• December 22: Minimum Day

• December 25--January 5th: District Recess

• December 24: Christmas Eve

• December 25: Christmas Day

• December 26--January 1: Kwanzaa
  

• December 31: New Year's Eve

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming winter break, we want to reinforce an important message for our designers:

Maintaining a positive atmosphere among our students is crucial, especially with the excitement and anticipation of an extended break before us. It's natural for them to feel a surge of energy or restlessness, but it remains imperative that they continue to demonstrate respect and kindness toward each other.

We urge everyone to exhibit kindness, inclusivity, and understanding toward their peers and LEDs. This involves respecting personal boundaries, being considerate of others' space, and keeping their hands to themselves.

At Design39Campus, our core dispositions include respect, personal accountability, and fostering a sense of belonging for every student. As we approach this final week before our well-deserved break, we ask each student to reflect on how their actions affect others.

Remember, if your student requires support or guidance during this period, our doors are open. Please don't hesitate to reach out; we're here to assist and support. We deeply appreciate your dedication in making Design39 a remarkable place for learning.

May this winter break bring you and your family a much-deserved time of relaxation and joy away from the bustling routines of the school year. Your support and involvement in your student's education is everything, and we hope this break offers you moments of peace, warmth, and cherished memories. Wishing you a rejuvenating and happy holiday season!

With peace and love.

This will be our last Designer's Reminders until January 7th, 2024 as we get to set to return from Winter Break.

I've previously shared the story of bringing our first child, Avery, home from the hospital. After cautiously carrying her car seat up to our second-floor condominium, we carefully set her down on the dining room table, trying to figure out what to do next. Before her birth, my wife and I had voraciously read and annotated "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and other pregnancy-related texts. We had hoped our diligent studies would translate into expertise for what to do once Avery was born. However, we were thoroughly baffled by what to do with the slumbering baby on our table. While we recently donated our copy of What to Expect, we've continued seeking other texts to help us raise confident, empathetic, self-controlled, integral, curious, perseverant, and optimistic daughters.

When I spoke to Michele Borba via a Zoom meeting last Friday, my heart swelled. It's not often one gets to spend quality time with a hero, and Michele is certainly one of mine. As my oldest prepared to start at Del Norte High School this past summer, my wife and I devoured "Thrivers" in a matter of days. We found the text insightful, thoughtful, and very practical. During my conversation with Michele last week, I found her to be exactly the same—vulnerable, candid, humorous, and real. Her energy and passion were genuine, and she's excited to speak with our community.

This will be a must-see event. More information on book club opportunities will follow. Thank you to the D399 Collaborative for their support with this event. Events like these are only possible because of the Collaborative and the generous donations from our community during the 39 Day of Giving. For that, we are forever grateful and offer our sincerest thanks.

If you wish to support our equity initiatives, please reach out to Shaka Johnson via email at shaka@design39collaborative.org or Bobby Caughey at rcaughey@powayusd.com

Join us in shaping a more equitable future at D39C.

This week's AVID tip focuses on initiating discussions about college and career readiness.

Commencing conversations about college and career readiness in middle school can offer several advantages:

1. Early Preparation: Introducing these concepts at an early stage encourages students to contemplate their future and strategize accordingly. It provides them with more time to explore interests, identify strengths, and improve areas they might want to develop.

2. Goal Setting: Middle school marks a pivotal period where young individuals begin to shape their aspirations and objectives. Discussing college and careers during this phase helps them establish realistic goals and comprehend the necessary steps to attain them.

3. Exposure to Options: Early exposure to college and career ideas acquaints students with a broad spectrum of possibilities. It enables them to explore diverse fields and comprehend the variety of career paths available, potentially influencing their future educational choices.

4. Academic Preparation: Understanding the significance of particular subjects or skills for specific careers can inspire students to excel in those areas. It aids in making informed decisions about elective courses and extracurricular activities that align with their interests.

5. Skill Development: Conversations about college and careers emphasize the cultivation of skills like critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving, which are vital for success in both education and future professions.

6. Early Access to Resources: Introducing these discussions early on allows students ample time to access resources, guidance, and mentorship programs. These resources aid them in navigating their educational journey effectively.

7. Reducing Anxiety: By broaching these topics earlier, students gradually develop comfort and confidence in understanding the path ahead. This gradual approach can alleviate some of the anxiety associated with making significant decisions about the future.

By instigating these dialogues in middle school, educators and parents can offer essential support to young individuals as they explore interests, comprehend the value of education, and take proactive steps towards a fulfilling future.

Thank you to the Blue Owl Learning students from Del Norte High School for coming to our Coffee with the Design Facilitators and sharing out the details of your amazing program. We look forward to your ongoing support of our students to support their academic success.

Our Outstanding Team

Matt Bibby (last names A-I): mbibby@powayusd.com

Jennifer Asmann (last names J-R): jasmann@powayusd.com

Andrea Guevara (last names S-Z): aguevara@powayusd.com

The fourth and fifth graders learned more about the upcoming Winter Solstice on December 21. The younger grades explored the “secret kingdom” under the snow - the subnivean zone.

Missing something? A tape deck, some Creedence tapes, a briefcase filled with some business papers, a rug that really tied the room together? Water Bottle? A lunch box? A jacket? Two jackets? Our lost and found carts are already filling up! The carts can be found outside the main gate before school and after school. Come, find yourself. Our next donation date is Friday, December 22.

The Design39Campus student blog is a vibrant hub where designers share their experiences, ideas, and unique perspectives on Design39Campus. It offers a firsthand glimpse into student life, showcasing creativity and the power of student-led initiatives within the educational sphere. Reading this blog provides a direct connection to the student community, fostering empathy, understanding, and a glimpse into D39C.

Please click on the button above periodically to see what is happening around our learning facility.

Fire Season and Emergencies: With fire season upon us we want to assure parents and guardians that we have appropriate response systems in place when emergencies arise. Our first priority will always be the safety of our students and staff on campus.

When Design39Campus becomes aware of any incidents in the geographic area of the school site, we will focus first on the safety of our campus while working with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the District for guidance and support for communication. Communication with parents is part of the response plan, but will be secondary to immediate safety. As soon as we can, we will message families with details of school-wide incidents such as lockdowns or evacuations. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in ParentVue in the “My Account” section.

Finally, we have been asked by first responders to remind our families NOT to come to campus in times of emergency – there have been several instances when officers, firefighters, and their ability to respond to the emergency have been hindered by parents rushing to the scene. We will send out messages about dismissal or reunification procedures for families when first responders indicate it is safe to do so.

Cuyamaca Outdoor School (6th Grade Camp): February 5th through the 9th, 2024. Detailed Camp Packets will be coming home soon. Please take a look home soon! For information on camp, please check out this movie, or this slideshow, or you can go to their website. It is the best week of middle school!

It is never too early to begin preparing for one of the most momentous events of middle school, 6th Grade Camp. D39C 6th grade students will be attending Camp Cuyamaca February 5th through the 9th, 2024. This is not a dusty tent camping experience in the wilderness. Camp Cuyamaca is a fully accredited outdoor school run by the San Diego Country Office of Education based in our local mountains. Students will engage in science and problem solving activities and also enjoy hiking, rock climbing, and so much more!!!

The cost of the five-day program will be $455***; which includes transportation, food, lodging and medical insurance. It is an incredible experience and we are so excited to offer this opportunity to all students in PUSD.

You have two payment options:

1. Cash
2. Check (made payable to PUSD; please write your child's name in the memo line)

***Scholarships are available. Please see you LED for additional information***

Attendance and OCIS Contracts: With the holiday season rapidly approaching, we often have families who choose to take time off from school to travel. While we strongly encourage families not to miss school days, I also want to make you aware of our policy if you choose to take time off.

If you have a student who will not be in class for 5-14 days, please notify the office so we can have the parents fill out an OCIS contract for their child. The forms will have to be completed and signed by parents 5-10 days in advance of the absence. Click here for a link to the OCIS Contract.

Parents are required to give 5 days notice for absences up to 5 days, 10 days notice for absences more than 5 days.

Prepping work for students who are absent is an incredible amount of work for our teaching staff and we ask that you give your child’s teacher as much advance notice as possible beyond the above guidelines.

We do not write contracts beyond 14 days. If you plan to be away for 15 or more days please contact the Welcome Center for the necessary procedures.

Would you like to become a part of the Design39Campus Team? Do you like to be outside and work with children? If so, we are looking for a few quality Motion Managers to help support our designers during body breaks and lunch during the middle of the day. Possible times are 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. or 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. If interested, please apply through Poway Unified School District at the this link.

Attendance: To report your child's absence or early checkout, please email the attendance office at d39cattendance@powayusd.com before 10:00 am on the day of the absence. Please include your child's name, homeroom/grade, dates of absence, and reason for absence. We kindly ask that you avoid checking out your student during the lunch period from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Please refer to the attendance section of our Design39Campus website for protocols regarding reporting student absences and requesting early release for your student.'

California Education Code 48205 states that a student may be excused legally from school when the absence is due to:

• Personal illness or injury
• Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health office
• Medical, dental, or chiropractic services
• Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family
• Justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil's absence has been requested in writing by the parent and approved by the principal or designated representative
  
• For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election
• Exclusion for failure to present evidence of immunization
• Exclusion from school because student is either the carrier of a contagious disease or not immunized for a contagious disease

Communication with your Designer: If there is a need to communicate with your child during the school day, please send a message to your child’s LED or the Welcome Center. Please refrain from communicating with them directly through text messages or phone calls as it disrupts their learning.

Personal Items: For equity reasons, we are asking that students keep their personal playground equipment at home or in their backpack. Our wonderful Collaborative supplies us with enough funding to ensure that there is enough equipment during recess and lunch.

The D39C Collaborative is a 100% volunteer-run foundation designed to be responsive to the needs of students, parents, and learning experience designers of Design39Campus. Their mission is to expand and enhance the educational experience of every student attending Design39Campus.

We are excited to share an opportunity for you to get involved in shaping the future of visual and performing arts education in our community. Poway Unified will form a Strategic Committee to review and improve the current strategic arts plan.

The committee is seeking participation from teachers (of all grade levels and subjects), administrators, district office staff, parents, guardians, and students to be a part of the committee. As a member, you'll examine the progress of our existing plan, analyze arts education data, and create recommendations for visual and performing arts initiatives. Committee members will represent a diverse and inclusive range of representatives across Poway Unified.

Please view this flier to learn more about the committee, including meeting dates and how to apply. The deadline to apply is December 22, 2023.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Just reach out to Kayla Warren at kwarren@powayusd.com anytime. Forward this invitation to other members of our community that may be interested.

PUSD Substitutes Needed: With flu, cold, and COVID season upon us, we are once again in need of qualified substitutes to support PUSD and our campus in the event of an LED absence.

If you or someone you know are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher with Poway Unified School District, please click here.

EmpowerED Digital Magazine: We are excited to debut the first-ever edition of our new EmpowerED Digital Magazine, to highlight all the ways you are empowering world-class learners every single day! We want to share with each other and the rest of our community what makes Poway Unified students, staff, and families so special in this visually pleasing, multi-media platform moving forward.

Click here or anywhere on the below image to be taken to a flipbook to enjoy the magazine. You'll see slideshows, links, and videos embedded in the pages. We hope you love it as much as we do! Feel free to share it with your family, friends, alum, retirees - anyone who might enjoy it too.

Parent Education Courses: PUSD is excited offer several Parent Education courses each month. Families are able to enroll and pay online at via Poway Adult School on their website linked HERE. You can search for the course you are interested in and enroll directly from the site.

• November 2023 Parent Education Courses:

  • Help Your Teen Manage Stress and Anxiety – 6th -12th Grade NEW
  • Early Childhood Development: Language is a Cognitive Super Power TK-3rd Grade NEW
  • Help Your Children Manage Stress and Anxiety – TK-5th Grade

Please note, scholarships are available to parents who may be in need. Parent can contact the Caring Connections Center for more information.

Thank you for supporting our PUSD Parent Education and for all you do for our students and families! May you have an amazing 2023-2024 school year!

Food and Nutrition Updates and Reminders: School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.

• Even though meals are free, families are still highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.

• Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.

• Interactive, web-based menus containing nutrient and allergen details are available at MySchoolMenus.com, as well as via links from the F&N webpage.