SVUSD eNewsletter
March 10, 2023
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In this episode of SV Connects, you'll get an inside look into how students at MVHS are expressing themselves, solving creative problems, and learning effective communication through the process of creating art. |
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Gates Elementary 6th Graders Have a Blast
(and a Snowstorm!) at Camp
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Gates Elementary’s 6th grade students and teachers recently experienced an exciting adventure at camp in the San Bernardino Mountains - the largest winter storm in 30 years! Thanks to incredible teamwork between Principal Clearwater, Gates 6th grade teachers and parents, District leadership, and First Student Transportation, all students and staff were transported down the mountain and back to school safely amidst unprecedented snowfall and intermittently closed roads.
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THHS Wrestlers Place at CIF State |
Sophomore Kylee Golz became Trabuco Hills High School's first female wrestler to place at the CIF State Tournament in Bakersfield. In addition to placing 3rd in a challenging field at State, she also took 1st place at her Masters & CIF Individual tournaments. Senior Henry Sturn placed 4th at State after winning 1st place at his CIF and Masters wrestling tournaments as well. These two athletes give Trabuco Hills their first-ever dual place winners in a single year. Way to go Kylee and Henry!!!
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SVUSD Celebrates Inclusion Week |
March 6th-10th, SVUSD's twelve Unified Champion Schools participated in the global Spread the Word: Inclusion campaign. With the goal to spread inclusion awareness for students with and without disabilities across campuses, schools celebrated each others' similarities and differences all week long during Inclusion Week.
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La Paz Intermediate Student Receives
Wheelchair Accessible Van
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La Paz Intermediate student Anthony Sarkis and his family were recently gifted with a wheelchair accessible van by an organization called Muriel’s Angels. Always advocating for students, Principal Harville and her team recognized a need and submitted an application for their incredible student. You can read more about Anthony’s story by visiting the Muriel's Angels website.
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THHS Student Honored: Every Student Succeeding |
Nominated by Saddleback Valley Management Association (SVMTA) and SVUSD ACSA Board, THHS Student, Cruz Melendez, was honored at the ACSA Every Student Succeeding Awards on March 3, 2023. Cruz is an incredible model of resilience, perseverance and leadership. On May 24, 2022 Cruz was hit head-on and endured multiple injuries that left him fighting for his life. After a leg amputation and countless hours of PT, he was able to return to school and was accepted into NAU.
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Mission Viejo HS Students Receive Journalism Awards |
MVHS Journalism students write articles for the school newspaper The Diablo Dispatch and recently competed in the Orange County Journalism Education Association contest with 250 of the top high school journalists in Orange County. Two MVHS students placed in the top ten! Congratulations to Aubrey Bertino for placing 10th in Feature and Jim Marsoobian who placed 10th in Critical Review. Aubrey was also recently published in the LA Times for her excellent review of The Last of Us. Aubrey’s article made the cover!
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Lake Forest Elementary Opens "Dolphin Closet" |
Recognizing a great opportunity to serve the school community, Lake Forest Elementary office clerk, Mary Core, had an idea. With a grant from Home Depot to purchase clothing racks, a partnership with the PTO, and clean, gently used clothes donated by families, the Dolphin Closet was born. Twice a month, the Dolphin Closet is open for Lake Forest Elementary families to fill a bag or two with as much clothing as they want.
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Serrano's 7th Grade Probability Carnival |
The Serrano Math 7 Teachers (Tim Hersey, Sue Ho, Alexandra Anderson, Bobby Ray and Eric Silcock) engaged their students in the wonderful world of mathematics through a Probability Carnival. Students were able to apply their knowledge of what they learned in Trimester 2 through games. Before attending the "carnival," students calculated the theoretical probability of winning each game. The next day, students played the games to explore the experimental probability of winning. The top three students in each class won a prize for the most number of tickets earned.
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ETHS Boys Varsity Soccer Wins League |
Congratulations to El Toro High School Boys Varsity Soccer on being named Sea View League Champions! |
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MVHS Boys and Girls Track & Field |
Congratulations to Mission Viejo High School Boys and Girls Track and Field on winning the 2023 Earl Engman Sweepstakes Award.
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COVID-19 Update: New State Guidance
Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a proclamation ending the COVID-19 state of emergency and state health officials have announced updates to several public health orders. The latest guidelines from California Department of Public Health align with recent recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The relevant updates for schools are as follows:
Beginning March 13, 2023, a person who has tested positive for COVID -19 needs to isolate at home for five days (the day symptoms begin is considered day 0). They may end isolation after five days if they feel well, symptoms have improved, and they have been fever-free for 24 hours. A negative COVID-19 test is not required.
The recommendation to wear a mask when out in public for 10 full days continues; however, this can end sooner if they have two sequential negative COVID-19 tests at least one day apart.
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2023 - 2024 Transitional Kindergarten |
For the 2023-2024 school year, SVUSD offers Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for those children who will turn 5 years old between September 2, 2023 – April 2, 2024. Registration begins on March 20, 2023. Our program is a half day program with childcare available through TLC for those who need before or after-class child care. Please use the links below for additional information and registration. For students with Individualized Education Plans, please consult with your student’s IEP Team for TK placement.
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2023 - 2024 Kindergarten Registration |
Registration for SVUSD's full day Kindergarten program opens on Monday, March 20, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year. Registration will be conducted online and you will be able to register your child from the comfort of your own home! Childcare is available through TLC for those who may need before or after class child care. Click below for general registration information and assigned neighborhood school locator. For site-specific registration information, please visit your school’s website and view the “Enrollment” page under “About”.
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Ms. Sammie and Ms. Julie's Preschool Connection Class at Cordillera are hard at work learning their letters and numbers! Last week, children used sand trays—a tactile handwriting practice! |
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The Learning Connection (TLC) |
Registration for Spring Recess TLC is now open to all current TLC participants at select locations! April 3rd - 6th from 7:00am to 6:00pm. The week will include a variety of activities, games,
arts and crafts, a special event, plus an excursion to Pirates Dinner Adventure in Buena Park! To register, visit our website or click
the button below!
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Calling all future business and cybersecurity leaders! Through a partnership with Saddleback College, SVUSD is pleased to offer dual enrollment for students to earn a college level certificate in Business or Cybersecurity. During this 1-2 year program, students will complete a series of online courses through Saddleback College while also completing at least four classes at their SVUSD school. By the end of their senior year, students will have earned their SVUSD high school diploma, a certificate from Saddleback College, and transferable college credits. The program is open to all SVUSD high school students. The next cohort begins Fall 2023! To complete the interest form, visit ECP Interest Form
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SV Connects video series shows you the moments that connect us. SV Connects by focusing on equitable, intentional, and engaging practices which provide opportunities for each and every student to be successful. Click here to view SV Connects video series.
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San Joaquin
Hosts Career & College Week
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San Joaquin Elementary proudly hosted Career and College Week, merging aspects of SVUSD's vision of college and career readiness and the AVID Elementary program. They had the honor of hosting guests from the Sheriff's Department, the Marines, and an author, all of whom shared their college and career path taken to achieve their desired careers. A film crew from Filmtechnic USA, brought their stunt film car, complete with remote controlled UCRANE arm and camera. They explained that the four person crew has to work as a team and each has a specific role to play (2 Stunt Drivers, Arm Operator, and Camera Operator) in order to successfully film action motor vehicle scenes in movies and commercials. All students, from Kindergarten through sixth grade, were empowered to not only chat with the crew, but operate the arm and camera! |
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Principal for a Day Program Returns to SVUSD |
Making connections with our SVUSD community and forming partnerships to benefit our schools is an important part of being a school administrator. On February 23, 2023, local community and business leaders were invited to participate in Principal for a Day. Guests toured our schools and got an inside look at a day in the life of a principal, then gathered together for a luncheon at the District Office. Esperanza students greeted guests, created beautiful centerpieces for the tables, and hosted a coffee and iced-tea cart. SVUSD thanks SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Saddleback Valley Management Association, and Handel’s Homemade Ice-Cream in RSM for their generous support of this event. |
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SVUSD Student Advisory Council Meeting |
Facilitated by Student Board Member and LHHS student, Kaitlyn Heinecke, the Student Advisory Council met for a full-day of providing input to District leadership, networking with each other, and learning. Students from each SVUSD high school tackled topics important to them such as Facilities, Safety, Tech, School Funding, Career Technical Education, Mental Health, Food Services, and LCAP. Students also got to know Superintendent Dr. Crystal Turner, as well as worked in collaborative groups to plan a District-wide philanthropic project supporting the Student Marketplace. |
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National Merit Scholarship Finalists |
Three SVUSD seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship FINALISTS! Congratulations to these amazing scholars:
- Jonathan Chi, El Toro High School
- Clair Stuvland, Trabuco Hills High School
- Harika Amineni, Trabuco Hills High School (not pictured)
In addition, Mission Viejo High School students, Justin Leonard and Jeremy Li, received Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.
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Valencia Elementary School's
Night of Giving
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On February 16th, Valencia held their 2nd Annual Night of Giving in the Grove. The event, held during Valencia’s Kindness Week, was an opportunity for families to participate in different stations benefiting eight different local charitable organizations. The event was sponsored and run by Valencia’s Kindness Club. Board Trustee Amanda Morrell joined Valencia families for this wonderful evening. Our Valencia students and families created the following items: 44 foster youth backpacks, 105 Blessing Bags for the homeless, 91 placements and 36 cards for Meals on Wheels, 82 NEGU (Never Ever Give Up) cards, 13 YANA (You Are Not Alone) tied fleece blankets, 76 Sensory Jars for Gigi’s Playhouse, 32 dog toys and 46 bandanas for Pet Project Foundation, and countless Kindness Rocks for the school Kindness ROCKs Garden! |
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Anaheim Ducks Educator Appreciation Night |
The Anaheim Ducks invite all members of the education community, as well as their families and friends, to Educator Appreciation Night on March 17th, 2023 at 7PM as the Anaheim Ducks face-off against the Columbus Blue Jackets! The school district with the highest attendance will receive the game night Silent Auction check as a donation! Tickets purchased through the below link include a special discounted rate. Be sure to mark your district or school when you checkout!
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Silverado Students Receive Kiwanis Awards |
The Kiwanis Club of Mission Viejo recognized Silverado High School students for outstanding contributions to Silverado and the community. Congratulations to Tamika Bush-Craig, Morgan Fram, and all of the students that were recognized for their efforts. |
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Serrano Intermediate's
New Banner
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Serrano Intermediate School's ASB leadership students initiated, funded, and approved the design and placement of their school's new banner. The banner can be found over the entrance to the gym and is one of two recently installed banners at Serrano. The other banner can be found over the school's library. |
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2023 - 2024 Student Transportation Plan Input |
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The District is soliciting public input on the proposed Student Transportation Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. The Plan is designed to provide safe and consistent transportation services for our families with a specific emphasis on our primary and special needs students. Please click here to complete this survey.
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Familias del SVUSD, el Distrito está solicitando la opinión del público sobre el Plan de Transporte Estudiantil propuesto para el año escolar 2023-2024. El Plan está diseñado para proporcionar servicios de transporte seguros y consistentes para nuestras familias con un énfasis específico en nuestros estudiantes de primaria y con necesidades especiales. Por favor complete esta encuesta para dar su opinión.
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TLC (The Learning Connection) |
There are so many cool things happening at SVUSD's TLC before and after school program! Teachers and leaders are engaging children in a variety of fun sports and outdoor games, art rotations teaching children new techniques, and even STEM building using coding and VEX Robotics!
Interested in learning more or seeking employment at TLC? Click the button below.
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Ms. Amy's Preschool Connection class at La Tierra has had an action-packed February! Last week, children embarked on a culinary adventure where they worked together with their classmates and explored different senses while practicing fine motor skills. Unique classroom activities like these can foster an interest in food, cooking, healthy eating habits, and build self-confidence!
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Saddleback Valley Parent Teacher Association |
Help strengthen our community & make an impact by joining one or more of our SVUSD school PTAs. |
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Saddleback Valley Educational Foundation |
The Saddleback Valley Educational Foundation (SVEF) is dedicated to supporting SVUSD in our efforts to maintain a high quality educational program with a priority to impact STEM access for all students. Check out SVEF's website for programs, and contribution and volunteer opportunities. |
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Follow Us on Social Media for the Latest Updates |
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Superintendent
Dr. Crystal Turner
Board of Trustees
President
Barbara Schulman
Vice President
Dr. Edward Wong
Clerk
Suzie R. Swartz
Members
Amanda Morrell
Dan Walsh
Student Member of the Board
Kaitlyn Heinecke
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SVUSD WEBSITE QUICK LINKS
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Thank you for subscribing to the official Saddleback Valley Unified School District eNewsletter. We welcome your feedback, any news that can be shared with the community, and appreciate comments and suggestions. Contact the District Office directly with inquiries. Please do not reply to this e-mail as we are unable to respond to messages sent to this address.
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