Community Update

The accomplishments of women in history are celebrated annually in March. Please join us in honoring the contributions of women to American history, culture, and society. This annual recognition was established nationally in 1987, the month includes International Women’s Day on March 8 and highlights the struggles and achievements of women including educational events, profiles of female leaders, and on-going advocacy for gender equity. Please visit the National Women’s History Museum for a detailed recognition of the accomplishments of women throughout history.

Congratulations to Mission Vista High School teachers and staff for receiving the California Distinguished School Award for 2026. Only 408 schools (out of nearly 10,000) in California received this prestigious award. Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the state’s most important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students. Mission Vista High School was recognized for the category of “Achievement Gap Closer: Schools that are accelerating academic progress for two or more groups that have been historically underserved, while also demonstrating achievement for all students that is above the state median and maintaining or increasing academic performance for all students.”

Our event is just one week away! Join us for the STEM2Career Expo on Wednesday, March 25th from 5:00–7:00 PM at Rancho Buena Vista High School. Schools will showcase authentic STEM experiences, CTE programs will highlight their exciting career pathways, and local businesses will share how STEM connects to real-world careers. Don’t miss the STEM Challenge as Zip Line Racers are tested and soar through the air! It’s a fun, inspiring evening for the whole family, food will be available for purchase. 🚀🔬See you next week!

Do you have a student who's ready to explore the working world this summer? The Velocity Summer Internship Program is a great opportunity for students to gain real work experience, build skills for their future, and earn cash ($16 an hour)! Velocity is a partnership between Vista Unified School District and The Vista Chamber Of Commerce and is open to incoming high school seniors, graduating class of 2027.

Applications are now open. Here's what you need to know:

Key Dates:

• Student Applications due: April 5th

• Business Interest Forms due: April 10th

• Orientation Week: April 13th – 17th

• Internship Program Runs: June 10th – August 9th

Interested students can apply now using the Student Application form. Local businesses looking to host an intern can fill out a Business Interest Form as well.

For important details about the program, visit the Velocity Summer 2026 Internship Program page.

Vista Unified is preparing another summer of learning experiences designed to reflect our district’s Pulse of Possibility, where students have opportunities to explore, create, and grow beyond the traditional school year. Families can expect a range of programs across grade levels that include academic support, enrichment opportunities, dual language and newcomer supports, credit recovery, and career-connected learning experiences, along with Extended School Year (ESY) and AM/PM programming for eligible students. Building on the success of last summer’s programs, our goal is to continue providing engaging experiences that help students strengthen skills, pursue interests, and stay connected to learning. More information will be shared with families soon as we prepare for another summer of opportunity across Vista Unified.

This year, Vista Unified launched a partnership with Math Transformations, a local professional learning organization, to support teachers in creating engaging math classrooms where students explore ideas, discuss their thinking, and build confidence with challenging, applied mathematics. The work began in TK–5 classrooms, where teachers are using games, collaboration, and real-world problem solving to help students develop strong mathematical understanding. Students are already sharing that math has become one of their favorite parts of the day as they experience learning that encourages curiosity and persistence and reflects our district’s Pulse of Possibility. This spring, we are expanding the work into middle school and strengthening vertical collaboration between 5th and 6th grade teachers so the momentum of this work continues as students move from elementary into middle school. By building strong mathematical foundations early, we are helping students stay on track for success in rigorous high school coursework, including meeting the UC and CSU “a-g” requirements, the minimum set of college preparatory courses required for admission to the University of California and California State University systems and aligned to Vista Unified graduation requirements beginning with the Class of 2029. To learn more about “a-g” please refer to the VUSD MY PLAN webpage: CLICK HERE.

Thank you to all of the families and staff members who have participated in an LCAP/Blueprint forum or completed this year’s surveys. The LCAP/Blueprint represents about one-third of Vista Unified’s annual budget and includes many of the actions and services that support students in our schools. As we prepare for Year 3 of the current three-year LCAP/Blueprint cycle, we look forward to using your feedback to help strengthen programs and support for all students in Vista Unified. Below is an overview of the upcoming steps in the process:

• March 18 (Budget Workshop): Board input and consensus on funding priorities for the LCAP/Blueprint.

• April 23 (Regular Board Meeting): Staff report summarizing feedback from community, staff, and administrator surveys and forums, including family and staff pulse check information on screen time and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in schools.

• April 30 (Board Workshop): Line-by-line review of existing programs, proposed adjustments, and recommendations for Year 3 of the current LCAP/Blueprint cycle.

• May 14 (Regular Board Meeting): Staff report on updates and proposed revisions, including a second detailed review.

• June 10 (Regular Board Meeting): Public hearing for the adoption of the 2026–27 LCAP.

We celebrated the graduation of our fifth cohort of the Apprenticeship Readiness Program (ARP) on Thursday, March 12th at Rancho Buena High School. Twenty-five students completed rigorous training in a variety of technical skills and received valuable industry certifications including OSHA 30, Mobile Elevated Lift Platform (MELP), MC3, and CPR. This 16 week program offered at Vista Adult School in partnership with the San Diego Building Trades Council is a critical first step to careers in the construction trades, providing structured preparation for adults interested in entering apprenticeships in high-demand high-wage industries. We are very proud of our graduates and look forward to seeing their contributions as they build the future of North San Diego County.

In April and May, students across our district will participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), California’s annual state assessment. Students in grades 3–8 and 11 will take assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics, and students in grades 5, 8, and 11 or 12 will also take an assessment in Science. Parents of students in testing grades: please see the CAASPP parent notification letter by clicking here.

As the testing window approaches, our schools will share additional information on specific testing schedules and resources. These assessments provide students with an opportunity to show what they have learned and how much they have grown over the school year. The CAASPP assessments reflect the important skills students build every day in their classrooms, including reading, writing, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Just as importantly, CAASPP assessments help schools understand student progress so they can continue strengthening instruction and providing the right support for every learner.

Families can help by encouraging regular attendance, healthy routines, and a positive outlook toward learning. We appreciate your partnership in supporting students as they continue to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

For more information, please view these CAASPP resources:

• Parents Guide to Understanding CAASPP Assessment

• Starting Smarter – CAASPP

• CAASPP Practice & Training Tests

The Vista Unified School District invites the community to celebrate student creativity at two special arts events this spring. Performing Arts Under the Stars will be held April 7–10 at 6:00 p.m. (gates open at 5:15 p.m.) at the beautiful Moonlight Amphitheatre. This free event will feature 50 student performing groups from elementary through high school, with a different lineup each night including choirs, jazz bands, theatre, mariachi, dance, and more—all performed under the stars in a professional venue.

The celebration continues with Visual Arts Under the Stars, a juried exhibition of middle and high school artwork at the Vista Civic Center Gallery. The community is invited to the Opening Reception on Wednesday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m., where student artists will be recognized. The exhibition will remain on display April 15 through May 6.

With the recent heat advisory, we want to reassure families that our schools take additional steps to keep students safe and comfortable during periods of high temperatures. On especially warm days, staff encourage frequent water breaks, adjust or limit outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day, and make use of shaded or air-conditioned areas whenever possible. Our teams also monitor students for any signs of heat-related illness so they can respond quickly if a student needs assistance. We appreciate families helping by sending students to school with a refillable water bottle and dressed for warm weather. For more information about heat advisories and heat safety, families can visit the National Weather Service website at weather.gov

Vista Unified School District is proud to partner with the Vista Fire Department in a new community safety initiative — the Red Flag Notification Program.

Starting this month, all District schools will raise a red flag on days when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning, indicating critical fire weather conditions such as high winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation.

The red flag serves as a visible reminder for our community to use caution and remain alert during periods of elevated wildfire risk. These warnings help students, staff, and families stay aware of local fire conditions and support districtwide emergency preparedness efforts.

We thank Vista Fire Rescue for their partnership and leadership in wildfire prevention and community education.

For more information about Red Flag Warnings and other weather information, visit the National Weather Service Southern California Region website.

Did you know you have access to all of the past Community Updates? Click here to check them out! Another way to access those is by going to our website: vistausd.org/news and clicking on Archived Community Updates.

Email: webmaster@vistausd.org
Website: vistausd.org
Location: 1234 Arcadia Avenue, Vista, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 726-2170
Twitter: @VistaBlueprint