Mil Gracias...a Thousand Thanks...

State testing is wrapping up this week, and I have been thinking of you...the nearly 1,800 district employees that have given SO much of themselves to our students this year.  In a truly challenging year, with a full-blown national recession and less educational resources, you have not waivered from your commitment to the kids.  I know that aspects of our lives have changed, if not forever, at least for a while.  Nevertheless, the district continues to offer the most guidance, the best education possible, and our very best intentions for Escondido's children. For that, I say from my heart, "Mil gracias...a thousand thanks."

IN THIS ISSUE: EUSD Youth Media Festival Felicita School-Transforming Now! EUSD Budget Update Lights Out This Summer? Staff Accomplishments/Recognitions

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EUSD Youth Media Festival

Escondido Unionss 2nd annual Youth Media Festival is just around the corner. This signature event of the district's Escondido Education Foundation (EEF) has 240 student submissions this year! Two free opportunities to view students' creativity are available to all students and families, EUSD employees, and community members. This Saturday, May 22 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the Carilyn Gilbert Education Center will host a showing of all photography, video, and spoken word entries to the competition. Then on June 2 at 7:00 p.m., the California Center for the Arts, Escondido will announce and showcase the winning student entries in each category.

District Foundation board members and staff members, Katie Ragazzi and Jodie Eichberger, have been collaborating for months with our dynamo Technology and Media staff to create an event that showcases the fine multimedia projects students are doing in Escondido. Our students could not do these without innovative teachers and supportive classified employees behind them. Not only will this be the biggest K-8 showcase of student work this year, but the Foundation is also hosting a pre-paid fundraiser at the CCAE, just before the Youth Media Festival at 5:30 p.m. Tickets to EEF's fundraiser,"Gizmos & Gadgets", can be purchased at the Foundation's NEW website at www.escondidoeducationfoundation.org. We hope you will consider attending the free May 22 preview showing or the June 2 awards Festival. Thank you EEF for making such a powerful statement of support for the youth of Escondido. Thanks also go to an esteemed panel of judges, including experts in the category fields and EUSD teachers Rob Sheperd, Colin Hanel, and Mitchell de Neve. And who can forget the rapp'in video that first invited students to participate by teachers Scott Soucy and Alex Kajitani? The Festival's planned fun is just a "click" away on our district website's front page!

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Felicita School-Transforming Now!

Over the last two months, Felicita has been adjusting to a new mandate for change from the federal government, and MORE importantly, planning for new OPPORTUNITIES for students and staff that additional funding may bring. A possible influx of up to $2 million per year for each of the next three years has got a committee of Felicita teacher representatives, EEEA representatives, and district staff dreaming BIG. The new plan, to be approved by the school board on May 26, hopes to build-in weekly teacher collaboration time during the school day, teacher specialists, a 1:1 iPod implementation plan for grades, K through 5, an extended school day, and many parent-community supports. If YOU think you may be interested in teaching at Felicita School next year, check out the video on the "Felicita Transformation News" link, found on the front of EUSD's website today. All dreamers and curiosity seekers welcome.

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EUSD Budget Update

Last week, Governor Schwarzenegger issued a revised May version of his initial budget from January. He reported that California revenues are still weak and because of that the state still needs to reduce its budget by $20 billion for 2010-2011. To close this continuing gap, he proposes to maintain the reductions to education he announced in January, and instead of cutting education more, make huge reductions in state social and medical services. It is not known if state legislators will agree to the Governor's plan or will attempt to strike their own versions of a significantly smaller state budget. So, the spring-summer budget dance begins. Education may be further reduced this summer after a majority of legislators approve final decisions. Last summer was an example of changes that can result. Well after July 1, 2009, EUSD received "news" of an unanticipated reduction of $2 million. We are hopeful something similar will not happen again.

In addition to smaller school district budgets next school year, educators recently learned of even l.o..n..g...e....r delayed payments from the State of California. Payments for the 2010-2011 school year will extend well into the 2011-2012 school year AND we have been told that those scheduled payment dates can vary between 30 to 90 days. This very unorthodox way of doing business leaves EUSD with the need for additional cash on hand throughout the year so that we pay our bills and employees on time. Over the summer months, staff will post the latest California budget news on the district website.

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Lights Out This Summer?

It is true that the district is planning to "go dark" during the month of July this summer. Thanks to employees' recommendation to save on energy costs, district buildings not housing summer school or being cleaned by custodial crews, will be closed to the public and employees. The Carilyn Gilbert Education Center and the Maintenance Yard are two exceptions that will be open for business as usual. We thank employees in advance for their cooperation for turning in their keys temporarily and helping the district "go dark." Ultimately, this will ensure employees' safety as the schools will not be staffed until principals and office staff return again on August 5. Look to an energy bill update in the fall to learn just how much energy EUSD we saved with this pilot program.

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Employee Recognitions and Awards

District employees have much to be proud of...

• Pioneer School recently applied for and received a $122,000 supplemental QEIA grant. Principal Marcia Karadashian's and her staff's dream of iPad classrooms is on the way with the newly released iPads!
• Students of BVMS Art teacher Terrilynn Quick are displaying their "star books" at Escondido's Municipal Art Gallery in Downtown Escondido during the month of May.
• District staff applied for 5 different federal Investing in Innovation grants that would bring many things to staff and students...more assistance with NWEA/MAPS, more dollars for 1:1 technology, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) support at a middle school, an expanded Open GATE program at Farr School, and more student support services.
• Rincon principal, Jon Centofranchi successfully ran in this year's Boston Marathon. Congratulations!
• A trio of Glen View fifth-grade teachers are ALL smiles these days. This summer Belle Basa, Desiderio Valles, and Christy Stringfield are off to Williamsburg, Virginia to participate in the all expenses-paid, inspiring colonial institute. There will be 208 teachers from across the United States in attendance. Thanks to these teachers' ultra-persuasive efforts, an exception was made to the Colonial Williamsburg entry rules, allowing all three of these talented EUSD teachers to attend. We hope you have a terrific time.
• Kudos go to Mission Middle Schools' Science Department and Math teacher, Alex Kajitani. Together, along with some generous community friends, they have sponsored students, Sandra Guzman and Guadalupe Feria, to attend NASA's International Space Camp in Florida this month.
• So too, powerful teacher teams are on the rise at Pioneer School, where 5 out of 35 teacher spots at a Monterey, California "Ocean, Literacy, and Science" summer workshop are going to the Pioneer Pumas teaching staff. Headed north are Kimberly Bloodgood, Svetlana Cvetkovic, Karen Grissom, Leigh Hammond-Miller, and Lorraine Silva.
• Have you heard about the three superstar students at Farr Avenue School who recently out-performed many, many other students in the San Diego County Greater Math Field Day? Move over La Jolla Country Day School. Move over Francis Parker. The Farr Falcons have landed, and based upon Abigail Arrioja's, Alvin Tran's, and Emily Huynh's excitement about mathematics, they won't be leaving the higher math world anytime soon. The Falcons are there to stay! Appreciation and congratulations to Farr teachers, Brian Herman, Amy Harris, Sheri Wade, and Marjorie Reader on their students' tremendous accomplishments.

Do you have something to shout about...or at least have me shout about on your school's behalf? Just e-mail your news to jwalters@eusd4kids.org

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