Superintendent Community Update

Translation: Para ver este boletín en español: 1) ubique el ícono que ve a la derecha de este artículo ( la figura de palo en un círculo) ... está en la parte superior derecha de su pantalla. 2) Haga clic en la imagen. 3) seleccione "Traducir" en la parte superior derecha de su pantalla (computadora). 4) Seleccione Spanish/Español.​

Dear JUHSD Community,

I hope our students had a productive second week of school! As a district, we strive to provide access, opportunity, inclusion, and belonging to all members of our academic community. We will continue to provide a safe learning environment while we focus on re-establishing good attendance habits and family connections.

By rebuilding and nurturing good attendance, we can engage students in the new year as quickly as possible. According to the research, attending school every day possible:

• Helps students engage in the new year and build momentum

• Promotes student learning and increases chances of graduation

• Helps students feel better about school and themselves

• Improves mental health through socializing, developing friendships, building empathy and forming lasting relationships with peers

• Allows for a personalized learning experience that keep students from falling behind

Evidence also shows when families and schools have strong relationships, students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and do well academically and socially.

We want you to know that we continue our commitment to supporting you and your family’s needs. We promise to communicate often and be supportive with on-going touch points throughout the year.

Thank you for partnering with us to prepare, educate, and inspire each JUHSD student. Together we will succeed.

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Toni Presta

Superintendent

Important information is shared during JUHSD Board of Education meetings, yet not everyone is able to attend or view the entire meeting.

Please view highlights from this past Tuesday’s Board Meeting, including the hiring of Jefferson High's newest vice principal, Cesar Vega, by clicking here.

Congratulations to our JUHSD Board Clerk Kalimah Salahuddin for being featured in this month's California School Boards Association's School Boards in Action!

Elected to the JUHSD Board of Trustees in 2012, Clerk Salahuddin stands strong to the ideals of public school systems being vital to the success of a community. In this video segment, she shares her highlights of serving as a board member for the JUHSD community and how the District has supported her. To view the full this feature, please click here.

“As a school board member, I just really see myself as voice for my community to ensure the school district is fulfilling its promise. We all have so much untapped potential and we just need that one person to see it in us and to help guide us along the path to success. That’s why I continue to do this. I’m so proud of our district and what they’ve accomplished through tremendous obstacles this year.” - Clerk Kamilah Salahuddin

The District Adult School invites their students to attend an Ice Cream Social on Thursday, August 25, during a 12:00-1:00 pm session or 2:00-3:00 pm session, in the Serramonte Del Rey Galleria. Enjoy some tasty treats while socializing with classmates and meeting new friends! For more information, please contact Adult School Counselor Lisa Lee.

From earning your GED, to enrolling in work training and technology classes, the Jefferson Union High School District Adult School Program is here to provide adults in our community with professional life skills that can be applied to real-world settings. To see the full list of beneficial classes offered through our Adult School Program, please their website by clicking here.

For additional information on the District's amazing Adult School Program, please contact Principal Mark Beshirs and follow them on social media: @jeffersonadulted

Photo: Adult school teacher Amy Wong helps a student log into his new district email account on Tuesday, August 16.

"The district’s brand-new workforce housing development has made national headlines as a strategy to attract teachers to areas with a high cost of living. Bay Area districts have been talking about workforce housing for years, but JUHSD was one of the first districts to break ground on the idea."

To read more from the Pacifica Tribune's most recent feature on the District's Educational Housing at 705 Serramonte Boulevard, please click here.

With district staff now living in 705 Serramonte, JUHSD's Educational Housing, numbered parking spots in the front of the building are reserved for tenants of that building. While attending events and practices at 699 Serramonte Del Rey, we kindly ask that you park in non-numbered parking spots, or the dirt lot to the left of the main gym entrance.

Please note that JUHSD is not responsible for damage or loss of property to your vehicle and thanks you for your support. Please reach out to Director of Staff Housing Austin Worden, aworden@jeffersonunion.net, with any questions you may have.

Raise your hand if your students could use help after-hours! JUHSD teachers and students have free access to Paper’s professional tutors, 24/7! Log in by clicking HERE or check out paper.co for more information.

Women's Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26 to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of gender. JUHSD takes great pride in honoring the accomplishments and contributions made by women during the course of our history. For more on this day, please click here.

Please join Jefferson High School’s GrizzArt Club as they celebrate the completion of their first mural with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on September 13, 4:00 pm. Members of the City Council of Daly City will be on hand to celebrate with the students and the Daly City community. The recently-completed mural is the result of a collaboration between community member Victoria Magbilang, project funder Dragonfly Community Arts, and the Bay Area Mural Program (BAMP), who worked with the GrizzArt students and their advisor Suzanne Koehnlein to design and paint this exciting new Daly City landmark. The team thanks Daly City Mitsubishi and building owners Donna Curusis and Patricia Herriott, and appreciates the enthusiastic support of Daly City Government.

Photo: Superintendent Presta admires the mural, work-in-progress, with JHS art teacher Suzanne Koehnlein this past June.

*Fire Safety and Prevention: A Disaster Prep Town Hall (TK-12 Students, Families, Classrooms) September 1, 6:00-7:00 pm:

In this Town Hall meeting, ­­­­Fire Marshall Gareth Harris will address fire safety and prevention tips for your home and family. He will also discuss home hardening and defensible space, the buffer zone between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area. Learn more.

*Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities (TK-12 Students, Families, Classrooms) September 8, 5:30-6:30 pm:

Belonging brings out the best in everyone. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or community organizer, your group is unlikely to thrive if the individuals don’t feel welcomed, included, and valued for who they are. In her new book, Design for Belonging, Susie Wise, PhD, ­­­­Stanford d.school, outlines how you can use design to create feelings of inclusion. Learn more.

*Coastal Cleanup Day 2022 (TK-12 Students, Families, Classrooms) September 17, 2022:

Looking to make an impact on the environment? San Mateo County Health is hosting neighborhood, classroom, and countywide cleanup days to celebrate Coastal Cleanup Day 2022. Join your community and volunteer to keep our waterways clean! Learn more.

*MPX (Monkeypox) Vaccine Notification (Community):

San Mateo County Health is offering residents who meet eligibility guidelines for highest risk for MPX the opportunity to sign up for notification of vaccination opportunities. Complete the Monkeypox Vaccination Interest Form, and if you meet the eligibility guidelines you will be notified when opportunities become available. Vaccine supply is limited and the risk criteria are being used to prioritize eligibility.

As a district, we embrace inclusion, value diversity, and educate ourselves in order to confront and dismantle systemic inequities to bring about a more just society. JUHSD commits to engaging, educating, and empowering ALL students, with an intentional focus on those under-served, inadequately served, or disenfranchised by educational institutions and systems, eliminating disparities in educational outcomes.