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The Grapevine
LVJUSD Superintendent's Newsletter - June 2023
Superintendent's Message
Dear LVJUSD Parents & Livermore Community,
We are all excited to be able to take a moment to reflect back on what has been an incredibly successful year, from so many different perspectives. Many of our athletic teams had historically successful seasons; our music program received attention at the national level; our STEAM classes won awards and showed the type of innovation that is expected and appreciated in such a science-rich community. From a core academic standpoint, we made measurable progress in early literacy, English Language Development, and math. Our continued focus on student mental health has helped to forge greater student connectedness and additional resources for students who need them.
My goal for this year was to identify objective criteria to use for determining student progress, and to use that data to develop specific plans for improvement. This summer we look forward to sharing our newly developed school and district scoreboards which will provide parents and community members with insights into student growth in a number of key areas. These scoreboards, along with District plans for improvement, will be accessible on our website and will help to illustrate areas of strength as well as opportunities for continued growth and advancement.
The spring has been a time of celebration for so many. Awards ceremonies, banquets, promotions, and graduations fill our calendars. This week we will proudly send over a thousand graduates off into the world of higher education, the military, and the workforce. We believe they are well equipped with the critical thinking skills and perseverance necessary to be successful in our changing world. As they move forward, we welcome the next senior class who will assume key leadership roles and provide direction and guidance for their peers. They will be the key to our successes in 2023-2024.
We wish you all an exciting and energizing summer and look forward to continuing our journey together in August. We have solid plans and great expectations for next year, and we know that with the support of our families and community and the unique and impactful partnerships we have with local organizations, we will be able to collectively provide our students with experiences that will inspire and motivate them to reach even greater heights.
Regards,
Chris Van Schaack
Superintendent of Schools
Pictured above: Superintendent Van Schaack with Ms. Heskett’s class after reading to students for Abilities Awareness Week at Jackson Avenue Elementary.
Highlights from our Third Trimester!
The spring has been full of activities, experiences, recognitions and celebrations! Here are some highlights from the past few months!
Rainy Weather Couldn't Dampen the Energy of Science Odyssey!
An atmospheric river could not keep our students and families from attending our 23rd Annual Science Odyssey Showcase! After two years of virtual Science Odyssey events, we were excited to return to an in-person event hosted at Junction Avenue TK-8. The love of science was evident through the display of more than 150 student projects and Trashion Show ensembles.
Thank you to Livermore Valley Education Foundation (LVEF) for sponsoring participant t-shirts and stickers featuring winning student artwork from our logo contest, and to the many other sponsors and supporters who participated in judging and awards, interactive displays and activities, and general sponsorships. Your support and participation is invaluable and appreciated.
This year's sponsors and supporters included: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Quest Science Center, LVEF, City of Livermore- Library and Water Division, Zone 7 Water, Cal Water, Livermore Area Recreation & Parks District (LARPD), Livermore Sanitation, Las Positas College, Tri-Valley Conservancy, Stop Waste, Scientific Jam, AAUW, Westec, Engee, and Form Factor
Photos courtesy of LVJUSD
Sun-Filled Ag Day Grows Students’ Interest in Agriculture
Livermore High Robotics Team Honored at DreamMakers & RiskTakers Event
On May 4, 2023 Innovation Tri-Valley (ITV) honored Tri-Valley students for their impactful projects using innovation, creativity and empathy. NBC Bay Area’s Jessica Aguirre hosted the 12th annual DreamMakers & RiskTakers awards ceremony highlighting 18 young leaders who are innovating the future as they fearlessly pursue their dreams.
Among the honorees at this year’s event were students from Livermore High School’s GravitechX Robotics Team who made the semifinal round of the Sacramento Regional First Robotics Competition (FRC) on March 23-26, 2023. For more information about the team and the robotics competition, please see the published press release.
Photos courtesy of LVJUSD
The Pedrozzi Foundation Awards $445,000 in Scholarships to 118 Livermore Students
The Pedrozzi Foundation recently awarded $445,000 in post-graduate scholarships to 118 Livermore students, 26% of whom are first generation college attendees. These scholars will be attending community college, undergraduate, graduate, and vocational schools.
Additionally, the 13 newest Pedrozzi Young Scholars were announced for the 2023-24 school year. The Pedrozzi Young Scholar Program promotes equity in opportunity for high achieving students from Marylin Avenue Elementary School by providing support throughout their middle and high school years. A goal is to have these youngest scholars join their peers as Pedrozzi scholarship recipients in 2030, just as the first cohort did this year.
For a full list of scholarship recipients and Young Scholars, please see the published press release.
Photo courtesy of The Pedrozzi Foundation
Livermore High Aquatics Complex Makes a Splash!
City leaders joined student athletes, board members, district and school staff, bond oversight members, and parent leaders to mark the completion of the Livermore High School Aquatics Complex with a ribbon cutting on Friday, June 2, 2023. Along with the updated gym facility completed last spring, the transformational Measure J improvements to Livermore High’s athletics and aquatics complexes will provide our current students, future students, and our greater community with state of the art facilities for decades to come.
Photo courtesy of LVJUSD
Livermore Management Association Recognizes Standout Students, Staff, & Partners
Each year, our Livermore Management Association (LMA) recognizes outstanding students, staff, and community members at its annual breakfast awards ceremony. This year’s award recipients are:
Scott Haggerty Scholarship Recipients: Allison DeGuzman (Granada High School) and Mikayla Marinko (Livermore High School)
LMA First Generation Scholarship Recipients: Trishia Pedeglorio (Granada High School) and Lily Anne Hurley (Livermore High School)
LMA Community Service Scholarship Recipients: Joshua Raborn (Granada High School) and Summer Gryszowka (Livermore High School)
Teacher of the Year: Irene Lucero (East Avenue Middle School)
Classified Employee of the Year: Carmen Perea (Livermore High School)
Administrator of the Year: Jeannette Garza (Junction Avenue TK-8)
President’s Award: Shari Johnston (Coordinator of Equity and Early Literacy)
Friend of Education: Vaughn Draggoo (Quest Science Center)
Please enjoy the video below highlighting this year’s recipients!
Photos courtesy of LVJUSD
Starting a New Chapter- Celebrating our 2022-23 Retirees
Please enjoy the following video as a tribute to our LVJUSD 2022-23 retirees! At a celebration held at the Robert Livermore Community Center on May 17, 2023, retirees and guests enjoyed entertainment from Granada’s string quartet and the Livermore High choir. Tables were decorated with floral arrangements designed by Livermore High’s Floriculture classes and a 16-foot grazing table and dessert bars were overflowing with sweet and savory treats courtesy of Del Valle’s Culinary Academy and the culinary arts classes at Granada and Livermore.
These special individuals will always be part of the LVJUSD family. Your legacy lives on in the lives and positive impact you have made on our students.
Photos courtesy of LVJUSD
Rotary Honors Model Educators
Pictured below: First Row (left to right): Eileen Weed (Vineyard), Paige Zingraf (Arroyo Seco), Tina Weetman (Jackson), Hien Ngo (Christensen), Casie Benjamin (Marylin Avenue), Irene Lucero (East Avenue), Heather Kitt (Altamont Creek); Second Row (left to right): Michael Bruan (Del Valle), Laura Morgan (Lawrence), Bonnie Pastrnak (Rancho Las Positas), Jessica Radzikowski (Smith), Monica Brickwedel (Granada), Kathleen McClane (Joe Michell), Stacey Carroll (Sunset), Karna Mapes (Croce), Heidi Pittman (Mendenhall), Roya Hosseini (Junction Avenue), Roxana Mohammed (Livermore High School)
Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Livermore
Prevent the Summer Slide with LVJUSD’s Math Passport & Livermore Library’s Summer Reading Program!
The LVJUSD Math Passport and the Livermore Library Summer Reading Programs are back for summer 2023!
The Math Passport offers math challenges that will guide TK-5th grade students and their families throughout downtown Livermore on an exciting math adventure! Students will solve grade appropriate math problems to unlock additional challenges as families explore the Livermore community using the TaleBlazer app. If you do not have access to a device, don’t worry, you can stop by our District Office at 685 East Jack London Boulevard to pick up a printed version of the challenges. Completion certificates will be awarded to all students who complete the passport by August 20th at an assembly once school is back in session in the fall. For information visit the Math Passport page on our website.
The Livermore Public Library 2023 Summer Reading Program has four program levels to accommodate all ages, and all are free of charge. Starting now, pre-readers, independent readers, teens, and adults may register for the summer reading game on the Summer Reading page or by downloading the Beanstack app and creating an account. Prizes will be awarded in all programs, with the goal of reading, learning something new, and having fun! The program will run through August 16th.
Dates to Remember!
June 8 - Last Day of School
June 10 - Rodeo Parade, Downtown Livermore
August 21 - First Day of 2023-24 School Year
September 4 - No School - Labor Day
Our 2023-24 District calendar is available on our website: 2023-24 District calendar
To be notified of upcoming events, be sure to download the Livermore Schools app from the App Store or from Google Play. Follow your schools, and see all of the calendar dates through the app.
For site-specific information on events and celebrations, please visit school websites.
Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District
Website: www.livermoreschools.org
Facebook: facebook.com/livermoreschools
Instagram: @LivermoreSchools
Twitter: @LivermoreSchool
Email: communityengagement@lvjusd.org
Website: www.livermoreschools.org
Location: 685 East Jack London Boulevard, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925-606-3200
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