A message from the Superintendent
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Why is the state capitol in Sacramento pictured in our district's newsletter this month? Because, like many districts in California, our eyes are on the new governor, the legislature and funding for education. As of last week, the outlook is positive. Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a budget that puts an emphasis on education. Highlights include: keeping the commitments already made for the Local Control Funding Formula, adding special education grant money to invest in the neediest students in our state, and spending one-time dollars to mitigate the impact of the rising costs of pension liabilities on school districts.
We are one of hundreds of California school districts - including Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego - in which the costs of pensions, health care and special education are increasing much faster than the money we receive from the state, our main source of funding. Even in this booming economy. Yes, California has increased education funding over the last few years, but not enough to keep up with school districts' bills.
The next big indicator about funding for our school district is the governor's revised budget, which will be released in May. Our district's budget advisory committee - made up of students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members - will continue to meet regularly to evaluate staffing, programs and services to find areas to reduce spending because we are still in a structural deficit. We will all keep an eye on Sacramento, and I will keep you updated as the legislature works with the governor to approve a budget in June.
Diann Kitamura
Superintendent
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Reminder:
No School January 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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Kindergarten registration/Charter school application
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KINDERGARTEN:
Online registration for next year's (2019-20) kindergarten class began on January 15. We have the traditional, one-year kindergarten and also a two-year Kinder Academy. To learn more or to begin the enrollment process, visit the
Kindergarten Enrollment web page
. NOTE: Online registration requires a tablet or computer, and cannot be completed on a smart phone. Google's Chrome browser works best; Internet Explorer will not work to register. Some parts of the process may need to be completed in-person at your school.
CHARTER SCHOOLS:
Although students register or “enroll” in traditional school, they must “apply” for a lottery if they are interested in a charter school. Charter school lottery applications for all grades will be accepted from January 15 - February 15, 2019. To fill out the online Lottery Application for a charter school, go to the
Charter Schools web page
, click on the school you are interested in, and scroll to that school's Lottery Application link.
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New! Extended hours at College & Career Centers
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Our high schools’ College and Career Centers will be open for extended hours this semester. Students and families are welcome to visit their site’s College and Career Center to learn about a-g college entrance requirements, access Naviance (a FREE online resource to support college and career exploration and planning), get additional assistance with preparing for post-secondary opportunities, and receive support with securing financial aid – which is key to college enrollment.
Please visit the College and Career Center or contact the College and Career Counselor at your site to make an appointment to take advantage of this
FREE
resource:
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Have you updated your school contact info?
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Do you have any old school phone numbers in the contacts section of your phone? Our old school phone numbers from last year no longer forward to the new ones. Use the link below to find numbers for our schools. District office numbers can also be found on our website,
srcschools.org
, and many include extensions. TIP: If you would like to set up your phone to automatically dial an extension, enter the phone number into your contacts and tap and hold the * key until you are able to select a comma (,) or "pause". After the comma, add the extension and then save the number into your contacts.
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Summer STEM program for 8th graders
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Registration is now open for the Mike Hauser Academy, a three-week math and science summer program for students heading into 9th grade. Students
visit local companies, interact with engineers and professionals, and explore how they use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as part of their job. All 8th graders are welcome to apply, including English language learners and students who need support in math and science. The Academy is free, with lunch and transportation provided. Find more info and a registration form on the
Mike Hauser Academy web page
.
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Negotiations Update web page
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Santa Rosa City Schools and the Santa Rosa Teachers Association (SRTA) are currently bargaining over some of the articles in their contract, such as wages and salaries, and class sizes. You can find regular updates on the
Negotiations Update web page
, which includes answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Bargaining.
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Jan. 22: High school science pathways meeting
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High school science classes are changing to meet California’s new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). What does this mean for your student? There will be a science pathways meeting on January 22, 2019. To learn more, click on the link below.
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Computer Science Immersion at Biella Elementary
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Santa Rosa City Schools has just launched a computer science immersion program at Albert F. Biella Elementary, through which students will be able to develop 21st-century digital literacy skills, including coding. The program, in partnership with Code To The Future, will move into all of the school's classrooms next school year. "Biella Elementary is the starting point. Our goal is for computer science, through coding skills, to eventually be integrated into all of our schools,” said Anna-Maria Guzman, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning. In September 2018, the California Board of Education adopted the state’s first-ever computer science standards. The standards are designed to help students move from being passive users of technology to becoming creators and innovators who interact with computers and solve the difficult problems of the future. A state plan to implement the standards is expected to be approved in March.
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California League of Schools Award
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Cimberlee Case from Ridgway High (seen here with her family) was named California League of Schools Educator of the Year at the high school level for Region 1, which stretches from Sonoma County up to the Oregon border! Ms. Case is a social studies teacher who also advises students, coaches basketball, helps run a school reading/book club, supports other educators... and more. She's quickly become beloved and invaluable at Ridgway. Congratulations, Ms. Case!
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For more news, follow us on social media:
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@SRCSchools #SRCStogether #madeinsantarosa
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Santa Rosa City Schools
211 Ridgway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-890-3800
communication@srcs.k12.ca.us
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