EUSD Staff Newsletter
September 2019 Edition
From Our Superintendent
Dear EUSD Staff,
I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous job you all did successfully opening the school year. Because of your efforts, our students entered schools and classrooms that were committed to getting to know them. Each school, each office, each department, each classroom, each playground visited in the last month has exemplified a sense of community and belonging. Take a moment to pause and think of something you personally did to welcome, get to know or create connections with students and with each other. When we all focus on the relationships, the results are extraordinary. Now comes the hard part where we are no longer in the glow of starting a new school year, but are digging into the routines and reality of the enormity of our roles. I challenge each of you to keep focused on the connections and prioritize knowing the stories so that we can provide the most personalized support to our students and to one another. I am so grateful for all of you! You are what makes EUSD so amazing!
Andrée Grey, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Important Reminders from Ed Services
EUSD Professional Development
What are YOU learning this year? Have you signed up for your Personalized Professional Development Pathway yet? If not, we are waiting for you! Please visit our PD Brochure here and click the RSVP link in the pathway of your choosing. This year’s pathways include: CGI, Project-Based Learning, Guided Reading, Personalized Learning, and Choose-Your-Own. Each teacher should sign up for one pathway for the year. We look forward to learning with you!
Math in the EUSD
Good news! iReady has launched, and the liftoff has been spectacular! Most of our amazing Encinitas teachers have completed the iReady diagnostic and have already started diving into their own students’ data influencing instruction in the classroom. The Ready Classroom student books have been delivered to all schools and teachers are implementing the instructional routines and Ready Classroom resources.
As we pilot the iReady and Ready Classroom resources, we look forward to feedback from our teachers through the Math Committee work. We continue to encourage the application of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), with Ready Classroom as a resource to support.
Just as a reminder:
iReady Diagnostic - Required for all students 3 times a year, with the exception of Kindergarten, which will administer twice a year
iReady Digital - Resource option for individualized student learning, 45 minutes a week, not for homework
Ready Classroom - Resource option for teacher-led classroom instruction.
iPad Covers ~ Information for Teachers
The replacement cost of new covers would far exceed the cost of multiple years of all repair costs (not just glass breakage). All of this had a hand in the fiscally responsible decision to continue to use the cases, regardless of flap condition. Even a small number of new cases results in a larger expense than all glass breakages that may occur at your school site this year (and each year glass breakages have gone down...I wish we could say the same for headphone jacks ($80-125 repair ea.)) We'd much rather have those dollars go toward instruction. I am happy to discuss this further, and can reach out directly to parents with questions if you'd like.
Thank you,
Nathan Short, MBA, BSCE
Director of Information Technology
NGSS News
Our EUSD NGSS story began six years ago. Since then, teachers have been writing their own stories of success through deep dives into NGSS segments in Powerschool. As our new segments roll out, it’s time again to jump in and plan purposeful NGSS implementation once more! NGSS tells a story at each grade level, with segments building upon previous ideas. Fueled by phenomena, each experience provides a pathway, building disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts, ignited by our students' own questions. Looking at our students’ science notebooks, we see their own amazing stories of scientific discovery! Your site’s TOSA is available to support you as you dive into any NGSS segment.
District Approved Devices ~ An Important Note from IT
Just a quick reminder before the holiday season, that Amazon Echo’s and Google Home’s are definitely not district-approved devices.
- Lengthy discussions have happened County-wide regarding the risks involved with the device.
- Here’s my favorite example to share: http://cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=r5p0gqCIEa8 or https://youtu.be/r5p0gqCIEa8
- This doesn’t even begin to touch on the privacy concerns, as the Echo’s record and track everything said to them.
- Here’s a recent article: “Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant vs. Child Privacy Laws”
- https://www.cnet.com/news/google-assistant-and-amazon-alexa-could-be-next-targets-for-child-privacy-laws/. Other things to try: "Alexa, play Eminem, volume 10." “Alexa, buy me an 85-inch TV.”
If you have any questions, please reach out to Nathan Short at nathan.short@eusd.net
Close ALL TABS - Safari Tip!
1. While in Safari, press and hold the "tabs" icon until a screen comes up that says "Close All Tabs". THAT'S IT!
Literably
Sony Engineers from Japan Visit EUSD Students
EUSD students and teachers were pleased to meet with Sony robotics engineers from the Tokyo corporate headquarters this week. They came to observe the cutting edge learning that is happening with our S.T.A.R. (Science, Technology and Advanced Research) Team students at Ocean Knoll, La Costa Heights, and Farm Lab. These students are among the first to use the KOOV robotics and coding curriculum. Students demonstrated how they used the technology to model solving real-world problems (Farm Lab) and how they advanced their academic language and writing skills (La Costa Heights). Thanks to Jessie Conn, Sandra Chapman, Julie Burton, Sergio Martinez, Nathan Short, and Jennifer Bond.
iReady Information For Families
http://i-readycentral.com/articles/engaging-families/#help_families_understand_em_i_ready_em
EUSD Farm Lab Updates
Educational Programming
DREAMS Campus:
Grade 5 students from LCH and OK have already attended for their three day ‘Water Wise’ learning experience. Water scarcity = reclaim = filter = design and engineer to re-use it. Clean water matters!
SONY executives from Japan came all the way to Farm Lab to see Jessie Conn’s grade 5 students utilizing their KOOV engineering products. Water-wise meets robotics? Yes, please!
Kindergarteners will be visiting before October break. They’ll discover and explore the cycle of seed to compost on their one day visit. It’s never too early to begin sustainability and waste diversion education!
Our Recyclables drive is on! Click here for our needs and details. Thanks!
In case you haven’t heard Farm Lab’s DREAMS Campus and Farm to School program received an Innovation Award from the Center for Ecoliteracy this summer! Our district’s forward-thinking efforts are being nationally recognized!
Farm to School
More organic lettuce, carrots and radishes for each school’s Green Garden Cafe salad bar have been planted on-site in the past few weeks.
We are diving into our USDA Farm to School grant project - in partnership with The Ecology Center and Healthy Day Partners. Click here for all the details!
EUSD ASPIRE Programs
ASPIRE TRAINING
ASPIRE was closed on August 30, 2019 to allow the entire team dedicated time for professional development opportunities. The many amazing presenters helped make the day engaging, informative, and fun! The day’s event’s included a multitude of topics from Personalized Learning to Calming Techniques for Upset Students to Simple Science Activities and everything in between! A huge round of applause to Andree Grey (EUSD Superintendent), Lauren Campbell (PDL District Enrichment Teacher), Robyn Litt (EUSD ToSA), Julie Burton (Coordinator of Farm Lab), and Glen Warren (Director of LOL) - their presentations were absolutely incredible and certainly helped the team continue to fill their toolboxes! Click HERE to see a quick photo montage of the day's events!
ASPIRE FALL BREAK CAMP
ASPIRE Fall Camp registration is now open! This year, camp will be held at El Camino Creek Elementary. Field Trip options include Bate’s Nuts Farm and Sea World. Please remember, registration forms cannot be submitted to the school site. Parents can register online at www.eusd.net/enrichment, or mail or walk-in registration forms to the EUSD District Office. Registration closes on October 4, 2019. Secure your spot now! Spaces are limited!
Teach for Innovation Awards – Call for Nominations
The 4th annual Teach for Innovation Awards is coming up and nominations are open through January 15, 2020! The awards are open to all teachers, entrepreneurs, administrators, and other leaders in education working in San Diego County who are using innovative approaches to ensure students are receiving an excellent education. Nominate a leader today by visiting: www.teachforamerica.org/SanDiegoTFI #TFASanDiego #TFIAwards
APCD'S KIDS CALENDAR CONTEST has begun!
We want to encourage students to think about the importance of clean, breathable air and help spread the word about what the average person can do to help us all breathe a little easier. As such, with your students’ help, we will be creating a 2020 calendar where each month will showcase their air quality artwork. Click here for the fun details.
Teacher Grant Opportunity
Leucadia Wastewater District is now accepting applications for this year's Teacher Grant Program. At this link, please find the application with instructions. Also, linked here is a list of project ideas and resources. Please forward this information to all your teachers. The deadline to submit the grant application is Friday, October 25, 2019. LWD may provide up to $6,000 in teacher grants, with a maximum of $2,000 per grant. If your school has a website, please feel free to post the application on the site.
We welcome the opportunity to present at your staff meeting in September or October to promote and answer any questions. Please let us know when is best.
We plan on awarding the grants during the month of March/April 2020. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (760) 753-0155 ext. 3001. We look forward to receiving the applications. P.S. Check out the winners of the 2018-2019 LWD Teacher Grant in this video
Past Versions of ALL Staff and Community Newsletter
Encinitas Union School District
Email: heather.hultgren@eusd.net
Website: www.eusd.net
Location: 101 South Rancho Santa Fe Road, Encinitas, CA, USA
Phone: 760-944-94300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncinitasUSD/
Twitter: @eusdtweets