SAUSD E-Blast for the Week of March 29, 2019 
to April 5, 2019 
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.
REMINDER: SPRING RECESS APRIL 1-5, 2019

Spring Recess in the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is approaching! School will be out of session from Monday, April 1, 2019 to Friday, April 5, 2019. Classes will resume Monday, April 8, 2019. We wish all of our scholars a safe and relaxing break, and look forward to seeing everyone back in our classrooms ready to learn! 
SPEECH AND DEBATE STUDENTS MOVE ON TO STATE, NATIONAL COMPETITIONS 

SAUSD's national award-winning Speech and Debate program, which is supported by the Santa Ana Kiwanis, is in the midst of a busy awards season and is gearing up for its next round of competitions. Hundreds of students from across the District participated in the Speech and Debate District Championship on March 29 and 30, 2019, where State and National qualifiers were identified. To view photos, click here. To keep up with news out of this rapidly-growing program, visit the Santa Ana Unified Speech and Debate page on Facebook!
SAUSD HOLDS THIRD ANNUAL ROBOTICS CHALLENGE

About 150 SAUSD students from 10 schools participated in the Third Annual Robotics Challenge at Lathrop Intermediate on March 23, 2019. All together 48 teams competed in two categories of competitions: The Sumobot Challenge and The Clawbot Challenge. Teams included students from Spurgeon, Carr, Lathrop, McFadden, MacArthur Fundamental and Mendez Fundamental intermediate schools, Santiago K-8 Elementary, and Middle College, Segerstrom, and Santa Ana Valley high schools. McFadden's team, coached by teacher Norma Lomeli, took 1st place in The Clawbot Challenge, in which students had the option to modify their robots. Team Awesombot from Segerstrom took 2nd place and Carr 's team, Robot Destroyers, placed 3rd. In The Sumobot Challenge, Carr's team, coached by teacher Israel Martinez, took 1st place with Mendez team; Taco Destroyers took 2nd place and Lathrop's Team, Obey, placed 3rd. The overall District Champions were new contenders, Carr Intermediate. SAUSD's Career Technical Education has been working with schools across the District to help prepare students for STEM Careers. Competitions such as this help students develop real-life skills.
SAUSD STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM SANTA ANA ELKS  

Students from four SAUSD high schools were recently recognized during a Scholarship Awards Night ceremony hosted by Santa Ana Elks #794. Students from Saddleback, Godinez Fundamental, Middle College and Century high schools were honored in front of parents, Elks members, community members and other supporters for their academic feats and community service. To view photos from the event, and a list of winners, click here.
BOARD OF EDUCATION

The Board of Education met on March 26, 2019. The meeting began with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by Amanda Chhouk, Century High School student. 

During the meeting, the Board recognized: 
  • Elizabeth Rubin, a teacher at Martin Elementary School, as the Certificated Employee of the Month for March 2019. To watch a video about Rubin, click here.
  • Cecilia Belman, an activity monitor at Romero-Cruz Elementary School, as the Classified Employee of the Month for March 2019. To watch a video about Belman, click here
  • City Councilmember Juan Villegas for a $500 donation made toward the SAUSD Police Department Explorers Program, Post 490  

The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, April, 23, 2019, 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
John Palacio, Member

Stefanie P. Phillips, Ed.D., Superintendent
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS 'NO ONE EATS ALONE' EVENT

Century High School's Counseling Center recently joined the school's Centurion Buddies to organize their second annual  "No One Eats Alone @ CHS" event, a student-led lunchtime activity as part of the District's "We Care" campaign. The event emphasized the importance of friendship connection and inclusion. During the activity, student hosts led by Centurion Buddies President Monica Tavassoli hosted more than 50 students who would normally be alone during lunch time. Principal Jonathan Swanson, administrators, teachers, counselors, program and students leaders were present to engage students and to build relationships. "We are happy to be a part of this national activity which raises the awareness of the importance of reaching out and making all CHS students feel welcome," Swanson said.
STORYTELLER DAVID GONZALEZ VISITS SANTIAGO K-8 ELEMENTARY

The Barclay Theatre recently brought to SAUSD world-renown storyteller and artist David Gonzalez who presented his recent Barclay performance at an assembly for Santiago K-8 Elementary fourth and fifth grade students. He also led a storytelling workshop professional learning opportunity for District teachers called Rhythm, Rhyme and Repetition: A Recipe for Satisfying Storytelling. What an incredible opportunity for SAUSD students and teachers.

UPCOMING EVENTS 
THE AMAZING RACE: SANTA ANA UNIFIED EDITION  

Once again, A Healthier SAUSD is partnering with Feet First Entertainment to bring "The Amazing Race: Santa Ana Unified Edition" to SAUSD employees. The event runs from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Godinez Fundamental High School/Centennial Regional Park. Click here for details.
4TH ANNUAL EDUCATION & ETHNIC STUDIES SUMMIT AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY 

The 4th Annual Education & Ethnic Studies Summit, "Ethnic Studies Community Movements: From Resistance to Policy," is coming up from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Chapman University. The summit will explore the power of community and how to advance the Ethnic Studies movement toward sustained educational policy. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, click 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 PIOinfo@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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