San Juan Unified School District

This summer, students are enjoying some sun and interactive learning through a number of district-run camps and enrichment programs. This week, our Summer Program Highlight focuses on Camp Invention: a summer program that focuses on STEAM activities for incoming kindergarten to eighth grade students.

San Juan Unified held another free community resource pop ups event at Mira Loma High School. Families who attend these events can expect to receive resource information on a variety of topics including bus passes, books, P-EBT help, enrollment and technology assistance. See the flier below for a list of future events.

San Juan Unified’s Board of Education has approved school year calendars through the 2023-2024 school year. To see copies of the 2022-2023 and the 2023-2024 school year calendars, visit www.sanjuan.edu/calendar.

San Juan Unified invites parents/legal guardians, students, and community members to join the Local Control and Accountability Plan Parent Advisory Committee (LCAP PAC). Your voice is important to support positive student outcomes and to ensure we are meeting the needs of all students. The LCAP designates specific funding to English language learners, foster youth, homeless youth, and low-income students. To apply to be a committee member, please visit the LCAP website at www.sanjuan.edu/lcapapplication. Applications are available in English, Spanish, Farsi/Dari, Arabic, Ukrainian and Russian.

Draft maps outlining proposed boundaries for the district’s transition to by-trustee area elections are now available for public review. Please visit www.sanjuan.edu/draftmaps for more information. A special board meeting will be held on July 13, where the district’s demographer will present the draft maps for consideration. The board will also conduct a public hearing to receive input on the proposed maps. On July 14 and July 15, the district will hold community meetings at three locations throughout the district, as well as online, offering the opportunity to learn more about the process, review proposed maps and provide feedback that will be shared with the board for their consideration. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/publicmeetings for more information including locations and times.

San Juan Unified is in the process of changing how members of the Board of Education are elected to office from an ‘at large’ election to a ‘by-trustee area’ election. We will be holding community meetings next week on July 14 and 15 at three locations throughout the district each evening at 6:30 p.m. to review proposed trustee area map options and collect feedback. For those who prefer to or are unable to attend in person, there will also be an online option. You are invited to attend to learn more about the process, review proposed map options and provide feedback for consideration before a final decision is reached. Please visit www.sanjuan.edu/publicmeetings for more information, including location details and interpretation/language support.

San Juan Unified would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend. Reminder: offices and school sites will be closed Monday, July 5 in observance of the holiday.

Here are a few highlights from last night’s special board meeting (For the full board meeting highlights, visit www.sanjuan.edu/BoardBriefsJuly1): The board held a second public hearing to receive input from the community regarding the potential composition of by-trustee areas prior to the drawing of maps. The board also adopted Resolution No. 3059 clarifying the criteria the demographer will consider when preparing draft maps, with three amendments (see full meeting highligh...ts for the list). Map options will be made available for review by July 6, and a second special meeting of the board will be held on July 13, providing for a presentation by the demographer on the maps and an opportunity for public input. Community meetings on July 14 and 15 will be held at multiple locations throughout the district, as well as online, offering additional opportunities for input. The board will hold a final special meeting on July 27, providing for public hearings before selecting the final map to adopt, and resolution to move on to the County Commission for approval. The County Commission must take action by August 10. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/elections for additional details, including full timelines and maps, when available.

This summer, students are getting the opportunity to learn in fun and interactive ways with a number of district-run camps and enrichment programs. This week, our Summer Program Highlight focuses on the First Five Summer Camp Academy. Watch the video below to learn how this academy helps prepare students for kindergarten.

Check out these photos of a summer camp taking place at Howe Avenue Elementary School. Incoming kindergarten through fifth grade students are having fun with a variety of lessons and activities that take place in and out of the classroom. Organizers say they wanted to give students a chance to have fun this summer while spending time with classmates they may not have seen during the school year. Great job teachers and students!

San Juan Unified is resuming the process of transitioning to by-trustee area elections. During a special meeting on July 1, the district’s demographer will review the process and criteria used to develop trustee area maps and the board will hear public input. The special board meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the district office, located at 3738 Walnut Avenue in Carmichael. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/boardmeeting for information on how to submit a public comment and for the meeting agenda.

Registration for our Early Childhood Education Preschool Programs have begun! Families interested in our preschool programs can either complete our remote online form, or set up an appointment to come into the office in person. For information regarding free preschool programs visit: www.sanjuan.edu/preschool.

As the first season of the San Juan Unified Student Podcast wraps up, student host Nanik Tagore takes us back to relive some of the best moments. Listen to season one and the wrap up episode on all major streaming sites: https://linktr.ee/sjusdpodcast. We hope you join the student podcast for season 2 in August!

San Juan Unified is hosting a number of free community resource pop ups throughout the district this summer. Families can expect to receive resource information on a variety of topics including bus passes, books, P-EBT help, enrollment and technology assistance. See the fliers below for a list of schools and dates we will be available.

Green Oaks Fundamental Elementary School has been recognized for creating a Certified Schoolyard Habitat through its Garden for Wildlife program. The National Wildlife Federation stated the school has transformed their school yard into a thriving wildlife habitat that includes 15 different bird feeders, miniature picnic tables, a popsicle stick porch swing feeder, a bird feeder made out of Legos, and a dessert bar that holds orange slices and grape jelly to entice local tanagers, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, and butterflies. The students and teachers have identified 20 different birds in the last two months. Great job Green Oaks! To learn more about the habitat visit: www.nwf.org/news.

Rio Americano High School senior Katie Newton recently sat down for a Zoom interview with Sacramento native and Nobel Prize (Medicine or Physiology) co-winner Charles Rice. Rice is the first Rio Americano graduate to win a Nobel Prize, which he and his research team at Rockefeller University won for their work to treat Hepatitis C. Check out the interview below. https://www.riomirada.com//rio-alum-wins-nobel-prize-for-/

The San Juan Unified School District has created the "Food to Learn program to provide additional food to students and their families in response to increased need due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. Each month, the San Juan Unified food closet needs at least 600 bags of food to serve up to 300 families. Please help us fill our district food pantry with donations of non-perishable food. Bring your donations to our drive-thru event on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. at Whitney Avenue Elementary School located at 4248 Whitney Avenue, Sacramento (enter on Eastern Avenue). For more information on the food drive and how to help, visit: https://www.sanjuan.edu/foodtolearn

This week we would like to highlight Rio Americano High School's robotics and engineering teacher Matt Cole for his great work with distance learning. Watch the video below to find out how he has made a primarily hands-on class available to students virtually.

San Juan Unified is working with Sacramento County to turn Sacramento Orange by Halloween. Make sure to practice the following guidelines to help defeat COVID-19 and get us back to school safely. Wear face coverings when in public Practice physical distancing at all times (at least 6ft. ) Avoid indoor gatherings of more than 3 households

There are only two days left in U-can’s Historically Black College Recruitment Virtual Fair! Today will begin at 9 a.m. and run until 2 p.m. The event is open to all San Juan Unified juniors and seniors. To register visit www.ucangotocollege.org or call 916-271-6920.

At this week’s Board of Education meeting, San Juan Unified announced that all students will have the option to return to modified in-person learning starting Jan. 5. Special education students with moderate to severe needs that are served in self-contained classrooms will have the opportunity to return to classrooms starting Nov. 2. All families have been sent an update which can also be found at www.sanjuan.edu/u101520. We understand that the pandemic and move to distance learning has impacted families, staff and community members in a variety of ways which have generated strong feelings. We ask that comments and conversations be kept constructive and civil. You can find our social media commenting policy in the ‘about’ section of our Facebook profile page.

San Juan Unified would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Micron USA and Sacramento Republic FC for coming together to recognize that our students need more access to technology. On Wednesday, Micron and the Republic presented a $50,000 donation to help our schools provide hotspots, headphones and laptops to students that need them. Check out the video to learn more.

The San Juan Unified School District is hosting its first drive through Food Drive! The food drive is part of the new Food to Learn program that aims to provide food to struggling families during the evenings and weekends. The drive through will be held Saturday, Oct. 24 at Whitney Avenue Elementary School from 8 to 4 p.m. Those looking to help can donate instant oatmeal, boxed cereal, instant mashed potatoes, pasta, beans and other non perishable items. ... For more information on the food drive and how to help, visit: https://www.sanjuan.edu/foodtolearn See more

We would like to recognize Encina High School Spanish teacher Ana Quiñónez for receiving Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation’s award for Exceptional Women of Color (EWOC) within the category of Social Welfare and Community Activism. Quiñónez says, I really love that I was recognized in this category. I believe that education should be for social justice, to further develop student’s critical thinking skills, and prepare active and engaged citizens. Education is key to our democracy and I love that teaching high school Spanish has a role in that. Teaching Spanish has really just been my excuse to be able to work with youth. With this award, I was reminded that all of the work that I do is in collaboration with others, especially other women! Congratulations Ana!

U-can’s 21st annual Historically Black College Recruitment Fair begins today and runs through Saturday! Today and Wednesday’s events will be held virtually from 3 to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Colleges have said they will be offering on the spot admissions, and many will be offering scholarships based on transcripts and test scores. The event is open to all San Juan Unified juniors and seniors. To register visit www.ucangotocollege.org or call 916-271-6920.

This week we are celebrating National School Lunch Week! The theme, Now Playing: School Lunch! puts the spotlight on the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life. Families can visit www.sanjuan.edu/mealdistributions for a full list of the district’s 44 serving sites and times. Meals provided will include special entrees each day in celebration of the Now Playing: School Lunch! movie theme. Students are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite movie character when picking up meals. To learn more about National School lunch week visit https://www.sanjuan.edu/site/default.aspx