WPUSD eNews

Email: kcallahan@wpusd.org

Website: wpusd.org

Phone: 916-645-6350

School/Office Closures

• March 31 - April 10 - Spring Break
• District Office Open 10am-2pm
• May 29 - Memorial Day

In This Section

🌏Youth Development Master Plan NEW!

🧑‍🎓Portrait of a Learner NEW!

👍Welcoming The Foundry on Campus NEW!

🔆After School Programs are Hiring NEW!

🏫2023-2024 Registration Information

🎒TK Status Update NEW!

📘Adult Ed. Classes NEW!

➕Middle School Math Pilot Complete NEW!

🏨Facilities Dept: Did You Know? NEW!

👨‍🍳Scratch Made Food on Campus NEW!

🚌Bus Routes & Transportation

🤒COVID

👨‍🏫We're Hiring NEW!

✔️Earned Income Tax Information Act Notification

I am very excited to officially announced that we have engaged with the City of Lincoln to develop a Youth Master Plan for our entire community. It is our goal to create integrated systems and services not only within our schools but throughout the community to best serve and develop youth. It is our hope that by speaking common language, working together, and all being intentional in our approach to ensure youth have the supports and opportunities (safety, relationships, engagement, community involvement, and skill building), they they will become healthy, productive adults!!

The visual (to the right) highlights the systems we have engaged to partner in this work with us. We have met twice and are excited about this endeavor. More to come!

We are excited to announce that we are engaging in the development of a "Portrait of a Learner", which is intended to outline the key characteristics/skills we want to develop in our students throughout their educational journey in WPUSD so that they graduate ready to successfully navigate their adult lives and achieve their goals. We will be engaging stakeholder groups (staff, students, parents, community partners, etc.) very soon to help us design a portrait that reflects what we all believe students need to ensure they are equipped to tackle their future.

Please be on the look for invites to stakeholder focus group meetings as well as a general survey we will be sending out to gather input. For more information about a "Portrait of a Learner", see the FAQs below.

Portrait of a Learner FAQs

What is a Portrait of a Learner?

A Portrait of a Learner organizes a school and a community around the essential skills, knowledge, and habits of mind that 1) represent the community’s vision for learning and 2) prepare students for the world beyond school. A Portrait of a Learner invites a community to come together to discuss and name its vision for what they want to see in their learners for college, career, civic, and life success. It is a community-based process. Portraits share a few key elements:

• They are public.
• They are memorable.
• They blend the representative and the aspirational.
• They are actionable.
• Their content is transdisciplinary.

Why is this work important?

Western Placer Unified School District’s Portrait of a Learner will be a simple, public and easily accessible document that helps the school pursue ongoing growth and make decisions based on what a community prioritizes for students. This work is a foundation for future work in our school, classrooms, and community.

How is this different from work we’ve done before?

The ultimate audience is the student and what types of student learning and experiences we want to support and encourage at our schools and in our community. Our aim is to create something actionable that is focused on students and what kinds of learning students will do. By involving stakeholders across the community, making the document public, and supporting ongoing conversation about its use, we believe it will allow us to reflect on and improve our work.

How will this affect how educators do their jobs?

Portraits of Learners are designed to coalesce communities around important, relevant skills and mindsets that matter to students’ futures. There is no set agenda for how this Portrait will be used other than as a guide to ensure the school makes decisions in the best interests of student learning.

Should we be considering how to implement these ideas when we are formulating the Profile of a Learner?

No. Making a clear distinction between the creation and implementation stages of this work allows us to be both aspirational and reflective when articulating what we believe student learning can and should look like at Western Placer Unified School District.

Who is involved?

This process is led by a Design Team representing Western Placer Unified School District schools. It includes a board member, students, and district leaders. The Design Team will gather input from stakeholders across the Western Placer Unified School District community (teachers, students, leadership, parents, alumni, board members, community members) and share drafts with the community for ongoing feedback.

Lincoln, CA – In the fall of 2022, the Western Placer Unified School District and The Foundry Youth Center began working together to in an effort to provide Lincoln youth with enhanced access to services during after school hours. To best meet students’ needs, WPUSD invited the Foundry to reside on school campuses.

Beginning in the late summer/early fall of 2023, The Foundry will open two fully-operational youth centers on the Glen Edwards Middle School campus and the Lincoln High School (LHS) campus to provide more targeted services to middle and high school students, respectively.

The Foundry is a recreational space for middle and high school students to gather during after school hours. They offer varying resources for students, such as free tutoring, leadership opportunities, and more. We are hoping to grow our partnership with the Foundry, expanding service offerings to upper elementary students as well.

“We are ecstatic over this partnership and eager to provide our middle and high school students with a welcoming environment, where they can gather in a safe space at no cost to our families,” says Superintendent Kerry Callahan.

Additional contacts:

Kerry Callahan, Superintendent 916-645-6350

Nathan Oates, The Foundry Youth Center 916-304-4422

Jen Hladun, Lincoln High School Principal 916-645-6360

Ana Castillo, Glen Edwards Middle School Principal 916-645-6370

Our After School Programs are hiring Instructional Aides at:

• Glen Edward Middle School
• Sheridan Elementary

Recent college grad? Part-time college student? Seeking part-time work? Need flexible hours?

We’re looking for energetic, responsible people who have an interest in working with kids and have the diverse skills necessary to make an impact in their lives.

Click here to apply: EDJOIN.org OR contact us to get connected!

Ashlie Snider, After School Coordinator

asnider@wpusd.org

916-645-5135

Find below the information meeting recordings held in December. Please share these links with those who are newly registering students for the 2023-2024 school year. Each session covers many of the frequently asked questions and outlines each program as well as the registration process.

Bilingual Immersion Parent Information Night (English) - December 7, 2022 5:30 pm

Bilingual Immersion Parent Information Night (Spanish) - December 7, 2022 6:45 pm

TK/K Virtual Registration Information Night (English) - December 8, 2022 6:00 pm

TK/K Virtual Registration Information Night (Spanish) - December 13, 2022 6:00 pm

• *January 10, 2023: Online Registration OPENS at 8am
• ^January 19, 2023: Begin Accepting Intra-District Transfers (within the district) at 8am
• February 1, 2023: Begin Accepting Inter-District Transfers (outside of district)
• *February 10, 2023: Deadline for Bilingual Immersion Lottery
• ^February 16, 2023: Priority submission deadline for High School Intra-District Transfers ONLY (TK-8 accepted through June 2023)
• *February 21, 2023: Deadline to submit 2023-2024 priority registration online
• February 24 - March 3, 2023: Parent notification for Bilingual Immersion Program placement
• Late March - Early April 2023: Parent notification for TK placement

*IMPORTANT REGISTRATION DATES TO NOTE

^IMPORTANT TRANSFER DATES TO NOTE

Visit wpusd.org for more information.

We are actively working on Transitional Kindergarten (TK) placement. Based on our current projections, we will have our largest TK class next school year. As TK students are placed across the district, we try to honor as many requests as we can. Unfortunately, TK numbers fluctuate each year, and we need to move some students away from their home schools to make the overall numbers work. TK classes have a hard cap of 24 students per class, with a student to adult ratio of 12 to 1. Sites are calling families to verify numbers and set classes up for next year. Additionally, we have expanded our dual language offerings for next school year and added a dual language TK class. WPUSD is happy to report we have already filled the class with 24 students!

Glen Edwards and Twelve Bridges middle school math departments wrapped up piloting curriculum and graded out the programs being used. We have collected feedback from teachers, which included student and parent feedback. Each program was scored out and we worked to build consensus around a single program. In this, we are planning on moving forward with Reveal Math from McGrawHill pending board approval. Elementary math will meet on April 14th and grade out the programs they are piloting.

In 2008, the City of Lincoln approved its 2050 General Plan developed to guide public decision making for land use planning through goals, objectives, and policies, and it provides the legal basis for all subdivision, zoning, and related ordinances. At the time, the General Plan identified the potential for over 34,000 new housing units through 2050, including infill units within the existing city limits and from the seven "Villages" to be annexed into the City's sphere of influence.

Based on the City's Housing Element update in 2021, it is estimated that approximately 17,280 new housing units will be developed in the infill and Village areas over the next 10-20 years. These units are estimated to generate approximately 9,500 new students within the District over the next 10-20 years. As a result, the District will need to construct 7 new elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 additional high school to meet the student demand. In 2023 dollars, this would cost approximately one billion dollars.

The WPUSD Food Service Department has successfully completed our second week of scratch meals training with Brigaid, supporting hands-on professional development for our Food Service team and delicious meals for our students!

During the week of March 20th we hosted two amazing Brigaid chefs at SES, COES, TBHS, LHS, GEMS, TBMS, CCC, LCE, SLE and FSS

The menus featured BBQ chicken, cornbread and coleslaw and grass fed beef tacos, roasted salsa and elote salad. We had amazing feedback from the students! Overall the two weeks of Brigaid training were a success!

On March 18th, we partnered with our local food hub, SPORK, to hold a produce taste test at TBMS. They featured local purple daikon and received great feedback from the students! We are excited to host more SPORK taste events across the districts in the coming weeks!

If you're wondering where and when the bus will be arriving to take your child to school or bring them home please click HERE to check out the most up-to-date bus route times for your student.

As a reminder, we created a FAQ document (HERE) to help answer questions you may have about our district's response to COVID for the school year.

Please continue to be vigilant and communicate with your school sites should your student become symptomatic and/or test positive for COVID.

WPUSD is hiring! Check out our current job openings at https://www.edjoin.org/wpusd. Positions for next school year will begin posting regularly! Be sure to check Edjoin!

Other open positions:

• District School Nurse
• Food Service Assistant - Varying sites
• Campus Supervisor - Varying sites
• Paraprofessional
• Bus Driver
• Coaching Positions
• Many More!

In This Section

🌐Affordable Connectivity Program NEW!

🎓CalKids College Savings Account

🚨Update Your Emergency Contact Information

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, included the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that provides eligible households up to $30 a month, or $75 a month for households living on tribal lands, toward their internet bills, as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

All households with a child who was approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP), within the last 12 months, including children who attend schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), are eligible for ACP benefits. Note that every household with a child attending a school participating in the CEP is eligible for ACP benefits. Households are also eligible if a member of a household participates in certain federal benefit programs—including, among others, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, Medicaid, and Federal Public Housing Assistance.

Households may apply for the ACP via GetInternet.gov or can call 877-384-2575. NSLP and SBP households applying directly through the ACP website may need to show documentation proving their current participation in the NSLP and SBP if their eligibility cannot be confirmed with other personal identifying information. This may include presenting the household’s school meals approval letter or other current official documentation.

Households with a child attending a school participating in the CEP will need documentation, such as an official, individualized letter from the CEP school stating that the student is enrolled at a CEP-participating school. The documentation must also include the student’s name, the relevant school year, the name and address of the school, and school contact information. Schools are encouraged to include a unique number in the letter to enable the ACP administrator to confirm its authenticity if needed.

Local educational agencies that administer the NSLP and SBP may be well-positioned to let eligible households know about ACP. Please share this valuable resource with all eligible families and encourage them to sign up to save on their internet bills.

To support your efforts in spreading the word, please feel free to use the following resources:

• GetInternet.gov—a one-stop shop to learn about ACP, check eligibility, enroll, and find fully covered internet plans.
• ACP Outreach Toolkit—outreach materials from the Federal Communications Commission, including sample factsheets, flyers, PSAs, text messages, social media posts, and more.
• Outreach partners can request the pre-qualification widget to embed on their own websites by emailing ACProgram@usac.org with the subject line ACP Widget for technical support. In the email, please include the web address where you plan to add the widget. The interactive widget includes questions to check eligibility and apply for ACP.
• White House Fact Sheet on the ACP and its benefits.

Did you know that your student can be awarded a $500 college savings account if your family qualifies as low-income?

It’s true! California has begun a program called CalKIDS to give low-income students a jump start on saving for college. Additionally, if your family receives McKinney-Vento support from the district, your student qualifies for another $500. (Families are not required to contribute any additional money.)

When low-income students graduate from high school and attend an eligible school, whether it be a 4-year university, community college, or trade school, they can use the money on things like:

• Tuition and related fees

• Books and required supplies

• Certain room and board costs

• Computer equipment

How Do I Know If My Student Qualifies?

Students have to qualify as low-income, be in grades 1-12, and have attended a California school for at least one full year.

This sounds awesome! How do I sign up?

You need to register on the CalKIDS online portal. You will not be asked to disclose any taxpayer identification numbers.

• Your child’s Statewide Student Identifier (SSID). See next section for how to access that information.
  
• Your child’s date of birth.
  
• The name of the county where your child was enrolled in school in October of LAST school year (2021-2022). For us, that would be Placer County.
  

• https://calkids.outcometracker.app/p/CalKids/calkids/registration/
  

How do I find my child’s Statewide Student Identifier (SSID)?

Your child’s SSID is found on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. When you log in, you’ll see a purple SSID icon next to your child’s name at the top of the screen. If you click on that purple icon, a window will pop up with the number that you need.

What if the CalKIDS website doesn’t recognize my student’s SSID number?

That means we probably don’t have a household income form on file that indicates your income falls within the range to qualify your child. Fill out the household income form as the first step to qualifying your child!

Questions?

Our parent liaisons are ready to help! Todas hablan español.

Elementary

Lupita Parker (mparker@wpusd.org or 916-937-2448)

Rosabel Ortiz (rortiz@wpusd.org or 530-320-6098)

Middle School

Cecilia Sanchez (cesanchez@wpusd.org or 530-320-7998

High School

Paola Gachet (pgachet@wpusd.org or 530-320-7160)

Online access is now LIVE!

If you haven't done so already, you will need to review your child’s emergency contact and health information for any updates. When reviewing and updating your child’s information, you will also be electronically signing your child’s 2022-2023 Technology Use and Waiver Agreements, Student Health Insurance option, and Photo Release Opt-Out Forms.

Please contact your child's SCHOOL office if you have any questions. If you've already completed this process, no action is needed. If you have not completed this process, it may impact your child's ability to attend school events and use district technology.

**If don't have a Parent Portal account you should have received an email or letter with information and instructions to set up your account. If did not receive an email or letter or you forgot your student’s Access ID/Password, please contact your child’s SCHOOL and they can help.**

If you need technical assistance, please email HelpDesk@wpusd.org.

Website: www.wpusd.org
Location: 600 6th Street, Suite 400, Lincoln, CA, USA
Phone: 916-645-6350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WPUSD/
Twitter: @WPUSD

Wondering where our past newsletters are camped out? 🏕️ Click here.

See ways we can improve our monthly newsletter? Let us know here!

Did you actually get this far through our newsletter? Thank you! We appreciate you!