Superintendent's Message
I hope you and your family are having a wonderful Fall Break! School resumes on Monday, October 2 and we look forward to welcoming students back to our campuses.
In light of the recent announcement regarding the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), I wanted to take a moment to let you know that, despite the decision, South Bay will continue welcoming and celebrating all students, regardless of immigration status. On February 23, our Board of Trustees adopted Resolution 17-002 reaffirming South Bay's values of peace, tolerance, and respect for multiple perspectives. Our team could not be more committed to creating welcoming and supportive environments for every child and their family.
As educators, our primary focus has always been to educate students in order to put them on a path for long-term success. On behalf of our Board, our teachers and staff, we want you to know that we are here to support all of you. We will always provide a safe, positive place for students to learn and grow.
Thank you for your partnership. Together, we will continue our work to ensure that every student can have the bright and successful future that they deserve.
 Sincerely,
Katie McNamara
Katie McNamara, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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Breakfast News
 At South Bay, we are committed to providing students the nutrition and energy they need to become successful learners.
Breakfast
is, without a doubt, the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. Their mood and energy can drop by mid-morning if they do not eat at least a small morning meal. Children that eat breakfast are more likely to:
- Feel better, be more alert, and ready to learn.
- Have better concentration and participate in class.
- Remember more of what they have learned.
- Improve their problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination.
- Have more strength and endurance to engage in physical activity.
South Bay offers students free breakfast every day. Our menus are carefully planned to provide a balanced and nutritious meal, including various whole-grain entrees, fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, and fat-free milk. We hope you will encourage your children to participate and eat with us!
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School Highlight - Emory
 In September, students in Ms. Perkins', Ms. Pehrson's and Mr. Kinnamon's classrooms dressed up as characters from their favorite stories in a Living Library event.
Students in the 4th and 5th grades shared details about their stories and brought the characters to life for younger readers. There were 101 Dalmatians roaming the campus, a visit from the Cat in the Hat, a hammerhead shark swimming by, Willy Wonka, and much more.
 One Kindergarten student said that she loved meeting Little Red Riding Hood because it is a story that she has read at home with her family.
A first grade student exclaimed that he couldn't wait to read a book about Captain Underpants.
The event was held to celebrate the completion of the Interpreting Characters unit from the Teacher's College Units of Study for Reading.
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School Highlight - VIP Village
 On August 29, VIP Village hosted their 14th Annual Family Reading Night. Over 300 families attended the event, many in pajamas to hear guest readers bring literature to life. All children received a free book to take home courtesy of the
Reading is Fun (RIF) Program .
 The highlight of the night, was the chance to meet and take photos with Pete the Cat, the main character in the series of books by James and Kimberly Dean.
A special thanks to our guest readers: Trustees Melanie Ellsworth and Barbara Elliott-Sanders, Aracelli Espinola-Navarro, Estela Felix, Karen Matsuda, Sonia Sandoval, Kris Stringer, and Kelly Sullivan. The star of the event was Kai Ruiz, a recent Mar Vista graduate and VIP Village alumni, who played the role of Pete. A special thanks to Candace Reese and Marina Vazquez for organizing the event.
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Build the Habit of Good Attendance
 Parents and educators have a key role in student success, and it all starts with teaching, building, and supporting good life habits. Good habits:
- Start early and last a lifetime.
- Become second nature through regular practice.
- Are a part of the learning process.
- Make us more productive and effective.
- Are the basis to success.
- Are powerful.
One of the most important life habits we can instill in children is attendance, or "showing up." Showing up is more than just attending school; it is a commitment, and it
represents responsibility. It's showing up to school as well as being present and engaged.
Like you, we care about your children's education and about their future. You have big dreams for your child and we share those dreams. Here's why attendance is so important for success:
- Attendance is the number one predictor of dropout and graduation rates.
- Attendance and GPA are the biggest indicators and influences of college and career readiness.
- More than half of future dropouts can be predicted by sixth grade, based on attendance and failure in English and mathematics.
- Students who miss ten or more days of school are 20% less likely to graduate from high school.
- Students who miss school at an early age are more likely to struggle academically and, in later years, to drop out entirely.
- Students who miss ten or more days of school are 25% less likely to enroll in college.
Thank you for your support of attendance and ensuring your child is at school, on time, every day!
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Computers 2 San Diego Kids
Affordable Technology for Families
 South Bay partners with Computers 2 San Diego Kids (C2C), which is a non-profit organization that assists qualified children and their families to obtain computers, software, and Internet access at reasonable costs. Students benefit by having documents they created at school electronically accessible from home and are able to communicate and collaborate with their classmates via the Internet regarding assignments. Ultimately, sharing their daily learning between home and school.
The District will host a distribution event on Thursday, November 9 from 2:00-3:30 at the Bayside STEAM Academy (490 Emory Street in Imperial Beach). Applications may be completed online or printed and submitted to your school office. Applications are due no later than Monday, November 6.
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South Bay PTA Council
Upcoming Events
 The South Bay PTA Council would like to thank Superintendent Katie McNamara for supporting South Bay PTAs by becoming a member at every school! Please follow her lead and be sure to join the PTA at your school. Together we are a stronger voice for children!
The PTA Council has been busy raising funds to support the Unity Games planned for spring 2018. South Bay Padres Day on September 24 was just the first of our fundraising events. Watch for other opportunities to help sponsor the Unity Games!
Please consider supporting the Jersey Mike's Book Drive during the month of October. Your new or gently used books will help get books into the hands of children.
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SBUSD Education Foundation
Upcoming Events
 The SBUSD Education Foundation is kicking off October with the Stars Under the Stars Roaring Twenties Gala! We encourage you to dress up and get on the dance floor. The event will include a gourmet buffet dinner, donated opportunity baskets from sponsors and district departments, and of course, honor stars that have positively impacted the Foundation over the years. The site with the highest attendance will receive five free opportunity tickets for each site member at the gala. What a great way to get creative, be a little competitive, and celebrate. You may access the registration flyer here. We are looking forward to a
fun event for all!
- Saturday, October 14, 2017
- Reception and Hor'douvres - 6:00
- Dinner - 7:00
- Awards - 8:00
- Dancing - 8:30-10:00
- Chula Vista Golf Course (4475 Bonita Road in Bonita)
- Gourmet Buffet Dinner
- Live Music by Cold War Kids and vocalist/pianist Matthew Schwartz
- Dancing by djscotyd
- Opportunity drawing for lovely baskets
- Roaring 20's costumes or attire suggested
- Ticket price: $40.00 per person
- Reservation must be received by Friday, October 6, 2017
We know attending meetings is not easy with busy schedules, but if you can help share news and events, maybe do a translation of some of our materials or even just drop off information at a school, we would greatly appreciate each and every contribution. We are a group of fun folks from our very own schools and our community. Meet new people who work together to positively impact our students!
Contact SBUSD Education Foundation
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Important Dates
October 2 - School Resumes (Minimum Day)
October 12 - School Board Meeting
October 27 - Report Cards
November 9 - School Board Meeting
November 10 - Veteran's Day Observance (No School)
November 20-24 - Thanksgiving Break
December 7 - School Board Meeting
December 18-January 5 - Winter Break
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