

Superintendent Community Update
March 1, 2024

Superintendent's Message
Dear JUHSD Community,
"In like a lion, out like a lamb!" When March begins, it's still winter and by the end of the month, spring has begun. I'm not sure about you, but I can't wait for the sun to come back!🌞
Woot! This past Monday evening, the Daly City Council approved the District's Serramonte Del Rey (SDR) Neighborhood Project plan. This approval allows JUHSD to proceed with developing our property at the District Office in order to generate much needed revenue for student programs and staff salaries.
On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I extend heartfelt gratitude to staff, students, parents, our union, and the community at large, for your unwavering support throughout the planning and approval process. Several years of collaboration and dedication brought us to this place and I look forward to making the development a reality. THANK YOU!
To learn more about SDR, click here. Scroll below to read the official press release.
Have a great weekend and stay dry!
Warmly,
Toni Presta
Superintendent
@superintendent_tonipresta
JUHSD Summer School 2024
Information for the District's 2024 Summer School Program is here! We are proud to announce a number of learning pathways to support your students, and their learning experiences, here at JUHSD.
To learn more about course offerings and the summer school registration process, please look here (Spanish Version, and Tagalog Version). The location for this summer's program is at Westmoor High School, and the first day of summer school is June 5, 2024.
Parents and Guardians, please note that:
- Students who are in need of meeting graduation requirements will be identified by the school counselors, and they will communicate with both students and you about enrolling into the summer school.
- Students can also complete the summer school registration process at Westmoor front office with the drop-in counseling during June 3 - June 5, 2024 from 8 am to 2 pm.
- Students who are interested in taking the acceleration/enrichment courses (Math course 3, Spanish 1, and a CTE class) will need to submit an application through this link.
This year's program will be lead by WHS Vice Principal Dr. Sterling He. For additional information, please contact him by calling (650) 550-7400 or by email, mailto:sterling.he@jeffersonunion.net.
Pacifica Youth Summit for ALL District Students
JUHSD and the Daly City Youth Health Center invite you to attend Pacifica’s Youth Summit, "Keep Kind On Your Mind." This event is hosted by Be the Change Youth Coalition and will include youth-led workshops and focus groups, along with a photo booth, community resources, a live stream podcast, and more!
Event Information
Saturday March 16th
11:00-2:00 (lunch will be served)
Ingrid B Lacy Middle School, 1427 Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica
Register here: Pacifica Youth Summit Registration Link or click on the below flier. For additional information, contact Mary Bier, mbier@jeffersonunion.net.
Photo: Daly City Youth Health Center Director Mary Bier facilities an activity during the 2023 Pacifica Youth Summit.
Discounted District Shirts On Sale
The popular black tee shirts (as shown) are now on sale for a discounted price! Purchase your tee shirt, available in both V-neck and crew (limited styles and sizes), for only $15 (cash only) from the JUHSD District Office, 699 Serramonte Boulevard, Suite 100, Daly City during regular business hours, or by contacting District Director of Communication and Staff Housing, Austin Worden, (650) 550-7943.
Free Dresses for Prom
March Madness Challenge from PAPER
Did you know that JUHSD teachers and students have free access to PAPER’s professional tutors, 24/7! Log in by clicking HERE or check out paper.co for more information.
Scroll below to see amazing things taking place at our JUHSD sites!
SF Shakes Visits WHS
Shakespeare is for everybody! This past week, Teaching Artists from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival visited the Westmoor campus in February to work with the ninth grade English classes. In a series of three interactive workshops, students participated in activities and exercises to enrich their understanding of Shakespeare, theater, and performance.
During the residency, students worked in small groups and with the entire class to embody the text and put their own imprint on Romeo and Juliet. Each session began with the Teaching Artists performing a scene from the play, followed by a class discussion. The Teaching Artists then led students in a variety of theatrical exercises to prepare them to explore the characters, language, and themes of the play. Students created tableaus to interpret Shakespeare’s language, participated in games to dive below the surface and explore the subtext of key lines from Romeo and Juliet, and reflected on the ways that Shakespeare relates to our twenty-first century lives.
This year marks Westmoor's fourth collaboration with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Ninth grade teachers Helen Ogilvie, Paige Tagliafico, Maria Elena Urquico, and Student Teacher/Teaching Artist Natalie Ayala were delighted to coordinate with the Teaching Artists to bring energizing and engaging workshops that move Shakespeare off the page and onto the classroom stage.
District's ATP Collaborates With Creativity Explored
Creativity Explored, a San Francisco-based art studio and gallery for adults with special needs, shared their talents with students from the District's Adult Transition Program (ATP) on Wednesday, February 28. During their visit, interested students attended a two hour long workshop where they created their own works of art that will be on display and for sale at Creativity Explored Studios in San Francisco's Mission District, 16th and Guerrero Streets on Saturday, March 2, 12:30-2:30 pm. To learn more about this amazing opportunity offered to our ATP students, click here.
Photo: A student from the District's Adult Transition Program works on his self portrait during an art activity hosted by Creativity Explored on February 28.
WHS FBLA Competes Against Bay Area Schools
On Saturday, February 11, the Westmoor High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) organization, under the direction of WHS business teacher Ben Pham, attended their first competition of the school year held at Homestead High School in Cupertino. Westmoor FBLA did an excellent job of successfully completed all of their events. Competing against twelve other Bay Area high schools, Westmoor FBLA performed exceptionally well with fourteen of its members qualifying for the State Conference held in April, along with two students earning the title of Section Champions in their respective events. Click here to see the results of this Bay Section Conference. Way to go, Rams FBLA!
Volunteer at your school!
Students! Are you looking for ways to volunteer at your school? Many of our school sites offer community services clubs and organizations in which you can join to help out around your campus and town. Not sure where to start? Reach out to your school's Activities Director for more info!
JHS: Martine Kelsch
WHS: Michael Simon
TNHS: Ophny Escalante
OHS: Christopher Korp
THS: May Madrid
Photo collage: JHS Key Club members take part in volunteer opportunities hosted throughout the year. (Image courtesy of @jeffersonhsdc)
GREASE is the word at WHS!
Under the direction of WHS CTE Woods Technology teacher Pete McGurty and student director Emma Torosian, the Westmoor High School Drama Department is proud to present the 1950s rock-n-roll musical, Grease!
This classic show by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, made famous by the 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, pays homage to the idealism of the fifties and a satire of high schoolers' age-old desire to be rowdy and rebellious.
Hand-jive your way into the new Westmoor Theater March 15, 16, 22, 23 at 7:00 pm and March 24 at 2:00 pm, as this is one show you don't want to miss! Buy tickets online for only $10 by clicking here. See the show poster below for more info!
Photo: The Pink Ladies (Jenina Ramos, Jasmine Lavado, Jenasys Feliciano, and Kaylin Alexis) don their jackets during an afterschool rehearsal on February 28.
VOTE at JUHSD!
As stated in the February 27 Almanac News, the 2024 primary election is just a week away, on Tuesday, March 5, with San Mateo County registered voters have receiving their vote-by-mail ballots.
These ballots come with a prepaid postage return envelope for easy mailing without extra cost. Voters can either drop off their ballots at any official ballot drop box or vote center in San Mateo County or hand them directly to their mail carrier for convenience.
The following centers are currently open for voting and include the San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, 555 County Center, 1st Floor in Redwood City; Registration & Elections Division Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo; and the Library and Parks and Recreations Center in South San Francisco at 901 Civic Campus Way.
Voting centers are open throughout San Mateo County, including the Jefferson Union High School District Office Galleria, here at 699 Serramonte Boulevard, Daly City. To learn more on how to vote in next week's primary election, click here.
Theatre Festival for San Mateo County Students!
Free Tablets and Internet Access Opportunities
Along with offering this opportunity with the JUHSD Adult School Division, it was confirmed that families of our high school students are also eligible to apply, too. A distribution of these tablets will take place in the library at Jefferson on Monday, March 11, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Further details will be provided closer to the date and please click on the below fliers (In English and Spanish) for additional information.
Teens and Cyberbullying Online Presentation
Care Solace and Valerahealth will present a webinar on March 15 entitled Teens and Cyberbullying: How to Protect Children and Champion Their Resilience. During this presentation, mental health professionals will discuss ways in which guardians can identify the signs of cyberbullying, along with developing effective strategies for intervention and support. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot!
Daly City Composting Challenge
The City of Daly City invites you to participate in the City’s monthly composting challenges! Build new sustainable habits and be a part of the movement to reduce methane emissions (a greenhouse gas that causes asthma) in our environment.
March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. In honor of this day, Daly City encourages residents to use the green compost cart as part of your celebration and compost leftover veggies and even four-leaf clovers.
Take a photo of your composting efforts, tag the City @DalyCityGov #DCCompostChampion, and be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a $50 gift card from Republic Services. If you don’t have social media, you can find composting challenges on www.dalycity.org/sb1383 and email pictures of your composting efforts to CityManager@dalycity.org.
Save the Date: OYE Latinx Youth Conference
Youth (ages 12-22), and their guardians who live in San Mateo County, are invited to attend the return of the annual OYE Conference, an in-person event Saturday, March 23, 2024.
At this conference, held in person at Cañada College in Redwood City, youth and their guardians will explore ideas and discussion on culture, identity, obstacles their communities face, and opportunities for the future through interactive workshops, keynote speakers, performers and community networking.
To register for this event, please call (650) 834-3038. To view highlights from OYE’s 2023 event, please click here: OYE Conference 2023. For additional information, please click on the below flier or visit Facebook and Instagram pages.
Scholarship Opportunity for Seniors! Click on the attached application below.
March is Women's History Month
Today starts Women's History Month, a month to celebrate the vital role women play in American life. As a district, we proudly promise to empower our youth, ensuring that women continue to be trailblazers, pioneers, innovators, and leaders.
First honored as a national celebration passed by President Jimmy Carter in 1980, with the first local celebration taking place up the coast in Santa Rosa in 1978, Women's History Month pays tribute to the contributions made by women to the United States over the course of American history and in contemporary society.
This past year was a stellar one for women and their accomplishments made to our society. From athletics and academia, to politics and the arts, women dominated all facets of our civic and pop culture in 2023. To see an extensive list of the world's most women making history this past year, please click here to read this article from forbes.com.
For ways to honor Women's History Month, please visit the National Women's History Museum website.
JUHSD's Equity Statement
Contact JUHSD: communication@jeffersonunion.net