CUSD Newsletter

““ONLY DURING HARD TIMES DO PEOPLE COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE MASTER OF THEIR FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS.”

- Anton Chekhov

Good Afternoon, CUSD,

The district has been firing on all cylinders this week. I have had the pleasure of visiting many classrooms across all grade levels and am impressed with the high level learning, connections, and collaboration going on between our students and teachers. It’s safe to say the school year is in full swing!

Meeting with students is the highlight of my job. The Superintendent Student Advisory Council (SSAC) at the high school is back in action. Last year the SSAC researched and presented their opinions regarding our district instructional calendar. This year they want to continue their efforts by soliciting and elevating student voices in order to raise awareness and advocacy on important district structures and systems. I am confident that this dynamic group will be active in 2024-25.

One initiative that the SSAC will help champion this year is support and safety and use of our reporting mechanism, WeTip. Students in our care are entitled to feel safe for who they are. If any student is subjected to messages or statements of hate or discrimination across any platform (social media, printed materials, face to face, etc.), we encourage use of WeTip for immediate support. See something, say something reporting buttons are on all of our web pages and QR code posters throughout our schools.

Sports fans, have you heard about our impressive Islander girls volleyball teams (freshman, JV, varsity)? They are crushing it this season! To date, they have racked up six program sweeps (all 3 teams sweeping their opponents) and the D2 varsity team is currently ranked 21st in the state after beating multiple D1 teams in the county. If you want to catch their next home game, varsity plays in the CHS gym next Wednesday at 6:15pm. Admission is free. Come on out and cheer on the Islanders!

For comprehensive information on CHS sports please visit our new athletics website. The site is still in development but currently live. It will replace the old ISF page and eventually include an app that pairs with the website. This will be a great tool to keep everyone informed and up to date about where and when our Islander teams are competing. Check it out at: https://www.islandersportsfoundation.net

As you probably are aware, election season is here. There are two open seats on our CUSD Governing Board and four candidates running for election. Our PTOs are hosting a Candidate Forum on Monday, October 1st at 6:00pm in the district office. See flyer below for details.

Don’t forget next Friday, September 27th, there is no school for students. Our offices will be closed and staff will be engaged in professional development throughout the day.

Check out our Photo of the Week: Friendship on Display at Silver Strand!

Have a great weekend,

Karl J. Mueller

Superintendent

As our educators, parents, and community come together to connect, challenge, and champion our students, we are humbled by the outpouring of compliments. What a positive testament to our CUSD family!

• Spencer Smith: I am so grateful for Spencer's tremendous support at the beginning of this year in our computer labs. His efforts in ensuring that the software is running smoothly and the computers are functioning properly have been invaluable. His ability to troubleshoot efficiently and in a timely manner has ensured that our students don’t miss a beat. I am truly thankful for his dedication to both teachers and students!
  
• Jason Ramos is always so supportive of our Digital Arts Department. His prompt and effective responses, combined with his proactive approach and collaborative spirit make him invaluable. He significantly enhances our department's efficiency! He is a true team player!

Click here to recognize an employee or volunteer who goes above and beyond to make a difference. Those who are "caught" will receive a copy of the positive words that were shared about them and a "Caught Being Awesome" decal. Please take a minute or two to brighten someone else's day!

If your student has a CUSD issued Chromebook, you are encouraged to review and consider purchasing the OPTIONAL Mobile Device Protection Plan (MDPP) for the 2024-2025 school year. The annual plan is designed to cover accidental damage of CUSD Chromebooks including screen breakage. In addition, the plan will protect against spills, fire, flood, natural disasters, and theft/loss. Mobile hotspots, power cords, cables, and other accessories are not covered. Intentional damage, improper device storage, and misuse are not covered.

The cost of the plan is $30 per device per year. The plan must be purchased annually at the beginning of each school year or at the time of registration to be valid. To maintain coverage, a new plan must also be purchased if a student is provided with a replacement device due to damage/loss of their previous device. This money will be used to create a dedicated pool of funding to replace or repair covered technology. All money collected through the program will go into a special account that can only be used to replace or repair technology that is covered in the plan. We highly recommend this low-cost protection plan. To purchase a Mobile Device Protection Plan for your student, please use the instructions at the following link: Mobile Device Protection Plan Purchase Instructions.

If you do not purchase the Mobile Device Protection Plan for your student’s device, the following fees will apply should damage occur:

Damage Type and Replacement Cost Plus Tax

Chromebook - Full Replacement $400

Damaged Keyboard $80

Damaged Screen $80

Damaged Motherboard $160

Damaged LCD Bezel $40

Damaged Camera $40

Lost/Damaged Charger* $22

Lost Case* $19

*Accessories are not covered by the Mobile Device Protection Plan.