#TeamPUSD
Sharing the Good News and Good Work of Students and Staff
August 2018 Edition
Superintendent's Message
Dear Team PUSD,
I am thrilled to be welcoming you all back for the 2018-19 school year. I hope you and your families had a wonderful summer.
I have been reflecting on how we as educators and a community can continue to achieve our mission of college and career readiness for all Poway Unified students. In my work this year with the District’s leadership team, school site administrators, staff, and teachers, we are focusing on creating conditions and culture to support world class learners.
I challenge you to start thinking about what that means in your own sphere of influence. As a parent, what can I do at home to best support my child’s learning? As a teacher, what are the conditions in the classroom that better support my students’ success? As a staff member, how can I create a culture on the playground, on the bus, in the cafeteria, in the office, where students feel welcomed, safe, and secure enough to learn and thrive? For each member of Team PUSD, how we implement conditions and culture may differ, but by working together toward a common goal, we can elevate our students’ educational experience, identify their strengths and passion, inspire and challenge them, and enable them to reach for greatness.
Let us start with a shared belief system that all students have the potential to succeed and WANT to succeed. But whether that success is realized may depend largely on the adults around them. That is why we are working so hard to build trust and communication with our stakeholders, raise our expectations of ourselves and our students, approach our work with a continuous improvement mindset, and be open to change as we collaborate and innovate to move our District forward.
In our short time together, I am proud to see the many positive changes and expanded programs being implemented throughout our schools and the District. We are launching a new Mandarin Immersion program, expanding the elementary Xploration program, adding innovation labs, adding CTE courses, and piloting our Voyager blended learning program. We have reduced the District’s debt liability and implemented processes, procedures, and policies to increase accountability. We have put into place additional safety measures, including security cameras and a districtwide facility assessment. We are engaging more stakeholders through our District committees such as technology, safety, and budget. But there is much more work to be done, and ultimately, we must always remember to keep our students at the forefront of all that we do.
We need to help all of our students reach for greatness through personalizable education. Our students are unique individuals, who are diverse and very talented. I want to close with a link to our fantastic Welcome Back music video that was created by our very own high school students. If you haven't already seen it, please take the time to watch it now:
PUSD is a place where we believe every student can succeed, a place where our kids can thrive and learn to be their best selves, a place where diversity is valued and dreams are achieved. This is us. Team PUSD!
Welcome back and have a wonderful school year!
Your Superintendent,
Marian Kim-Phelps, Ed.D.
New Poway High Principal
PUSD Podcast Episode 10: New Principals
Student, School, and Staff Achievements
CyberAegis Awarded Mayor's Trophy
Congratulations to Hannah Haggerty & Catalina Gonzalez
Congratulations to Trevor Pierce (and Alpha)!
National Youth Arts Awards
Summer Music Camp
Creston Marien, a member of Twin Peaks' advanced orchestra, fractured his arm in May and asked to have his cast set so he could continue to play with his broken arm and violin in school orchestra! There will be an upcoming article in the national publication "Strings Magazine" about his injury, recovery and participation in the Mark O'Connor Summer Music Camp in North Carolina, along with his teacher Ulli Reiner.
iVIE Student Film Awards
Documentary: “PHILLIP BRUCE” Nepal Arslan from Rancho Bernardo High School
Global Village: “CHALDEAN” Anderian Sawa from Meadowbrook Middle School.
News Program: “THE WALKOUT” Xena Butler from Meadowbrook Middle School.
Zero Waste: “FOOD WASTE” Noelle Betz from Rancho Bernardo High School.
The Media Arts Center San Diego held its 17th annual iVIE Student Film Awards and Festival recently. The main purpose of iVIE (Innovative Video in Education) is to encourage students to use video production as a project-based learning tool. Since 2001, iVIE has become a major video competition with hundreds of submissions judged by media professionals and educators. Categories include all grade levels. Visit www.ivieawards.org.
Best School Districts in San Diego County
Best School Districts in California
Best School Districts in the United States
College and Career Readiness
Best Teachers
AP Test Scores
Educator of the Year
DENSI
Yearbook Awards
Record-Breaking Hiring Season
Back to School Photo Gallery
We're Ready!
OMG! It's the First Day of School!
Let's Do This!
#PUSDBacktoSchool
For many more of your #PUSDBacktoSchool photos along with some fun first day festivities, click here:
FUN PHOTO GALLERY
Administrators Get Back to Work!
We think it’s safe to say that #PowayUnified administrators are excited to get back to work after two days of leadership training. They are ready to inspire and move our schools, staff, and students forward for the 2018-19 school year. #TeamPUSD
Band Camp
Happiness is Now!
Mesa Verde Middle School featured Happiness is Now presenter/dancer Danny Batimana to inspire the new 6th graders!
Studio 701 Interns
ASB Change Makers
Mentor Carnival
Peer Ambassador Training
Black Mountain Academy
This is Us! Turtleback Elementary School
This is Us! Chaparral Elementary School
This is Us! Sunset Hills Elementary School
New Student Leadership
It's Grillin' Time!
Tierra Bonita Ts
Harvest Time at CVES
Spirit of the 4th
WEE Program
ESY Program
Building Bridges
Westwood Energy Bus
Monterey Ridge Kinders
Team Spyder Robotics
Picture Day
Alarm Clock Pep Rally
Spanish Book Mobile
Hero Contest
AVID Summer Institute
Super Powers
State of the School
Early Wake Up Call
PTA Dad's Club
Pie Face
Nearpod
Rattlers Rock
X-ploration Day
New Coaches
Keeping Campuses Clean
Whatever it Takes...
Popsicle Day
Poway Unified School District
Email: cpaik@powayusd.com
Website: www.powayusd.com
Location: 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA, United States
Phone: (858) 521-2700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PowayUSD
Twitter: @PowayUSD