Cougar Connection
March 3, 2024
The Butterfly Project
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Diegueño Families,
Your input is important and we want to provide you a safe space to anonymously share your perspectives. Our district is gathering feedback on your perceptions of and experiences at school to improve how we serve and support all students, staff, families, and our community.
We ask that you take a few minutes to provide your input by taking the California School Parent Survey. The survey will be open through Friday, March 15. The survey is anonymous and hosted by a third party, WestEd in partnership with CalSCHLS.
If you have more than one student at Diegueño, please complete one survey per student. If you have a student at another SDUHSD school, you will receive a separate message with the survey link for that school.
We will use the results of this survey as well as the California Healthy Kids Survey and the California School Staff Survey to set or confirm district priorities, identify focused areas for improvement, and evaluate our programs, policies, and practices for the coming school years.
Kindly,
Celeste Barnette, Ed.D.
Principal
(760) 944-1892 x6683
Tuesday, March 5
(Adults Only Please)
PTSA HAPPENINGS
Tickets Are on Sale NOW!!
Buy your tickets now for PTSA's Adults Night Out 90's Party on Friday, April 26th. Tickets are only $50 and include tacos, drinks, and a hella good LIVE 90's band, so bust out that bomber jacket & slip dress, grab your kid's scrunchy, and meet us on the dance floor!
Proceeds from this party will benefit ALL students at Diegueno by funding 8th Grade Promotion, elective class needs, and our Student Support Services projects.
If you aren't able to attend the event, you can still support our school by making a donation or sponsoring a teacher to attend! Please help us spread the word to families that don't always check this newsletter.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are looking for a few more adults to help set-up, supervise, and clean-up for the ASB Spring Dance on March 20th.
March Spirit Wear Flash Sale
NEW NEWS
Spring Sports Tryouts Postponed until March 11
Due to wet weather our winter season had to be extended so the field hockey season can be completed before spring sports begin. We intended to move forward with spring at the original start dates but did not anticipate that so many of our winter athletes would be eager to participate in spring sports as well. With the overlap of games and try out times affecting a large number of athletes, we have decided to shift back the start of spring by one week to allow those athletes the opportunity to tryout/participate. We are postponing the start of the Spring season by one week to March 11th, 12th, and 14th. We thank you for your understanding and look forward to seeing your athletes then!
REMINDERS
Diegueño Night at the Opera
50 Diegueño students will be able to see Pucinni’s opera, Madama Butterfly, for free on Wednesday, April 24 at the San Diego Civic Theater.
Student Night at the Opera provides students access to the final dress rehearsal of a main stage production with live music provided by the San Diego Symphony. This is a special event that brings history, language arts, theater arts, music, and visual arts learning to life. It will be an exciting cultural enrichment activity that your student will not forget!
For more information, see Ms. Collins in room F3 or download the flyer below.
Only 10 yearbooks left!!
Yearbooks are still on sale for $60. Buy yours now!
If you can't remember if you already purchased this year's yearbook, click on the Jostens link below and enter your student's name and grade. The web store will indicate if you have already purchased a yearbook. Direct questions to Kari Smith kari.smith@sduhsd.net
UPCOMING DATES
- Tuesday, March 5 - New Families Information Night
- 5:30 PM - Special Education Information Presentation
- 6:00 - 7:00 PM - Information Night Sessions (Administration, Counseling, Math & English)
- Monday, March 11 - Late Start (tardy bell rings at 9:45)
- Thursday, March 14 - Pi Day
- March 18 - 22 March Madness Spirit Week
- Tuesday, March 19 - 3rd Quarter Grading Period Ends
- Wednesday, March 20 - Red Carpet Spring Dance 5:00 - 6:30 PM
- Thursday, March 21 - Canine Unwind Therapy Dogs
- Wednesday, March 27 - Spring drama performance - A Lighter Shade of Noir - 6:00 PM
- Friday, March 29 - PTSA General Meeting 8:30 - 9:00 AM
- Friday, March 29 - Principal's Coffee 9:00 - 9:45 AM
- April 1 - 5 Spring Break NO SCHOOL
DISTRICT & COMMUNITY NEWS
National School Breakfast Week
Busy weekday mornings make it a challenge for many families to find time for a healthy breakfast. Fortunately, SDUHSD schools offer nutritious school breakfasts at no cost to all students, complete with fruit and low-fat or fat-free milk, to ensure students are fueled for learning every school day. Students have the opportunity to grab a delicious breakfast before school or during our nutrition break. Our District Nutrition Services will be celebrating by offering a new breakfast item in March!
The NSBW campaign theme, “Surfs Up with School Breakfast,” reminds the entire school community that school breakfast provides a healthy and energizing start to the day for students. Studies show that students who eat school breakfast are more likely to:
- Reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math
- Score higher on standardized tests
- Have better concentration and memory
- Be more alert
- Maintain a healthy weight
Town Hall - Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis
Senator Catherine Blakespear invites you to learn more about the Fentanyl Crisis that is occurring in our communities a Town Hall she is hosting on Thursday, March 20, 6:00-7:30 PM at MiraCosta College, San Elijo Campus at 3333 Manchester Ave. in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Our best defense against this life-threatening drug is knowledge and prevention.
District Attorney Summer Stephan will be sharing information about efforts she and her colleagues at the county and in law enforcement are making to decrease the supply of this drug, hold dealers accountable and to educate young people about it. Our local Fire Chief, Josh Gordon will address the issue as first responders in our communities who come face-to-face with the consequences of this drug.
Summer School Program
The district is pleased to be able to offer targeted summer school programs for grade 7-12 students each year. Summer school includes opportunities for remediation, acceleration, credit recovery, and enrichment. Offerings vary based on an annual assessment of student needs. Programs may be in-person on a campus or offered via independent study online.
Location La Costa Canyon High School
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Session 1
June 7 - 28 (no school on June 19)
Session 2
July 1 - 23 (no school on July 4 or July 5)
Middle School Summer School Programs Info English / Spanish
High School Summer School Programs Info English / Spanish
Because summer courses cover extensive instructional content in a relatively short time period, students may not miss more than 8 hours of instruction; 8 hours equates to two full days of summer school.
At-Home English and Math Practice
SDUHSD middle school students enrolled in essentials/integrated math and all English courses have access to two instructional technology programs that provide options for at-home support and practice in English and math skill development. Both programs use adaptive technology to individualize learning experiences based on unique student needs. To learn more about these programs, including how to access these learning opportunities from home, see the information provided below:
Freckle - English Practice
Freckle is an online learning platform that allows students to practice English Language Arts at their own level. Freckle continuously adapts to individual student skill levels so they receive the appropriate challenge, whether working at, above, or below grade level. Click here to learn more about how to support your student's use of Freckle at home.
IXL - Math Practice
IXL is an online learning platform that allows students to practice Math at their own level. Student progress and levels within IXL continuously adapt to individual skill levels so students receive the appropriate challenge, whether working at, above, or below grade level. Click here to learn more about how to support your student's use of IXL at home.
Student Mental Health Webinar Series
Parents and caregivers can learn about tools and strategies to support their children with mental health challenges through a free webinar series hosted by the San Diego County Office of Education and medical and mental health experts with the Transforming Mental Health Initiative at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. This series will provide information on the most common mental health challenges faced by youth today, including social media, anxiety, and finding a school-life balance.
All sessions run from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by an optional, 15-minute question and answer session with the presenter. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: A PARENT'S GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO YOUTH DEPRESSION (March 13) In today’s landscape, youth struggle with feelings of sadness and loneliness. Join Joshua Feriante, DO, MBA, to explore this current state and how you can be a light in their lives. By participating, you will learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, acquire tools and skills to foster youth well-being at home, and discover the appropriate next steps to take if additional mental health assistance is needed.
SUPPORTING SCHOOL-LIFE BALANCE TO ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS (April 24) Day by day, adolescents strive to navigate school assignments, extracurricular activities, friendships, and occasionally, instances of bullying. This can result in them feeling overwhelmed. Join Katherine Nguyen Williams, PhD, as she provides practical guidance for parents and caregivers to assist young individuals in identifying and handling both academic and life-related stress. She will lead participants through strategies aimed at fostering a healthy balance between school and life, both in the present and for the future.
WHEN ANXIETY ATTACKS: HOW YOU CAN HELP (May 15) While anxiety and stress are common aspects of life, they can sometimes become overwhelming or debilitating. Discover tips and tools from Tammy Maginot, PhD, to effectively manage and reduce anxiety at home, both for yourself and the youth you care about.
SDUHSD Part Time Job Opportunities
San Dieguito UHSD has part-time opportunities available for Special Education Instructional Assistants, Bilingual Instructional Assistants, and Nutrition Services Assistants. Please visit the link below for a list of all available positions.
STAY CONNECTED TO DIEGUEÑO
During the school year you will receive this Cougar Connection newsletter every week. This is an important way to stay updated about what’s happening on campus and to learn how to set your child up for success. Other ways to stay connected include:
Bookmark our school website
Subscribe to the Diegueño events calendar
Follow the official Diegueño Instagram account
Follow the official ASB Instagram account
Download the Parent Square app to get his newsletter sent directly to your phone (Apple App Store; Google Play)
Download the Membership Toolkit app to access the private school directory if you joined PTSA (Apple App Store; Google Play)