District talks about preschool on KUSI's 'San Diego People'

KUSI News - San Diego, CA

Robin McCulloch, director of early childhood education and Horton Elementary teacher Bea German appeared on KUSI's "San Diego People" to discuss the importance of early childhood education and what the district is doing to increase access for low-income families. Hear about what today's preschools teach our kids and how to enroll your child in one of the many programs offered by San Diego Unified.

San Diego People is KUSI's landmark television news program that offers guests the time to delve into issues in more than thirty-second soundbites.

Grant K-8, San Diego High students to be featured at Cabrillo Festival

San Diego Unified will be well represented at the 2015 Cabrillo Festival.

Grant K-8 fourth grader Alexis Carey won the annual art contest and San Diego High School of International Studies junior Emese Maklary was named “Miss Cabrillo” and “Spirit of Cabrillo Award” winner for the 2015 Cabrillo Festival.

Carey’s 8 ½” x 11” piece of artwork was selected as the best portrayal of Cabrillo’s historic voyage along the coast of the Californias in 1542 and for its overall depiction of the festival’s theme: Where Cultures Come Together and History Comes Alive.

Carey’s winning artwork is displayed on the festival brochure and website. She and her teacher, Allison Wilson, were both awarded $100 and are invited to sail on the San Salvador September 27 to view the historical re-enactment of the landing of Cabrillo, his soldiers and the priest on Ballast Point.

Maklary was named Miss Cabrillo Festival 2015 at a pageant in March sponsored by the Cabrillo Civic Club No. 16 San Diego and Portuguese American Social and Civic Club. She was also named the “Spirit of Cabrillo” award winner. Maklary will represent the Cabrillo Festival at events in Ensenada and San Diego during Cabrillo Festival.

The 52nd annual Cabrillo Festival will take place September 26-27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ballast Point, Naval Base Point Loma, located at the south end of Rosecrans Street. Admission is free. Please visit the festival website for more details.

$13 million coming to region for career readiness

The road to a high-skills, high-wage career will now be easier and more accessible for local high school and college students.

The San Diego County College and Career Readiness Consortium (CCRC) has been awarded a grant for more than $13 million by the California Department of Education. The $13 million grant was one of 40 grants given throughout the state and the only grant awarded in the San Diego region. San Diego Unified's portion of the grant will be more than $2.3 million and the San Diego County Office of Education will manage the grant.

"This grant opportunity is about excellence and innovation, not the status quo," said San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten. "Innovation means more than events and opportunities - it means integration - bringing the content to life by allowing opportunities for students to apply what they are learning in the real world and to be asked to do the things that people really do in their jobs. Students will rise to the level that we hold the bar. Hold the bar at excellence and you will get excellence."
 
The San Diego County College and Career Readiness Consortium is a countywide network of high schools and community college districts that includes 116 high schools and eight community college campuses throughout the county. Lead partners also include United Way of San Diego County and the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The CCRC program will help strengthen career pathway curricula and programs throughout the region, provide coordinated systems, and promote preparation for and effective transitions to postsecondary programs that lead to high-wage, high-demand careers.

A press conference was held July 22 at Kearny High School to announce the grant. Speakers included Mayor Kevin Faulconer; Superintendent Cindy Marten; County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Randy Ward; San Diego Community College District Chancellor, Dr. Constance Carroll; and United Way President and CEO, Kevin Crawford.

“This is about creating opportunities for every family and child," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "Our mission of creating One San Diego and opportunities start here with our innovation economy. I can’t think of a better way to help San Diego families than to help provide them with a better pathway to a job in our innovation economy.”

The initiative will specifically focus on growing three sectors in San Diego including advanced manufacturing, clean energy and information and communications technology. It will also build a regional infrastructure for career pathways by supporting the professional development of teachers and counselors, curriculum development and alignment and robust industry engagement.

Media Coverage of News Conference:

CBS 8

KUSI News

Times of San Diego

Holmes Elementary third graders win national science competition

The Toshiba/NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) ExploraVision National Contest challenges K-12 students from across the United States and Canada to work in groups to simulate a real research and development team. Student teams choose a technology of today and envision what it could be like 20 years from now.

This year, two teams of students from third-grade teacher Diana Celle's class at Holmes Elementary in Clairemont took second place and honorable mention in the competition. Read more on the school's website.

 

Central Elementary students go camping

IN THE NEWS: Third graders at Central Elementary School recently got to experience the great outdoors - some for the first time - with an overnight camping trip to Stelzer County Park in Lakeside. Students experienced typical camping rituals, such as hiking and singing songs around the campfire, as well as a variety of learning activities. Superintendent Cindy Marten joined the students for their overnight adventure. The trip was made possible by the Jarrett Meeker Foundation. Watch more from KUSI News.

Three schools awarded grant to help with storm water collection

IN THE NEWS: In response to Governor Brown's Drought State of Emergency Proclamation, the State Water Resources Control Board has awarded the San Diego Unified School District, in partnership with Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek, a grant totaling $1.2 million for use in storm water retention/reuse and water conservation best management practices at three area schools along Chollas Creek: Millennial Tech Middle School, Gompers Preparatory Academy and Horton Elementary. The grant will not only bring water quality and water conservation education to hundreds of students at the three schools, but will also provide for the development of career pathways to Science/Technology/Engineering/Math (STEM) conservation technology fields. Watch more at NBC 7 San Diego.

Wangenheim Middle student excels on and off field

IN THE NEWS: A 13-year-old Mira Mesa girl who is playing little league baseball with the boys is proving she's in a league of her own. Mira Mesa's All-Star has a secret weapon, and her name is Cara MacNaughton, who just completed eighth grade at Wangenheim Middle. Cara started playing T-ball with the boys when she was five-years-old and never looked back. From Rancho Penasquitos to Coronado, Cara is the only girl playing intermediate boy baseball.

Watch and read more at CBS 8

Summer Harvests of the Month: nectarines and plums

The Harvests of the Month for the summer are the white nectarine and black plum from Kingsburg Orchards located in Kingsburg, Calif. Both fruits should be on school salad bars every Wednesday during the summer.

Watch the latest Harvest of the Month video to learn more about how local farmers are providing our students with delicious, healthy fruits and vegetables every month.

Summer Harvest of the Month Virtual Field Trip video links:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPgTEdvETmk (available outside district)

SandiTube:  http://tube.sandi.net/video/videos/4345/harvest-of-the-month-stone-fruit

Point Loma teen wins Braille Challenge

IN THE NEWS: Cricket Bidleman has captured her fourth North American Braille Challenge victory — the first time in the varsity division — and she is already thinking about the next attempt.

“I have a title to uphold,” Bidleman said Tuesday, smiling as she corralled Nipi, her service dog, in the living room of her family’s Point Loma home.

Cricket, 16, competed against other blind teens in 10th to 12th grades from the United States and Canada. She was one of 60 finalists culled from more than 1,100 Braille students who had been picked to participate in the contest that tests speed, accuracy and comprehension.

Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune