Dear SCESD Community,

This week and next give us a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the people who help our students feel supported, encouraged, and ready to thrive.

Today, on National Principals Day, we honor our school leaders who cultivate caring school communities where students, staff, and families feel a true sense of belonging. Beginning Monday, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, recognizing our teachers whose daily care, skill, and dedication help children grow as learners and as people.

On Tuesday, we will gather to recognize our 2026 Staff of the Year awardees and honor our retirees. Their service reminds us that every role in our district contributes to the success and well-being of our students.

Speaking of students, our commitment to the 5-3-5 Promise continues: proficiency in reading by grade 3, proficiency in math by grade 5, and reclassification by year 5 in U.S. schools. We are proud to share that last night, we celebrated more than 300 students who were reclassified as English proficient! This milestone reflects the hard work of our students, the partnership of our families, and the dedication of our educators. We are grateful to Compass Church for their partnership in hosting our reclassification ceremony and for generously donating three bicycles for students.

As our students begin state testing next week, we encourage families and staff to remind them that this is one important moment to show what they have learned. We are especially excited to cheer on our 3rd grade students, who have the opportunity to earn a $250 award provided by the Golden Ticket Foundation for demonstrating proficiency on the state assessment.

Together, we continue to cultivate and create the conditions for every child to thrive by design. I am grateful for your continued partnership and support in helping create joy, connection, and belonging for our children and families.

Warmly,
Rebeca Andrade, Ed.D.

May 4-8: National Teacher Appreciation Week.

May 5: Ceremonial joint meeting of the SCESD and City of Salinas takes place at 6:30pm at Salinas City Hall rotunda.

May 8: Special Olympics events take place from 9am-1pm at Monterey Peninsula College. See below for details.

May 9: After School Program soccer jamboree takes place from 9am-3:30pm at Salinas High School.

May 13: California Day of the Teacher.

May 23: Dance showcase for After School dance clubs takes place from 5-7:30pm at Boronda Meadows.

Now Enrolling: Join Salinas City Elementary for 2026–27! 🌟

We’re excited to welcome new students and families to the Salinas City Elementary School District for the 2026–27 school year! Enrollment support is now available at all school sites, making it easier than ever to get started. Our friendly staff are ready to assist families with the online registration process and answer any questions along the way.

Why choose Salinas City Elementary? We offer a wide range of innovative and supportive programs designed to help every student thrive:

🎒 Preschool programs that build a strong early foundation

🌎 Dual Immersion programs that develop bilingual, biliterate learners

🤝 Comprehensive Special Education services tailored to student needs

💻 STEAM Academy – the only virtual school in Monterey County, offering flexible, future-ready learning

No matter which school your family is interested in, you can visit any site for enrollment support.
✨ Start your child’s journey with us today—where every student is inspired to learn, grow, and succeed!

About 150 students from Salinas City Elementary School District will participate in the Special Olympics track-and-field event, taking place on Friday, May 8, at Monterey Peninsula College's Community Stadium.

Parents/guardians and friends who may want to attend are asked to park in Lot C, which is to the west of the stadium. The parking fee is $3,

Please see the flyer below for more details.

Parents and Guardians, your third grader is doing something amazing right now—taking their state tests and showing the world what they've got! Reading is the foundation of everything that comes next: science, history, math, and the stories that spark a lifelong love of learning. When children read at grade level, doors open.

The Golden Ticket Foundation wants to celebrate that milestone: students who score at or above grade level on their state tests could each receive $250. Cheer them on, because this could be their golden moment!

And the foundation will continue funding this effort for several more years, meaning current first and second graders may receive the financial award too.

On May 5, 2026, the City of Salinas and the SCESD will hold a joint meeting where the District and City will honor the District's retirees and Employees of the Year.

Please note that this meeting will begin at Salinas City Hall at 6:30pm, and the SCESD Board of Trustees will not adjourn into closed session or take any action at this meeting, as it is a ceremonial meeting only.

Did you know? Our Attendance Dashboard gives a real-time look at how students are showing up for learning across our schools. With just a click on the image below or this link, you can explore attendance patterns for each school and see how we are doing as a district. By sharing this information openly, we invite our community to stay connected to the daily rhythm of our schools and join us in supporting strong attendance so every student can thrive.

Please use this link, or click the photo below to view the Dashboard.

Planning is well underway for this year's SCESD Summer Day Camp: Oceanography Quest. This year's host sites are Boronda Meadows, Monterey Park, Roosevelt and Sherwood. This exciting camp experience will focus on STEAM learning with an oceanography theme, and will include breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as transportation to camp.

SCESD's camps are free to all District students. Registration is open!