The Horizon
August 2024
Dear Jurupa Unified Community:
We are so excited to welcome students back for the 2024-25 school year.
Our theme for the year is “Level Up”. You will see the phrase and hashtag #levelupjusd used across the district in communications and social media posts this year. This is a call to action for all of us – administration, staff, students and our community – to do our best each day to help our students succeed in school, in career, and in life.
Our district has done an incredible job of putting the goals of our Vision for the Future into action. We are already seeing the benefits of our focused work as we see academic successes, improved attendance, increased college-going rates, and more. I look forward to what we can accomplish together this year.
We continue to emphasize the importance of literacy, especially among our youngest scholars, and we have already seen some positive results. Our Literacy Without Limits initiative will continue this year with fun events and competitions, including our popular Family Reading Challenges, mystery readers, and more.
Our Community Schools program continues leading the way with 18 JUSD campuses aligned to this innovative student support model. Community Schools provide wraparound services to help provide resources and tools that support the whole child and whole family. We encourage our families to use all of the resources available to them. If your family needs additional support, please reach out to your school office.
Attending school on time every day is essential to student success and I am proud of our students for improving in this area. We appreciate our families’ support in ensuring that students arrive on time to school each day so that they can receive the highest-quality educational experience possible. We want every student to Attend Today, Succeed for Life!
We have so much to look forward to. Let’s make 2024-25 the best year yet!
JUSD schools use "science of reading" research to teach critical literacy skills
Pedley Elementary School Literacy Support Teacher Laura Ciesla doesn’t just help students learn to read; she helps them rewrite their own life stories – and she loves to watch those stories unfold.
Ms. Ciesla recalls how one student who “was really struggling,” found her way by using research-based literacy techniques.
“She realized, ‘Okay, it’s not a guessing game….it follows patterns and rules’,” Ciesla said. “Her mindset changed. She went from a kind of unhappy student to just really loving school.”
Those “ah-ha” moments occur daily at Jurupa Unified schools as educators help students connect the pieces in the complicated puzzle of interconnected skills that lead to reading fluency. The “science of reading,” includes a body of research that studies how individuals learn to read and how best to teach students.
Reading fluency takes a variety of different skills. Readers must be able to identify letter combinations and what they look and sound like. They must understand phonics and letter sound blends. They need to understand word origins and build their vocabularies, and then they need to practice their skills through guided reading and writing practice.
“A lot of what we’re doing in Jurupa right now we’re deeming as structured literacy,” said Ron Zahnd, Director of Elementary Education, adding that literacy instruction is consistent and paced in a precise way to help students build on their learning.
JUSD's new State Seal of Civic Engagement recognizes students for their community service
The idea for her State Seal of Civic Engagement project came when Rubidoux High graduate Alejandra Nolasco saw an older woman struggling with her cell phone at the grocery store.
“We want to make a difference. That was actually something that we knew… we all brainstormed and wanted to do something as a whole,” the 2024 graduate said. She knew she and her classmates could help the senior citizens learn how to use technology by volunteering weekly at their local senior center.
Jurupa Unified School District high school seniors can now obtain a State Seal of Civic Engagement on their high school diploma for their excellence in civic work. Students must be engaged in an extensive action research project, have a mentor, and meet several eligibility requirements. Students cannot apply for the state seal until their senior year when they’re enrolled in a government class but are encouraged to begin serving their community as underclassmen.
Jurupa Unified recently attained a California Serves Grant to expand access to all high school seniors to earn the state seal. The $500,000 grant will allow all four high schools to have a designated staff member at each site, offer professional development, and expand the reach and impact on students and the community. Input gathered from the district state seal committee allows staff and students to be supported. The committee consists of teachers and administrators who have listened to students and mentors who have gone through the process to provide current students with the necessary resources to succeed.
Custodian Garrett Hardy was honored as the Indian Hills Elementary School Classified Employee of the Year for his commitment to maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for students and staff. Mr. Hardy is now entering his fifth year working as a custodian at Indian Hills. He previously held several other classified positions in the district such as a crossing guard, campus supervisor, and substitute custodian.
What do you like most about working at Indian Hills Elementary?
“The staff over here is great. The people are all nice. It's a really nice school. We have done a lot to keep it up, take care of it, and maintain it to make sure it looks nice. I like this school a lot. It makes it better when you’re at a place where everyone gets along. The teamwork and camaraderie is just really good here.“
Do you think you are leaving an impact on the students with your presence here?
“I would like to think so. I hope so. I like seeing all the students and when they see me they all run up saying, ‘Mr. Garrett! Mr. Garrett!’. It’s cool to see them acknowledge me and it makes me feel good. I hope it makes them feel important too… just talking to them, helping them tie their shoes, or open their milk. I hope I make a good impact on the (students). I hope they see the positive person in me and I try to be a good role model for them.”
Attendance Spirit Week is September 9-13!
September is Attendance Awareness Month and our Attendance Spirit Week will be the week of September 9-13. Look for information from your child's school about engaging activities to promote attendance.
As a reminder, we are here to support students and can help you address any obstacles that may keep them from attending school regularly. If your family is experiencing challenges, please contact your child's school office and we will assist you with any needs you may have. We want every student to be able to Attend Today, Succeed for Life!
Literacy Without Limits Featured in State Newsletter
JUSD is honored to have our award-winning Literacy Without Limits literacy campaign featured in the California Family and Community Engagement Initiative August newsletter! This campaign helped us to realize more than 74,000 minutes read by families last year. We also had mystery readers, book tasting events and added book vending machines at our elementary schools. Keep posted this year for information about fun literacy-themed events and programs!
Sign up for Elementary Music!
Our incredible JUSD elementary music teachers toured schools earlier this month to highlight our elementary instrumental music program. The team visited schools sharing information about the program and introducing students to some of the instruments they might want to play. They even gave a mini-concert!
If your child is in grades 4-6 and interested in playing an instrument, visit www.tinyurl.com/jusdmusic to learn more about the program and access the registration form.
Strategic Communications Earns Honors
JUSD is honored to have earned five awards for communications excellence from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). These awards are a reflection of our district’s focus on high-quality, transparent communication. JUSD Strategic Communications thanks our Superintendent, Dr. Hansen, and the JUSD Board of Education for supporting our efforts. We also thank our partners in Education-Information Technology, Pupil Services, and Print Shop, as well as the members of our JUSD community who trust us to share their stories.
You can view our winning projects on our website: https://jurupausd.org/our-district/news/Pages/Communications-Awards.aspx