Dear Antioch USD Team,

There are so many great things happening in our schools! Over the past two months, I’ve had the opportunity to visit every school in Antioch Unified, and I’ve walked away from each visit feeling inspired and hopeful. Our schools are full of dedicated educators, thoughtful leaders, and engaged students. I had a great experience at each site, and I want to highlight just a few of my observations.

At Prospects, I saw how our alternative programs are providing students with meaningful and flexible learning opportunities — including in-person math sessions for independent study students. At Diablo Vista, I observed strong UFLI instruction, with teachers delivering structured lessons and students fully engaged. The ongoing coaching, training, and collaboration supporting literacy instruction is impressive. At Live Oak, I visited a CTE classroom designed with student input — a great space where students were hearing from a guest speaker from Universal Technical Institute and exploring their post-secondary options. These are just a few snapshots of the thoughtful and engaging work happening across our district.

Beyond individual school visits, I’ve also seen powerful examples of collaboration throughout the district. I’m encouraged that district, school, and Antioch Education Association (AEA) leaders have attended professional development focused on building professional learning communities (PLCs) to improve student outcomes. This work is essential if we’re serious about addressing inequities across the district. Schools are forming guiding coalitions to help lead the way — bringing their communities together with clear goals, a shared vision, and a strong plan for collaboration. I also want to recognize the work happening in special education across Antioch USD. For example, in March I attended the Unified Basketball tournament put on as a collaboration between our athletic and special education departments. It was an incredible event that brought together students receiving special education services and their general education peers from Antioch and Deer Valley high schools. The teamwork, encouragement, and joy on the court were amazing to witness — it was truly a celebration of inclusion and community.

Over spring break, I also had the chance to meet with our Maintenance, Operations, and Facilities staff. Their hard work often happens behind the scenes, but it is absolutely vital to the success of our schools. From clean classrooms to functioning systems, their work helps ensure students have the environments they need to learn and thrive. It takes all of us — and I appreciate the dedication they and our other classified staff bring every day.

While there is much to be proud of, I also recognize there are real challenges we need to address. Many of our facilities are in need of serious upgrades. The recent bond will help, but it won’t cover everything — and it won’t move as fast as we’d like. We also know there are ongoing needs in special education, which is why the Board of Education is starting an Ad Hoc Special Education Services Committee to engage in deeper listening and begin building more effective supports. Spring brings warmer weather, but also requires extra energy to keep students focused and on track through the remainder of the school year. Please know that we are here to support you every step of the way.

I look forward to continuing to be in community with you. My time as interim superintendent is focused on lifting up what’s working and helping set the district up to tackle its challenges head-on. Let’s keep the momentum going — together!

With gratitude,
Dr. Matt Wayne
Interim Superintendent

April invites us to pause and reflect on the interconnected aspects of wellbeing—from neurodiversity awareness to workplace safety and managing grief. Most of us will experience grief and loss at some point in our lives. Our resources this month offer guidance on managing grief or supporting someone during a difficult time of loss.

AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION DATES 📌

· 2nd: World Autism Awareness Day

· 7th: World Health Day

· 22nd: Earth Day

· 28th: World Day for Safety and Health at Work

EAP SPOTLIGHT: HEALTH COACHING

Did you know? Your TELUS Health EAP may include Health and Wellness Coaching! If you are seeking help with tobacco/nicotine cessation, diabetes prevention, or managing your stress, weight, or sleep, take advantage of these special programs to find the motivation you need to reach your goals. Ready to start your wellness journey? Access Health Coaching directly through your TELUS Health One platform, or connect with your HR team to learn about upcoming program availability. See attached PDF for additional information.

WELLBEING CALENDAR 🌍

TELUS Health’s wellbeing calendar supports your wellbeing planning by offering a look ahead to a full year of themed content. Explore the 2025 Wellbeing Calendar today:

Calendar today: US - English | US - Spanish | Canada - English | Canada - French | Global | United Kingdom | Europe

Welcome to the April edition of the Kaiser Permanente Newsletter! We aim to help you explore new ways to be the best YOU. Join us in making healthy habits this month and keeping it going throughout the year! For April let's focus on Financial Health. At Kaiser Permanente, we know total health and wellness go beyond the doctor's office. That's why we're here to help you find the high-quality care and resources you need.

Concerns about money can strain your relationships, make it hard to sleep, and take a toll on your mental health. Getting control over your money can ease some of that stress. Here are some ideas to try.

• Focus on things you can change.

Identify the things that concern you the most. Maybe it's a fear of being unable to pay the rent or afford a doctor's visit if you need one. Try making a list of all your monthly expenses, the extra things you spend money on, and the amount of money you make each month. Next, look at one small change you can make right away. For example, maybe you can make your lunch instead of going out as often.

• Take steps to lower your debt.

Too much debt is a common cause of financial stress. You may feel better if you can reduce your debt. Look at the list you made of your expenses. Figure out how much money you need to live on each month. Then put any extra money toward debt, such as credit cards or car payments. If you are behind on loans or payments, try working with a debt consolidation service. You might be able to merge your debts into one monthly payment. These services are often free or low-cost.

• Make a budget.

A budget is a tool you can use to pay down your debt and start saving money. There are free budgeting apps you can use to get started. Some people find it helps to use an envelope system to stick with a budget and avoid overspending. Decide how much money you'll spend each month on regular expenses, such as gas, groceries, or eating out. Put that amount of money in each envelope. On the outside of the envelope, write down what the money is for, such as "gas" or "groceries." Only use the money in each envelope for those expenses, and don't be tempted to spend outside of your set spending amount.

• Find small ways to make a difference.

Small changes can add up in the long run. Try finding one thing you can change to help save money. Even if you find a way to save $5 a week, you can save $20 a month. You could also start a family rainy-day fund. Even a few dollars each week will add up to a good amount of money saved by the end of a year.

• Reward yourself.

Even if you're on a tight budget, there are things you can do to reward yourself. When you reach a milestone on the way to a big goal, do something to celebrate that success. Look for things that seem indulgent but are free or don't cost much money. For example, take an afternoon nap, watch a movie in the afternoon, or make your favorite meal.

• Talk about the things that concern you.

Reach out to the people in your support network to get encouragement or guidance. Talk to someone in your family, a partner, a good friend, or someone in your church community. Sharing your concerns with someone else can remind you that you aren't alone. That person may also be able to suggest useful resources.

Here is a video that will help you create some financial stability.

For more information please visit: Financial-Stress-With-Better-Money-Management

What is Calm? The number one app for sleep and meditation which is designed to help lower stress, anxiety, and more. Free to all Kaiser Permanente members.

Calm features more than 100 guided meditations and sleep stories for a more restful sleep. It also features exclusive music tracks for focus, relaxation, sleep, and much more! This app is free to all Kaiser Permanente members. Please visit www.kp.org/selfcareapps to learn more.

Join us for 15 minutes to de-stress, reset, and renew yourself.

(open to everyone regardless of your health plan)

Wednesday, April 9th, 10 am - 10:15 am -Click here to join the meeting

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2 pm - 2:15 pm Click here to join the meeting

This month we are asking you to look for a way during the month to make to participate in the “Charitable Gift” challenge. Your gift can be to a church, school, fire department or veteran home just to name a few. Ideas can be monetary, time, can food, clothing, or gift cards. Those who regularly donate to charities are more financially stable. This is not because they have more money or resources it is that they are able to better manage and prioritize their giving. Giving can also make you feel more connected. Also, don’t forget a receipt because if you itemize your taxes, you can declare your donation.

"A penny saved is a penny earned.'' - Benjamin Franklin

We have launched a district immigration resource webpage www.antiochschools.net/immigration . This page includes important resources, district communications, and our special logo in support of students and families.

The CTE Team hosted the annual Business Mixer on Tuesday, March 11, at the Prospects High School Atrium. The event brought together 60 attendees, including business partners, administrators, teachers, and students.

Guests enjoyed appetizers and desserts prepared by the DVHS Culinary class, adding a special touch to the evening. We also extend our gratitude to Lone Tree Golf for generously donating a golf package and lunch for four as a raffle prize.

Students from our Business Tech, EDGE, and Consumer Services CTE programs shared their experiences and future aspirations, which deeply resonated with our business partners. The event featured three rounds of networking, allowing stakeholders to build meaningful connections and celebrate their collaborative efforts.

Through these partnerships, we have received invaluable support, including in-kind donations, lesson advisement, guest speaker engagements, and field trip opportunities. This mixer was a fantastic opportunity to recognize our partners' contributions and strengthen future collaborations that will continue to benefit our students.

More than 250-plus students and their families had a chance to talk to representatives from all UC colleges, including Berkeley, San Diego, Davis and more.

Held at Antioch High on Wednesday March 19th, it was the district’s debut of this UC in the Community event. The important event was designed for 8th–11th graders to explore the admissions process, financial aid resources and summer programs.

In addition to getting info from the universities, attendees could get additional college details through three workshops offered.

Said Lindsay Wisely, director of secondary schools: “We are so grateful for the partnership with the University California. Providing this informational night affirms our commitment to student success. We have talented students in AUSD and through this partnership we believe we can work collectively to help all our students achieve their dreams.”

The week of March 17th, the Educational Services Team interviewed students at DVHS, AHS, and DLMHS for the State Seal of Civic Engagement. We are proud to announce that 242 students will receive the seal this year—a significant increase from last year’s 129 recipients, marking a 46.7% growth!

🏅 Recipients by School:

• DLMHS – 141 students

• DVHS – 71 students

• AHS – 30 students

A huge thank you to the educators who guided and supported students in their civic engagement projects. This year’s projects were exceptional, addressing critical issues such as:
✅ Advocacy against human trafficking
✅ Supporting abandoned pets in the community
✅ Park clean-ups to enhance local spaces
✅ Driving positive reforms in the foster care system

We are incredibly proud of our students’ commitment to civic engagement, community service, and creating lasting change. Their dedication is truly inspiring!

#AUSD #CivicEngagement #StudentLeaders #CommunityImpact

Our final 8th grade Boys in Action program of the year was a great success.

On Thursday March 13th, Dallas Ranch hosted students from Park Middle and ACA Charter, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn and grow.

Students engaged with community professionals, worked alongside high school leadership classes and LINK crew, and learned about emotional well-being and tobacco prevention.

A huge thank you to Antioch Rotary Club and all our generous donors for making this impactful event possible.

#WeAreAUSD

TUPE Peer Educators from throughout AUSD attended an annual conference on February 25th for middle school students and the 27th for high school students at the UC Berkeley campus. There they heard from engaging and inspiring keynote speakers on related topics. This conference was for students, run by students, and all about youth leadership and wellness. Sponsored by CCCOE and Alameda COE.

The California Department of Education (CDE) has launched new digital resources for parents/guardians that explores a variety of topics and tools to help families dig into state testing in a meaningful and useful way.

Click HERE to access the Starting Smarter Website to explore the resources listed below:

• Exploring Student Score Reports (in 9 languages!)
• Accessing Sample Test Questions and Free Parent Resources including
• Be A Learning Hero Website
• Supporting Your Child's Learning Website
• Partners In Learning Website
• Guide To Parent Teacher Conferences
• A Parent Friendly FAQ Page for CAASPP
• 
  

We want to give a big shout out to the Vice Principals, Teachers, and Students at these schools who have taken big leaps to get us to the 95% completion rates for each site. These schools are either there or well on their way to this goal: Lone Tree, Belshaw. Fremont, Kimball, and Turner Elementaries, Bidwell Continuation, Dozier Libbey Medical High, Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy, Antioch High, and Antioch Middle.

If you have not started or have not had a visit from the SWEEP team it's time to gear up as the window closes May 30, 2025. We plan to disseminate certificates of completion to the sites who meet this mark!

We can meet this 95% completion goal for EL/MLL testing!

The Multilingual Learner Strategic Plan provides a roadmap for implementation that includes a robust Theory of Action, a set of Key Components, and an Oversight Structure that must be implemented to improve learning outcomes for English Learners. The Theory of Action defines how the district will prioritize and carry out the changes needed to improve educational quality for ELs. The Key Components and Language Development Approach identify the critical elements that must be in place throughout the district and address core responsibilities of district educators and leaders to improve quality instruction, language development, academic achievement, and graduation rates for ELs. Alignment to the California state standards in conjunction with fidelity to adopted curriculum use for integrated and designated ELD time is essential. The Oversight Structure identifies the milestones and a semiannual rubric for monitoring progress as well as the communication strategies that will be in place to ensure all stakeholders are aware of implementation success and challenges.

Preview the PLAN

📢 As we reach the midpoint of the academic year, now is the perfect time to refresh our teaching

strategies and enhance support for our multilingual learners. This section of our newsletter highlights research-based strategies from ELD, SDAIE, GLAD, and translanguaging to increase student engagement and learning outcomes.

🎯 ELD Strategies: Strengthening Language Development

✅ Structured Oral Language Practice: Encourage sentence frames, think-pair-share, and academic discussions to build confidence in speaking.

✅ Scaffolded Writing Instruction: Use graphic organizers, model writing, and interactive journals to support written expression.

✅ Comprehensible Input: Incorporate visuals, gestures, and modified speech to improve accessibility.

📚 SDAIE Strategies: Making Content Accessible

🎯 Content & Language Objectives: Clearly post and articulate objectives for every lesson.

🎯 Multimodal Instruction: Integrate videos, realia, and hands-on activities to support comprehension.

🎯 Collaborative Learning: Use structured group work to foster peer interaction and language development.

🔗 Learn more about SDAIE: SDAIE Strategies Guide

🎨 GLAD Strategies: Engaging & Interactive Learning

📖 Sentence Patterning Charts: Support syntactical understanding through interactive grammar exercises.

🖼️ Pictorial Input Charts: Create visual representations of key concepts to reinforce understanding.

🎶 Chants & Songs: Use rhythmic repetition to reinforce vocabulary and content concepts.

🔗 Explore GLAD strategies: Project GLAD Official Site

🗣️ Translanguaging Strategies: Leveraging Home Language

📖 Bilingual Resources: Provide texts in students’ home languages to support comprehension.

🔄 Strategic Code-Switching: Encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoire to engage in learning.

🤝 Peer Support & Family Engagement: Incorporate families and multilingual peers in the learning process.

🔗 Read about Translanguaging: Understanding Translanguaging

🚀 Midyear Challenge: Try Something New!

Choose one new strategy from each section to implement in your classroom this month. Reflect on its impact and adjust accordingly!

💡Need Support? For additional resources and coaching, reach out for support here:

Multilingual Education Coach: Request for Support

Let’s make the second half of the year even more successful for our multilingual learners! 🌍✨

We envision a learning community where every student becomes a confident, curious, and capable mathematics learner who:

• Makes sense of problems and perseveres in solving them.
• Reasons abstractly and quantitatively.
• Constructs viable arguments and critiques the reasoning of others.
• Models with mathematics.
• Uses appropriate tools strategically.
• Attends to precision.
• Looks for and makes use of structure.
• Looks for and expresses regularity in repeated reasoning.

Teaching the Big Ideas

• Shift from Power Standards to Big Ideas: The framework emphasizes organizing TK–12math instruction around overarching big ideas that span grade levels, rather than isolating "power standards." This approach fosters deeper connections and engagement by linking clusters of standards and mathematical concepts like number sense. ​
• Principles of Focus, Coherence, and Rigor: California's standards emphasize content and practices, highlighting the need for connectedness in mathematics. Big ideas enable a more comprehensive understanding by embedding power standards within grade-level frameworks, enhancing clarity and student achievement. ​
• Big Ideas as Conceptual Maps: Big ideas create a coherent schema that links multiple mathematical understandings. This map-like structure supports conceptual learning, helping students integrate facts and details within a broader intellectual framework, leading to more effective learning.

• Instruction is organized around "big ideas" to connect standards and create seamless learning progressions across grades.​
• This approach builds on prior learning and supports future understanding, fostering deeper mathematical comprehension.​
• Mathematics is presented as an interconnected and cohesive subject, moving beyond isolated standards.​
• The framework enhances student engagement and achievement by emphasizing continuity and connection from TK–12.

• Lessons are structured around authentic, intriguing problems to spark curiosity and engagement.​
• Students investigate key mathematical concepts connected to real-world contexts.​
• This approach emphasizes big ideas, cross-content connections, and mathematical practices like problem-solving and analysis.​
• Instruction is framed by the "why" (purpose), "how" (standards/methods), and "what" (content connections) for coherence and rigor.​
• The learning experience is designed to be coherent, rigorous and relevant across grade levels.

Honeybee Genealogy Math Task

Honeybees have a very interesting genealogy. While female honeybees come from a fertilized egg, male honeybees come from an unfertilized egg. That is, female honeybees have a mother and a father, while male honeybees have only a mother. Look at the family tree of a male honeybee. How many ancestors are there in the previous generation? The one before that? The one before that? How many ancestors 10 generations ago? Etc.

Cover Story Ever see a magazine cover in the grocery check-out line and immediately had to know more?

That same magnetic pull—the curiosity, the urgency, the storytelling—is exactly what students tap into with this strategy: Cover Story.

This one’s a powerful blend of creativity, critical thinking, and content recall that turns students into headline writers, graphic designers, and investigative reporters of whatever topic you're reviewing.

Bonus? You can do it in under 15 minutes.

Why This Strategy?

Cover Story invites students to synthesize and organize information in a deeply engaging way—without even realizing how much learning they’re doing.

By imagining their topic as a feature article for a national magazine, students naturally identify key ideas, draw out supporting details, craft compelling visuals, and even practice quoting sources. All while exercising voice, perspective, and design thinking.

Ways to Make Connections:

You can use this strategy to enhance:

• ELA: Summarizing, theme analysis, point of view, persuasive writing
• Science: Topic overviews, systems thinking, real-world applications
• Social Studies: Biographies, current events, historical events from a new lens
• Math: Highlight key concepts from a unit or explain real-world applications of a concept (“Why Pi Deserves the Front Page”)
• 21st Century Skills: Communication, information synthesis, design, storytelling

We’re proud to share that our students from AHS, DVHS, BDMS, DLMHS, DRMS, and OPS represented us with excellence at the MESA Preliminaries! Guided by our amazing advisors Lisa Behrens, Susan Caguyong, Christine Laymon, Afarin Navayazdan, Alex Sourivong and Stacey Saadiq, students participated in various STEAM competitions and brought home some incredible wins.

Congratulations to all and good luck to all teams moving on to Regionals in April!

Get ready to be inspired! Our talented students are bringing the arts to life through upcoming Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) showcases across the district. From captivating performances to stunning visual art displays, these events highlight the creativity, dedication, and artistic excellence of our students.

Don't miss the chance to celebrate their hard work and support the arts in our schools!

"Black Made That" is a vibrant and empowering music video that celebrates the creativity, innovation, and cultural impact of Black inventors, artists, and changemakers. Through catchy lyrics and engaging visuals, it highlights the many everyday items and influential contributions made by Black individuals throughout history—reminding viewers, especially young audiences, that Black excellence has always shaped the world in powerful ways.

https://forms.office.com/r/3ChgsQgNg0

https://girlswhocode.com/programs/summer-immersion-program

AUSD will offer a wide variety of elementary summer programs for students including Elementary Summer Camps, Dual Immersion, English Language Development, and Special Education. Program dates will vary by program, but all programs will take place between June 16-July 16. Our Expanded Learning Opportunity program (BACR) will provide Summer Intersession at all Elementary and Middle School sites with regular school year in-person programs. Intersession information for students and families has been posted to our various media sources and is included below.

Postings for Elementary Summer Program positions will be made the week of March 10th. Position announcements will be sent to school sites for posting. Certificated staff interested in working for our summer programs, please submit a Summer Program application using the link provided with the position announcement. Application for Classified positions, contact Classified HR. All applications need to be submitted by 3:00PM March 21st.

The Physical Fitness Testing window is now open!

Please make sure that all relevant data is entered by mid-May.

Grades to be Tested:

• 5th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 9th Grade

If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding the fitness test, please feel free to reach out to Katie Ingalls. She is available to support and provide any necessary information you may require.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to ensuring a smooth and successful testing process!

March 2025 Dateline Newsletter:

click here

Family and Community Event Flyers are listed below.

Antioch school board member is inviting you to host a hands-on booth at the 2025 STEM In-Living Color: A Hands-On Community Event! This exciting celebration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and community is happening on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Williamson Ranch Park in Antioch, CA.

What is STEM In-Living Color?

This is the second annual event, designed to bring together families, students, educators, and local organizations to experience the wonders of STEM through hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and creative exploration. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with the community, showcase your work, and inspire the next generation of innovators.

Why Host a Hands-on Booth?

By hosting a hands-on booth, you’ll play a key role in creating a vibrant and educational experience. Whether you’re showcasing hand-on products and services, or interactive displays, your presence will contribute to the success of this community-focused event.

Here’s What You Need to Know:

· Booth Fee: $50 per booth space (waived for teachers)

· Learn More: Visit steminlivingcolor.com for details about the event and what to expect.

· Apply Here: Submit your application by April 16, 2025, to secure your spot: forms.gle/GuXuTa8t6xxp4zx27.

Let’s Chat!

We’re always excited to hear new ideas or answer any questions you might have. Feel free to reach out to school board member Dr. Jag Lathan if you’d like to discuss how you can contribute to this year’s celebration.

Thank you for considering joining us for STEM In-Living Color. Together, we can inspire curiosity, innovation, and community engagement in our student. We hope to see you there!

Warm regards,

Jag@newgenerationequity.com OR JagLathan@antiochschools.net

Dr. Jag Lathan

School Board Trustee

Antioch Unified School District

Please join us Tuesday May 20th 5-7pm at the Lone Tree Golf Course to celebrate our retirees. Dinner includes three types of pasta, salad, and bread.

Join us for the food, fun, and celebration!

Retiree and one guest link (free): https://forms.office.com/r/zBHiK4TrHu

Additional Guest Link ($45 each): https://foreupshops.1-2-1marketing.com/lonetreegc/product/ausd-retirement-dinner-retirees-one-guest-are-free-additional-guest-payment-here-45-each/

https://form.jotform.com/202325532601139

Preschool DRDP Spring Dates

January 1-May 16

Special Education Parent Engagement Meeting #3

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Black Diamond Middle School Auditorium

10:00am - 11:30am, 4730 Sterling Hill Drive

PAssistant Director, Melissa Wilson, had the honor of recognizing Coordinator, Alexis Hearnes, as the AUSD Special Education Administrator of the Year!

Program Specialists, Kristen Symula and Jennifer Simas, visiting one of our NPS sites and the amazing animal farm students have access to.

Program Specialist, Samantha Marquart, had the amazing opportunity to capture students engaged in learning.

This is a reminder that at/aac services need to be looked at as two different services and not something that is always combined together. Please remember that assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication are two completely different and separate services

As a result, when you are filling out an assessment plan, please do not ever put these as at/aac. Instead, you should be spelling them out completely as assistive technology or augmentative and alternative communication .