Superintendent Community Update
January 22, 2021
January 22. 2021
Dear JUHSD Families,
This week’s inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris was truly historic. Vice President Harris became the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian to hold the office of the vice presidency and President Biden will have the most racially diverse Cabinet in the history of the U.S. I was inspired by the words of Inaugural Poet and first National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, as she celebrated the new dawn with her poem, “The Hill We Climb.” If you did not have the opportunity to hear her deliver this poem during the inauguration, I encourage you to take a moment to view a video of it here. As we work toward national unity, I am hopeful.
Here is my weekly update to you:
Please view highlights from this past Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting here. Important information is shared during Board of Education meetings, yet not everyone is able to attend or view the entire meeting. For this reason, we have developed Board Meeting Highlights to provide the community with a quick overview of the latest Board of Education meeting. You can view all public meetings on our JUHSD YouTube Channel.
This month is CTE Awareness Month, and I want to take this opportunity to highlight our robust Career Technical Education (CTE) program. Each of our schools offer CTE work-based learning opportunities, which allow students to explore college and career. Students can learn robotics, engineering, digital art, or learn to run a news network like the Grizzly News or the Terra Nova Times. Live sessions are taking place next week to provide students and families more information on CTE offerings at their school.
Sessions include the following:- Monday, Jan 25th - CTE teachers will share information about programs at their schools and answer questions from students and families.
- Wednesday, Jan 27th - Phuc Tran from the Sheriff’s Department will share his journey and career pathway. His family are immigrants from Vietnam and he talks about serving his community and why he chose law enforcement.
- Friday, Jan 29th - Students will hear IBEW Local 617 Keefah Khalil's journey about becoming an electrical worker in San Mateo County. Students will gain an understanding of the electrical union and how to enter a trade.
Links for each of these events will be available on the day of the event on the CTE Awareness website.
As noted in the Board Meeting Highlights, School Accountability Report Cards (SARC) are now available for all schools. For details and site-specific plans, please see the Board Highlights, or visit your school’s website.
The City of Pacifica has asked us to share information with you on Pacifica Open Restaurants, in an effort to help businesses stay open.
Calling all seniors, it’s time to submit your FAFSA applications! Many families are facing extreme financial challenges, and it is crucial that students who are planning to attend college apply for financial aid. Here are some reasons to apply now, rather than waiting for the March 2nd deadline:
March 2nd is also the deadline for consideration for Cal Grants and UC’s need-based grant programs. Students will receive preliminary information about Cal Grants eligibility from the California Student Aid Commission.
Early applicants will receive preliminary information from the US Department of Education on eligibility for Pell Grants once their FAFSA has been processed. (Note, colleges make the final determination of eligibility for Pell Grants and other federal aid programs).
I wish you a safe, healthy, and restorative weekend. As always, we are here to support you, and my door is open.
Warmly,
Toni Presta
Superintendent
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Email: info@juhsd.net
Website: www.juhsd.net
Location: 699 Serramonte Boulevard, Daly City, CA, USA
Phone: 650.550.7900
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