SAUSD E-Blast for January 12 , 2018
The weekly e-blast is designed to keep the Santa Ana Unified School District Community informed of district and educational information, recognitions, opportunities, and resources.  Please feel free to share with others  who  are not on the SAUSD distribution list.
SAUSD CELEBRATES 130 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN 2018 
  
The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is celebrating 130 years of educational excellence in 2018. To mark the milestone, the district invites the community to a kickoff event from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, January 12, 2018 at Plaza Calle Cuatro, 325 E. Fourth St. in Santa Ana. Parents, business and community partners, and staff will celebrate SAUSD with a program that includes student entertainment and provides information on the history of the district. SAUSD was founded in 1888.
2018 CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED      
  
With balloon bouquets in hand, Superintendent Dr. Stefanie Phillips and a delegation of district leaders recognized 2018 Classified School Employees of the Year - Elizabeth Carrillo, Gilbert Ceniceros, Pilar Sanchez, David Gonzalez and Cuca Fernandez - at their work sites on January 9, 2018. "They are exemplary employees who have impacted the lives of students in support roles," Dr. Phillips said in a new video about the honorees. To view it, click here. To read more, click here.  
SAUSD REPRESENTED IN
OC REGISTER'S 100 TOP INFLUENCERS LIST
  
Six Santa Ana residents are listed among the Orange County Register's 100 top influencers for 2017. SAUSD Board of Education President Valerie Amezcua, and SAUSD teacher Benjamin Vazquez are among them. Congratulations! Click here to read the article.  
Peterson, right, is shown here with Santiago Principal 
Norris Perez Jr. after winning a teaching award in 2016.
SANTIAGO TEACHER SELECTED TO TRAVEL TO NORMANDY FOR NATIONAL HISTORY DAY TRAINING 

Erik Peterson, a Social Studies teacher at Santiago Elementary School, is being honored with an elite opportunity to travel to Normandy, France as part of a National History Day training opportunity. Peterson and his former student, Aubree Lopez, have been accepted to the 2018 Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student and Teacher Institute. Lopez will embark on a year-long course of study that concludes with a journey to Normandy to honor a WWII "Silent Hero" who died during or after the Normandy Invasion; Peterson will also make the trek. They will join 14 other student and teacher teams from across the country. The National History Day program began at Santiago with one student and has now grown to include more than 90 students at the school this year.
SAUSD EDUCATORS BECOME GOOGLE CERTIFIED 
  
Stacy Kline, a teacher at Advanced Learning Academy, reports that SAUSD now has several new Google Certified Educators: Terri Verhagen, program specialist; Aimee Kungl, education specialist teacher at Century High School; and Alejandro Orozco and Monique Peña from Advanced Learning Academy Early College. "We held three classes in December, and even though we were thick in the holiday rush, 55 educators from all fields came to our three trainings and several were willing to sit through the rigorous three-hour exam on the last day," she said.
SAUSD-TV RELEASES NEW VIDEOS FEATURING SCHOOL AND DISTRICT EVENTS
  
The SAUSD-TV crew has been hard at work this winter, attending school and district events and producing new videos about them. Visit our Vimeo page here and watch local cable Channel 31 daily to catch these new shows about, among other topics, SAUSD's recent Father Daughter dance and Student Leadership Conference, the Battle of the Books at Garfield Elementary, a shoe giveaway at Franklin Elementary, Pio Pico Elementary's gift exchange and much more.
BOARD HIGHLIGHTS 
  
The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at 6:00 p.m.  

Members of the SAUSD Board of Education 

Valerie Amezcua, President
Rigo Rodriguez, Ph.D., Vice President
Alfonso Alvarez, Ed.D., Clerk
Cecilia "Ceci" Iglesias, Member
John Palacio, Member  

Stefanie P. Phillips, Ed.D., Superintendent

APPLY FOR MINI GRANTS FROM THE SANTA ANA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION   
  
Each year, the Santa Ana Public Schools Foundation offers mini grants to Santa Ana Unified School District educators to support innovative projects for students and to provide special opportunities for which no other funding exists, with the goal of enhancing achievement. Examples include: instructional projects, classroom equipment, special events or activities for students, specialized classroom supplies. Due date is Friday, January 19, 2018. Don't miss out on applying for one of these grants. Applications are available on the SAPSF website here.
READ THE NEW EDITION OF THE SANTA ANA PARTNERSHIP NEWSLETTER  
  
The Santa Ana Partnership Winter 2018 Newsletter is now available online! The newsletter is a product of a joint partnership that SAUSD has with Santa Ana College, Cal State University Fullerton, and UC Irvine. The newsletter features district students and the programs and resources that are provided to help them progress to college and graduation. To read it, click here.
SANTA ANA POLICE ATHLETIC AND ACTIVITY LEAGUE HOSTS ANNUAL FAMILY HOLIDAY PARTY
    
The Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League (SAPAAL) recently hosted its annual family holiday party for 2017. The police athletic league provides after-school programs for more than 200 community youths and their families, including SAUSD students from Walker and Jackson elementary schools. SAPAAL offers after-school homework tutoring, educational career goals, physical activities and local outings. To read more about the party, click here.
ROTARY DONATES BLANKETS TO REACH ACADEMY STUDENTS 
  
REACH Academy students received a holiday surprise right before the start of winter break when the Rotary Club of Santa Ana donated warm blankets to them during a pizza party on campus. Representatives of SAUSD and the Rancho Santiago Community College District were also on hand for the festive celebration. 
UPCOMING EVENTS 
EDUCATIONAL NIGHT FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS 
    
RSVP for the following January 18, 2018 event at Saddleback High School by clicking here.
SEND US YOUR NEWS
Your school news is important to us! To have your items considered for inclusion in our weekly eBlast and/or via other District media channels, please submit items to theresa.cisneros@sausd.us by 5 p.m. Wednesdays for possible publication the following week. Due to space limitations, we may not be able to publish every item but will make every effort to share your news with the SAUSD community.
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Like our District Facebook page to ensure that our photos and videos appear in your news feed. Please visit the district Facebook page at Santa Ana Unified School District, Superintendent Phillips page at   SAUSD Superintendent, the Educational Services page at SAUSD Teaching and Learning, the SAUSD Business Services Page, and the Santa Ana School Police Department, and click like on all five pages.


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