CUSD Newsletter

“WHAT LIES BEHIND US AND WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE TINY MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good Afternoon, CUSD,

It has been wonderful to see all four of our schools fully up and running as we head into September. As I visit each school site, I am amazed at the learning and connections happening in our classroom and I am inspired by the work of our dedicated teachers. Our school year is off to a great start!

This will be a busy month so be sure to read your school site newsletters carefully. Next Thursday is our September Governing Board meeting (all Regular meetings begin at 4pm and are located in the District Office Board Room). The Agenda will be posted on the Monday prior to the meeting.

We are happy to share that our partners at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) offer free classes for parents in Mindfulness as well as Online Safety.

We are working with our partners at the Coronado Public Library to encourage all school-age residents to get their own Student Success Library Card. Please see the flyer below for information about how to sign your child up for their free library card. No fines, no fees, just free access to learning, reading, and fun!

In CUSD, we recognize that emotional wellness and physical safety are integral to creating an environment where our students and staff can thrive. With that in mind, we seek to provide awareness and education to issues that affect our school community. Last week our community experienced a terrible, and preventable, car accident that hit close to home for many of us. According to national statistics, teens face disproportionately high rates of car crashes. Knowing those statistics, Coronado High School biannually hosts an incredibly impactful two-day assembly for 11th and 12th graders. The program, Every 15 Minutes, requires a lot of time and effort from our PTO and ASB, but we believe, and have heard from alumni, that it is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the consequences of drinking and distracted driving. The 2023 program was captured in a video. CHS and Coronado first responders will host this program later this year. Every 15 Minutes is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the California Highway Patrol.

Finally, we know it’s been uncomfortably hot this week, especially in our un-air-conditioned spaces. All of our school sites have designated HVAC Cool Zones where teachers can bring their students. As a reminder, our district Heat Day Policy was amended last year. Per that policy, we carefully and continuously monitor the Heat Index as reported by NOAA. Page 18 in the Back to School Magazine gives information and link to the Heat Day Guidelines.

Check out the flyer below for information on “Movie Night” at Village Elementary tomorrow. Everyone is welcome and many of our student clubs and teams will be selling movie snacks!

Have a great weekend.

Karl J. Mueller

Superintendent

View Agendas, Minutes, and Video Recordings here

View Board Member Open Office Hours here

As our educators, parents, and community come together to connect, challenge, and champion our students, we are humbled by the outpouring of compliments. What a positive testament to our CUSD family!

• Ms. Kristine Johnston goes above and beyond to understand her students as individuals with unique strengths and challenges. She cares for the whole heath and wellness of her students, providing exceptional guidance to thrive at CHS and beyond. Grateful and appreciative!
• Officer Palmore came into F.I.E. classes and spoke about her background, career, community service, and how she can assist our students in a positive way. We appreciate her taking the time to prepare for the presentation, and the effort she put into making it a meaningful experience for our students.
• Rudy Alcantara completely set up my classroom furniture so that it was ready for the first day with students. He moved a heavy cabinet back to where it belonged, repositioned all of my student desks, put a bookcase back in place, and generally made my life so much easier when getting ready for day one!
• Terri Freepartner works with me on a continual basis to make sure that our data matches to ensure payroll deductions for dues are correct, changes in status are made, and is a great communicator about upcoming events that affect ACT members. I appreciate her knowledge and level of responsiveness.
• Sara Mills has jumped into her new role as PTO VP and made such a splash. The new updated PTO bulletin board is adorable, the extra photo op touches at the new families tour, even staff snacks the first week of school. I can't wait to see what Sara has planned for our school this year. We are so lucky to have her and wanted her to know we notice all the extra touches of cuteness added already this year.
• Kim Pittner: Her transition from CMS has been nothing but outstanding. She is proactive, positive, and eager to make a difference. She is also doing an outstanding job with her 2nd grade class. We are lucky to have her on our Village Team!
• Jessica Overschmidt: My daughter says Ms. O has been exceptionally helpful at helping her during the first two weeks of this school year which has been extremely helpful for us as we transitioned to a new school and returned to Coronado after two years. Thanks Ms. O.
• Mrs. Amy Amerling made our family and student feel extra supported and ready for success at CMS this school year. She took extra time to communicate with our family and our student's teachers to ensure his special education needs don't interfere with maximizing class instruction and participation. We feel honored to have such a wonderful special education specialist at CUSD! Thank you, Amy! We appreciate you!

Click here to recognize an employee or volunteer who goes above and beyond to make a difference. Those who are "caught" will receive a copy of the positive words that were shared about them and a "Caught Being Awesome" decal. Please take a minute or two to brighten someone else's day!

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