Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Media Availability: San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts Earns Rare Opportunity on National Stage

 

 

 

MEDIA AVAILABILITY

 

San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts Earns Rare Opportunity on National Stage


WHAT: A dance rehearsal for media will be held by 21 San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA) dance students before departing for the National High School Dance Festival (NHSDF) in Pittsburgh, PA, starting next week. The NHSDF is the largest high school dance festival in the United States.

 

WHY: It’s been at least a decade since SDSCPA has had even a single work selected to be performed at the Gala Concert at the NHSDF. This year, they have two - despite competition from hundreds of other schools all across the country.  

 

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 21, 11:45 a.m.

 

WHERE: San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, 2425 Dusk Dr, San Diego, CA 92139. Meet at the school's office before heading to Dance Studio 5. 

 

ADDITIONAL INFO: The exposure dancers can get at the NHSDF can be life-changing, because recruiters from post-secondary institutions and dance conservatories will be in attendance, and many will be prepared to offer both admission and scholarships on the spot. View current list of recruiters and current list of available scholarships. Dancers will also have the opportunity to participate in auditions, concerts, and over 200 master classes and workshops. 

 

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: SDSCPA dance instructor Annette Barcelona (American Ballet Theater trained and certified), sophomore-senior SDSCPA boys and girls dancers.  

 

VISUALS: Rehearsal of programs being performed at NHSDF. 

 

MEDIA PARKING: San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, 2425 Dusk Dr, San Diego, CA 92139.

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Please RSVP: Mike Murad, mmurad@sandi.net, 619-925-4790.

                            

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Thanks,

 

Mike

 

Mike Murad

Public Information Coordinator

San Diego Unified School District

mmurad@sandi.net | www.sandiegounified.org

Mobile Phone: 619-925-4790

4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103

 

 

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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

MEDIA ADVISORY: Paradise Hills Elementary School Students to Join District and City Leaders in Groundbreaking Ceremony for Future Joint-Use Soccer Field, Campuswide Improvements

 

 

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

 

Paradise Hills Elementary School Students to Join District and City Leaders in Groundbreaking Ceremony for Future Joint-Use Soccer Field, Campuswide Improvements

 

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 

 

WHAT:         

Paradise Hills Elementary School students will join San Diego Unified School District and City of San Diego leaders to celebrate the beginning of construction on the school’s Whole Site Modernization and Joint-Use Field project. 

 

WHEN:        

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 

8:30 - 9:15 a.m. 

 

WHERE:      

Paradise Hills Elementary School

5816 Alleghany St., 

San Diego, CA 92139

 

*See the event location map with the media staging area below. 

 

VISUALS:     

8:15 - 8:30 a.m. - Pre-event Student Running Club 

8:30 - 8:35 a.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Student Break Dancers Perform 

8:35 - 8:45 a.m. - Speakers 

8:45 - 8:50 a.m. - Shovels to the Dirt, Photo Opps 

8:50 - 9:15 a.m. - Media 1-1s 

 

Drone video of the existing campus, a construction postcard, and renderings can be found here. 

 

SPEAKERS:  

Nicole DeWitt, Interim Deputy Superintendent, San Diego Unified School District 

Todd Gloria, Mayor, City of San Diego 

Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, Board of Education Trustee, San Diego Unified School District 

Steve Elizondo, Principal, Paradise Hills Elementary School 

Adrian Barsana, 5th Grade Student, Paradise Hills Elementary School 

 

BACKGROUND:

The Paradise Hills Elementary School Whole Site Modernization and Joint-Use Field project will bring a new two-story classroom and student services facility, replace the decomposed granite field with a new grass playfield, renovate existing classrooms, enhance security, replace signage, and remove portable classrooms. New play and shade structures will be installed, along with a new solar energy system that will provide shade over outdoor play areas.

 

Located along Alleghany Street, the new classroom and student services facility will serve as the main campus entryway. It will include modern general-purpose classrooms, collaborative workspaces, a lobby, and student support offices. A student pick-up/drop-off area will be created in front of the new building, and perimeter fencing will be installed to direct visitors to the secure entry point through the renovated main office.

 

The new joint-use field will include a walking/running track, a drinking fountain, play courts, and play equipment. Fencing and gates will separate it from the main campus. As part of the Play All Day partnership with the City of San Diego, the field will be accessible to the community after school hours and during school breaks.

 

To ease traffic, the entrance to the existing parking lot will be moved to Westport Street and more visitor and staff parking spaces will be added. A new student drop-off and pick-up area will also be constructed.  

 

Funding is made available through San Diego Unified School District's capital bond improvement program, approved by local voters to improve district schools.

 

A Leader in Me school, Paradise Hills Elementary has served the community for 78 years. Its UTK-5th-grade students have immersive and inclusive programs, including English Learner, Second Step socio-emotional learning, music, and PrimeTime Extended Day opportunities. Paradise Hills also offers a safety patrol, a student council, and a running club. 

 

PARKING:   

Media will be limited to street parking. Dignitaries and staff will park in the school parking lot. See the map with event logistics. 

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Jamie Ries, Information Services Specialist, San Diego Unified, (619) 855-9283, jries@sandi.net.

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News Release: San Diego Unified Representatives Heading to State Capitol to Advocate for District Priorities

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        Media Contact:

                                                                                      James Canning, jcanning@sandi.net, 313-580-2845

                                                                                      Mike Murad, mmurad@sandi.net, 619-925-4790

                                                                                     

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED REPRESENTATIVES HEADING TO STATE CAPITOL WEDNESDAY
TO ADVOCATE FOR DISTRICT PRIORITIES IN THE STATE BUDGET

Superintendent, Board President Among Those to Outline District’s Funding Priorities

 

SAN DIEGO (February 18, 2025) – The superintendent and board president of San Diego Unified School District are traveling to Sacramento Wednesday, Feb. 19 to personally illustrate the critical need for increased funding for the 2025-26 school year and demonstrate how the District’s 94,000 students may be negatively impacted without the necessary investment. 

 

Superintendent (Interim) Dr. Fabi Bagula and Board President Dr. Cody Petterson plan to meet with state leaders to share the District’s priorities, and listen to key decision-makers regarding their considerations of the budget ahead of Gov. Newsom’s May Revise.

 

The meetings come on the heels of the recently-released NAEP scores across the country, known for more than half a century as the Nation’s Report Card. Districtwide, San Diego Unified students outperformed California and urban districts across the U.S. on math and reading. 

 

“San Diego Unified students have shown significant progress in the classroom over the past year, and we urge the State to help support what we know is working to keep that momentum going,” said Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., San Diego Unified Superintendent (Interim). “There are already a number of areas that would be directly and deeply impacted by insufficient funding, and of those, many will disproportionately affect students who most need that baseline, at a minimum, to continue their journey towards reaching their full potential.”

 

Key San Diego Unified Budget Priorities and State Advocacy:

  • Fund the Cost of Living Adjustment at 2.93%, the level estimated by the state when the San Diego Unified budget was developed, rather than the lower 2.43% estimate included in the Governor’s January budget proposal.  
  • Increase the State investment to support students with disabilities.
  • Provide funding to reduce TK classroom staffing ratios to 1:10, as proposed in the Governor’s January budget proposal. 
  • Provide adequate and reliable funding for extended learning programs. 
  • Raise awareness of the needs of middle school students, who receive the lowest amount of per-pupil Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funding of any grade span.

 

San Diego Unified has already taken significant steps in reducing its deficit from $176M to $112M through a number of strategies, including offering an early retirement incentive to employees. However, a pre-COVID deficit, increased level of student need, rising costs, and the expiration of one-time relief funds have all contributed to the current shortfall.

 

“With the help of an experienced budget team and in collaboration with our labor partners, we have implemented tough fiscal discipline measures, while shielding our classrooms from the impacts of reductions,” said Cody Petterson, Ph.D., San Diego Unified Board President. “But the reality is that roughly 90 percent of our funding comes from the State, and we welcome the opportunity to convey the critical financial needs we are facing as a District.” 

 

The day-long agenda encompasses at least seven meetings with key decision makers and their staff, including:

  • Office of the Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas
  • Office of Assemblymember Alvarez, Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education
  • Office of the Senate Subcommittee on Education Finance
  • State Department of Finance
  • Office of Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire
  • Office of Assemblymember Muratsuchi, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Education

 

To learn more about San Diego Unified’s 2025-26 budget process, and to see various public workshops held to date, click here.

 

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Thanks,

 

Mike

 

Mike Murad

Public Information Coordinator

San Diego Unified School District

mmurad@sandi.net | www.sandiegounified.org

Mobile Phone: 619-925-4790

4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103

 

 

Posted by at

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Post Agendas

PLEASE NOTE:

Committee Meeting Agenda: District Advisory Council (DAC) for Compensatory Education Programs; General Meeting - Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 6:00 p.m.; Zoom Teleconference

Committee Meeting Agenda: District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC); General Meeting - Thursday, February 20, 2025, 4:30 p.m.; Zoom Teleconference

Please forward to staff and as appropriate, print agenda and post in a prominent, publicly accessible location at your site.

 

Thank you.

 

Martha Corrales

Confidential Admin Assistant II

Board Services Office, San Diego Unified School District

619-725-5551

mcorrales@sandi.net

 

Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.  -Maya Angelou

 

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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED BUILDING TEACHER PIPELINE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH 3 UNIVERSITIES

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  Media Contact:

                                                                                                James Canning, jcanning@sandi.net, 313-580-2845

                                                                                                Mike Murad, mmurad@sandi.net, 619-925-4790

                                                                                               

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED BUILDING TEACHER PIPELINE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH 3 UNIVERSITIES

SD Unified School Board Approved Contracts with San Diego State, University of San Diego, and
University of California - San Diego for Teacher Residency Program

Alliance Designed to Strengthen District’s Ongoing Commitment to Develop, Recruit, and Hire Exceptional and Diversified Educators

 

SAN DIEGO (FEBRUARY 11, 2025) – San Diego Unified School District has experienced great success as 26 participants entered its TEACH-LEAD San Diego Teacher Residency Program (TRP) last fall, and the Board of Education approved new contracts for its ongoing partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU), the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the University of San Diego (USD). Tuesday night, the Board ratified contracts with SDSU and USD. The contract with UCSD was ratified late last year.

 

The agreements by the Board underscore the District’s focus to further strengthen its teacher pipeline program. 

 

“Developing our own educators to teach and lead within San Diego Unified, builds a stronger, more culturally responsive district that reflects the vibrant diversity of our students and community,” said Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., San Diego Unified School District Superintendent (Interim). “We’ve already seen wonderfully talented and incredibly prepared Residents come through our doors this school year, and this agreement lays the groundwork for the next cohort. I am pleased this Residency program is flourishing thanks to our partnerships with these outstanding universities.”

 

Many of the Residents are pursuing Dual Credentials (Special Education/Multiple Subject or Single Subject), Single or Multiple Subject (w/Bilingual Authorization), or Special Education (Mild/Moderate Support Needs).

 

The program offers both financial and personalized pathway resources to individuals beginning or continuing their journey towards a career as a teacher.

 

Each academic year, SDSU, UCSD and USD will work collaboratively to identify and select prospective students interested in attending their university’s respective credential program and participating in the TRP.

 

The Universities will work with the District to ensure that Teacher Residents are matched with a Mentor Teacher and that the Teacher Resident has the opportunity, over the course of a full academic year, to observe, co-plan, and co-teach lessons guided by a high-quality Mentor teacher.

 

The Universities will offer coaching sessions to candidates, including support to access financial aid, scholarships, and application assistance to enroll in that particular university’s credentialing program. Residents receive a total stipend of $37,500 over the residency year. 

 

As an additional financial incentive, San Diego Unified will provide Teacher Residents with the opportunity to substitute teach within their assigned school or school cluster for one day per week, for a total of up to 34 days per academic year. 

 

The Residency is funded by the California Teacher Residency Grant Program. The year-long program is designed to increase the diversity of educators in the district, and build professional practice rooted in culturally sustaining pedagogy and equity consciousness. 

 

"This program has been a win-win for all involved," said Kimberly Moore, Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Development for the San Diego Unified School District. "With a student body representing over 15 ethnic groups, we recognize diversity as a powerful asset. It is essential to encourage future teachers from all backgrounds to join us, as their diverse knowledge, history, and unique perspectives enrich our educational community and foster a more inclusive environment for everyone."

 

San Diego Unified schools hosting Residents in 2024-25 school year:

  • Boone Elementary School
  • Freese Elementary School
  • Bell Middle School
  • Mann Middle School
  • Montgomery Middle School
  • Crawford High School
  • Mission Bay High School
  • Morse High School

 

Meet some of the recruits.

 

To read the contract, link here. 

 

To learn more about the San Diego Unified Teacher Residency Program, click here.

 

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James Canning (He/Him)

Executive Director, Strategic Communications & Information

San Diego Unified School District

jcanning@sandi.net | www.sandiegounified.org

Mobile Phone: 313-580-2845

4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103

 

 

Note: I may send and respond to emails outside of my normal workday or workweek. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside of your normal work schedule. Thank you.

 

Posted by at

Friday, February 7, 2025

Post Notices and Agendas

PLEASE NOTE:

Notice Link:  https://www.sandiegounified.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=208744057

Open and Closed Session Board of Education Meeting Information: https://sandiegounified.org/about/board_of_education/meeting_information

Public Testimony:  https://www.sandiegounified.org/about/board_of_education/public_testimony_request

Please forward to staff and as appropriate, print agenda and post in a prominent, publicly accessible location at your site.

 

Thank you.

 

Martha Corrales

Confidential Admin Assistant II

Board Services Office, San Diego Unified School District

619-725-5551

mcorrales@sandi.net

 

Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.  -Maya Angelou

 

 

Posted by at

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

SD UNIFIED BUDGET WORKSHOP TONIGHT, DISTRICT CONTINUES MAKING PROGRESS ON ELIMINATING PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                               Media Contact:

                                                                                      James Canning, jcanning@sandi.net, 313-580-2845

                                                                                      Mike Murad, mmurad@sandi.net, 619-925-4790

 

SD UNIFIED BUDGET WORKSHOP TONIGHT, DISTRICT CONTINUES MAKING PROGRESS ON ELIMINATING PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT

 

SAN DIEGO (FEBRUARY 4, 2025) – The San Diego Unified School District continues its work on reducing, and ultimately eliminating, its projected budget deficit ahead of the 2025-26 school year. The community is invited to a budget workshop tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 5-8 p.m. at the Ballard Center Auditorium, located at 2375 Congress St., San Diego, 92110.

 

The recent release of the Governor’s proposed budget will be discussed, along with its potential impact on San Diego Unified, and the District’s fiscal advocacy priorities. This is the next step in a set of actions that will inform our efforts to present the District’s second interim report in March and deliver a final balanced budget for the San Diego Unified Board of Education to adopt in June.

 

Opportunities for participation from all in attendance will be available during breakout group discussions.

 

Actions Taken Already To Reduce the Projected Deficit

  • In December, the District identified $64 million of savings, which decreased the District’s projected $176 million deficit to $112 million for the 2025-26 budget year. This 36% reduction in the deficit was due to a combination of vacancy savings, an increase in the number of students qualifying under the state’s local control funding formula, and increases in revenue projections from a handful of state and federal funding sources.
  • In January, the number of San Diego Unified employees taking the early retirement incentive exceeded the District’s projections, with the number approximately 27% higher than originally anticipated. 

 

Although the early retirement incentive will provide substantial savings for the District, Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., San Diego Unified Superintendent (Interim) expressed the bittersweet sentiment of what it will also mean to bid farewell to seasoned, experienced professionals - many of whom have served San Diego Unified for decades.

 

“I am thrilled that we get to honor the work of our colleagues with a retirement pathway that recognizes their commitment and service to our students,” said Dr. Bagula. “However, they are more than just our colleagues - they are friends and family, and we will miss them tremendously.”

 

To learn more about the 2025-26 San Diego Unified School District budget, click here.

 

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James Canning (He/Him)

Executive Director, Strategic Communications & Information

San Diego Unified School District

jcanning@sandi.net | www.sandiegounified.org

Mobile Phone: 313-580-2845

4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103

 

 

Note: I may send and respond to emails outside of my normal workday or workweek. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside of your normal work schedule. Thank you.

 

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