Special Education Hotline

A Special Education Parent Hotline has been established to help address concerns regarding special education services at San Diego Unified.

Parents can call (619) 725-7057 and leave their name and phone number, their student's name and birth date and a brief message regarding their concern(s). A return phone call will be received within 24 hours.

For general special education information, please call (619) 725-7700.


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Board of Education Holds Rare Friday Evening Meeting

The Board of Education holds a special meeting at an unusual time this week, 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the Education Center, 4100 Normal St. The meeting is open to the public. Information and the meeting's agenda is available online.

IN THE NEWS: Parents Outraged at Upcoming Budget Cuts

From KUSI-TV, coverage of the Dec. 3 budget town hall:

San Diego City schools are facing budget cuts far deeper than they anticipated. Watch video from KUSI-TV »

Grant races to three high schools

Jimmie Johnson Presents Point Loma With a CheckOn the heels of winning his fourth-consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, San Diego native Jimmie Johnson showed that he’s a champion off the track as well. Chandra and Jimmie Johnson announced donations totaling $922,000 for the 2009 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grants on Monday, November 30. San Diego Unified Crawford IDEA; Crawford MVAS and Point Loma high schools were three of the schools celebrated at a special ceremony held at Crest Elementary in El Cajon where Johnson attended school as a boy.

Crawford High School of Multimedia & Visual Arts School received $87,000 to create an art fabrication lab that will prepare students for careers in the local media arts industry by allowing them to design high-tech community-based projects. Under the direction of instructor Brian Black, MVAS students will use the lab to design and produce media art projects that will improve the quality of life in the City Heights community.

Crawford High School IDEA was awarded $32,495 in support of the career technical education program related to transportation technology and alternative fuels. Under the direction of instructors Carl Kingsly and Greg Quirin, students enrolled in the automotive classes at the school will convert gasoline powered engines to operate on cleaner, alternative fuels.

Point Loma High School received $90,000 to build a weight room and exercise facility for students. Athletic Director John Murphy believes that this facility, which will be used by student athletes and students participating in physical education programs, will help the young people focus on health and fitness using state-of-the-art equipment.

“This is what the foundation is all about, being able to give back to communities in need. We are grateful for the partnership with Lowe’s and their guidance as our foundation begins its work in education,” said Johnson.

For a complete list of 2009 grant recipients and projects, please visit the foundation's website.


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GATE Distinguished Lecture Series Wednesday

The first in a series of lectures sponsored by the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program will be held Wednesday, December 9, at the Education Center.

A Continuum of Differentiation by Dr. Sandra Kaplan will be presented to staff from 4 to 6 p.m., and to parents from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the auditorium at the Education Center.

For more information, please contact the GATE Department at (858) 573-5998.

For more district news, subscribe to the Superintendent's Friday Notes.

IN THE NEWS: Enrollment Options Catalogs In The Mail

The San Diego Unified School District has sent out its annual enrollment options catalog to households throughout the city. Parents who want their children to attend a campus other than their neighborhood school have until Feb. 15 to apply. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

• Go to the Enrollment Options website.
  

H1N1 Flu Update for Dec. 4

Local and national reports indicate a decline in absences due to the H1N1 flu.

However, it’s important to continue to take precautions to protect yourself and family from the flu, particularly since the regular flu season starts in January.

Physicians and other health care professionals recommend the following actions to help prevent the spread of H1N1 and seasonal flu: stay home when sick, cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently and get the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines as soon as possible.

For a list of SD County H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine clinics, visit the county's H1N1 flu site; more information is also available on the district's flu website.


For more district news, subscribe to the Superintendent's Friday Notes.