Superintendent Community Update
April 23, 2021
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Dear JUHSD Community,
Our first two weeks back to learning on campus have been successful, thanks to the ongoing commitment to wearing masks, social distancing, and doing everything we need to do to ensure that schools can remain open, and that students and staff remain safe. Thank you to all of our students and families for following the guidelines and making the return to campus a success!
This week’s conviction of Derek Chauvin was an emotional time for many of us. While justice was not a possibility considering that George Floyd’s family will never have him alive again, there was a hint of accountability in the conviction against the officer who murdered him. Events such as these demonstrate that our continued commitments to equity, courageous conversations, and actions to reconcile the longstanding and harmful impact on the safety and well being of communities of color are essential. As Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman stated while awaiting the verdict, “The fact that we know what the verdict should be but remain unsure of what it will be, speaks volumes about our nation. We have work to do."
JUHSD is committed to doing this work. We passed an important milestone during this week’s Board Meeting with the approval of our new district equity statement. Thank you to all of the teachers, staff, students and administrators who contributed their time and passion to helping create an inclusive statement that honors our community. Here is the JUHSD equity statement:
JUHSD uses our educational systems to right current and historical inequities by examining and understanding how our decision-making reinforces or interrupts injustice. We embrace inclusion, value diversity, and educate ourselves in order to confront and dismantle systemic inequities to bring about a more just society. JUHSD commits to engaging, educating, and empowering ALL students, with an intentional focus on those under-served, inadequately served, or disenfranchised by educational institutions and systems, eliminating disparities in educational outcomes.
It is my goal as Superintendent that this statement serves as the core of our work to provide students with the best education possible. I will be reconvening the Equity Steering Committee will meet on May 11 and we will be planning a final Race and Equity Task Force meeting for this year. Each of us - teachers, students, parents, and staff - have the power to make an incredible impact on our community.
Here are this week’s updates:
- Upcoming Opportunity to Change Your Child’s Instructional Model: Beginning April 28, the selection form will open again for parents to assign their students to Hybrid Learning. Here is the timeline:
April 28-30: Selection form opens in ParentVue (stay tuned for instructions)
May 6-7: Notification of acceptance
May 10: Hybrid Instruction begins for newly accepted students
Please note that acceptance into the hybrid model will be dependent on classroom maximum occupancy and will be prioritized using the board approved grade levels and prioritized pupils. If your student is already assigned to Hybrid and would like to return to distance learning, please complete this form. - Board Meeting Highlights - Important information is shared during Board of Education meetings, yet not everyone is able to attend or view the entire meeting. Please view highlights from Tuesday’s Board Meeting here.
- JUHSD Student Advisory Council Applications: The JUHSD SAC is seeking new candidates for next year. The members of the SAC provide feedback on district decisions and work on their own projects to present to the Board of Trustees. Student trustees also serve as members of the Board of Trustees and join public Board of Trustee meetings. All current 9-11th graders are eligible to apply, and applications are due by Saturday, May 1st. Students should apply online at this link.
- Daly City Town Hall on Local Transportation Challenges: Daly City is hosting a town hall meeting May 17th from 5-7 pm for their residents to discuss local transportation barriers such as difficult bus or bike routes, important places that are hard to get to, and mobility challenges for the disabled or seniors. Your input is vital to developing a plan to improve quality of life. Registration information is available at bit.ly/TownHallTransportation.
- Oceana Student Madeleine Hur named DCPLA Poet Laureate: I am thrilled to announce that Oceana High School’s Madeleine Hur was recognized as the Inaugural Daly City Youth Poet Laureate. Jefferson High School’s Jescent Marcelino was named First Runner Up. Congratulations to all of our students who were finalists in the competition: Jefferson students Iris Li, Allen Mata, and Lindsay Pagaduan, and Westmoor students Briana Leung and Eva Pradhan.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Toni Presta
Superintendent
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