|
|
| 2012-13 Budget News
Hello Friends and Community Partners: Last night we hosted our first of five Community Budget Forums at Luther Burbank High School. We had a little over 60 individuals participate in this discussion. Please continue to encourage your community to be a part of this process. Four additional Community Budget Forums are scheduled to provide families, employees and others with information about SCUSD’s 2012-13 budget and to receive feedback on proposed cuts. The schedule is:• Monday, January 30 – C.K. McClatchy High School (library)• Tuesday, January 31 – Rosemont High School (big theater)• Monday, February 6 – John F. Kennedy High School (main auditorium)• Wednesday, February 8 – Hiram Johnson High School (little theater)All meetings will begin at 6 p.m. Visit the new budget page on SCUSD’s website (www.scusd.edu/BudgetNews) for links to media stories, updates from Board of Education meetings and a suggestion box. Also, SCUSD has launch a community budget survey which can be access through our website and is also available at the Community Budget Forums. Best Regards,
Koua Jacklyn Franz | Chief Family and Community Engagement OfficerSacramento City Unified School District5735 – 47th Avenue | Sacramento, CA 95824 Why community schools are part of the answerIf there was a hearing that the D.C. Council should not have allowed to be cancelled at the last minute, as happened last week, it would be on this: creating community schools. Why? Because community schoolsare part of the answer when it comes to effective school reform. Community schools focus not only on academics but also, through partnerships with outside organizations, child and youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development. Using public schools as hubs, community schools bring together many different partners to provide a range of opportunities for students and their families during class time and when class is over — and even on weekends. The idea sounds like something of a no-brainer when it comes to schools in high-poverty areas where families often live without the basics. And, given that Census Bureau figures show that 22 percent of American children now live in poverty (with many more just hovering above the official poverty line), the need is greater than ever. One sticking point: Powerful school reformers who believe — against evidence — that acknowledging the need to deal with the effects of living in poverty is simply an excuse for bad teachers, and that school reform is all about standardized test results, getting rid of bad teachers and expanding charter schools. Community schools, by directly dealing with many of the out-of-school issues that affect how students do in school — such as violence, family mobility, etc. — help to create the conditions that allow young people to actually concentrate on academics. Community schools seek to create conditions for learning that include: *Fostering early childhood development through high-quality comprehensive programs. *Providing students qualified teachers, challenging curriculum and high standards and expectations. *Addressing the basic physical, mental and emotional health needs of families. *Creating safe, supportive school climates through community engagement. There is not a single model of community school initiatives but rather anumber of different ones that share common principles, according to theCoalition for Community Schools. The coalition is an alliance of elementary, secondary and post-secondary organizations at the state, local and national level that are involved with education, youth development, community planning and development, family support, health and human services and more. One of the many models of community schools, which serve millions of children around the country, is called “Schools of the 21st Century,” which provides school-based child care and family support services. Created by Edward Ziegler, a professor at Yale University who was an architect of the Head Start program, this model is now being used in 1,300 schools across the country and turns regular public schools into year-round centers where different services are provided to families the before, during and after school hours. You can learn about other models here. The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would create community schools out of five high-poverty public schools, and a hearing was scheduled last Wednesday. Then three hours before it was to begin, it was cancelled, according to this post by my colleague Bill Turque. Legislation advocates had spent weeks getting ready for the hearing, and obviously weren’t pleased when Chairman Kwame R. Brown cancelled because of scheduling conflicts that were, apparently, “unavoidable.” If city officials are serious about school reform, they’ll get this back on the schedule ASAP. -0- Follow The Answer Sheet every day by bookmarkinghttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet. And for admissions advice, college news and links to campus papers, please check out ourHigher Education page. Bookmark it!
Sacramento City Unified School District School Board held its annual reorganization meetingBoard of Education: 
 My Dear Friend,
I write to you to share the news that the Sacramento City Unified School District School Board held its annual reorganization meeting to select a new executive committee for the 2011-2012 year. Serving as your executive committee is Diana Rodriguez, President; Darrel Woo, First Vice-President; and Jeff Cuneo, Second Vice-President.
The board room was full of students, parents/families, community members, including Council Member Ken Cooley from Rancho Cordova. They were there to advocate on behalf of the proposals to either close, consolidate, or re-design their schools. What they heard instead was an empathetic, transparent, and committed response from the board and superintendent that they needed to re-think these decisions that were on the table.
The lesson in all of this was without meaningful public engagement, it’s tough to reach reasonable solutions. We must remember to keep communicating our needs to one another during one of the toughest times in our history. The school board cannot make the necessary budgetary cuts without the voice of people who receive our services. This is why it is vitally important for everyone to be engaged at our board meetings from today forward.
Here are the ways in which you can be involved in person, via internet, or over the phone:
a. You may speak on any agenda item that is listed by submitting a yellow card to our Chief of Communications, Gabe Ross, before the item is heard. You will have a total of two (2) minutes to speak on the item, so you may want to prepare a brief summary or talking points to make sure your message is effectively delivered.
b. If your message to the board doesn’t fit within anyone of the listed agenda items, you can still address the board by using the item listed as “Public Comment”. You will still need to submit a yellow card to our Chief of Communications, Gabe Ross, before the item is heard. You will have a total of two (2) minutes to speak on the item, so you may want to prepare a brief summary or talking points to make sure your message is effectively delivered.
3. Call your area representative, or other board members. For a listing of phone numbers call our Board Assistant’s office at: (916) 643-9314.
4. Facebook. Many of our Board of Education members have a Facebook page, including our Superintendent. Ask for friendship on these pages. You may find others on our board that have a Twitter account, subscribed to LinkedIn, or other types of social networking pages.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or pose solutions. At this time, many hands (and minds) will make the daunting task of closing a budget hole of over $25 Million dollars tolerable .
6. Call legislators. I say this with a qualification. Our local legislators are very education and community friendly. You will want to ask your local legislator for the ways in which you can help them. For example, there are a few legislators who are opposed to passing anything that will harm their “friends” that they hold up items that are necessary to help our economy grow. I know your local legislator will be able to tell you who these people are.
The bottom line we are striving for is to have an educated community of children for our future. We can no longer afford to have California be at the bottom of per pupil spending.
The time for civic engagement is now.
I look forward to serving as your Board President this coming year and seeing your faces at our board meetings beginning this December 14th and all through the upcoming year in 2012!
Lastly, I’d like to say, the board room is YOUR board room, we are there to hear your voice.
Sincerely,
Diana Rodriguez, Board President Sacramento City Unified School District
p.s. please feel free to share this email with others
SAC City DAC News and UpdateBy Lourdes Jimenez-Price, DAC President This page was last modified on Monday, January 30, 2012 07:44:16 AM
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." ~~ Benjamin Franklin
School districts and teachers should welcome greater parental activism. These moms and dads can be the best allies - they want more funding for schools and they want to keep good teachers in the classroom, and they're willing to march on Sacramento to make it happen. LA Daily News
The next DAC meeting is Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at the Serna Center, Community Room, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Free dinner and daycare is provided for your convenience.
Dear DAC members and interested parties, Happy Holidays! The next DAC general meeting, on December 13, 2011, will be held at the Serna Center, community rooms from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The program portion will be on Standardize Account Code Structure (SACS) training. Have you ever wondered how to read your school site's budget and expenditures? Are funds available at the school site? Are they restricted for a limited purpose or unrestricted and able to be used for tutoring, books, enrichment opportunities? This presentation will be presented by the SACS Advisory Committee. I have attached the agenda for your reference. I have also attached the Superintendent Board Update, which provides an update on SCUSD's Budget and Parent Engagement and specifically discussing school closure and consolidation activities. As you are likely aware, last night the School Board Trustees decided to halt the consolidation and closure of 5 elementary schools and decided to shelve the proposals involving West Campus and Sacramento Charter High. One of the reasons provided for the decision was low parent participation in the proposals. At your request the DAC will continue to include announcements of interest in and around Sacramento that promote family engagement (if available, I have attached the applicable flyer): · Parent Education Workshop: December 15, 2011, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., Capital City, Child Development Center, Multipurpose Room, 7220 24th Street, no cost, light meal and childcare provided, RSVP to Rosa Moya (916) 643-7822 · Parent Information Exchange (PIE) – Engaging our Disenfranchised Families: December 19, 2011, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Serna Center, Community Rooms, lunch provided at no cost
SCUSD DAC Regular Meeting AGENDA December 13, 2011
SCUSD Board Update by Sup. Jonathan Raymond December 2, 2011
Sacramento City Unified School District 7-11 Committee and Superintendent Recommendations on School
Closure and Consolidation
http://www.scusd.edu/BoardofEducation/Meetings/Pages/20111208.aspx
Sacramento City Unified School District Family Academy Survey A.P. E. it up
 | | A.P. E. it up |
The Sacramento City Unified School District is starting a Family Academy beginning in 2012. The proposed Family Academy will offer a great mix of free workshops, courses and other low cost educational opportunities that parents and family members can take to support their children's success in school. It will also help parents reach their own personal and career goals.
We are currently in the planning stages of creating the Family Academy and would greatly appreciate knowing how you think the Family Academy can help your learning needs. What workshops, classes and/or family learning activities do you think would be most valuable? In other words, how can the Family Academy work for you?
Please take a few moments to fill out a brief survey by clicking on the following link: www.Surveymonkey.com/s/familyacademy. Your responses will help ensure we create a Family Academy that meets your needs.
If you have any questions about this survey, contact:
Manuel Guillot, Office of School, Family and Community Partnerships at Manuel-Guillot@scusd.edu. or call(916) 643-7912.
SAC City DAC News and UpdateBy Lourdes Jimenez-Price, DAC President This page was last modified on Monday, January 30, 2012 07:44:16 AM "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." ~~ Benjamin Franklin School districts and teachers should welcome greater parental activism. These moms and dads can be the best allies - they want more funding for schools and they want to keep good teachers in the classroom, and they're willing to march on Sacramento to make it happen. LA Daily News
The next DAC meeting is Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the Serna Center, Community Room, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Free dinner and daycare is provided for your convenience.
Dear DAC members and interested parties, The next DAC general meeting, on November 8, 2011, will be held at the Serna Center, community rooms from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The main presentation will be a homework seminar that focuses on how to assist your student in developing good study habits and skills for academic success. This presentation will be presented by Douglas Newman, a local educator. Also included in the program for the evening will be a brief DAC orientation overview and parliamentary procedure. Under new business, the DAC general meeting has two items. The first is the election of a Membership Committee Chair. The second item is the creation of a Standardize Account Code Structure (SACS) advisory committee. As mentioned last month, Chief Family and Community Engagement Officer, Koua Franz and her staff have prepared DAC binders for DAC school site council representatives. The binders include the relevant DAC documents (e.g., DAC bylaws, handbook, meeting schedule and location, statutory references and District policies) in one convenient location. If you had not had a chance to yet pick up your school's binder, the binders will once again be available at the DAC general meeting. At your request the DAC will continue to include announcements of interest in and around Sacramento that promote family engagement (if available, I have attached the applicable flyer): · Parent Education Workshop: November 10 and 17, 2011, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., Capital City, Child Development Center, Multipurpose Room, 7220 24th Street, no cost, light meal and childcare provided, RSVP to Rosa Moya (916) 643-7822 · Free Legal Advice: Wednesday Nights, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., Serna Center · Standardize Account Code Structure (SACS) Training: November 10, 2011, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., childcare provided, Kit Carson, M.S. Library, 5301 N Street, RSVP to Malinda-chambers@scusd.edu · DIVA Conference: Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12, 2011, Cosumnes River College, 8401 Center Parkway, Sacramento, CA, Pre-Registration$20 per person before 11/4/11 and $25 after 11/4/11 (Includes continental breakfast and lunch) · Standardize Account Code Structure (SACS) Training: November 15, 2011, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., childcare provided, San Brannan, M.S. Library, 5301 Elmer Way, RSVP to Malinda-chambers@scusd.edu · Community Advisory Committee: November 15, 2011, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Serna Center, Personal Safety & Bullying Prevention We look forward to seeing you on November 8, 2011, at the Serna Center. Families are encouraged to attend as both child care and dinner are provided.
--
Lourdes Jimenez-Price President
The Leadership Academy 
Dear Parent and Community Leaders: The Leadership Academy, a partnership effort between the SCUSD and PTA, is offering an opportunity for you to participate in a leadership development program in education. As a participant in the program, you will join school staff, parent and community leaders like yourself in gaining valuable knowledge and skills in such areas as: educational policy issues affecting K-12 education, on how the school system works, and on collaborative leadership methods and strategies for school improvement. The program is absolutely free of charge. Participants of the program have an opportunity to meet and interact with guest speakers who are experts in areas such as education policy, teaching, administration, and school finance. The program is designed for participants who lead busy lives. Consequently, the program offers only nine-sessions held (on average) every other Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (see brochure for all meeting dates and times). Participants who successfully complete the program are given a certificate of completion on education leadership. Attached you will find a copy of our 2012 Leadership Academy brochure and an application to join this exciting program. This year’s program has incorporated the ideas and suggestions of former participants in order to make it an even greater and more rewarding experience for its participants. Please look over the brochure. The program starts on January 23, 2012; the deadline for applying, however, is December 6, 2011. Please also forward a copy of the attached brochure and application to any parent or community member you think can benefit from this program. If you have any questions, please e-mail or call me at 643-7912. Thank you for your assistance with this matter. Manuel Guillot Director Office of School, Family, and Community Partnerships 5735 47th Avenue Sacramento, California 95824 (916) 643-7912
SACS Training Standardized Account Code Structure Monday, September 26, 2011 6:30 – 8:00 pm Location: TBD Highly recommended for all school site council, advisory council, PTA/PTSA members, teachers, as well as interested parents, and community members. Do you want to know How much money your school receives? Do you want to know How your school is spending that money? Do you want to see How your site plan and your spending match? You can!
Learn to read your school’s checkbook. SACS training will enable you to match spending to the action steps in your SDIP (Single Plan for Student Achievement). SACS training will give you the tools to better understand your school’s budget and expenditures. To reserve your spot sign up at Tuesday’s (Sep. 13) DAC meeting or call Dave Ross (715-2827), Kionne Cochran (803-5309) or email snowfun51@gmail.com. This training is free of charge and is provided by parents. The school district budget looms as a mystery of intertwined and complicated figures to many school board members and school administrators. Yet, the school budget is the single –most important element in the operation of a school district. For everything that happens in a school district passes through the school budget. The school budget provides the structural shell within which a district’s educational programs operate. Dr. Richard A Stedry Quote provided by Board Member Diana Rodriquez, March 2011 “Connecting Spending to Student Outcomes”
SCUSD AREA 3 
Terry Camping on IMAX to Recruit Big Brothers
 Donald Terry is doing a very unique sort of camping, and he isn't sure when it'll end. Rosemont's Sacramento City Unified School District Trustee also sits on the board of directors for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento. He's recruiting for that organization by sitting on top of the Esquire IMAX Theatre in downtown Sacramento until 100 new volunteers sign up to be big brothers. There are currently 107 boys in the greater Sacramento area on a waiting list for big brothers, Terry said. He and fellow board member Sean O'Brien were hoisted into place by a fire engine ladder Thursday morning, and so far have recruited about 40 new volunteers. "If I have to stay up here through tomorrow I will," said Terry, who will almost surely miss Thursday's school board meeting. The pair have lawn chairs and a tent in their perch, as well as a bucket to lower down for supplies. President and CEO Rhonda Staley-Brooks was below at a signup table, and said she would stay until midnight. The group is also accepting donations for a larger campaign that seeks to raise $100,000 to replace a federal grant that will be eliminated. As of about 4 p.m. Thursday, Terry and O'Brien had raised $10,000. Terry said he's been a big brother to a Sacramento Charter High School senior for six and a half years–an experience that inspired him to run for school board. "The kind of things [kids are] dealing with are completely different than what I was dealing with," Terry said. "There are very few after-school programs for them to get involved in. Some of the elements that are around him–[like] crime–are just so much more pervasive than they were when I was growing up." Terry said volunteering as a big brother requires a commitment of about an hour or two a week. About 10 years ago, the last time a volunteer drive like this was done, then-CEO Dann Ingrim sat atop the Esquire IMAX Theatre for 72 hours and recruited 185 new volunteers, Staley-Brooks said. Those interested in volunteering can call 916-646-9300, visit http://www.bbbs-sac.org/, or come to the Esquire IMAX Theatre, 1211 K St. 
The next DAC meeting is Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at the Serna Center, Community Room, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Free dinner and daycare is provided for your convenience. SAC City DAC News and Update By Lourdes Jimenez-Price, DAC President This page was last modified on Monday, January 30, 2012 07:44:16 AM
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." ~~ Benjamin Franklin
School districts and teachers should welcome greater parental activism. These moms and dads can be the best allies - they want more funding for schools and they want to keep good teachers in the classroom, and they're willing to march on Sacramento to make it happen. LA Daily News
Dear DAC member and interested parties, Welcome back to the 2011-2012 school year! Please join us for our next DAC general meeting, on September 13, 2011, held at the Serna Center, community rooms from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This is planned as a meet and greet event. Feel free to share out your goals for the year, meet the DAC Board, and DAC representatives. This summer the DAC has engaged in planning sessions to prepare for the 2011 – 2012 school year. We identified that parent engagement remains a strong factor in the success of our students. As such, our goal is to assist parents to be effective at their school sites through education, training, and identifying barriers to their participation. Therefore, we have planned trainings on the Superintendent’s Strategic Plan 2010 - 2014, School Development Improvement Plan, reading SACS Reports, Parent Engagement, and the grievance process. We hope to build on the successful partnership with the Office of Family and Community Engagement and other community groups. A recent event, is the SCUSD's creation of a School Site Council report at Board meetings. School Site Council representatives will be afforded 2 minutes to report on the function of their SSCs. This is an additional parent forum and we are encouraged by its creation. Having School Site Councils individually report will enable the Board to understand practices that are working or those that can be improved upon at the site level. From this past year attendance rolls in the DAC, we noted that several School Site Councils were not represented. For this upcoming school year, the DAC report will include identification of those schools sites that are absent from DAC meetings. Additionally, we are considering moving four (4) DAC meetings to school sites - one in each quadrant of SCUSD. We look forward to seeing you on September 13, 2011, at the Serna Center. Families are encouraged to attend as both child care and dinner are provided.
--
Lourdes Jimenez-Price President
SCUSD DAC Agenda Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Sacramento Unified School District is offering no-cost transportation options for families needing a ride to a newly opened enrollment center prior to school starting on Sept. 6. The Sacramento City Unified Enrollment Center is at 5601 47th Avenue, next to the district office. Parents enrolling students in district schools can submit transfer and enrollment applications, receive pre-testing services and use an on-site immunization clinic. Parents can call (916) 643-2499 to receive one free Regional Transit bus pass in the mail that is good for use on the following dates: Thursday, Aug. 18 - call by Aug.12 Thursday, Aug. 25 - call by Aug. 20 Starting next week, the district has arranged for buses to take parents to the enrollment center. For a complete list of dates, times and locations for those buses, visit: http://www.scusd.edu/EnrollmentCenter/Documents/BusSchedule.pdf
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/10/3829870/sac-city-unified-offers-free-rides.html#ixzz1UjkPZcRf
Dear DAC members and interested persons, This coming August 30, 2011, Karen Swett and David Ross will host a SACS Training event. If you are interested in how funds are spent at your school site, you should consider attending. More information is below. Lourdes Jimenez-Price DAC President As the World Turns... As the (east coast) earth does a little Shake, Rattle and Roll..
... we will continue to teach School Site Councils (and other interested folks) how to read school checkbooks. And by doing so we will begin to have AUTHENTIC fiscal accountability.
But, it takes ongoing "eyes" looking at the SACS expenditure reports. And it does NO GOOD if you don't understand what you are looking at.
The really cool thing: SACS is easy.
Once you learn.
Most of you have been through the training. Some of you might need a little refresher? Mostly, however, I hope you will all reach out to someone you know who REALLY cares - someone who REALLY wants to connect "spending to student outcomes" - and encourage them to learn to read the friggin' checkbook....
We will have both red and white and pretzels. In one and one-half hours we will get the newbies started on their learning curve. And for those of you who want to come just for the wine, well --- as long as you don't interrupt too often, you might also learn something new... (Yes - I will have current FY11/12 budgets and FY10/11 expenditures on hand.) (How was your site Title I, EIA, QEIA money used?)
["your" (definition): 1) taxpayer; 2) you have a kid at the school; 3) you recognize that it takes a village.]
So spread the word and let me know ASAP if we will see you next Tuesday. I think you will all find this to be an extraordinary session, ~karen 208-2473 Hello!
Would you like to understand your school budget?
Would you like to learn about the tools available to help you monitor the money your school receives and how it is spent?
Whether you are a detail or a big picture person you can "Follow the Money" when you learn SACS (Standardized Account Code Structure). I know this may sound as exciting as watching grass grow or concrete cure, but after this class you really will be able to track where all the money goes. And, in these current economic times that can be very interesting.
The next SACS training is August 30, 2011 (flyer attached).
This free training, given by Dave Ross and Karen Swett, is intended to introduce School Site Council members, Advisory Council representatives, parents, teachers, and other interested parties, to SACS and the reports that are available to assist in monitoring their school site budgets.
Please call 916-208-2473, or email snowfun51@gmail.com, to reserve. If emailing, please include your full name, a day and evening phone number, and the school (if any) that you are affiliated with. Reserve by 10 am Friday 8/26 and receive a free report on the school you are affiliated with.
Thank you,
Karen Swett & Dave Ross
208-2473
PS Please feel free to forward this email to others.
There are now 40 people on the SACS Scholars list. We want to welcome the newbies from the Monday, July 11 training - 3 newbies and 2 repeaters. (Yes - there are a few who keep coming back for more. We encourage all of you to consider a "refresher" knowing that we can now provide you with a complete 12 months - Fiscal Year 2010/11 - of fiscal data for your site!!!)
Know what SACS means. Know why we use SACS reports. Understand the difference between “budgets” and “expenditures”. Know that expenditures drive budgets. Know that there are four (4) levels of fiscal reporting, and you will understand “rolling up”. Be familiar with, and able to read, the following reports: Fiscal16 Account Component Summary-Balance Fiscal05 Account Summary-Balance Fiscal03 Account Balance Transaction Detail by Object Pos03 Position with Assignments & Accounts, “Position Control"
You will be able to speak SACS
The California Department of Educationhas a staff of SACS experts who consider themselves “public servants”. If you have unanswered questions do not hesitate to send an email: SACSINFO@CDE.CA.GOV
Tip: First do your homework. Then be succinct with your question.
First Summer SACS training SAC City DAC News and Update By Lourdes Jimenez-Price, DAC President
I am announcing the first summer SACS training. Attached is an informational flyer that will also be distributed at the Tuesday, June 14, 2011, DAC Regular meeting. Being able to read your school and the District SACS reports is a big step in "connecting spending to student outcomes."
SACS Training: Tuesday June 21, and offered again on July 11, 2011. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. To reserve your place please call or email Dave Ross:916 715-2828 or email snowfun51@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Website: http://sacdac.org/Dacupdate.aspx 
East Sacramento, Midtown and Oak Park do not have a traditional neighborhood high school to serve their children, and the Sacramento City Unified School District is asking community members to take part in an important survey to help deal with the issue. The online survey is available for community members, including teachers, staff, students and parents, to participate in at the district website -- www.scusd.edu. “This community has for many years debated what types of high school offerings should be available in the East Sacramento, Midtown and Oak Park neighborhoods,” SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond said. “We’re going to aggressively seek out the opinions of the entire community through our survey, and then we’re going to use the information from the survey to work with these neighborhoods to make sure we have the kinds of schools we need in the area to serve the needs of our children.” The 15-question survey offers community members a chance to give their opinions on the needs and benefits of different types of high schools. The survey asks parents to rank courses and programs that they think are important for a high school to offer. The survey asks parents to contrast their interest in a comprehensive high school with a charter school, which can have more specialized courses of study. Parents are also asked how important the distance a student has to travel to high school is to the parent’s consideration of where to send high school-age students to school. “This effort is part of our core principle of community engagement,” Superintendent Raymond said. “The public deserves a chance to be part of major decisions that affect their children. Community involvement in these kinds of decisions makes our schools stronger because it makes for better, more informed decisions.” Community members will have until June 24 to respond to the survey. Those who want to participate in the survey but don’t have electronic access can contact the school district to ask for a paper copy of the survey. Those people who do not have access to the internet can call the district office at (916) 643-7400 for a list of schools, libraries, etc. where they can participate in this survey. The district will make a public report on the results when the survey is complete. Summer Programs 2011
| SCUSD Summer School
Capital City School
7222 24th Street,
Sacramento, CA 95822
The program will be available to seniors as of the 2010-2011 school year who failed to meet the district’s graduation requirements. First priority will be given to senior students who are between 5 and 15 credits away from graduating or have not passed either the CAHSEE or District Algebra Proficiency Exam. Second priority will be for those senior students who are between 16 and 30 credits away from graduation. Third priority will be for 12th grade students who are more than 30 credits away from graduation. Click here for more information and application. Sacramento Accelerated Academy
5601 47th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824 Sacramento Accelerated Academy (SAA) is the district’s online credit recovery program and will be hosting the high school summer school at the facility adjacent to the Serna Center (formerly known as Genesis High School). Students will work on coursework in a computer lab setting and will have the assistance of teachers who are on-site as well as online teachers whom they can access remotely via the internet. The program will be available to seniors as of the 2010-2011 school year who failed to meet the district’s graduation requirements. Click here for more information and application. SCUSD Summer Learning Programs
Ensuring students have a safe, healthy, and learning environment in the summer. - Summer Enrichment Programs Elementary Programs
- Summer of Service 1.2 High School Program
- Summer of Service 2.1 Middle School Program
For more information, contact:
Youth Engagement Services Office
Phone: (916) 643-7936
Email: youthdevelopment@scusd.edu | | 
|
In order for your child to attend school this fall the LAW NOW REQUIRES he/she show proof of the Tdap(Pertussis/Whooping Cough) vaccination booster! What Parents Need to Know: English | Spanish | Hmong | Chinese | Russian | Vietnamese FREE CLINICS! English |Spanish |Hmong |Chinese |Russian|Vietnamese Whooping cough (Pertussis) Immunizations Pertussis/Whooping Cough The number of people with pertussis (whooping cough) in 2010 was the highest it has been since 1958. Pertussis is a serious contagious disease that causes a severe cough that can last for months. It is not uncommon to develop pneumonia with the disease. Infants are very suseptible to complications from the disease. Ten infants in California died in 2010 from pertussis. Due to these high numbers, legislation was passed in September 2010 that requires students entering 7th-12th grade in 2011-2012 will need to show proof of receiving the Tdap booster before they can attend school. In the following school years, 7th grade students will need to have a Tdap vaccine before they can start school. There is a good chance your child has already received this immunization. Check your child’s record. If he/she received a DTP or Tdap shot on or after age 7, then this will meet the requirement. It needs to be clearly marked. Td does not meet the requirement. If you cannot tell exactly which vaccine your child received on or after age 7, get it clarified by your child’s doctor. If your child has not received at DTP or Tdap vaccine since he/she entered kindergarten, make an appointment with your child’s doctor to get him/her immunized. If you do not have health insurance, you can find vaccine clinics at: http://www.eziz.org/pages/vfc_locations2.html. Be sure to bring the record to the school to show proof so your child will be able to attend school in the fall. Health Services Department
Hope to see you there and please share with all your neighbors! Food will be available for purchase from Rosemont High Clubs!
Parent Information Exchange (PIE) Is Back! Schools, Families & Community as Partners..
…Together We Will Make A Difference
Click here for flyer!
On Monday, December 13th, the Parent Information Exchange (PIE) resumed its PIE monthly meetings. Started in 1999, PIE provides a forum for district parents and school staff to exchange valuable information on all types of resources and services available in Sacramento to support SCUSD families. Once a month, PIE brings in key representatives from community organizations, city and county agencies, school district officials, and/or corporate leaders to discuss their programs and services for families. Services that past guests have discussed include: food, clothing and shelter for families in need; health and mental health services; employment assistance and training, student tutoring and mentoring, parenting classes and much more. Participants who attend these meetings agree to share the information with their school site community. We hope to see you (or a designated member of your school site, department or agency) at this event. Lunch with PIE is provided! Starting in January, all PIE meetings will be held on the last Monday of the month: January 31, 2011
February 28, 2011
March 28, 2011
April 25, 2011
May 23, 2011 For further information please contact: Diane Salais
Office of School, Family & Community Partnerships
Phone: (916) 643-9102 Fax: (916) 643-2130
SalaisD@sac-city.k12.ca.us
Local school tries for Hmong dual immersion By fall, Sacramento's Susan B. Anthony Elementary School may be the first public school in California and the second nationwide to implement a Hmong/English dual-language program. The only thing that may prevent such a program from taking off is a lack of interest among parents and students, so Lee Yang, Sacramento City Unified School District administrator of elementary curriculum and professional development has reached out to Hmong elders and clan leaders about appealing to the Hmong community. “We can have the program, but if there are no kids, you can't really have it, right?” Yang said. “We are expecting there will be interested folks out there because this is not only designed for Hmong. This is a Hmong language immersion program for all kids, regardless of what language you speak.” Currently, Susan B. Anthony has a total of 269 students, and of those, 151 speak Hmong, and Yang said he plans on visiting the only other school in the United States that has such a program: Jackson Preparatory Magnet School in St. Paul, Minn. Like the program in St. Paul, this program at Susan B. Anthony is set to begin with one kindergarten and one first grade classroom. This will continue to expand through high school by adding one class per grade every year. This program will follow the existing Spanish and Chinese immersion programs currently in the Sacramento schools. At the kindergarten level, the 90-10 percent model, where instruction is provided in the Hmong language 90 percent of the time and the remaining 10 percent is done in English, will be implemented. Progressively each year, instruction in Hmong will reduce by 10 percent, and instruction in English will increase by 10 percent. The transition to 100 percent English will occur between fifth and sixth grades. Yang said the staff members at the school are already qualified with BCLAD teaching credentials with an emphasis in Hmong Der and Mong Leng. “But we're at the very early stage at this time,” he said. “At this point, we are in the process of exploring exactly how it will look.” He added that students who wish not to participate in the dual-language program won't have to, since traditional classes will also be offered. This time last year, the school district began putting together the Chinese immersion program at Elder Creek Elementary. Going into its second year, Yang said he is thrilled to have 13 students on the waiting list already. Coupled with the excitement of that program and the success of the Spanish dual-language immersion program at Cesar E. Chavez Intermediate School (See stats here), Yang said he is excited about the Hmong program also because it's new territory. By the fourth and fifth grade levels, Yang said that students who participated in the Chinese Immersion Program in San Francisco had very successful rates of proficiency on the standardized tests, and by second grade, they tested equally to their English-only counterparts. While students who are in Spanish dual-language immersion programs are tested in Spanish, Yang said tests are not offered in Chinese or Hmong.
To engage the community, the district has planned two informational meetings. The first will take place on Tuesday at 6 p.m. for the Susan B. Anthony School community, and on Thursday, March 31, at 6 p.m., the district will convene a meeting for the larger Sacramento County community. The school is located at 7864 Detroit Blvd.
Monica Stark can be reached at monica.stark@sacramentopress.com
SCUSD.EDU PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST | MARCH 15, 2011
|
| | Budget Priorities Survey and Community Forums SCUSD has launched a major effort to increase community awareness of 2011-12 budget issues and to solicit public input during the budget process. To let your voice be heard, please take a few minutes to complete the Budget Priorities Survey byclicking here. Unless current temporary taxes are extended by voters in June, the district faces a $22.35 million deficit and drastic cuts, including the elimination of financial support for sports, cheerleading, drama, yearbook, marching band, newspaper and speech and debate. Also, check SCUSD's new Budget News page for the latest updates by clicking here. |
Healthy Foods Update The Healthy Eating Active Living Collaboration is hosting a day of discussion about eco-friendly schoolyards from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, at the Serna Center. Sharon Gamson Dank, author of "Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation," will make a presentation. The event will also include an awards ceremony recognizing "those working to educate, engage and empower low-income individuals, family and communities to eat healthy and be active." For registration information, call Abigail Hakala at (916) 556-3344. |
Cooking with Chef David
Countless studies show a direct connection between physical health and academic performance in students. Healthier children attend school more often and are happier to be in class - keys to academic success. To help improve the health of students, SCUSD's Healthy Foods Task Force is working on several initiatives to bring more nutritious lunches to our cafeterias. To help busy parents, David Edgar, CEC, Executive Chef of the Serna Center's Bistro Café, is offering up some of his most popular - and most nutritious - recipes. The eConnection will feature one a week. Today: Portuguese Kale. Click here for details. |
Obama to Address McClatchy's Class of 2011?
McClatchy's senior class has applied to the White House Commencement Challenge. About 1,000 schools nationwide apply, and one lucky high school will have President Obama speak at their commencement. McClatchy's submission includes three essays, achievement data and this video, currently posted on YouTube. Viewership increases the school's chance of winning, so watch often.  | | C.K. McClatchy - 2011 White House Commencement Challenge Video |
|
Student Art Displayed at Crocker
 The work of three C.K. McClatchy High School students -- Olivia Bright, Sophia Hoover and Yu Chen - was selected by the California Art Education Association for an exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum in celebration of Youth Arts Month. The exhibit will run through April 2. |
Author Visits Kit Carson
 Jeff Savage, author of more than 170 athlete biographies and sports books, visited Kit Carson Middle School on Monday, March 7. Savage began the day with a school assembly and then met with every single English class in the library throughout the day. Students listened to him speak about the value of writing and the writing process, questioning sources and the benefits of being an author. The author answered dozens of great questions from very interested students and even signed a few autographs. |
On the Move at Oak Ridge Elementary
 More than 100 parents participated in Oak Ridge's school community meeting on March 7. Parents were excited to learn how to use student achievement data when conferencing with teachers as well as how to extend learning at home. After the meeting, Oak Ridge families were treated to our first "Open the Doors" celebration. Parents were invited in every classroom to enjoy plays, poetry and other oral language performances. On March 8, parents returned to the second out of nine Parents as Partners trainings. About 20 parents are learning about school decision making, setting learning goals and how to team up with other families to make a positive difference at school. The English Language Advisory Committee came together on Thursday to celebrate 16 students being reclassified as Fluent English Proficient. Finally, Oak Ridge teachers welcomed Area 3 Writing Project trainers for two days of staff development. Teachers continued to learn strategies for setting the conditions for writing, writers' workshop and building a school-wide community of writers. |
Freeport Celebrates Literacy Month
Freeport Elementary celebrated Literacy Month during its annual Community Read Aloud on March 10 and 11. Parents and community members visited classrooms throughout the two days and read a favorite book to students. Several district leaders participated in the event, as well as community partners from the Meadowview Neighborhood Association and local businesses. |
Read Across America Celebrations
Matthew Gollub, the author of The Jazz Fly and 14 other books for children visited four SCUSD elementary schools on March 2 and 3, bringing a dynamic tri-lingual event filled with music, drums, stories and jazz. Students learned to count in Japanese, provided sound effects for stories and learned jazz scat singing. In addition to the daytime assemblies at H.W. Harkness, Freeport, Joseph Bonnheim and Tahoe, Matthew presented a bi-lingual family night at Harkness which drew approximately 100 family members. Students at the four schools are still jazzing and reading his books. It was a memorable event for all! |
| UPCOMING Free Tax Preparation at "Moneywise Empowerment Tour" Saturday, March 19 Serna Center 5735 47th Ave. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Kelvin Boston, host of the PBS television series "Moneywise," will be the keynote speaker on Saturday at a free series of financial seminars for underserved minority communities. Hosted by the Nehemiah Corporation, "Moneywise Empowerment Tour" is a national initiative designed to help underserved households take action to enhance their financial well-being, protect their economic resources and increase their net worth. Bolton will speak on "Finding Success In Your Distress." Workshop topics include: Avoiding Foreclosures, Mortgage Scams, Reducing Debts, Increasing Savings, Financial Planning, Buying an R-E-O Home and Starting a Small Business. There will also be free tax preparation services for participants. Space is limited and attendees are encouraged to registrar online athttp://www.moneywise.tv/empowerment-tour. First Robotics Competition March 17, 18 and 19 UC Davis Teams from Hiram Johnson, John F. Kennedy, School of Engineering and Sciences and C.K. McClatchy will participate in the Davis/Sacramento Regional FIRST Robotics Competition on March 17, 18 and 19 at UC Davis. The students, teachers and mentors on these teams have spent several hundred hours beyond their school day to design and build their robots for this competition. During this process they practice the important 21st Century skills of teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking, as well as, utilizing math and science in a real work situation. At the regional competition, they will spend Thursday building the competition field and tuning up their robots. All day on Friday and Saturday morning will be competition heats, and Saturday afternoon will be the finals. American Indian Student Artwork on Display March 19 The Maidu Indian Museum Indigenous Art Gallery 1970 Johnson Ranch Drive, Roseville The Maidu Museum and the American Indian Education Program of the Sacramento City Unified School District have partnered to bring an exhibit of American Indian children's artwork to the Museum's Indigenous Art Gallery. The exhibit is called "Empowering Our People: Artistic Expression of Native American Children." The Maidu Indian Museum Indigenous Art Gallery is located at 1970 Johnson Ranch Drive, Roseville. The exhibit closes on Saturday, March 19. Digital Media Literacy for Teachers Saturday, March 26 Sacramento State, Napa Hall 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The College of Continuing Education at Sacramento State is offering a digital media literacy course for K-12 teachers taught by Communication Studies Associate Professor Joseph Parente. For more information, contact program coordinator Liz Arellanes at (916) 278-6249 or at arellanl@cce.ssus.edu WEST Pancake Breakfast at Harkness March 19 Harkness Elementary School 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Harkness Elementary School is hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast and e-waste fundraiser event from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 19. These fundraisers help support the sixth grade's trip to Sly Park Environmental Education Center. West Campus's Ninth Annual"CrabbyWood!" Crab Feed March 25 St. John Vianney Hall, 10497 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. West Campus High School's Foundation for Excellence is sponsoring a Hollywood-themed crab feed from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 25, at St. John Vianney Hall, 10497 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova. The evening will include fresh crab, New England clam chowder, salad, pasta, a no-host bar, a live band and an auction. Tickets are $40 per person. RSVP by March 18 to Sharon Maccini at scmaccini@sbcglobal.net or call her at 456-3379. Kennedy E-Waste Drive March 26 John F. Kennedy High School parking lot, 6715 Gloria Drive 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School is hosting a fund raising e-waste collection and recycling event on Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the school parking lot, 6715 Gloria Drive. Many items will be accepted: TVs, computers, monitors, laptops, printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, DVD/VCR players, cell phones, ink cartridges, microwaves and small appliances (no larger than a microwave). Sponsoring partner CEAR, Inc., completely shreds all hard drives for data security. Please save your items and come out and support the school! Contact JFK atjfkgradnight2013@gmail.com for more information or to receive a flyer! Pancake Breakfast at Washington Elementary April 2 Washington Elementary School, 520 18th St. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Washington Elementary School's Second Annual Pancake Breakfast will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, at the school, 520 18th St. Sponsored by the PTA, the breakfast includes three pancakes, two sausages, scrambled eggs, fruit and a drink for $5. |
|
|
|
Comprehensive High School Coalition- Committee Membership Formation
The CHSC has recently hosted four open meetings to discuss the establishment of a comprehensive high school to serve the College Greens, Downtown, East Sac, Tahoe Park, Oak Park and River Park neighborhoods and are now recruiting membership for the Comprehensive High School Coalition Budget, Demographics, Environmental, Outreach & Program Committees. Please contact the chairpersons below to join a committee to continue to work on this community educational project. Committees will meet, develop projects & report to the General Meeting in April. Please contact me or Josh Hoover if you have any questions. Contact these Committee Chairs to Participate: Executive Co-Chairs: Executive Manager: Budget & Finance Committee: Demographics & Enrollment Committee: Environmental Committee: Outreach & Media Committee: Program & Curriculum Committee:
|
|