By Penny Weaver, Superintendent SVUSD
Community Conversation
I was having lunch at a local restaurant a couple of weeks ago and a couple of ladies were sitting at the next table. They began having a heated discussion about some issues they have heard about in schools. The food server joined in and told these moms that they should talk to her (pointing at me), “She’s the Superintendent in Scotts Valley.”
Long story short, they were concerned about what is happening with transgender youth in schools, what they think is in increase in school violence and drug use, and how school leaders are, or are not, dealing with these concerns.
It was a great opportunity to talk about our schools and the people who lead them. Without going into a great deal of detail, I assured my lunch neighbors that we are aware of the complexities of being a student growing up in this age and I described some of the training and strategies we have found to be successful in working with students who are experiencing the expected challenges of developing cognitively, physically and emotionally. We also deal with the unexpected, unplanned, and unfunded events that are part of public education systems. We do this work with care, compassion, and high regard for the protection of individual rights, privacy and equal opportunity for all students.
We had a rousing discussion and I enjoyed the opportunity to share with my lunch neighbors about the leaders in our schools, Board Members who are engaged in the governance of the District and about the heroes — our teachers and support staff – who facilitate high quality educational experiences each school day.
LCAP planning
Speaking of heroes, over 20 community members, parents, Board Members, staff and students worked together on Friday, March 20 for Strategic LCAP planning. We called it an “LCAPer,” the second round of Local Control Accountability Planning. Our committee members donned capes and reviewed progress on the current adopted LCAP plan and Strategic Plan goals. These goals comprise the eight State priorities and the Board’s five goal areas.
We will post plan updates on our website at www.scottsvalleyusd.org for review and comment. Michelle Stewart, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, is leading the plan updates and has gathered input from parents, students, staff and community members to formulate goals for 2015-2016. If you have input, please write to Director Stewart at [email protected].
Our student panelists were the real heroes of the LCAPer session. They provided the group with student perspectives on the educational program, facilities, school culture, safety and so much more. They were articulate and presented ideas at the start of the meeting that inspired the work during the rest of the daylong session. Students from all four schools participated representing elementary, middle and high school students.
Middle School Design
Planning for the rebuilding of Scotts Valley Middle School continued with Design Workshop #4 held on March 25. The main objectives of this session were to discuss the site plan layouts and program adjacencies on the campus. Architects Brent McClure and Monique Wood updated the group about the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) process and the RFP (Request for Proposals) process for lease-lease back construction services as next step. Proposals are due to the District on April 10 and the selection of a construction firm is expected at the April 28 Board of Trustees meeting. With the architect and construction firms on board, collaboration on the design and constructability of the plans will begin.
April reminders
April 6: District-wide professional development day; no classes will be held;
April 7: Classes resume
April 14: Board of Trustees Meeting at 6 p.m.
April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26: SVHS Spring Musical “Little Shop of Horrors”
April 20: CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) Assessment Window Opens (3 weeks)
April 28: Board of Trustees Meeting at 6 p.m.
April 30: SVMS 5th Grade Parent Orientation Night at 7 p.m.