the continuity of daily education for our students during their teacher's absence. We know that it takes professional dedication and a special talent to be a substitute teacher. SMUHSD's Human Resources Department and our school site staff are ready to provide assistance and answer any questions you have and we offer support and education to help in your success.
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SMUHSD Facilities - Available for Community Rentals
The San Mateo Union High School District offers some of the largest and best maintained facilities on the Peninsula, including the 1,540-seat Performing Arts Center and the 938-seat Theatre at Capuchino High School.
Following public health guidelines, the SMUHSD Facilities Department is currently welcoming community rental and use of campus theaters, classrooms and athletic facilities when those facilities are not in use.
Note: SMUHSD fields and tennis courts are open for individual use - no reservations required when not in use.
The Facilities team manages the permit process and handles permit events, providing facilities usage for everything from community fundraisers to cultural events and youth sports organizations. It is our mission and responsibility to keep up with community demand and provide for the best experience possible.
Learn more about SMUHSD venues.
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Districtwide Virtual Financial Aid Night Series Kicks Off October 25
Virtual Financial Aid Night Presentation
- Monday, October 25 | 7 - 8 p.m.
- Presenter: Luanne Canestro, San Mateo Community College District
- Informational presentation on financial aid and the application.
Virtual Financial Aid Night Application Workshop
- Wednesday, November 3 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.
- Presenter: Karen Chadwick, College of San Mateo
- Need help with the financial aid application? Attend the workshop and we will walk you through the application.
Save the Dates
Thursday, December 2, 6 p.m.: Application Workshop in Spanish
Presenter: Patricia Flores, Skyline College
Thursday, February 10, Time TBD: Application Workshop
Presenter: Karen Chadwick, College of San Mateo
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District College Fair is October 27
The 2021 SMUHSD College Fair will be held virtually on Wednesday, October 27 from 6 - 8:15 p.m.
The event will include college panels featuring:
- 80+ colleges/universities
- Eight UC Campuses
- Ten CSU campuses
- Private and independent colleges and universities
- Local San Mateo County Community College District colleges
Questions? Contact your school site College, Career & Financial Aid Advisor.
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San Mateo Union High School District Providing Free Meals for All Students
During the 2021-2022 school year the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and California Department of Education (CDE) granted waivers to provide free meals before school, during brunch, and lunch service to ALL San Mateo Union High School students.
Families do not need to fill out the application to access the free meals, but it is strongly encouraged as the application provides additional benefits to families - including discounts on bus passes, camps, cable TV and more.
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month |
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! Did you know that SMUHSD has a team of transition specialists in its Special Education department whose focus is to support students aged 16+ with employment and career preparation.
This team collaborates with local employers to provide entry-level work-based learning opportunities for SMUHSD students with disabilities.
Student wages are paid by the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and CDE’s WorkAbility grant for up to 100 hours of exploratory work experience.
SMUHSD would like to recognize our work-based learning community partnerships for Disability Employment Awareness Month:
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Do you know a business who may want to support our transition team's efforts? If so, please have them contact Eli Poblitz at epoblitz@smuhsd.org.
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SMUHSD to Hold Public Hearings to Draw Maps to Transition to By-Trustee Area Board Elections
Board members in the San Mateo Union High School District are currently elected in “at-large” elections, where all board members are elected by voters throughout the entire school district. On February 25, 2021, the Board adopted Resolution No. 20-21-12, in response to a letter threatening to sue the District under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). SMUHSD intends to transition from at-large to by-trustee area Board elections, where each Board member must reside within the designated trustee area boundary, and is elected only by the voters in that trustee area. Voters would only vote for one seat on the school board.
Process and Next Steps
The District will hold the following public hearings related to the transition to By-Trustee Area Elections where members of the public are encouraged to attend and make public comments on proposed maps and determine how boundaries are created:
January 20, 2022 at 7 p.m. - Regular Board Meeting - Map Review Hearing #1. The demographer will present proposed maps, and the District will hold a hearing for public consideration.
February 10, 2022 at 7 p.m. - Regular Board Meeting - Map Review Hearing #2. The District will hold a second hearing to allow the public to consider the proposed maps.
February 24, 2022 at 7 p.m. - Regular Board Meeting - Final Map Adoption Hearing. The District will hold a public hearing to adopt the final resolution.
Please note - trustee-area boundaries will not affect existing school attendance boundaries. Board meetings are generally held at 7 p.m. though meeting times and dates are subject to change. Agendas and zoom information are posted on our website.
Past Public Hearings
On September 9 at its Regular Board Meeting the District will held the second public hearing prior to drawing maps. The Board was adopted a resolution selecting the criteria for the demographer to consider when drafting trustee maps. a recording of the meeting may be found on the District's website. The presentation begins around 2:43:00.
On August 26, 2021 at its Regular Board Meeting the District held the first pre-map public hearing in the process. See the presentation made by Lozano Smith and National Demographics Corporation. A recording of the meeting may be found on the District's website. The presentation begins around 1:28:00
More information related to the CVRA can be found on the District's website.
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San Mateo High School Student Focuses on Local Ways to Go Green
San Mateo High School Senior Samidha Mishra recently wrote in the Student News column of the San Mateo Daily Journal about Arthrav Naidu, a junior at SMHS who founded Policy for Good, a foundation that works to raise student awareness, influence public policy and develop practical solutions to problems that intersect environment and neuroscience. Policy for Good researches issues, runs seminars, raises awareness in city councils and raises funds to support women entrepreneurs in countries impacted by changes to the environment.
Naidu founded Policy for Good with a primary goal of showcasing the benefits of using graywater instead of tap water when growing your own food and plants locally. Graywater is the output from washing machines, dishwashers and sinks that is safe to use when watering plants.
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Visual and Performing Arts |
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Upcoming 2021-2022 Performances
Capuchino's Around the World in 80 Days and San Mateo's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are next week!
- October 21-23: Around the World in 80 Days
- October 21-24: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- February 4-13, 2022: Crazy for You
- April 14 and 16, 2022: Peter and the Starcatcher
- October 28-31: Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None
- November 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21: Puffs (or seven increasingly eventful years at a certain school of magic and magic)
- November 18-20: Our Town
- April 15-23, 2022: Footloose
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Webinar: Supporting Your Child’s Healthy Decisions in the Transition Back to School
- Tuesday, October 12, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
- Presenter: Eduardo Torres, Senior Prevention Specialist, Prevention Solutions
- Free admission.
- Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
- Register
Topics
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Learn helpful tools to stay engaged with your kids as they navigate back-to-school challenges.
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Current trends as they pertain to the three substances most abused by teens: alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana.
Parents, students, educators, mental health professionals, and community members welcome!
Webinar: Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® Training: Part 2
- Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 5:00pm – 6:30pm PDT, Online Event (Webinar)
- Presenters: Shana Karashima, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Coordinator, SUHSD and Bradley Ostrander, School Climate Coordinator/Assistant Principal, Community Schools, SMCOE
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Register
The Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® is a mental health training for parents, caregivers, and community members to support families and their wider social networks. The focus of this skills-based program is to re-set the nervous system to bring the body, mind, and spirit back into greater balance.
Parents, students, educators, mental health professionals, and community members welcome! Free admission. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
This workshop is part of Sequoia Union High School District's Social Emotional Learning Vision, a training series in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Webinar: Are My Kids Safe? What Parents Should Know About the Online Environment
- Thursday, October 14, 5:30 – 6:30p.m.
- Presenter: Pamela Estes, Esq., San Mateo Human Trafficking Program Coordinator
- Free admission.
- Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
- Register
How do you know if your kids are safe online? In today’s digital world, 93% of teens go online, and approximately 45% say they are online “almost constantly.” Predators are online too. Pamela will discuss how online predators work and provide safety suggestions to protect and educate the children and teens in your life.
Parents/caregivers, students, educators, mental health professionals, and community members welcome!
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Let’s Talk Mental Health Series
Peninsula Temple Shalom invites community members to attend the "Let's Talk Mental Health" series on October 24 from 3 - 4:30 p.m..
Sarah Burdge, PhD, ACS Clinical Director, will discuss the social and emotional needs of this age group and the clinical services that support their health and well-being.
Topics
- The isolation, fear, anxiety and depression brought on by the pandemic
- Services designed for youth struggling with substance abuse
- Psychological, emotional and social challenges facing LGBTQ
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Building Belonging Teen Discussion Follow Up Event is October 13
On September 29, the City of Millbrae, Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center, Mills High School, and the Millbrae Anti-Racist Coalition held the Building Belonging Teen Discussion. It was an opportunity for students grades 8-12 within Millbrae and our surrounding schools to express their thoughts and ideas around social/racial equity and community involvement.
The information that will be shared during the fishbowl discussion on Wednesday, October 13 is important to hear, internalize, determine what we, as community leaders, are doing right, and what we should do better.
We are inviting school district leaders, board members, staff, and community leaders to attend the event on October 13 to listen to our youth and, hopefully, come together to help them thrive and be inspired to always be better human beings. We hope you will all feel inspired to continually create safer spaces for our youth, work harder towards social equity, and encourage everyone to be involved in their community.
Please pass this invitation along to other city council members, board members, school leaders, and community members.
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City of San Mateo District Elections
The City of San Mateo in the process of transitioning from at-large elections to district elections, which means the City would be split into districts with residents voting for one council member who resides in their district. This is an important opportunity for San Mateo residents to share input about their neighborhood and help determine how districts are created. The process is about ensuring fair representation and we are committed to engaging as many people as possible, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented.
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The San Mateo Union High School District is Hiring!
We are hiring! Learn more about the following notices of vacancy:
- Accounting Technician
- Part-time position, 30 hours/week
- Location: Transportation Department
- Apply by October 19
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