NEWS RELEASE: San Diego Unified School District

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News Release



San Diego Unified Grad, Soccer Star Sal Zizzo Helps Kick Off New School Year

Soccer Star Encourages Students to 'Level Up' for New School Year

August 31, 2020

SAN DIEGO – San Diego Unified students heard from one of their own to officially kick off the start of the new school year. Patrick Henry High graduate and current San Diego Loyal star Sal Zizzo recorded a special message for the more than 100,000 local students who are heading back to school today. The video was part of a campaign created by the county's largest school district to help everyone "Level Up" their skills for the start of the new school year.

"San Diego Unified and your teachers have put plans in place to make this school year a great one. You will get out of it what you put in, so study hard, stay focused, follow your dreams and the rest will take care of itself," Zizzo told students in his message.
The full video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/1l5Ug3Ue_CI

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, San Diego Unified is starting the new school year online, and the first week is designed to help students, teachers and parents get the support and skills they will need to succeed in the new online environment.

"The procedures, plans and enhancements we have built into the new school year were developed with one primary goal in mind: Support our students, teachers, and our parents every step of the way," said Superintendent Cindy Marten.

Students and parents will have a variety of opportunities to learn new skills and receive new support during back-to-school Welcome Week. At the same time, professional educators will work to enhance their own skills with hours of professional development to help them take their craft online.

Parents can visit the new sandi.net<http://sandi.net> district website to view dozens of online learning opportunities and increased levels of support for the year ahead.

Students will receive their expanded activities directly from their teachers during the first week of school.

San Diego Unified's Welcome Week activities were developed over months of discussions among parents, students, educators, and administrators. Understanding the demands online learning places on families, the district developed a menu of Parent options<https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQMabeh2lgZobmfAFn63HszcoZuEcM2xzH7TshabnOjDeAgUvieXMn-SFeQ0MTRlUPgDYcjWkvdxZw-/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000> with helpful links and information, including coping skills. The Parent Learning Menu includes support for:

* Technology, including navigating online learning platforms.

* Social and emotional well-being
* Health and safety

* Family resources

Students in California's second-largest district will begin the year with San Diego Unified's online instruction curriculum, which has been enhanced over last spring's online program. For students, the online learning experience has been modeled, to the extent possible, after a traditional classroom experience.

San Diego Unified's return-to-learning plan for students is as close as possible to pre-COVID classroom experiences. It includes:

* A six-hour school day with customized learning experiences for each K-12 student
* All students will have daily, live interaction with their teachers via video conferencing
* Custom learning experiences will based on student needs and will include daily live, online instruction (up to three hours), independent learning (at least two hours), working with other students in small groups or participating in educator office hours (at least one hour)
* All elementary students will receive instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and the arts
* Students will receive grades to measure their progress
MEDIA CONTACT: Communications Director Maureen Magee (619) 381-7930

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