Chargers donate equipment to Scripps Ranch High School

Source: San Diego Chargers
 
The San Diego Chargers have a rich history of giving back to the city of San Diego.
They continued that June 26, donating approximately 35 shoulder pads and other used equipment to Scripps Ranch High School.

“This is amazing because a lot of the kids that we have at our school are in need of items,” said Joe Meyer, head football coach and athletic director for Scripps Ranch. “It’s good for us to be able to hand out this equipment to them and let them know that they are wanted and welcome anytime. If they have any issues there are people who will take care of them like the Chargers. Having these shoulder pads are appreciated by the Chargers and (Equipment Manager) Bob (Wick). We really don’t get a huge budget to work with. A lot of our money is fundraised. So for them to donate this equipment is very much appreciated.”

Meyer picked up multiple boxes filled to the brim from the Chargers equipment room, and they will be put to immediate use for the 2013 season.

New Superintendent outlines plans for implementing Vision 2020

IN THE NEWS: Supt. Cindy Marten makes students and learning the "heart of the district."

• Watch video from KUSI-TV»
• More on Vision 2020»
  

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Serra High wins student store competition

Business management and ownership  students at Serra High School developed a mobile unit for their student store Super Q that helped the team win this year’s College, Career and Technical Education Student Store Competition.

Students at five high schools -- Serra, Mission Bay, Clairemont, Kearny and San Diego -- took on the challenge to create “something innovative to impact sales” in their campus student stores.

Serra High’s team was presented with the Chairman’s Award and the award for Best Written Plan for their mobile unit idea. The students created a mobile storefront that could be set up anywhere on campus. The idea proved to be a huge success, especially on hot days when the students decided to sell popsicles at an additional location on campus.

Mission Bay student shows stats from Facebook

Mission Bay High’s student team used social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare to promote their student store. They received the awards for Best Oral Presentation and Best Innovation.

Ideas from the other competitors included Clairemont High’s use of a survey to determine what new products to try in small quantities before adding them to the permanent menu at the Chief’s Hut and Kearny High students enhanced their product selection at the Komet Korner.

San Diego High reconfigured their queue lines to allow for faster service, which lead to better customer service at the Rock. This idea, along with increased efficiency at the student store, allowed the annual portion of profits used for scholarships awarded to some of the business management and ownership students working in the student store to increase by $5,000 this year for a total of $18,000.

The five-member business management and ownership student teams met with business mentors connected with the Levin Center at San Diego State University. The mentors helped guide the students in writing a business plan and preparing the oral presentation used to defend their plan during the competition. Business mentors included: Craig Stevens (Clairemont), Doug Wall (Serra), Amy Klingborg (San Diego), Kevin Popovic (Mission Bay), and Robert Reyes (Kearny).

For more information about the Student Store Competition or the business management and ownership course, please contact Dean Darley, CCTE Program Specialist, at ddarley@sandi.net.

New Superintendent's first day is at camp

IN THE NEWS: On her first day as Superintendent, Cindy Marten kept a promise made to her third grade students at Central Elementary School: to join them for an overnight camping trip to Stelzer Park in Lakeside. Funded through a grant and support from the Meeker Foundation, Central students have been learning from the overnight trip for seven years.

News Coverage

• CBS 8»
• KUSI»
• KPBS»

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance honors district staff, programs

The team from Pacific Beach Middle School.

The San Diego branch of the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance recently recognized outstanding health, physical education, recreation and dance teachers and programs in the county at its annual awards banquet at Paradise Point Resort.

Several district staff and programs were honored, including:

Shanna Jennings, Silver Gate Elementary - Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year
Pacific Beach Middle School - Secondary Physical Education Program of the Year
Cesar Santos, Mann Middle School - Outstanding New Physical Education Professional
Brenna Baringer, Department of Physical Education, Health and Athletics - Outstanding Service to the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (HPERD) Profession
Mary Lou Baranowski, Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary - American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAPHERD) Southwest District Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Baranowski was also one of six finalists for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education Teacher of the Year award.

In addition, those in attendance celebrated the retirement of Adapted Physical Education teacher Harry Smith, who has dedicated more than 25 years to education.

The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance is dedicated to promoting healthful lifestyles through quality education and programs. To nominate a local exemplary HPERD teacher or program in 2013-14, visit www.sdcoe.net/lret/hpe or contact Paige Metz at pmetz@sdcoe.net.

For more information on the district’s Health and Physical Education programs, contact Brenna Baringer at bbaringer@sandi.net.

Special Greetings from Superintendent Cindy Marten

Dear San Diego Unified Family: 

It is both a humbling experience and an amazing honor to be given the responsibility to oversee the education of San Diego's children. During my four-month transition, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with students, parents, certificated staff, classified staff, and community stakeholders to explore what is working and how we can improve and build on our strengths. I am inspired and filled with hope after seeing endless opportunities and stellar examples of quality neighborhood schools. Answers to many of our challenges are in our community, in our classrooms, and in our homes. I truly believe that "there is no place like home." Today marks a turning point and an opportunity for renewal, refinement and reflection as we gather to chart the course ahead.

As I take the helm of the San Diego Unified School District, I would like to express my special appreciation to Mr. Bill Kowba, who graciously worked alongside me during my transition period. He navigated the district through turbulent waters and leaves us with the positive momentum to move ahead with our Vision 2020. My deepest gratitude to Mr. Kowba for creating a solid foundation for our home.

Moving forward, you have my commitment to work with integrity, dignity, respect and compassion as we create the most vibrant, effective, successful public school system in the nation. With a keen focus on creating a quality school in every neighborhood by implementing our Vision 2020, I have sincere confidence that we can do this TOGETHER.

Our team will focus on the heart of our mission: educating and supporting our students to become actively literate, contributing, participating members of society who make a positive difference in the world. We each play an important role in this mission. I look forward to working alongside you to make sure our students are at the center of our work and every decision we make. We will continue to build a San Diego Unified School District of which we can all be proud because like great cities, great schools are built by generations of people who care.

If you have ideas to share, please email me at superintendent@sandi.net. I look forward to hearing from you. I also invite you to connect with me via Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe to my email updates.

In closing, I have posted one of my favorite poems, "To Be of Use," by Marge Piercy, to my blog. It is a poem that reminds me how fortunate we are to get up every morning and go to work doing the most important work in the nation: educating our youth. I encourage you to read it.


Have a wonderful summer! Take time to nurture yourself, connect with loved ones and find joy.

Sincerely,
Cindy Marten
Superintendent of Public Education

Students take part in U-T Young Latino Journalism Scholars program

IN THE NEWS: Jennifer Brice of Clairemont High School and Ixchel Gonzalez of Kearny High School recently started a summer program designed to help them learn about journalism through real-life work experience at U-T San Diego. Read more from U-T San Diego.