- Welcome everyone! Thank you, Principal Cordero, for hosting our Board Meeting for Trustee Area 3. Please share with your team our appreciation for their collaboration in making this meeting possible.
- Lots of staff and student accomplishments to share:
- Recently, the following teachers were notified their renewal application was certified to continue with National Board Certification for the next 10 years. This is a very rigorous certification process that was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. National Board Certification is a public assurance that teachers have met the profession’s highest standards for accomplished practice. Congratulations to Chandra Goodnough (TOSA), Cheryl Bayley (ELH), Darci Kimball (CPH ), Cherylyn Sias (MVH).
- Congratulations to Chula Vista HS for two recent recognitions: CVH teacher Maria Galleher, her students and the CVHS Garden for being selected by the City of Chula Vista for a Ribbons & Shovels Award. Second recognition the Garden received is the “Gardens for Good” grant of $15k. Only 3 sites were selected in all of the US and Canada out of 150 applications. This grant recognizes the vision to provide organic food for those who might not have access to it with the motto – Plant it forward, leave the earth better than we found it!
- Some of our high schools attended a Latino College Expo at Southwestern College this past week. Two of our AVID seniors from MVH – Valeria Parra Ayon, Sarah Perez Quiroz each won a $500 scholarship.
- Congratulations to retired SUHI teacher/coach Tim Latham, who was selected as a High School Coaching Legend by the San Diego Hall of Champions.
- Kudos to SUHI AP Dr. Paula Madrigal! Her article, “The Relationships That Build Noise,” is published in ACSA’s Leadership Magazine!
- Two more of our teachers have been nominated as a Life Changer of the Year – Omar Mercado – SOH, Sofia Gray – MoH!
- On October 30th, Olympian hosted the Magkaisa Conference where 75 students from across the district attended. Special thanks to the organizers this year:Lora Bumatay, Elaine Leano, Valerie Ruiz, Dinnah Donato-Palmore, Nancy Castro-Nieto.
- The 3rd Annual Game of Throws (AKA Pumpkin Throw from student constructed catapults) was hosted by ELM on Nov. 3rd. This event is sponsored in collaboration and partnership between Sweetwater, LabRats, Rotary Club CV/Eastlake, and Our Home Town magazine publisher Michael Monaco. Results:Palomar HS – 1st Place High Schools (three years in a row) – teacher advisors Felipe Rosales/Ileana Grijalva, CPM – 1st Place Middle Schools – teacher advisor Christianne Dayawon. Congratulations to all!
- SDCOE identified MVA teacher Alicia Johal to represent San Diego County at a Leadership Forum sponsored by the California Science Teachers Association. She was chosen because she is a science educator who exemplifies leadership skills in her school, district, community, and state levels. Way to represent!
- Congratulations to Southwest HS Girls Volleyball – CIF Div. V Champions, Coach Norma Barba, a first time ever show in CIF Volleyball Championship! Congratulations to Mar Vista HS Boys H2O Polo – CIF Div. II Runner-Up, Coach Chad Kavanagh.
- This week, Nov. 12 -16 is National School Psychology Awareness Week. Please take a moment to acknowledge your school psychologist for their expertise in supporting mental health and wellness, and our students with special needs.
- We can’t wait to hear from student board representative, Brenna Pangelinan, about her experience at the Student Advisory Board on Education Student Conference in Sacramento last week as a next step in the selection process for Student Representative on the CA State Board of Education.
- November is the month our district office staff has adopted the theme of a Gratitude Attitude. We exist in a world marked by both anxiety and anticipation. It’s important to remember, by reminding ourselves regularly, that there are many positive circumstances in our lives, and when we hold on to the positive aspects of our expectations while separating from our tension, we may discover our future looks brighter and more distinct that it ever has before. Although we’ve had a rough couple of months, we can always find something for which we can be grateful. Tonight, I want to close with some of those reasons to be grateful:
- We are grateful for all our military – from every branch, and from every time period in American History – these brave women and men have sacrificed to ensure our nation is free for the last 239 years.
- We are grateful we have a strong Board of Trustees who sincerely and deeply care and believe in our Mission, Beliefs, LCAP Goals and they act accordingly guided by their personal convictions.
- We are grateful all three board members who were up for re-election ran unopposed – which is highly unusual and speaks to the community’s satisfaction with the job our board is doing overall.
- I am grateful for my colleagues on Cabinet who believe in our work and lead in a way that supports relationships and that process matters.
- We are grateful our 2018-19 revised budget was recently approved by SDCOE knowing we still have work to do, and we are moving forward. The Sweetwater staff and community pulled together to make this happen.
- We are grateful our labor associations, confidential and management units and the District have tentative agreements that positively contribute to our budget solutions.
- We are grateful our community overwhelmingly supported our Bond Measure DD with just under 66% approval. The passage of this bond will enable us to modernize and renovate our campuses over time in order to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for our students and staff. We’re also happy both CV Elementary and South Bay Union SD passed their bond measures, too.
- We are grateful our district has the vision to follow through on a Sports Medicine/Injury Clinic & Wellness Center that provides students access to professional sports injury expertise to help them heal and recover.
- We are grateful for everyday successes that we sometimes take for granted like… over 95% of our students attend school and work on giving their best (at least on most days); teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, administrators and support staff who willingly sponsor clubs or help students with homework or other concerns without being asked; staff across the district who are emphasizing social emotional learning as part of their daily curriculum… just to name a few.
- We are grateful for our family, friends, and colleagues.
- We are grateful for local efforts like Cristian’s Big Heart 5k Run that raised and donated $40K to the Eric Paredes Save-a-Life Foundation. Their personal tragedy motivated this family to make a difference in our community and beyond.
- When we look toward the future with gratefulness and positive expectations in our hearts, we are vastly more apt to take whatever steps are necessary to actively welcome the stuff of our dreams into our lives. Most of the miracles that we enjoy in the present came into our existence as a result of our own thoughts, our own intentions, our own choices, and our own actions. When we take positive action in this way, we are better able to embrace challenges that force us to test our limits because we understand that success is not the result of luck or chance, but rather a product of dedication and belief.
- And I am grateful to all of you for the dedication and belief that helped us get through this challenging time and that will continue to make us stronger together.
- In closing, as I use to say when I was a principal at Chula Vista Middle and Montgomery High, with something to think about, this is Dr. Janney, make it a great day or not, the choice is yours!