Soquel Scoop # 13

Dear SUESD Families,

I hope your children have enjoyed another great week of learning and joy in our schools. Have a safe Halloween out there. If you haven't had a chance to fill out your PBIS Family Climate Survey, I encourage you to do so. The feedback is very meaningful to us and helps inform our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Speaking of LCAP, please consider putting our Community Voice Gathering on your calendar. It will take place on January 27, 2027, at 6:30 p.m. in the NBMS PAC.

Sincerely,

Scott Turnbull

SUESD Supt.

As we head into the winter months, we want families to know that the Soquel Union Elementary School District is proactively preparing for the possibility of significant winter weather.

We are paying particular attention to forecasts for a very strong El Niño this fall and winter, which could bring periods of heavier rainfall and other weather-related impacts to our region. While the exact effects on our local community cannot be predicted, we believe it is important to plan ahead and be prepared.

Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our students and staff. In advance of the rainy season, we are reviewing our emergency procedures, confirming that appropriate emergency supplies are available at each school site, and ensuring that clear communication protocols are in place should weather conditions affect our schools or surrounding communities.

We are also reviewing how we will communicate with families if changing conditions require adjustments to school operations. Should an emergency or significant weather event occur, families can expect timely information from the District and their school.

We also encourage families to take a few simple steps to prepare at home. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services provides helpful information on family emergency planning, emergency alerts, supplies, and storm safety through its Storm Season Safety resource. Cal OES Storm Season Safety

Our goal in sharing this information now is simply to reassure our community that we are planning ahead. We hope for a safe and uneventful winter, but we also believe it is important to be prepared.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our students safe.

The document linked below explains how decisions about schools are made on days when we are affected by storms, power outages, road closures, and more.

You are warmly invited to join us for the upcoming Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County: Family Learning & Leadership Circle!

Event Details:

- Date: November 6, 2026

- Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

- Location: Live Oak Community Center, Room A (979 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062)

About the Event:

We are pleased to announce a presentation with the Community Prevention Partners Live Oak Workgroup and the Santa Cruz County Public Health Youth Empowerment & Action for Health team. This presentation will focus on the critical issue of youth vaping. This session aims to educate families and community members on the risks associated with e-cigarette use while connecting attendees with essential health resources. We welcome your participation in this important discussion.

Child care, simultaneous interpretation, and dinner and refreshments will be provided.

Registration:

Space is limited, and registration will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Please register by clicking HERE

The SUESD Board of Trustees will hold a Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Board agendas, dockets, minutes, supporting materials, livestream information, and additional meeting details are available on our Board website. Next week's Board Meeting will be focused on several Measure P Bond projects as we move forward ensuring we spend every dollar of the community's money wisely.

One of the most important ways we build safe, welcoming schools is through the words we choose. We want to remind our students and families that racist, homophobic, sexist, and other discriminatory or demeaning language has no place in our schools. This includes slurs, hurtful jokes, and put-downs, even when someone says they are "just kidding" or doesn't intend to cause harm. Words have an impact, and every student deserves to feel respected and valued.

We encourage families to take a few minutes to talk with their children about the importance of choosing words thoughtfully, treating others with dignity, and speaking up when they hear hurtful language. These conversations at home reinforce the expectations we teach at school. Thank you for partnering with us to build a school community rooted in kindness, empathy, and respect.

Helpful Resources for Families:

• Talking to Children About Racial Bias — American Academy of Pediatrics. Practical, age-appropriate strategies for discussing bias and respect.

• 5 Ways to Talk to Your Kids About Swearing—and Why — Common Sense Media. Helpful guidance for talking with children about inappropriate language, hurtful words, and why language choices matter.

PDCR, or Positive Discipline Community Resources, is a valued district partner. They have many offerings, including their Parenting Tip Sheets. Here I am sharing their newest tip sheets on Siblings. The article begins with the following paragraph:

“Every human wants to feel loved and important. Firstborns usually do until a sibling comes along. Children begin to question, “Am I still important? Loved? Special? Equal?”

You can find the complete 2-page tip sheet here.

Please click on the flyer above for all the details about this event that is open to the community.

Here is a little status update of the Measure P construction projects happening at each of our school sites. Thank you to our community for making these projects a reality for our students.

Soquel Elementary

Current construction is focused on preparing the sports field for its new synthetic turf surface and advancing the new trash enclosure. November’s planned work includes finishing the field base, installing protective padding, and beginning turf installation later in the month. Crews will also advance drainage, underground utilities and grading in the staff parking area, while working toward completion of the trash enclosure. Site preparation and foundation excavation for the future amphitheater and shade structure are scheduled to begin in November, bringing the campus closer to new outdoor spaces for students and staff.

Main Street Elementary
The new sports field continues to take shape, with recent work focused on perimeter curbs, irrigation, baseball-area concrete and the backstop. In November, crews are scheduled to install scoreboard foundations and prepare the field’s stone base for synthetic turf installation, currently planned to begin in December. November also brings the start of site preparation and foundation excavation for the new amphitheater, along with initial foundation work for the courtyard shade structure. These projects will expand opportunities for outdoor recreation, learning and school gatherings.

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
Campus improvements continue, with current work focused on fire-lane curbs and preparations for the new synthetic turf field. November’s planned work includes installing and leveling the field’s drainage base, adding protective padding, and beginning turf installation later in the month. Underground utility adjustments and foundation excavation are also planned for the future amphitheater and shade structure. Additional fencing and gate work near the drop-off area is scheduled during the November school break. These improvements will create new spaces for students to play, learn and gather.

Soquel Elementary School Modernization Phase I
Modernization of Historic Building (Administration/Library/Classrooms), including new interior walls, finishes, casework, doors (including replacement of existing), restroom upgrades, and mechanical and electrical upgrades.
Site improvements include accessibility upgrades.

Soquel Elementary School Modernization Phase II
Modernization of four classrooms (Kindergarten/TK) in Buildings 2 and 3, including new finishes, casework, door replacement, mechanical and electrical upgrades.
Modernization of two existing restrooms and provision of four new restrooms in Buildings 2 and 3.
Modernization of the existing MP room.
Site improvements include accessibility upgrades, new shade structure in the kindergarten/TK courtyard, landscaping improvements in the two planter/landscaped areas at the school frontage.

New Brighton Middle School Modernization Phase I
Partial (main lobby/front office/hallway) renovation of Admin/Student Services Building E including new floor finishes, new casework, new exterior door installation, and minor electrical upgrades.
Modernization of Buildings K, L and M, including new finishes, casework, minor door/window replacement, new exterior awnings, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical upgrades.
Renovation of Gymnasium Building P, including backstop replacement and sound attenuation, new exterior awnings and minor electrical upgrades.
Site improvements include accessibility upgrades and fencing scope.

New Brighton Middle School Modernization Phase II
Classroom modernization of Buildings D, E, F,G and H, including new flooring, patch, repair and painting of existing wall and ceiling surfaces, new casework and modifications to existing casework to remain, door/window removal/replacement, plumbing upgrades (at classroom sink location), and electrical upgrades. Exterior classroom scope to include removal of existing lockers and related exterior finish wall surface repair/painting.
Restroom (single occupancy and multiple-accommodation) upgrades at Buildings D, E, F and H.
Refinishing of existing MP wood stage flooring.
Site improvements include accessibility upgrades, classroom courtyard improvements, new shade structures, and renovation of covered walkways.

There are several positions open in our district. Our schools are wonderful places to work, so if you are looking, or know somebody who is, please share the link below with all our postings.

Interested? Visit our SUESD EdJoin Job Board to learn more about employment opportunities in our district.

The California Department of Education has released the 2026 California School Dashboard, providing a comprehensive look at student achievement, attendance, school climate, and other important measures of school success. Here in SUESD, we have much to celebrate, along with opportunities for continued growth. Our district earned Blue, the state's highest performance level, in suspension rates, reflecting our ongoing commitment to restorative practices and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to foster safe, supportive, and positive learning environments. We also earned Green in science, while English Learner Progress improved from Red to Yellow. Our English Language Arts and chronic absenteeism indicators remained Yellow, and we are particularly proud of the dramatic reduction in chronic absenteeism achieved over the past several years through the collective efforts of our students, families, and staff. At the same time, our mathematics indicator moved from Yellow to Orange, reinforcing why mathematics will continue to be a central focus of our instructional improvement efforts. We are committed to strengthening math instruction, supporting our teachers, and helping every student develop confidence and success in mathematics. These results remind us that school improvement is ongoing, and we remain committed to celebrating our progress while addressing areas where students need additional support. Families are encouraged to explore our SUESD California School Dashboard and learn more about California's statewide results.

I recently came across a wonderful blog post by mathematician and educator Wendy Ward Hoffer, titled Stop Saying I'm Not a Math Person. Her message is simple but powerful, especially for parents and families.

When children hear adults say, "I'm just not a math person" or "I was never good at math," they can begin to believe that math ability is something you're either born with or you're not. The reality is that we are all math people! We use math every day, and everyone can grow as a mathematical thinker. As we continue emphasizing math achievement across SUESD, we encourage families to help build positive math identities at home. Instead of saying, "I was never good at math," try saying, "Math can be challenging, but we can figure it out together." Our children are listening, and the messages we send matter!

Read Wendy Ward Hoffer's full blog post here.

We have had successful College and Career Weeks at Main Street and Soquel Elementary so far this year. Our other two schools will hold their events in November: Santa Cruz Gardens (November 2–6) and New Brighton Middle School (November 16–20). I am so grateful to our Counselors and all the staff who have worked to make these meaningful events possible. Even our construction partners at Kent Construction have gotten in the mix and shared the following statement with us:

Kent Construction had the pleasure of participating in Career Day at Soquel Elementary School, where we welcomed two groups of 20 students each for a guided tour of the school's ongoing construction project.

During the visit, we walked the students through the job site, showing them the heavy equipment and the footprint of their future sports field and amphitheater. With the help of our superintendents, we also reviewed construction drawings and a 3D rendering to help the students visualize what their finished campus will look like.

We also introduced the students to the many career opportunities in construction, from grading contractors and electricians to superintendents, project managers, and even construction photographers. Our goal was to show them the variety of people and skills involved in bringing a project to life.

The students were engaged throughout the tour and asked plenty of great questions. To wrap up the day, each student received a Kent Construction notebook and toy tractor as a keepsake from their visit.

Overall, it was a great experience for our team, and we appreciated the opportunity to share what we do while giving the students a closer look at the improvements taking place at their school.

Thank you to the District and Soquel Elementary staff for allowing us to be part of Career Day!

Please join us for SUESD’s annual Community Voice Gathering on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, from 6:30–8:00 p.m. in the New Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center. This gathering will be an important opportunity for families and community members to learn about district priorities and Measure P bond projects, ask questions, and, most importantly, provide input as we develop our updated Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Your voice will help shape the district’s goals, actions, and priorities for the coming years. Free childcare, refreshments, and Spanish interpretation will be provided, and our entire site and district leadership team will be there to listen and engage with you.

Student mental and behavioral health is the foundation for academic success. Every SUESD school has skilled, caring counselors, wellness coaches, and related support staff — and through California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), our district can now be reimbursed for the mental and behavioral health supports we already provide. Please see the flyer for all the awesome details.

These are from several weeks ago. We'll get some fresh ones up soon.

We want to make sure no family in SUESD leaves free money for college on the table. CalKids is an amazing program that invests in our youth from an early age. Can you imagine what a college degree will cost in 2037? Every penny counts. As such, please take a few minutes to log in. Qualifying families will find funds already waiting in their child's account.