#AUSDCONNECT
ALPINE UNION THE DESTINATION SCHOOL DISTRICT OF EAST COUNTY!
Click on the Gami to Hear Dr. Newman's Digital Message
The Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee Is Helping Make Decisions!
We believe deeply that our students’ voices should be front and center as we make decisions. Consequently, Dr. Newman formed the Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee (SSAC), which is comprised of 21 students at the middle school level who provide a student voice on matters of importance and assist in ensuring that student ideas, hopes and dreams are at the center of decisions. This team, like the Student School Board members, also share their views and concerns on issues of educational importance, as well as study issues that arise and make relevant recommendations to Dr. Newman.
In fact, the first order of business for the students in the SSAC was to discuss with Dr. Newman their desire to change the lunch schedule at Joan MacQueen Middle School. As a result of the work of our students we will soon be adding minutes to the lunch schedule. Go students!
JMMS Engineering Robotics Team Wins 2016 Lego League Global Innovation Award!
A HUGE congratulations to the JMMS Engineering Team for their Global Innovation Award! Of the 60 plus teams from across Southern California, Alpine Union's team also won a regional award, and won the right to advance to the national competition in Washington late in the spring. The team’s project is a technically advanced, automated wild bird feeder with the potential for commercial viability. Way to go DustDevils! Our engineering program is also being provided to our elementary students and we look forward to expanding the program in the year's to come!
Collaboration with Granite Hills and Steele Canyon High Schools
We have been reaching out to our feeder high schools to discuss ways to connect and ensure a seamless transition for our students from middle to high school. Dr. Newman has reached out and met with the principals of Granite Hills and Steele Canyon. They discussed partnering more closely and focusing on improving the following key elements between our schools, such as:
- Backwards mapping - having our teachers meet with their 9th grade team and backwards map skills so our students can be prepared for high school.
- Collaboration - having our teachers collaborate closely on curriculum.
- Matriculation to high school - sharing data with the high school teams to assist in student placement.
- Acceleration courses - developing opportunities for acceleration opportunities and for our students to take high school classes early.
- Student and parent meeting - offering a personalized parent and student meeting for our outgoing middle school students where our parents and students can ask questions and talk to students, teachers and counselors.
We will planning further meetings in the months ahead.
New Teaching and Learning Tools Coming to AUSD
We have devised a strategy to ensure that across the TK-8 continuum we provide ready access to digital resources for our students. One of the key goals is to provide ready access to learning anytime, anyplace and anywhere. This includes ensuring a ratio of three students per mobile device for our students in grades 3-8, while deploying labs for our students in the early grades. In addition, we are committed to:
Crafting a clear vision of connecting all students to the world’s learning resources.
Modeling the actions and behaviors we wish to see in our schools.
Supporting the design of an ongoing and embedded staff development program that focuses on pedagogy as much as technology.
Ensuring that technology is seen not as another initiative, but as integral to curriculum.
Check Out AUSD in the Alpine Sun Twice a Month
We have developed a comprehensive communications strategy designed to open channels of communication, create transparency, keep us connected, provide updates and celebrate events and other happenings across AUSD. We hope you will check out the articles in the Alpine Sun. Each month they will carry stories about our schools as well as a Superintendent's Corner column written by Dr. Newman.
Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council
One of our key goals is to make sure we build strong connections with our parents and community. To that end, we are pleased to share that our Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) is off and running. We had 19 parents who submitted applications to be part of this committee. We held our first meeting on December 5 and will be meeting monthly.
The SPAC will consist of a group of parents from across AUSD that provide input and recommendations on a range of school district issues, including new policies, projects, and materials that impact students and their families. SPAC members will be particularly focused on how to increase parent and family engagement to ensure student academic success. Members will serve as advisors to the Superintendent and will meet several times throughout the year.
Click here to access the agenda and information from our SPAC meetings.
Early Admission to Kindergarten (EAK) Starts in January
DIGITAL LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH FOR ALL STUDENTS
Now that all students have access to our online digital curriculum, IXL ELA and Math, we want to make sure that your child is accessing the curriculum. Please check with your child's teacher if you child is having difficulty accessing the curriculum. We want to make sure that each and every child takes advantage of IXL anytime, anywhere and anyplace.
JANUARY HAPPENINGS AT OUR SCHOOLS!
AES
January 3 - School Resumes
January 4 - Pajama Day
January 4 - Elementary Early Dismissal
January 4 - PTA Sponsored Movie 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
January 10 - PTA Meeting
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 16 - MLK Day- No School
January 17 - Kumeyaay Assemblies
January 31 - Fun Run Assembly
BOES
January 3 - School Resumes
January 4 - Elementary Early Dismissal
January 5 - PTA Meeting at 7:30 am
January 6 - Simon the Safety Bloodhound Assemblies grades 1 and 2
January 10 - Planetarium Assembly
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 12 - SSC Meeting am
January 12 - Coffee with the Principal 9:00 am to 10:00 am
January 13 - Family Flag Day
January 16 - MLK Day- No School
January 20 - PTA Family Night: Star Party
January 25 - Bring a Parent to Lunch Day
January 27 - Family Flag Friday
January 27 - Spirit Assembly @ 2:00 pm
CELC
January 3 - School Resumes
January 4 - EAK Begins
January 4 - Elementary Early Dismissal
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 16 - MLK Day- No School
JMMS
January 3 - School Resumes
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 16 - MLK Day- No School
January 20 - National History Day Judging
January 27 - Second Quarter Ends
MVLA
January 3 - School Resumes
January 4 - Elementary Early Dismissal
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 16 - MLK Day- No School
SHES
January 3 - School Resumes
January 4 - Elementary Early Dismissal
January 6 - PTA Meeting
January 11- AUSD Board Meeting at 6:15 pm @ BOES
January 16 - MLK Day- No School