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Come celebrate San Diego County teachers! There is less than one week left until the 29th annual Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers sponsored by San Diego County Credit Union. The Academy Awards-style extravaganza will take place Sept. 7, live from the Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego.

 

Get your tickets online at the San Diego Theaters website, by calling the Balboa Theatre box office at 570-1100 (all San Diego area codes), or at the Advance Sales Window at Third Avenue and B Street. Ticket price is $15.50 (plus additional fees for online and phone purchases).

 

Visit the SDCOE Salute to Teachers page for more information and to see a list of this year's nominees. 

Learn all about Cuyamaca Outdoor School, home of San Diego County's original 6th Grade Camp, at the school's annual open house Sept. 7 in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

Students, parents, teachers, principals, alumni, and anyone interested in outdoor education are invited to spend the day connecting with nature. Visitors can tour the campus, participate in hands-on science activities, try rock climbing, and more.

The open house is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school, located off of Highway 79, north of Descanso. View the event flyer for additional details and directions.

The Fleet Science Center's Picture Book Science workshop series encourages teachers to integrate reading and science in an engaging way. Each workshop pairs a grade-appropriate picture book with a hands-on and inquiry-driven science investigation that can be easily replicated in the classroom.

The next session, Strange Animals and Engineering, will take place Sept. 10, 11, and 12 in three San Diego County Barnes & Noble locations: Mira Mesa, Santee, and Otay Ranch. There is no registration fee. Visit the registration site for details and to sign up.

Students in San Diego County now have more affordable transit options. As of Sept. 1, youth passes for the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) are $23 per month (down from $36). Additionally, a new youth day pass option is available for just $3.

Youth passes are available for students ages 6 to 18 (children 5 and under ride free). A school ID, transit identification, or government-issued photo ID is required to purchase and use a discount pass.

Students can get Youth Compass Cards at the MTS Transit Store (downtown San Diego), NCTD Customer Service Centers (Escondido, Oceanside, and Vista), and at all Albertsons and select Vons stores in San Diego County. The passes will also be available on the Compass Cloud mobile ticketing app (additional eligibility requirements apply).

Download flyers in English and Spanish to help spread the word. Visit the MTS website for complete details.

September is National Preparedness Month. Take advantage of the disaster curriculum developed by the San Diego Office of Emergency Services (OES) in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education. The Be Aware, Be Prepared curriculum is a no-cost unit for students in fourth grade.

 

Visit the Ready San Diego website to learn more and see the curriculum content. Email [email protected] for more information. 

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day is Sept. 21. Participating museums and cultural institutions will provide free admission to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket.

One ticket can be downloaded per email address and each ticket provides general admission for the ticket holder plus one guest. Visit the Smithsonian website for more information and a list of participating museums.

San Diego Museum Council Kids Free in October

Throughout the month of October, kids 12 and younger can get in free to more than 40 participating museums across the county with a paid adult. 

 

There's a limit of two free children's admissions for each adult. Visit the San Diego Museum Council website to register for and download the kids free coupon, which will be available soon.

San Diego Ag in the Classroom is proud to present its 7th Annual Teacher Resource Fair, also known as the Food and Flower Happy Hour -- a quick, fun, and free event all for educators!

Whether it’s through a school garden, a field trip, or an engaging classroom presentation or project, agricultural issues bring STEM to life and make for relevant and real-world education.

This year's event, from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at Del Mar Fairgrounds, will have special emphasis on the interactions between agriculture and the environment, especially climate change. Learn about carbon farming and the greenhouse effect, as well as composting, protecting native pollinators, watershed management, and more.

Local farmers and nonprofit organizations will be on hand to share resources for school gardens, agriculture, and/or environmental education. Locally grown food and beverages will be served. 

For more information and to register for this event, visit www.sdaitc.org. Download an event flyer. The deadline to register is Sept. 29. 

San Diego County's high school Associated Student Body (ASB) organizations are invited to participate in the 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Food Drive Challenge. Donations collected will help the San Diego Food Bank provide nourishment for community members in need. 

 

Your high school's food drive can occur anytime between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31 for a period of two weeks. The six schools with most pounds of food donated will win a cash donation to their ASB fund. Additionally, awards will be presented to their ASB presidents at the Washington-Lincoln Laurels for Leaders luncheon next February at SDSU. 

 

View the event flyer for more information or email Kimberly Castillo.

There are several opportunities this school year to take in an Aztecs game with your colleagues or students!

Extra Yard for Teachers Football Game

As part of the College Football Playoff Foundation's national Extra Yard for Teachers promotion, San Diego State University (SDSU) invites all teachers to the Sept. 21 Aztecs home football game vs. Utah State at 7:30 p.m.

San Diego County teachers can purchase a discounted ticket for $20 through the Aztecs ticketing website by using the promo code TEACH. All teachers who purchase a ticket will also receive a free T-shirt (one per teacher). T-shirts can be picked up at Aztec Village in lots C1/D1 in SDCCU Stadium before the game. View the event flyer.

The San Diego County 2020 Teachers of the Year will also be recognized at this game. Come cheer on the Aztecs as they celebrate all teachers!

Save the Date for Women's Basketball

Save the dates now for these upcoming women's basketball games and events for students and school groups:

• Nov. 14 - Field Trip Day, Aztecs vs. Alabama A&M at 11 a.m.

• Jan. 29 - Field Trip Day, Aztecs vs. New Mexico at 11 a.m. 

• Feb. 8 - Girls and Women in Sports Day, Aztecs vs. Air Force at 1 p.m.

Through a partnership between SDSU Athletics and the San Diego County Office of Education, free tickets will be available for students, teachers, and chaperones to attend these games. More information about requesting tickets for specific dates will be available next month.

Schools are responsible for their own transportation. Game tickets are free for K-8 students and their teachers and chaperones. High school students are welcome but cannot receive free tickets, as per NCAA recruiting rules.

The FBI's Safe Online Surfing (SOS) program promotes digital citizenship by educating students in grades 3 to 8 on the essentials of online security. Students play interactive, grade-level games that teach them about online safety.

For teachers, the program provides a ready-made curriculum that meets state and federal internet safety mandates, including online testing, and a competition at the national level to encourage learning and participation.

Learn more by visiting the FBI SOS webpage, consulting this Google doc that offers a general overview of the SOS program, or by contacting FBI Community Outreach Specialist Erika Bonilla.

Chargers Champions Grant

For over two decades, the Chargers Champions program has been providing grants to students, educators, and schools, awarding more than $6 million in grants and funding since its inception. 

 

For the 2019-20 school year, the Chargers Champions School Grant Program is again providing funds to schools in San Diego and Imperial counties for physical fitness, nutrition, and athletic programs. High schools can apply for grants of up to $70,000, middle schools up to $40,000, and elementary schools up to $30,000. 

 

Visit the Chargers Champions webpage for more details and to download the grant application. The deadline to apply is Oct. 4.

North Island Credit Union Teacher Grant

North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union, invites all San Diego area teachers who have a class project idea to apply for a grant through its biannual Teacher Grant Program. 

Any full-time classroom teacher in San Diego County who is looking to fund an innovative classroom learning opportunity can apply. The project should have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students’ academic needs, display creativity, and benefit a significant number of students.

Ten grants of $500 each will be awarded in November. Visit ccu.com/teachergrant for more details and to download the application. The deadline to apply is Oct. 18.

BBB Ambassador Scholarship

Through the Better Business Bureau's (BBB) Ambassador Scholarship program, students can win scholarships between $1,000 and $2,500 for delivering presentations to their peers with tips and resources for navigating topics such as credit, rentals, loans, and employment scams as they near college and beyond. Each ambassador or team needs to deliver a minimum of three presentations to groups of any size organized through school or other extracurriculars. The application deadline is Oct. 31. For more information and to apply, visit the BBB scholarships page. 

USD's Character Development Center Essay Contest

The University of San Diego's Character Development Center announces the fifth annual Fall Essay Contest sponsored by The Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and the Character Education Resource Center.  

 

This year's theme, Who is Your Hero?, asks students in grades 6 to 12 to reflect on the core values of the U.S. Marine Corps and our society by exploring what the virtues of honor, courage, and commitment mean in their own lives. Cash prizes are awarded to first through third place winners, and teachers of winning students receive a cash award as well.

 

The essay contest opens Sept. 9 and all entries must be received by Nov. 11. Visit the contest page at flyingleathernecks.org for more details.

Teacher and Student Recognition and Incentive Programs

For more information about the programs below, and to submit nominations, visit the San Diego County Office of Education Celebrate School Stars webpage.

Class Acts 

Nominate a deserving teacher to win $200 to use on supplies or classroom projects. Radio station Jam’n 95.7 and Mission Federal Credit Union visit a classroom every Tuesday throughout the school year with great prizes and a fun time. Self-nominations are accepted.

NBC San Diego Inspirational Student and Teacher of the Month 

SDCOE and NBC 7 San Diego are looking for inspirational students and teachers who are outstanding individuals on campus and within their community. Surprise a stellar junior or senior student or a dedicated educator with a visit from NBC 7 for a segment on a weekday newscast recognizing what makes them special.

Teachers are Heroes 

Nominate a K-5 teacher who goes above and beyond for their students with a surprise recognition and award for the teacher and their whole class. Self-nominations are not accepted.

USD Torero Achievement Club 

Teachers of grades 3 through 8 can take their class or some star students on a campus tour of the University of San Diego followed by a Torero home game, including a voucher for concessions.

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What's Happening is a monthly publication from the San Diego County Office of Education that highlights free and low-cost enrichment opportunities for San Diego County students, teachers, and schools. 

Have feedback on What's Happening? Email the San Diego County Office of Education Communications department: [email protected] 

858-292-3500 | www.sdcoe.net

Our Mission

The mission of the San Diego County Office of Education is inspiring and leading innovation in education.