Lincoln Cluster Schools Newsletter

“Last school year we completed our Community Schools needs and assets assessment to understand Lincoln High School’s strengths and areas of growth. We were able to connect with at least 75% of all students, families, staff members, and Lincoln community partners. We spent time meeting with our educational partners through one-on-one conversations, small groups, phone calls, and surveys. Here is a summary of the areas of focuses as defined by our Lincoln High School community. For the 24-25 school year, we will explore these areas further and identify what we can do differently to meet our school community’s needs.”

Knox Middle School is off to a great start this school year. Knox is on a journey to become a Level 4 Marzano High Reliable School Certified in Standards-based teaching and grading. Knox already holds Marzano High Reliable Certifications in Levels 1,2 and 3.

Learn more about Marzano High Reliability Schools here.

Knox Newsletter:

https://secure.smore.com/n/atrns

During September, students had an opportunity to sign up for our many Knox clubs including:

Sports (basketball and track), Circle Leaders, Musical Theatre, ASB, GSA, Art, Book Club, Tech Deck, Chess, Gardening, Pop Culture, etc.

Knox is excited to continue our partnership with the +MVMNT Foundation. Our students got to learn about technical skills and how DJ's make music, during a fun Saturday School class. Our students also got visits from the Therapy Dogs at Golden State Service Dogs as well as the Paws Dogs group.

5th grade families, we are open for school tours, as you plan to prepare for your student to join middle school next year. Please reach out to Mr. Zaragoza to schedule a tour. zzaragoza@sandi.net

Millennial Tech Middle School is thrilled to kick off its second year in the REC Aerial Drone Competition. This season, we've doubled our presence with over 25 students and 8 teams ready to soar. The theme for this year is "Mission 2025: Gravity in Flight," and we're eager to see our teams master the dynamics of gravity as they tackle a range of exciting challenges involving teamwork, precise piloting, and autonomous flight. Get ready for a season of innovation and high-flying excitement!

Porter Elementary School Kicks Off the Year with Exciting Activities!

We are thrilled to share that the school year at Porter Elementary is off to a fantastic start! Our students have been fully engaged in a variety of enriching activities including gardening, PE, and music classes. Additionally, they are receiving valuable social-emotional lessons from our dedicated school counselors, helping to build essential life skills.

Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate our first annual **Dr. Walter J. Porter Day** on Thursday, September 19th. This special day will now be recognized as a day of service, where we come together to give back to our community. We are proud to partner with **Connect 365** and **Momentus Capital** for a campus beautification project, creating a brighter environment for all.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming **Fall Festival** on Monday, October 30th, from 2:30-4:30 PM. It promises to be a fun-filled afternoon for students, families, and staff alike. We look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make this year at Porter Elementary truly remarkable.

Horton has had a strong start to the 24-25 school year. We kicked off the year with a school wide spirit week with themed dress up days. School spirit was in full show with students dressing to a theme-Our spirit days included Pajama Day, Creative Hair Day, Sports Day, Hat Day, Sports Day, and Inside Out Day. We also held an attendance challenge for the week before and after the Labor Day holiday. All students with perfect attendance were invited to a healthy popsicle party. The two classrooms with the highest attendance got to slime Principal Garegnani. We also held our Back to School Night in early September. Over 350 families joined us. Our community partners were also present, greeting our families, passing out swag, sharing information about their programs and partnerships with Horton. It was a great way to begin the year!


In August and September our team engaged in deep professional learning around language and literacy focused on a pedagogical framework for scaffolding academic writing through deep and critical thinking tasks, academic discussions, interactive reading, and language development. Our teachers spent the first week of school engaging in professional development followed by coaching cycles and implementation of the instructional practices.

It’s a great time to be a Webster Wise Owl! We are focusing on improving attendance, engagement and enrollment at our STEAM-themed magnet school. Our revised mission is to support children to think independently with curiosity and develop a passion for lifelong learning by responding to real world problems. All fourth and fifth grade students participate in one of nine Webster Service Clubs, including Safety Patrol, Peace Patrol, Tutors, Office Helpers, Team Clean Keep Webster Green, Art Club, Newspaper Club, Garden Club, and ASB.

Preliminary state testing data clearly demonstrates the correlation between regular school attendance and academic achievement. A comparison of CAASPP data shows that Webster students with 90% or above attendance scored 40 percentage points higher in English Language Arts and 34 percentage points higher in math than those students who were chronically absent. In order to support students and families with regular school attendance, we doubled our counselor days this year. All Webster staff members are collaborating to support focus students through a focus on positive relationships and improving engagement by leveraging student interests and integrating our STEAM magnet theme.

ST Math is a technology accelerator that supports students’ problem solving and conceptual understanding in math. On our ST Math launch day, we dressed like the ST Math mascot, Jiji the penguin.

My name is Clarisa Elmore, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Community School Coordinator at Encanto Elementary. As a proud San Diego native, growing up in Chula Vista, I experienced firsthand the beauty and challenges of being part of a growing Hispanic community. My family had to adapt to new experiences while staying rooted in our culture, and that journey shaped who I am today.

When I learned I would be joining Encanto Elementary, I was overjoyed. This community is vibrant and full of life, and I am eager to immerse myself in it. As I walk through the halls, I see so much of the little girl I once was in the students here, and I am reminded of the challenges my parents faced when I speak with our Encanto families.

My career has taken me to meaningful roles at the Health and Human Services Agency for the City of San Diego, the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, and the Family Health Centers of San Diego. But one thing has remained constant: my passion for giving back. After stepping away to focus on being a full-time mom, I spent nine rewarding years at Washington Elementary, where I truly found my calling—connecting with families and supporting students. Now, I am excited to bring that passion and experience to Encanto Elementary, working hand in hand with all of you to fulfill the Community School’s mission.

In these first few weeks, I’ve been actively listening and learning about the unique needs of our staff, parents, and students. One of our first events, “Meet the Teacher,” was a wonderful opportunity to connect families with teachers, staff, and myself, setting the stage for strong relationships this school year.

We also have a Community Care Closet in the works, which will provide dry food, essential items, and student uniforms. While it’s still being organized, the need is already apparent, as families have begun benefiting from what we have available. I’m excited about the future of this project as we continue to collaborate with community partners to fully stock our shelves and clothing racks.

This week, I’m hosting my first Community Chat in our new Parent Nest room—a welcoming space where parents can gather, share ideas, and become more involved in their children’s education. My goal is to foster an environment where we support each other, collaborate with teachers, and create lasting connections that benefit our students.

I am so proud to be part of this incredible community, and I can’t wait to hear their thoughts, ideas, and hopes for the future. Together, we will accomplish amazing things for our students and families.

I can’t wait to make this journey unforgettable!

Ms. Clarisa

The Johnson Staff is ready!

Ready to serve our students and our school community! We have worked hard to develop strong partnerships with organizations that help to mentor and support our student needs.

One of our initiatives is campus beautification, which involves keeping the school environment clean and ready for students and staff every day.

All of our school gardens teach students what it means to be sustainable and to be able to grow what we eat! In concert with our Food Services Department, the kids are loving it!

Our work with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority ™, continues this year with the Child Hunger Initiative Power Packs (CHIPP) program.

College and High School aged students get the opportunity to mentor and give back to the community by packing the bags that students will get to take home over the weekend. The bags have meals and snacks that they can enjoy until they get back to school on Mondays.

There are plans in the works for the sorority to begin a literacy support program with our students!!

We appreciate the organizations that are supporting Johnson Magnet School for STEM this year!

BAKER ELEMENTARY!

Baker Elementary Connects Families to Community Resources!

This year, Baker Elementary has officially become a SDUSD designated Community School! For our Back to School Night, several of our community partners joined us for a resource fair to connect with our families. The partners who attended were: Mountain View Rec Center, Homework Center at Neighborhood House Association, Jackie Robinson YMCA, Leah’s Pantry, Family Health Centers of San Diego, Community Circle Central, Healthy Early Years, Knox Middle School and DW Fundraising, along with our amazing group of parent volunteers. Families were able to make healthcare appointments, sign up for volunteer opportunities, get information on in-school mental health services, and learn more about after-school opportunities. An amazing 53% percent of our families attended Back to School Night. See some photos of the event attached!

Go Bobcats! Go Baker!