Morse High Students Donate to Rescue Mission

In January, students enrolled in the ROP Developmental Psychology of Children classes at Morse High School helped the homeless in their community by donating canned goods, adult and children's clothing, and toys and blankets to the Rescue Mission and the Storefront. The Rescue Mission offers food and shelter to families. The Storefront is a facility that provides food and shelter for homeless teens 18 years and younger while they attend school. The Morse students, who were able to interact with the students they met at the Storefront, are planning to participate in Sleepless in San Diego in April to raise funds for San Diego homeless families. For more information, please contact Mary Doan, Morse High School teacher, at mdoan@sandi.net.

New Volunteer Program Helps Students Power Up Reading Skills

In support of the Year of the School Volunteer, business and community members are invited to participate in POWER UP!, a special program that focuses on helping third graders build vocabulary and word study skills. The program will begin in March at five elementary schools: Bayview Terrace, Fletcher, Lee, Sherman and Whitman. Volunteers will be specially trained to work one-on-one with students for 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week for a 6-week period. For more information on this and other school volunteer opportunities, please visit the Year of the School Volunteer website or contact Ellen Tiffany, community relations manager, at (619)725-5594 or etiffany@sandi.net.

High Schoolers Share Experiences with Middle School Students

Mario Valladolid, district counselor in the Race-Human Relations & Advocacy Department, recently escorted members of the Circulo de Hombres Club of Kearny High School to Montgomery Middle School. The high school students were there to help ease the transition from middle school to high school by sharing their experiences with their 8th grade counterparts The high school students talked about the differences between middle school and high school, the small high school system and what is expected of students when they enter the 9th grade. For more information, please contact Mario Valladolid at (858) 490-8678 or mvalladolid@sandi.net.

Budget Update: Board Completing Draft Measure

On Feb. 23, the Board of Education identified nearly $63 million in tentative cuts to offset an anticipated $86.8 million deficit in next year’s operating budget. Some of the proposed reductions are subject to negotiation with employee unions.

The district is required to submit a tentative spending plan, based on current Sacramento estimates of 2010-11 funding, to the County Office of Education by March 15. San Diego Unified has already cut $300 million from the budget since 2008 because of a reduction in state education funding. The board will continue to hold budget workshops and make adjustments based on the most up-to-date estimates by the state Department of Finance. The district’s final 2010-11 spending plan must be submitted by June 30. The complete list of proposed budget solutions is posted on the Budget Crisis website.

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Scripps Ranch High Junior Shines as Star Student of the Month

On Feb. 9, Scripps Ranch High junior Catherine "Cati" Grant was profiled as Ruben Galvan’s “San Diego 6 in the Morning Star Student of the Month.” As a champion youth activist, Cati has become the voice of her generation for her global efforts on raising awareness about internet safety and cyber bully prevention among teens. As the Founder and President of www.caticares.com and the Teen Ambassador for STOMP Out Bullying, she has spoken to more than a million people about the vicious trend of cyber bullying. Cati has received numerous awards for her efforts including the President's Volunteer Service Award, Special Commendation from the City of San Diego, Kids Are Heroes Award, Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate, Resolution from Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, a Proclamation from the County of San Diego, and Certificates of Appreciation from San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Congressman Duncan Hunter. For more information, please contact Principal Kurt Madden at (858) 621-9010 ext. 1103 or kmadden2@sandi.net.

IN THE NEWS: Education Program Highlights Indians

Every week in the outskirts of Old Town, where the Kumeyaay Indians were colonized by the Spaniards more than 200 years ago, scores of urban Indians meet to dance, eat and keep their heritage alive. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune»

Automotive Internships Provide Students with an Eye-Opening Experience

ROP automotive students from Crawford and Clairemont high schools will soon be taking part in internships at various automotive dealerships and repair shops. Among the automotive businesses that have agreed to provide student internships are Mercedes Benz of San Diego, Mossy Auto Group, Drew Ford, Penske Collision Center, Dugan’s Collision Center, San Diego Volvo, Wolf’s Foreign Car Service, Holmberg Automotive, Manson’s BMW and San Diego Unified’s Transportation Department. Internships are expected to take place during second semester and may provide a pathway for potential future employment while earning class credit. For more information, please contact Shawn Loescher, director of College, Career and Technical Education, at (858) 503-1754 or sloescher@sandi.net.