Dear Team PUSD,

The end of the year brings a time of reflection, on all that we have accomplished and also all that we hope for the future. I had a chance to reflect on this, as my staff and I prepared for the 2019 PUSD 2nd Annual State of the District last month. (You can see coverage of this wonderful event in the newsletter below.)

As we look forward to the year 2020, what does the future of PUSD hold? There is no question that looking back, 2019 was a successful year, full of students, staff, school, and District achievements, many of which were featured in this newsletter. But we know we can’t rest on our laurels. One of my favorite experts on leadership, John C. Maxwell has said, “Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency heads the list.” As educators, we must always look to make positive progress with a sense of urgency.

One of our most urgent needs is to address the challenges we are facing with our aging facilities, while addressing growth and safety needs as well as providing a future-ready, high-quality education. Since 2018, we have been engaging in long-term facilities master planning, starting with a school safety and security assessment, followed by a facilities condition assessment, and then finally school and community meetings. What we found is that 62% of our campuses will be considered in “poor” condition by the year 2023. This is unacceptable. Given that PUSD is the lowest funded unified school district in San Diego County, and the state DOES NOT provide any funding for facilities, it has become increasingly difficult for us to meet our facilities needs. Pursuing a bond measure is the ONLY way to address the increasing facility needs of our aging schools. If our community passes Measure P for Poway Unified schools by 55% of the vote in March, Measure P would:

Ensure Safety:

• Remove hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint where needed

• Repair or replace leaky roofs, rusty plumbing, failing sewer lines and outdated electrical systems
• Upgrade older schools so they meet the same academic and safety standards as newer schools

Ensure Security:

• Improve student safety and campus security systems including security fencing, security cameras, emergency communications systems, smoke detectors, fire alarms and sprinklers

Ensure Success:

• Provide the classrooms, facilities and technology needed to support high quality instruction in science, technology, engineering, arts and math
• Provide modern labs and career-training facilities so students are prepared for college and in-demand careers in fields like health sciences, engineering, technology, robotics and skilled trades

PUSD's new leadership team will ensure the District will not issue any capital appreciation bonds (CABs) and will keep the bond repayment ratio well below 2.5 to 1.

Our team has spent the past few years cleaning up the past, and now we can focus on moving forward towards an even brighter future. These fiscally responsible strategies laid the groundwork that has allowed us to be in the best position possible as we pursue the bond measure. I truly believe that PUSD is turning a corner by:

• Creating and updating District policies to ensure stricter accountability and oversight
• Refinancing previous bonds, saving taxpayers over $18 million over time
• Increasing the District’s credit rating to AA+ by Standard & Poor’s due to strong District economics and new leadership
• Enhancing internal controls to improve transparency and fiscal management
• Resolving deficiencies identified in audits
• Reducing District debt liability from over $7 million to less the $2 million

We will continue to push forward in the areas of innovation and achievement by equipping and redesigning our classrooms to support differentiated learning and innovation and provide cutting edge and leading professional development for all staff, including:

• Embedded coaching and support for staff to incorporate more student choice and technology into the classroom
• Digital citizenship lessons
• Expanded foreign language opportunities
• Expanded access to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) and VAPA (visual and performing arts)
• The option of open educational resources, which includes updated, digital/online materials where textbooks might be outdated

We will leverage existing partnerships and forge new ones with our businesses and communities to enhance students’ learning opportunities outside of the classroom with:

• More CTE (career technical education) pathways
• Internship fairs to place students with local businesses
• Career technical education annual student expo
• Expanded student access to job shadowing, guest speakers, and mentoring with businesses

We will create more inclusive and personalized learning for all students by expanding relevant experiences and addressing student wellness and inclusive campus cultures through:

• Specialized Academic Instruction for students in special education to experience learning in a general education setting
• Mindful Moment every morning to help students prepare their minds for a day of learning
• Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Weeks to educate students about the importance of mental health and reduce the stigma around these topics
• Partnerships with the Anti-Defamation League and Sandy Hook Promise
• Positive Behavior Intervention and Support, where the focus is prevention, not punishment to encourage good behavior at school.
• Anonymous Tipline: 1-844-PUSD-TIP for situations requiring immediate attention, including any type of physical threat of harm to self or others

This is important work. Thank you for entrusting me to lead Poway Unified through this work now and into the future.

I hope you have a restful and joyous holiday season with your loved ones. We’ll see you in 2020!

Gratefully,

Marian Kim Phelps, Ed.D.

Superintendent

The Poway Unified School District hosted its Second Annual State of the District event on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The entire event was recorded and can be viewed here. The goal of the event was to highlight staff and student accomplishments, set strategic goals and initiatives for the future, cultivate strong business and community partnerships, and share stories of excellence and innovation. Thank you to all of our stakeholders who were in attendance; without your continued support and partnership, PUSD would not be where it is today. We invite you to review our 2019 State of the District Publication and Highlight Video linked here or below.

Student Board Member Mariana Akins, from Rancho Bernardo High School, was the featured student speaker. She spoke about various teachers' impact on her education and leadership development while experiencing elementary, middle, and high school in Poway Unified. "Without the passion instilled in me when I was younger, I wouldn’t be standing here today, because there have been numerous instances in which teachers, counselors, staff, and my peers have invoked passion in me that has helped shape the person I am today and the person I plan to be in the future."

Watch our student interns' report on the 2nd Annual State of the District in the video below:

PUSD elementary Schools dominated the list of Niche.com's "2020 Best Public Elementary Schools in the San Diego Area," taking 20 out of the top 25 spots!

Additionally, all #PowayUnified middle schools were ranked in the top 25 of Niche.com's list "2020 Best Public Middle Schools in the San Diego Area."

And finally, all #PowayUnified comprehensive high schools were ranked in the top 25 of Niche.com's list "2020 Best Public High Schools in the San Diego Area."

The rankings are based on state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. Click to see where your elementary, middle, and high school ranks!

The Westview NJROTC qualified in the Area 11 Field Meet Championship! Area 11 covers all NJROTC units in southern California and Arizona. Each unit was judged on military bearing, knowledge, and precision during team events. Looking sharp, Wolverines!

Esports: it’s one of the newest types of competitions to be considered a CIF sport, and Westview High School is home to the newest champions in the league. The SD County Office of Education recently held its first competition, part of the growing initiative to use video games in classroom curriculum.

Watch below to learn more about Westview’s team, and click here for more info on video gaming scholarships: http://bit.ly/38q8cSv

These kids are 'building' the future of communication technologies with the help of Lego. A collaborative robotics project from #PowayUnified 5th grade and middle school students is aiming to provide parents with real-time drone footage from an app during campus operating hours.

Team "STEL" took home a top prize during the 'FIRST Lego League' competition this month. The group is slated to compete at the regional competition at Legoland on Dec. 8, and is looking to expand upon their project and turn it into reality. Congrats to Team STEL on this innovative project!

Congratulations to these Nighthawks that brought home awards from the California DECA Fall Leadership Conference! California DECA is a non-profit student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in areas such as finance, marketing, hospitality, etc. They inspire students to innovate and work together to discover new methods of learning.

Just another way #PowayUnified kids are paving their own path toward college and career readiness!

Poway High School Senior Aidan Friend created computer-aided design (CAD) wheelchairs for children with special needs in Mexico as part of his Eagle Scout Project. The wheelchairs will be donated to rehabilitation clinics in Tijuana, where children receive physical, occupational and speech therapy for free. THIS is what it means to be a member of #TeamPUSD. Aidan, we are so thankful for your kind heart and generous actions.

For one week in December, PUSD schools have been participating in “Hour of Code” activities. Hour of code is a movement to introduce students to computer science through fun activities and tutorials. PUSD students and staff joined schools in more than 180 countries participating in Hour of Code. Representatives from HP visited school sites, as well.

How amazing is this? The Mt. Carmel S.A.D.D. Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions) visited Black Mountain Middle today to educate students on and advocate for #drugfree lifestyles. Take a look!

The SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) Promise and Mental Health Awareness Clubs at BHMS ave been working hard to use their voice on campus to end the stigma surrounding mental health in teens and create a culture of #inclusion and #kindness. They were the teachers as representatives from Sandy Hook Promise, San Diego Police and Representative Scott Peters listened to how their positive actions are impacting the world around them.

The Red Ribbon Luncheon on November 1 recognized key individuals in the fight for drug free communities. Congrats to winners in Lifetime Achievement, Law Enforcement, Prevention Advocacy and Educator. PUSD Board President Dr. Darshana Patel represented the District with Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services Greg Mizel and Prevention Specialist Cindy Hicks.

A group of explorers from Garden Road Elementary traveled down to the seashore November 12 to learn about "king tides" from the League of Extraordinary Scientists and Engineers at Scripps Institute of Oceanography. One explorer was overheard saying, “I think I want to be a marine biologist now.”

Adopt-A-Family donations have been coming in across the District, for the 525 PUSD families that have been “adopted” for the holidays. The gifts are part of each family’s wish list, and will be wrapped and delivered by volunteers before the holidays. At Canyon View Elementary School (right), SDPD's SWAT team joined in the effort to deliver gifts. Check out some of our volunteers hard at work, in the video below!

As part of Poway Unified’s ongoing efforts to improve school safety and security, we have been sharing this “See Something, Say Something” public service announcement with many of our students. But this message applies to our parents and community members as well: help spread the word by watching and sharing this video so that we have as many eyes and ears out there working to keep our students and staff safe from threats. Save the tip line number in your phone: 844-787-3847. Special thanks to our law enforcement partners who participated in this PSA and continue to monitor the tip line and investigate any threats.