Community Update
May 3, 2023
Strawberry Festival
The Vista Strawberry Festival is back and better than ever in 2023! Celebrate all things strawberry on Sunday, May 28 in Downtown Vista. The event kicks off with the 5K and Kids’ Runs and continues all day with entertainment, food, kids’ zone, contests, and lots of fun. VUSD families receive $10 off registration for the 5K, 1 Mile or ¼ Mile runs with code 23BERRYVUSD (Code good through May 11). And, $3 of each registration is donated back to the school PTA or non-profit of your choice! Visit www.vistastrawberryfest.com for more information and to register as a runner, vendor, or volunteer.
Magnet School Expansion Project
In March, the VUSD School Board gave direction to the Superintendent to explore and begin the process of developing additional magnet schools at the elementary and middle school levels. Magnet Schools have been very successful in Vista Unified, and the intention is to expand access for more students. The process will kick off this month beginning to gather input from the community around the type of magnet school themes that would be most exciting for students, families, and the community.
Asset Management Committee Community Forum
Over the last decade Vista Unified School District has gone from nearly 25,000 students to under 19,000. Experts on demographics, the field of science that studies population trends, estimate that this decline in enrollment will continue until the District reaches a size of under 15,000 students. The Vista Unified School District Asset Management Advisory Committee, a Sub-Committee of the Board of Education, was established through a process that started on January 9, 2023. The purpose of the Committee is to explore options to consolidate or close schools to right size the district for this decline of enrollment. The Board has directed the Committee to consider two elementary schools, Beaumont and Monte Vista, and two middle schools, Rancho Minerva and VIDA. The first meeting of the Committee was held on May 8, 2023 and was on the topic of the legal requirements for Committee members. At this meeting the Committee established their meeting dates of May 3, 16, 30, and June 14, 2023 at 6:00 pm before making their final recommendation to the Board of Education on an anticipated date of June 22, 2023. All meetings occur at 6:00 p.m. with the next meeting to take place at Rancho Minerva Middle School and the meeting on May 16 to take place at VIDA. After the meeting at VIDA, the Chief Operations Office will hold community engagement sessions on May 18 at 5:00 p.m. at Beaumont Elementary School and on May 23 at 5:00 p.m. at Monte Vista Elementary School to update the community about the Committee's progress and to field questions. You can follow the activities and meetings of the Asset Management Advisory Committee through their website by clicking here or attending one of their meetings which are held in public.
Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee Membership Applications
A Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee is an oversight team that reports to the Board of Education for the purpose of informing the public concerning the expenditure and uses of bond revenues. Made up of citizen’s appointed by the Board of Education, this Committee is currently accepting applications for consideration for appointment by the Board of Education. There are certain requirements and categories that are called upon within California Law for this Committee, which locally oversees activities that are directly tied to projects funded by the 2016 approved Measure LL of 247 Million Dollars. To learn more about how you can apply to be part of this committee click here for the advertisement in English and here for en español. Click to download a copy of the application in English and here en español. Applications are due by June 2, 2023 by 4:00 p.m. to the Operational Service Center or email to the Committee Secretary, Ms. Danica Reed, at danicareed@vistausd.org.
Digital Citizenship
This year, we’ve committed as a community to promote digital citizenship. Our goal is to equip our students with the skills they need to become thoughtful, empathetic digital citizens in an increasingly connected world. As part of these efforts, our work this year has included:
Adopting the 5 Competencies of Digital Citizenship
Training all certificated staff in Common Sense Media
Providing digital citizenship lessons TK-12
Hosting a family workshop with cyber expert John Moffat
As we continue to engage with our community about digital citizenship, we encourage you to get involved by modeling healthy habits at home! One of the best places to start is with cell phone use in the home. Check out the following resources to get started!
Article: Be a Role Model: 4 Ways to Balance Screen Time Around Children
Help kids reflect on their phone habits by having open, nonjudgmental conversations. Then give them a tool like a Family Tech Planner to suggest changes and set goals for themselves.
This month, our VUSD Technology Advisory Committee will be exploring and seeking feedback on ways in which we can improve school cell phone practices in alignment with our commitment to digital citizenship.
An Ever-Increasing STEM World
We live in a technological world. Students learn on Chromebooks and iPads. Many have cell phones. Shopping and ordering food is increasingly done through mobile device apps. With more jobs requiring an understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), it is important to support our learners’ development of STEM skills.
“All Thinking begins with Wondering.” ~ Socrates
The VUSD Learner Portrait highlights the STEM skill of curiosity, the ability to respond with wonderment and awe to ideas and the world, as an outcome for learners.
Adults can foster curiosity by helping learners notice interesting elements in our world: a wet spider web, colors in a sunset, etc.
Take time to examine the element before asking, “What do you see?”
Observe it from a different perspective and ask again, “What else do you see?”
Ask learners to share observations as well as questions to identify what else they want to learn.
To further develop curiosity, younger learners can watch this Wondergrove Video and practice this routine. Older learners might practice using these strategies and questions.
Developing curious minds supports STEM learning!
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Congratulations to our eleven schools who established Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) teams and participated in a professional development series for Tier 1 PBIS: Maryland, Bobier, Roosevelt, Mission Meadows, THE Leadership Academy, Monte Vista, Lake, Madison, Hannalei, Rancho Minerva, and Empressa. They were evaluated by external observers on their levels of implementation and all are eligible for state recognition at “bronze” or “silver” levels. Grapevine Elementary moved on to Tier 2 implementation this year and is eligible for state recognition at “gold” level for Tier 1.
Restorative Justice
Through our partnership with the National Conflict Resolution Center, our two Restorative Justice Practitioners have been providing professional development to staff, conducting restorative circles with staff and students, and providing intervention support in our schools. They have developed a brochure of tiered services they are providing in the schools and several resources for Restorative Parenting:
Restorative Parenting: Checking In
Restorative Parenting: Communicate and Connect
Restorative Parenting: Developing Family Values
Restorative Parenting: Mindfulness
Bike Education and Safety
Our next step in Bike Education is teaching TK and Kindergarten students how to balance and eventually ride a pedal bike. The All Kids Bike curriculum is being implemented this school year at a couple of our elementary schools, which we plan to expand over the next few years. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Strawberry Festival where VUSD will be educating students on Bike/E-Bike Safety and the Rules of the Road. Always remember to wear your helmet, you can find more educational information on the San Diego County Bike Coalition website.
Sincerely,
Matt Doyle, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Vista Unified School District
Vista Unified School District
Email: webmaster@vistausd.org
Website: vistausd.org
Location: 1234 Arcadia Avenue, Vista, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 726-2170
Twitter: @VistaBlueprint