January 29, 2018
IN THIS ISSUE
UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb. 3
Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27
Feb. 12
Abraham Lincoln Day - NO SCHOOL
Feb. 19
Presidents' Day - NO SCHOOL
Feb. 21
Feb. 28 &  Mar. 7, 14, 21 and 28
SUSD Superintendent Search
REQUEST FOR COMMUNITY INPUT
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Franklin High School Auditorium
4600 E. Fremont Street, Stockton CA. 95215

SUBJECT: NEW SUPERINTENDENT

The Board of Trustees of Stockton Unified School District will select a new district superintendent in the near future. Dr. Sally Frazier, Mr. Eric Andrew, and Mr. Juan Garza of Leadership Associates were selected to advise the Board in this important process. They will be in our district on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 to conduct several input sessions with various groups within our district's community. Community input about the desired characteristics to be used in recruiting and selecting this person is desired.

Learn more about the forum on our website: 
http://bit.ly/2DER3sN.
Chronic Absenteeism Hurts Achievement
The schools in Stockton Unified are experiencing significant absenteeism among students.  Last year the rate of absenteeism among school districts statewide was 10 percent. For Stockton Unified it was 18 percent.

That is not acceptable. Please do what you can to make sure your student comes to school every day, is not late to class and is not incorrectly reported missing. Students should not be missing school unless they are ill and have a medical excuse or have another school responsibility that is excused by the school.

These absences translate into a serious loss of instruction: It takes a student at least two days to make up for the loss of one class. And it destroys student connectivity and engagement at school, important factors when it comes to academic success and student happiness.

Chronic absenteeism includes all days missing from class, whether the result of truancy or includes a parent note. Please help us provide your student with the best education possible and that starts by being in class, prepared, every day. Talk to your principal if there is an issue preventing your child from attending each day.

PARENT  TIP
End the 'Great
Paper Chase' With
a Bulletin Board
Does your family have a hard time keeping track of the notes, flyers, calendars and other information from school, work and elsewhere?

Here's a solution that will help keep everyone informed:

Put up a large "Daily Planner" bulletin board in a central location in your home. Divide it into categories, such as School, Weekends, Dance, Soccer, Scouts, Other. Each family member should tack their notes and reminders in the appropriate section.

Then whenever you need to find something, you can do so in one place with one glance.
PHOTO GALLERIES
Franklin High School CTE Day


Franklin High hosted a CTE Day for their students on Jan. 24. Students explored the many different programs the school offers, including computer coding, engineering, theater arts and more!

Weber Pancake Breakfast


Outstanding work by Weber students who put on a pancake breakfast for the homeless last weekend. The students arrived before light to start the grills. As families began arriving they were seated and fed. Along with a great breakfast they received blankets, person hygiene items and even dog food if needed. Big thanks to Weber for sharing with the community!

Applications for Specialty Schools Due February 2, 2018
Several hundred parents and students got a chance to take a look at SUSD's specialty schools and programs during the annual fair on Saturday at San Joaquin Delta College. The event featured more than a dozen different schools and numerous specialized, college or career-oriented programs.

The fair gave families a close look at the programs and an opportunity to talk to students, teachers and principals about their areas of interest. SUSD has maintained some longtime successful specialty schools, such as Kohl Open School, Fremont Arts, or Commodore Stockton Skills, and added new ones, including Health Careers Academy, Pacific Law Academy and Primary Years Academy.

The district offers a diverse set of specialized programs, such as MESA, dual immersion language, automotive services, media arts and STEM, AVID and public safety. New programs are added as need becomes clear. This year students can consider residential and commercial construction and woodworking or theater production and stagecraft in the high schools.

SUSD is proud to offer high school career pathways aimed at helping students become career ready upon graduation as well as academic programs that will help students get into college.

For more information GO HERE. Remember, the schools are now offering tours of their offerings to prospective students. Consider calling the school of interest, taking a tour and then filling out the application, which is due February 2 for the priority lottery drawing.

All student applications received during the priority period, which is January 21-February 2, will be placed in a random selection computer program for processing. A lottery will be held in the SUSD boardroom on February 23 to establish lists used to determine placement into each program.

Selection is determined by the lottery, with preference given to siblings already enrolled in the program and other school-specific requirements. Kindergarten placement is based on available space, the lottery, with sibling preference and other factors taken into consideration.

Parents of kindergarteners will receive a letter from the Specialty Schools Office in March. Students in all other grades will receive letters in April or May.

Click here for the application form >

Click here to view photos from the Specialty Schools Fair >
Mid-year Graduation Honors Students

Congratulations to SUSD's mid-year graduates, who were honored with a special ceremony on Friday night at Chavez High School. The annual event was started last year as a way of encouraging and recognizing the hard work of students who face barriers to finishing high school.

More than 50 high school seniors who were just short of graduating with their classes last June completed enough units for their high school diploma over the fall.  Nearly half of the students were from Jane Frederick High School, which offers a specialized program in a small setting for students at risk of dropping out.

Jane Frederick graduate Ariana Fraga testified to the difficulty she had finishing high school during her moving speech: She quit school many times due to such significant obstacles as homelessness. "But tonight I am here and I want to thank so many people who made this possible," she said. "Graduating is the biggest moment of my life."

Fraga credited Jane Frederick Principal Chris Anderson and her counselors for supporting her and the second chances that enabled her to get on track after many, many missteps.

The midyear graduation event filled the Chavez Theater with family and friends. Acting Superintendent Dan Wright urged the students to be proud of their accomplishment, noting now they have learned the importance of perseverance. "Perseverance, perseverance, perseverance," Wright said. "You never give up. And look what happens."

For more information about what steps to take to earn a high school diploma when you are behind in credits, talk to your high school counselor.



Join SUSD's Planning for Our 2019 LCAP!
Stockton Unified staff and stakeholders are working on the 2019 Local Control Accountability Plan now. We want to hear from you!

The LCAP includes funding to improve achievement for our low income, English learner and foster students. The funding is aligned to steps the district takes to raise academic achievement among students identified in those groups, so you can see how important this is.

Please consider attending one of our community meetings, planned for Feb. 8, Feb. 13, Feb. 15, Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 at different school sites. GO HERE to the LCAP calendar for times and addresses. Community input has helped steer the SUSD LCAP for the past four years and this year should be no exception.

In addition to the community meetings, we have a number of stakeholder meetings planned to include teachers, administrators, classified staff, the labor unions, and others. Those meetings are also announced on the LCAP web page linked above.

Input gleaned at these meetings and through surveys of parents, students and staff/community members inform LCAP spending. The new LCAP survey will be posted on the website home page on LCAP page on Feb. 1 in English and Spanish. Please take a few moments to complete the appropriate survey for you.

Thank you for participating in the 2019 LCAP. Your voice matters and will be heard. Questions about dates or the survey? Call the Community Relations Office at 933-7025.

Bone Marrow Drive for Walton Psychologist

Join the SUSD team for a bone marrow drive to support Walton Special Center psychologist Sarah Hendricks, 39, and others in critical need of bone marrow transplants.

Hendricks earned her Ph.D. from the University of the Pacific and is a wife and mother. She is suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Walton Special Center is hosting this screening to help Hendricks and others. You can join the national registry for bone marrow by attending the drive and signing up as a donor. By signing and doing a quick and easy cheek swab, you could potentially help save a life.

The drive will be held on January 30 from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Walton Special Center, 4131 Crown Ave., Stockton. For more information call Walton Principal Tom Whitesides at 933-7315.
Scholarships
Seniors: It is time to begin applying for free college money! Visit the SUSD College & Scholarship Resources webpage to find a list of wonderful resources and scholarships that will help cover the cost of your education. 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SUSD Parents Recognized

By: SUSD Parent/Community Empowerment Department
_______________________________

Congratulations to the 160 SUSD parents who completed one of the district's Parents Partnering for Student Success trainings over the fall. The parents were honored Friday during a special ceremony at Kennedy Elementary School, where guests heard from SUSD Board President Angela Phillips and Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs.

The event celebrated parent-school connections: Last fall the district's Parent Empowerment office led a series of training aimed at improving student outcomes in school. Among them:"Lets Do the Math," "Homework Study Skills," "Father Engagement," and "Realizing the Academic Dream (RAD)." The RAD training prepares parents to move their students through high school successfully and then into a college or higher education program.

The trainings will be offered again this spring and next fall. The idea is to help parents help their student navigate school successfully. Parent Advisory Committee President Selena Johnson thanked those who participated for their ongoing efforts to improve student achievement in SUSD and urged them to bring other parents along.

"We are all busy ... but this is so important," Johnson said. "These trainings helped me. I was not as prepared for my oldest child, but my youngest already knows where he is going ... college."

Mayor Tubbs urged parents to take advantage of his new Stockton Scholars program, in which SUSD graduates with a 2.0 Grade Point Average will, starting in 2019, receive $500 to $1,000 a year towards higher education or training in the trades.  

For more information about the trainings call the Parent Empowerment staff at 933-7470.
 
SUSD PD Gives Back to SUSD Families

By: Elizabeth Tomsich, Sr. Crime Scene Analyst in the SUSD Police Department
_______________________________

SUSD Police K-9 Officers Salin Chrim and Sam Bhardwaj wanted to give back to SUSD students and families this holiday season. In partnership with the Child Welfare and Attendance Officers Chrim and Bhardwaj adopted five families who are currently either homeless, living in cars, or transitioning from motel to motel. "There are a lot of children we see who are in need. We wanted to be there for our community, especially all the kids in our district," stated Officer Chrim. 

T he officers requested Christmas wish lists from each family, and worked to fulfill these holiday wishes through contributions from Department staff, friends, and local businesses. In addition, Chrim and Bhardwaj planned a Christmas Adopt-a-family dinner for December 22, 2017.  "We decided to make dinners for them besides giving them gifts. We wanted to make it personal for them--these are families we work for and kids that go to our schools," explained Officer Chrim. 

Organizations such as Target, Raley's, Stockton Back & Neck Pain, SmileLine Dentistry, McDonald's, Team K9, the Police Officers' Organization, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Second Harvest Food Bank contributed gift cards, toys, bicycles, dental care kits, food vouchers, non-perishable food items, and food to serve at the Adopt-a-family dinner. Family members of SUSD Police volunteered at the event, with Officer Bhardwaj's wife Daniele cooking dinner, and Officer Chrim's daughter Gabby and Officer Tela Martinez's daughter Genesis serving the food. 

"It's important to me to teach my own children how it feels to give back to people in need," said Officer Chrim, who grew up in Stockton as one of 8 children in a single parent family. "I can't say I know what these kids are going through, since we were lucky and always had housing, but I understand what it's like to grow up in a family where there's not enough to go around, and I'm not selfish--I can't ask for non-necessities when there are 8 of us, especially in light of the sacrifices my mom was already making to do the best she could for us." 

In addition, the officers partnered with the director of nursing operations for St. Joseph's Medical Hospital (SJMH) to provide these families "care packages" which included hygiene products and essential everyday personal items. As a continuation of this partnership, Officers Chrim and Bhardwaj assisted SJMH nurses in delivering over 100 "care packages" during December to residents at St. Mary's Hall on Lincoln Street. This is SUSD Police's first year hosting a Christmas Adopt-a-family dinner, thanks to the initiative of Chrim and Bhardwaj, who hope to continue and expand the event next year. As Officer Bhardwaj summarized "Providing students and families in our District a more memorable holiday experience is community policing at its best."
W ant your news in the next issue of SUSD Connects? Email your stories and events to the SUSD Connects team at  susdconnect@stocktonusd.net ! Due to space limitations, we may not be able to share all of the news we receive, but we will do our best to share it with as many people as possible. Thank you!