CVUSD's Communication Snapshot

• Congratulations to CVUSD's Five 2023 Inclusion Heroes!
• Registration Open: New, CVUSD-Hosted SAT Exam Date Available to CVUSD High School Students
  
• Measure I in Action: Acacia Magnet School Cuts the Ribbon on their New Playground
• Educate, Engage, Empower: CVUSD Student Leaders Participate in CSBA's Annual Education Conference
• Westlake High's New Science Career Emphasis Program Cultivates Community Connections and Hands-On, Service Learning
• Final Days: The 2023 Holiday Toy Drive Wraps Up this Wednesday, December 13th!

In honor of National Inclusive Schools Week, the CVUSD put out a call to shine a light on and nominate the Inclusion Heroes in our school communities. Inclusion Heroes are CVUSD teachers, staff members, and administrators who go above and beyond to create a community of inclusivity, kindness, and respect to enhance the learning for ALL students.

More than 110 nominations of incredible, dedicated professionals were submitted, and we are proud to recognize the following five individuals as our 2023 CVUSD Inclusion Heroes:

🌟 Brianna Inman: Campus Safety Assistant, Weathersfield Elementary School

🌟 Dr. Shane Craven: Principal, Aspen Elementary School

🌟 Marilyn Strange: Teacher, Newbury Park High School

🌟 Kristen Terrill Maturo: Teacher, Sequoia Middle School

🌟 Eleonora Handal Molina: Teacher, Banyan Elementary School

The 2023 CVUSD Inclusion Heroes will be publicly recognized by the Board of Education at the Wednesday, December 13, 2023 Meeting where they will receive a certificate of appreciation. Thank you to all of our CVUSD Inclusion Heroes for the invaluable impact you make on our campuses each and every day.

Please click here to read more about each of our amazing 2023 CVUSD Inclusion Heroes.

This spring, the CVUSD is offering, for the first time ever, the opportunity for our students to register to take the SAT® on a CVUSD high school campus on a non-school weekday. As a result:

• You don’t have to worry about traveling to a separate test center.

• There’s no juggling of weekend responsibilities or disruptions to family time.

SAT Registration is Now Open:
To register to take the SAT® on a CVUSD high school campus on Monday, March 18, 2024, login to Q Parent Connect and follow the payment instructions LINK. The cost of the exam is $80. Fee reductions are available to students who qualify. Students will need to bring their fully charged, school-issued Chromebook with them to take the assessment.

The CVUSD high school that your student will test at will be dependent on registration numbers. Efforts will be made to accommodate students at their home school. Test center assignments will be communicated no later than February 15, 2024 for students who register by February 1, 2024.

After you register, your student will have access to free full-length practice tests in Bluebook™, College Board’s digital testing application, and Official Digital SAT® Prep with Khan Academy®.

More About the SAT:

Beginning in 2024, the SAT® will be delivered in a new digital format that provides a better testing experience. Here’s some reasons why:

• The test is 2 hours and 14 minutes instead of 3 hours.

• Students will have more time per question.

• Questions will have shorter reading passages.

• Students will have access to a built-in graphing calculator - or can bring their own approved calculator - that can be used on the entire math section.

Please click here to learn more.

Last week, Acacia Magnet School for Enriched Learning cut the ribbon on their brand new, beautiful playground, which was made possible thanks to Measure I! The opening of this play area was intentionally scheduled for the first day of Inclusive Schools Week, as this new playground is ADA accessible and creates a new space for all students to play and learn together - fostering inclusion, promoting physical activity, and the building of friendships!

We are so grateful for Measure I, and the positive impact it continues to make in our school communities. Click here to learn more about Measure I.

The California School Boards Association's Annual Education Conference was recently held, and along with members from our CVUSD executive leadership team, we proudly had two of our student leaders: Naima (Westlake High School) and Aidan (Thousand Oaks High School) attend. Both are currently members of our Student District Advisory Council, and Naima also serves as our Student Board Trustee. Through various presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises, student attendees were introduced to the principles of good governance, shared ideas on best practices, and built a network among their peers. Student board members are integral to district school boards, ensuring students’ voices are heard and included in the governance team. Thank you Naima and Aiden for your time, dedication and commitment to our CVUSD community!

As part of Westlake High School's new Science Career Emphasis Program, students enrolled in Honors Environmental Field Studies recently visited Good Farms in Oxnard to cultivate community connections and partake in hands-on learning. Launched in 2022, the purpose of the Science Career Emphasis Program is to incentivize students to complete activities that promote a deeper focus in an area of science, develop skills associated with careers, incorporate careers into the curriculum, and more. Click here to learn more.

We're proud to partner with Safe Passage Youth Foundation and the Thousand Oaks Police Department for the annual holiday toy drive to benefit CVUSD students of all ages.

Now through Wednesday, December 13th, there will be a donation box outside of the District's Education Office located at: 1400 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks for new, unwrapped toys to be placed. The donation box will be outside on weekdays from 8am to 4pm. Questions? Please call (805) 497-9511 ext. 3323.

Thank you for your support!