Sweetwater Must Sees Newsletter
May 7th, 2021
2021-2022 Reopening Message from SUHSD Superintendent Dr. Moises Aguirre
Hello Sweetwater Community,
With just a few more weeks left in the 2020-21 school year I want to thank you for your continued support of our Sweetwater Union High School District Schools. This school year has been one of the most challenging ones in recent memory due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite much difficulty we have made it to this point. The health and safety of our students, staff, and broader community has been paramount as we navigated the turbulent times this year.
In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to officially introduce myself, as I consider it a true privilege to have been appointed Superintendent by our Board of Trustees on Monday, April 26th. I’d like to express my gratitude to our Board of Trustees and share that my commitment to our community is to work tirelessly on behalf of all of our students and staff --- to focus on those important matters that ensure we are supporting our students, addressing the pandemic, and providing support to our entire community.
Our district strives for academic excellence, and makes every effort to support our diverse communities in the South Bay. Please know that that I will make every effort to foster and cultivate the relationships we have built with our stakeholders to ensure the continued success of our students, schools, and community. I am extremely excited about the work in front of us. With my own children attending San Ysidro High School, I experience first-hand the implications of our decisions and our actions. It is with this in mind that I will strive to take actions that support our community, with a renewed vigor. This same energy will be applied towards developing our plans for in-person instruction resuming for the 2021-22 school year. This of course, would be in alignment with health and safety guidelines issued by the state and county health authorities.
Please accept my best wishes for a happy and healthy rest of the school year.
Sincerely,
Moisés G. Aguirre, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Sweetwater Union High School District
Thank you to all our SUHSD Teachers!
Student Open Enrollment Is Now Available
For more information visit: http://studentservices.sweetwaterschools.org
State and Federal Programs
The office of State & Federal programs in collaboration with UCSD extension, and support of student learning and wellness, held the SUHSD UCSD Parent University fall 2020 and spring 2021 series, with participation of 200 parents per session. This series taught by Dr. Morgan Appel, Assistant Dean at UCSD Extension, exposed parents to topics related to adolescent learning, development, emotions and how to support students in a distance learning context. The series and materials can be accessed here: http://ola.sweetwaterschools.org/for-parents/
The 2021 Summer Series will be offered by Southwestern College through the Y.E.S Academy and is FREE. For more information please visit www.swccd.edu/yes
Additionally, through our partnership with UCSD extension, the Sweetwater District has been granted 15 scholarships for SUHSD students to attend Sally Ride Science summer workshops. The Sally Ride Science Junior Academy offers science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) workshops for students entering 3rd-12th grade during the 2021-22 school year. The deadline to apply for these scholarships is June 25, 2021, please visit, https://ucsd-extension.formstack.com/forms/srsja_sweetwater
For more information about the workshops visit https://extension.ucsd.edu/courses-and-programs/Sally-Ride-Science
ACSA REGION 18 - CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR
Congratulations, John Czajkowski #SUHSD Security Coordinator and Advisor was honored by ACSA Region 18 as Central Office Administrator of the Year during a virtual celebration this past weekend.
Superintendent Aguirre - “Thanks for your exemplary service to the students in our district. You make us proud.”
Board of Trustees Vice President Arturo Solis - “Thank you for your exemplary service. You make us proud.”
On behalf of the students, staff and families of the Sweetwater District, thank you Mr. Czajkowski for your dedication to the safety and security of our district.
Click here for the ACSA Honoring Our Own Awards Ceremony to view Mr. Czajkowski’s recognition.
2021 SANDCASP Award
We are excited to announce that SUHSD's very own school psychologist has been recognized by the San Diego California School Psychologist (SANDCASP) for the San Diego California School Psychologist Award. Ruben Sanchez has been recognized for his contributions as a mentor to local students, interns and new professionals entering the field of school psychology. Mr. Sanchez teaches classes at the university and is a lead facilitator to our Sweetwater interns, whom quite often return to work for the district. Kudos Mr. Sanchez!
Scholarship and Award Opportunities for Students
Stronger Than Hate Challenge
The USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education will award up to $6,000 to students who participate in a social impact challenge. Individual students or groups of students in grades 6-12 participate by creating projects that show that art has the ability to build strong, connected, and empathetic communities. Students can make a video, write a poem, song, or blog, or produce a painting or piece of artwork that demonstrates the chosen medium’s potential to create a community that is stronger than hate. Visit the grant website for complete details. The application deadline is June 1.
House of France Scholarship
The House of France in Balboa Park awards two $500 scholarships to high school seniors who have taken advanced-level French courses in high school. The selection criteria include answering two essay questions in English and one in French. View and download the application form. The application deadline is June 1.
HCC/AMN Healthcare Scholarship
Through Health Care Communicators (HCC) of San Diego, high school seniors in San Diego County who plan to enter the healthcare field after college can apply to win a $2,000 scholarship courtesy of AMN Healthcare. Visit the HCC website for more information. The application deadline is June 30.
National University Teacher Award Opportunity
Teacher Appreciation Week is here, and we want to show our appreciation for educators around the country! We’re inspired by their dedication, and we want to recognize all the good they do for their students and community. That's why we're inviting you to nominate an inspirational teacher for the National University Teacher Award!
We’re seeking stories about inspirational Pre-K-12 teachers who consistently engage their students, give them a voice, and motivate them to succeed. Five Regional Finalists will be selected and awarded a gift of $10,000 and a full-tuition scholarship toward our Master of Arts in Social and Emotional Learning. One of the five Regional Finalists will be selected as the National University Teacher of the Year and receive a grand prize total of $50,000!
Bonita Vista High
We were so excited to celebrate our seniors at Prom 2021 this past Saturday, May 1st. It was a spectacular evening! We hope that everyone made memories to last a lifetime.
Bonita Vista Middle
Thank you Ms. Oani, Ms. Lebron, and the entire PTSA crew for making the "Welcome Back" so special for our BVM staff! Lunch was delicious!
Chula Vista Middle
Eastlake High
EHS’ Marcelo Mayer currently ranked by Major League Baseball as the 4th best prospect in the country. Expected to be drafted in the first major league draft this year. Congratulations on all your hard work and amazing athletic accomplishment!
Eastlake Middle
ELM excitedly prepared and welcomed their staff and students for their May 3rd reopening. Staff got an opportunity to practice Yoga during the reopening training and ELM students and staff participated in a cup stacking challenge during lunch at one of the first lunch activities of the reopening!
Montgomery High
Montgomery High World Languages Department and staff celebrating the culture and historical significance of Cinco de Mayo.
National City Middle
Expanded Learning would like to highlight The Lion’s Den at National City Middle School. The vision and leadership of Alejandra Mondragón-Zumstein and Alyssa Castro allowed them to be the first after school program to open for in-person programming. They started during spring break and allowed a small cohort of students to return to some fun activities on campus. Kudos to Alejandra and Alyssa!
San Ysidro High
In February 2020, our Folklorico instructor, Lalo Hirsch, was contacted by a Film Major from SDSU who wanted to create a Documentary for The Latino Film Festival, held each year in San Diego. The project was scheduled to be shown in AMC Theaters as part of the Film Festival Line-up. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was unable to access film equipment at SDSU, but were determined to shoot a shorter version with their own personal cameras while a "Film Window" still existed!
Click here to view the short documentary about Grupo Folklorico SY called "Rhythm In Our Roots".
SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
Sweetwater High School
On April 29th, Sweetwater High hosted a vaccine clinic for students in partnership with the City of National City, National City Fire Department and National City Police Department. More than 300 students were vaccinated thanks to the support of Mayor Sotelo-Solis’s 100 Day Vaccination Campaign. Way to go Red Devils!
On May 4th, we celebrated Day of the Teacher with a grab-n-go lunch for the staff. Throughout this pandemic, our teachers have modeled resilience, adaptability, grit and hard work. Thanks to our Red Devil Staff for all you do for our school!
SUHSD Grants and Communications Department
Website: http://www.sweetwaterschools.org/
Location: 1130 5th Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911, USA
Phone: (619) 691-5578
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SUHSD
Twitter: @SUHSD