Lincoln Cluster Schools Newsletter
December 2020
Hello Lincoln Cluster Families
Greetings Lincoln Cluster Families,
It is so important that we provide our students in the Lincoln Cluster access to pathways toward college and career exploration. As a cluster, we want to ensure that all students have the opportunity for college and career explorations, and are ultimately prepared for college and career upon graduation from Lincoln High School.
Lincoln High School is in the process of engaging with our community members to reimagine Lincoln through the lens of College and Career Pathways and is also currently securing partnerships with ConnectED, The National Center for College and Career, and the County Office of Education to support these endeavors. As a cluster, we are building on this vision through the strengths of our PreK to 12 model within the cluster, and we are currently offering our students access to strong STEAM, dual language, and VAPA programs.
In a rapidly changing world and economy, pathway opportunities provide our young people with the vision and hope, skills and experiences, and connections and partners to be successful in life beyond high school and grow into their independence. We need to work diligently and strategically together to provide every PreK student that enters our cluster rewarding opportunities and access to the strengths of our programming within our schools, and maintain the enrollment of our students in a trajectory that leads to these types of experiences through aligned, integrated, and interconnected pathways from PreK to 12th grade throughout our entire cluster.
As a community, we must work together to strengthen these opportunities, and provide meaningful pathway programming through strategic partnerships with the strengths of our families, our local non-profit agencies, our local businesses, and our local colleges. Pathways work best when we work in partnership. Together we are always stronger!
Have a blessed and beautiful break everyone! May you all stay safe, healthy, happy and strong during this holiday time together.
See you in 2021! 😊
Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School
In recent days we have engaged all of our Lincoln Community stakeholder groups in a conversation around the value of College and Career Pathways. We have guided a conversation with parents, students, faculty, staff and community members around three questions: What should a diploma mean for our students? What do students need to know and be able to do to be successful in college, career, and life? To ensure students attain these outcomes, what needs to be different in school?
We had over 30 parents, administrators, community members and possible partners in education join us for a community informational meeting. Lincoln High School teachers will be a part of a Pathway Design Institute where teams of teachers will develop comprehensive pathways that include the following four core components. College preparatory academics with real world application along with a cluster/sequence of career and technical education, with industry certification. The pathways will also include a continuum of work-based learning and personalized student supports all while being connected to a broad industry theme.
Lincoln currently offers courses in Public Emergency Response, Public Safety, Information Technology, Engineering and Architecture, and also Biomedical Technology. It is our goal to create and/or continue fostering Pathways that reflect the needs in the local and broader workforce and economy. We hope to share more information in the coming months as we design and plan for the unveiling of Lincoln’s College and Career Pathways. If you are interested in learning more about our journey please visit our website at www.lincoln.sandiegounified.org
Knox Middle School
Knox Middle
Students enrolled in our VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) program, may enroll the following courses: Beginning/Advanced Band, Beginning/Advanced Orchestra, or Guitar. In addition, Knox is part of the JumpStart Musical Theater grant in partnership with the La Jolla Playhouse.
Students enrolled in our CTE (Career Technical Education) program, may enroll in the following courses: Intro to Coding, PLTW Automation and Robotics, PLTW Innovation and Makers, PLTW App Creators. Extracurricular Engineering programs include 2 First Lego League Robotics teams, and a Computer Science Coding Club using the Python platform after school.
Students enrolled in our Dual Language Program, may take Dual Immersion History 6. We also offer Spanish 1-2, in which students can earn High School Credit.
We have various extra curricular activities and sports teams at Knox. Please see our video below to learn more about our program offerings.
Knox news archives:
Millennial Tech Middle School
MTM
MTM is so lucky to be one of the small hand-full of schools to have a video broadcasting studio! In MTM’s Intro to Video class, led by Mr. Jason Berman, students create what they are interested in. There are no quizzes or tests, because everything is a project! This year students have made music videos, a custom anime intro of their favorite song, a meme, pixel art, and have started to learn different types of digital animation. Students learn how to edit videos, create music, and make graphics that could be used on their own YouTube or Twitch channel. This is a crowd-favorite class and MTM is so very proud of the creative work of the students.
Last year, our student survey revealed a high desire to have an Art class. The students asked for it, and MTM delivered! Mr. Jared Chewning is our Resident Artist, and also serves as a 6th-grade Science teacher. Students are currently using watercolors and mixed media to display their creativity. A selection will be made soon to have student artwork used for our 2020 school yearbook cover. MTM is proud to offer a student-requested class, and as student’ predicted, it has been a wonderful addition to our pathway program.
If you are an MTM student, you also have the chance to take Spanish 1/2 and Spanish 3/4. Students get time to practice their new skills in breakout rooms and get to experience Spanish cultures through the magic of virtual field trips. This year, we welcomed Spanish and PE instructor, Mr. Nicholas Bankert, to our MTM family. He hopes to continue to inspire students to learn multiple languages and to be open to different ways of thinking.
Porter Elementary School
Porter Elem.
At Porter we are continuing our work to ensure our students are excelling in a Safe, Collaborative, and inclusive environment. Because of this aim, we continue to strengthen our work around our students' Social and Emotional needs. We currently have a partnership with UPAC (Union of Pan Asian Communities and SAY (Social Advocates for Youth) San Diego who provide additional counseling support targeted to each student's and family's needs. We also have been working closely with two Professors at San Diego State who have been working with our teachers and families to support those students that might need supports within the classroom to maximize their learning. Finally, our Counselor, Mrs. Buehler and our Restorative Practices Coordinator, Brenda Mendez, work together to ensure that our students have direct support within the classroom and during their office hours. Ms. Mendez has created the following Websites to support our students' and families' needs. The Porter Restorative Justice Practices Center (RJP Center) has been created to support students, parents, and teachers in our community. Restorative Justice Practices are practices that allow students to be their authentic selves and develop skills that will help them grow into amazing human beings. These practices can also help teachers and parents support these young people along their individual journeys. She also created a Virtual Calming Room because sometimes life can get a little bit overwhelming and we need a moment to just relax and breathe. We know that with these supports our students will continue to thrive in an environment that supports all of their academic and social emotional needs.
Baker Elementary School
Baker Elem.
Baker Elementary Future Teachers!
At Baker, we are working hard to create many professional pathways for our students. The Future Teacher Project began in 2016 when we trained 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to be reading mentors. We taught our older students how to teach a younger child to use reading strategies to figure out the meaning of text and how to practice fluency and reading with expression. We learned that when a child teaches another person to do something, they learn it at a much deeper level. Not only were relationships across the grades strengthened, but everyone became better readers. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders improved their confidence as readers and their attitudes about reading. This year, our program has evolved as we are learning on-line. Our 4th and 5th graders who want to be teachers when they grow up each have a UCSD college mentor. Students access our on-line Anti-Racist Library, a collection of picture books whose authors and/or characters are people of color. The first project was to choose a book, practice reading it with their mentor, and then create a video where they read it aloud to our school community. Each of the students pictured here created a video that is now part of our READ ALOUD LIBRARY! Congratulations to all of Baker’s past and present FUTURE TEACHERS!
Nye Elementary School
Nye Elem.
I’m Gingerlily Lowe, from Nye Elementary-retiring after 33 years of teaching. Actually, theater is how I came to teaching. I worked as an “Artist in the Schools” and found a passion. VAPA has always been an important part of my classroom practice and I am so grateful that there was a place for me at Nye Elementary to bring those experiences here.
At Nye, our teachers are learning to play ukuleles with Guitars in the Classroom. We are using music and writing songs with students to work on all kinds of learning goals--our math skills, to reinforce science and social studies concepts, to support SEL and help our students work through those anxieties and worries we have--especially now, to build vocabulary, reading and language skills. On top of the great benefits of using music as a teaching tool, our students are also becoming musicians and discovering their own musical potential.
We have had the great opportunity to partner with the San Diego Guild of Puppetry, where teaching artists come to work with our students. Our students learn the craft of storytelling. They write scripts, create puppets and put on puppet shows navigating the collaborative process which is so ingrained in the arts. During Covid, our students learned how to even post their creations online. Before distance learning, we hosted a Family Night with SDGuild of Puppetry, a wonderful night of making puppets and a great Puppet Parade, and we look forward to the day when we can do it again.
Our students have had drumming classes with talented teaching artists, With grants from Arts for Learning we have had Visual Artists working with our upper grade students. And we’ve had many wonderful performers who have graciously come to share their art and culture with our students. Actors and musicians have inspired our Nye students. Samahan has shared Filipino music, dance, and culture at our school and created validating experiences for our kids.
In terms of my own continuing work in arts education, I have also been privileged to share that in my teaching.
Here is a play by Asian Story Theater of the Mongolian legend of the mourinkhuur-- the horsehead fiddle I shared with my students on our last class day. https://youtu.be/462xst3VYJw (click the link)
The Visual and Performing Arts are so essential to our culture and humanity. It has been an incredibly rewarding part of my life and teaching has offered me a wonderful creative outlet. It has truly been my great privilege to be a part of Nye Elementary and this Lincoln Cluster.
Valencia Park Elementary School
Valencia Park Elementary
During Distance Learning Valencia Park continues to provide extracurricular and enrichment opportunities for our students.
The second graders at Valencia Park participated in a special performance of “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radio”. The Old Globe’s 2020-2021 season offered this radio performance as part of their Free Student Matinees Program. Valencia Park Elementary was lucky to be awarded participation in the performance. The radio performance included a visual component to engage our young minds. This radio performance is a wonderful, whimsical musical based upon the classic Dr. Seuss book. The family favorite features the songs “Santa for a Day,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and “Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze),” the delightful carol from the popular animated version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” This was an amazing way to celebrate the Holidays with the Whos and The Old Globe.
Our fifth grade students are participating in the Step-2-STEM program offered by the Elementary Institute of Science (EIS). Our students have the opportunity to engage in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned lessons that support the 5th Grade Earth & Space curriculum and an additional STEM lesson. Our students were thrilled to be a part of this learning experience!
Student Feedback on EIS Step-2-STEM Program Cycle 1:
“The Step-2-STEM program teaches a lot of science and I met a REAL SCIENTIST and that was really cool! Thank you for the EIS program!”
“The program exercises my brain and helps it grow!”
“It helped me learn about science and I am a really curious person so that was perfect!”
In addition, our third graders participated in a virtual field trip to Judges in the Classroom. Our third graders virtually toured the courthouse with Judge Martin from the California Courts: the Judicial Branch of California. Students had the opportunity to learn and review the three branches of government. They also discussed law scenarios and together they were tasked with “interpreting the law fairly and equally. This allowed our students to practice critical thinking skills as they applied the law.
Valencia Park is proud to provide extracurricular opportunities for our students! For more information regarding our learning opportunities please visit:
Balboa Elementary School
Balboa Elem.
Balboa Dual Language School continues to amaze families this month.
Our girls in fifth grade joined the Girls Scouts to further develop their social and emotional skills
We ended our week with Toys from Santa sponsored by Perkins Elementary
100 sweatshirts donated from CYT for our students in grades 3-5th
An invitation for our 4th graders for Project VisMO a three-year research project funded by the National Science Foundation, led by the University of San Diego
From the Globe Theater, Balboa students were invited to listen "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" this was so much fun to see our students and parents enjoying a famous play narrated at home
We are proud to announce we have started the decorations and purchases for our Think Big Classroom sponsored by Carson's organization to promote STEAM interest. This room will be a Maker Studio with 3-D printer and 3- pens, Easels, computers, and many books to inspire our students to Think Big.
Dual Language classes continue to develop bilingual students aiming at exposing them to rich language, culture, and acceptance for our unique differences
Continuing with our parents:
The Mexican Consulate offered parents in need of a diploma the opportunity to enroll in their virtual classes to get their diploma
The Mexican Consulate invited families with DACA students to an informational workshop to help them better understand their DACA rights.
In our Coffee with the Principal, we shared a number of scholarships from the organization MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense) to assist high school and college students
Balboa continues to see an interest for parents wanting to take college classes the following link was shared and parents were very interested: COLLEGE CLASSES FOR ADULTS:www.sdccd.edu/online
At Balboa, we thrive on offering service for our families while we empower teachers to be Legendary!
Spanish
La Escuela de Lenguaje Dual Balboa continúa asombrando a las familias este mes.
Nuestras niñas de quinto grado se unieron a Girls Scouts para desarrollar aún más sus habilidades sociales y emocionales.
Terminamos nuestra semana con Toys from Santa patrocinado por Perkins Elementary
100 sudaderas donadas por CYT para nuestros estudiantes en los grados 3-5
Una invitación para nuestros estudiantes de cuarto grado para el Proyecto VisMO, un proyecto de investigación de tres años financiado por la National Science Foundation, dirigido por la Universidad de San Diego.
Desde el Globe Theatre, los estudiantes de Balboa fueron invitados a escuchar "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Fue muy divertido ver a nuestros estudiantes y padres disfrutar de una famosa obra de teatro narrada en casa.
Estamos orgullosos de anunciar que hemos comenzado las decoraciones y compras para nuestro salón Think Big patrocinado por la organización de Carson para promover el interés de STEAM. Esta sala será un Maker Studio con impresora 3-D y 3 bolígrafos, caballetes, computadoras y muchos libros para inspirar a nuestros estudiantes a pensar en grande.
Las clases de lenguaje dual continúan desarrollando estudiantes bilingües con el objetivo de exponerlos a un lenguaje rico, cultura y aceptación por nuestras diferencias únicas continuando con nuestros padres:
El Consulado de México ofreció a los padres que necesitan un diploma la oportunidad de inscribirse en sus clases virtuales para obtener su diploma.
El Consulado de México invitó a las familias con estudiantes de DACA a un taller informativo para ayudarlos a comprender mejor sus derechos DACA.
En nuestro Café con la Directora, compartimos una serie de becas de la organización MALDEF (Defensa Legal México-Americana) para ayudar a estudiantes de secundaria y universitarios.
Balboa continúa viendo el interés de los padres que desean tomar clases universitarias, se compartió el siguiente enlace y los padres estaban muy interesados: UNIVERSIDAD CLASES PARA ADULTOS: www.sdccd.edu/online
En Balboa, nos esforzamos al ofrecer servicio para nuestras familias mientras capacitamos a los maestros para que sean legendarios.
Chavez Elementary School
Chavez Elem.
Chavez Elementary wants to celebrate and highlight its Dual Language program. At Chavez, we use the 50/50 model, where 50 percent of the time instruction is given in English and 50 percent of the time in Spanish. The teachers that teach in the Dual Language program are gifted in developing students as agency leaders, academic driven, focused and confident learners in both languages. In fact, 60 percent of this year’s reclassification came from our Dual Language program. Lori, aone of our 4th grade Dual Language students, recently described a major benefit from the program is that it embraced and strengthened her native language as she developed her English skills.
A special thanks to School Police for ensuring some of our families had an amazing drive through with Santa. The families felt very loved!
Please like and follow us on facebook Cesar Chavez Elementary School
Horton Elementary School
Horton Elem. -
Picture above-Horton's fifth grade students extracting their own DNA
Horton Elementary is currently exploring different program offerings for students with the intent of developing a commitment to a schoolwide focus. We’re partnering with Millennial Tech Middle School to offer enrichment courses in digital arts and animation for TK-5th grade students.
All students at Horton receive weekly science enrichment classes with Mr. Jimenez, our Science prep teacher. We also have a partnership with the Elementary Institutes of Science (EIS) which engages our fifth grade students in NGSS aligned lessons and hands-on experiences each week. This past week students engaged in a DNA extraction experiment.
The VAPA department has expanded its music enrichment program for Horton’s students. Each week, fourth and fifth grade students learn to play an instrument and build understanding of musical concepts such as melody, rhythm, texture, form and music notation. Our music teachers, Mr. Alforque and Mr. Black, work with small groups to provide a positive, comprehensive music experience.
In January, we will be surveying students and families to gather stakeholder input about the kind of specialized programs and extracurricular activities to offer Horton’s students in order to prepare them for career and college pathways in middle school, high school, and beyond.
Webster Elementary School
Webster Elementary
Hello Lincoln Cluster Families,
For those of you that are unfamiliar with our great school, we are a Science Magnet, and have been one for more than 20 years. During this time, our Science Magnet has grown and shrunk over time due to district funding, transportation, and/or our shrinking student population. At this time, we are in a transforming period. We are in the application phase of a multi-million dollar STEAM grant from the federal government. We are hoping to hear in the spring if we will be awarded this grant. Wish us luck.
Other ways Webster continues its Science focus is we work closely with the Elementary Institute of Science also known as EIS. They have provided us with high quality science instruction in the past and this year online with two of my upper grade classrooms. They also offer scholarships to the many programs they offer on weekends and holiday breaks as well as during the summer.
In the past, we have also enjoyed a partnership with Groundworks, which runs the Earth Lab next to MTM School. This year two of our classrooms are working with the former leader of Earth Lab in a new program called Earth Kidz Adventurez. All of this is online. We would love to get the students outside in the outdoor lab with hands on instruction, when it becomes safe again.
If you have, any questions reach out to Webster School.
Carmi Strom
Principal
Webster Academy of Science and Research
4801 Elm St.
San Diego, CA 92102
Encanto Elementary School
Encanto Elementary
Encanto Elementary’s Two-Way Dual Language Immersion program blends two language models. Both groups of students attend classes together, learning from and supporting one another while developing linguistic and academic competencies in two languages. Our 50:50 program model includes an equal distribution of English and Spanish in Grades K-5.
In addition to being academically prepared and fully proficient in English, our students benefit from being proficient in another language.
Opportunities to learn multiple languages enhance and contribute to overall student achievement. Multilingualism also enhances cognitive development, divergent and critical thinking, and problem solving, while promoting communication and understanding in an increasingly global society. The unique geographical location of San Diego requires rich opportunities for students to learn multiple languages, including languages with key economic and strategic significance. We are proud of the fact that our Dual Language Program creates opportunities for students to learn to celebrate and honor diversity in people and use the classroom experience as an opportunity to connect socially and academically. Students enrolled in our program have the opportunity to earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy.
Chollas-Mead Elementary School
Chollas-Mead Elem.
Chollas Mead’s 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are engaging with Ms. Adventurez while they learn about the environment. We are excited to be partnering with Earth Kidz Adventurez. During this time students get to have hands on experiences and virtual field trips while learning about the environment around them. This is fun fill and engaging opportunity for our students.
Our 4th and 5th graders are working hard to get you your weekly news. When they are done learning each day the 4th and 5th graders are editing and publishing the Dolphin Splash News Paper and Live Action News.
https://dolphinsplashofchollasmead.wordpress.com/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gryZ2L_wTuC-Shv8goG-_ccrplkyRZpq/view?usp=sharing
The early learners at Chollas Mead are also taking part in Early Years Music with Mrs. O. Thank you to our partnership with DEEP that continues to fund this wonderful experience for our early learners. Students are singing and dancing with their little bodies filled with joy.
DEEP has continued to be a great support for our campus offering parent classes, early literacy and social and emotional needs to our families. If you have a child that is 0-5 DEEP does offer their 1,000 books before kindergarten. To learn more about DEEP please visit https://deepsd.org/.
Johnson Elementary School
Johnson Elem.
Students at Johnson Magnet School for STEM are curious and creative! Our students are involved in various types of Arts on the campus including: Upper grade music program, music for primary classes sponsored by the Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership in addition to the arts activities teachers do within their classrooms. Please see the examples of Guided Drawings and Art from Nature students have done this year! This second type of art emphasizes our school's focus on STEM!
Lincoln Community Council Meeting Info.
Lincoln Cluster Community Council Meeting
Thursday, Jan 21, 2021, 05:00 PM
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