Community Update

It has been so exciting to get our year started. Every school team provided beautiful welcoming activities for students on the first and second day of the school year. Schools made balloon arches, layed out red carpets, played inspiring music playlists, provided first-day photobooths, and delivered personalized words of hope and joy to students as they came onto campus.

Thank you to all of our classified staff for ensuring our learning environments are safe and ready for students. Thank you to all teachers for getting their classrooms and lessons ready for a fantastic year of learning. Thank you to all of the other certificated staff (counselors, social workers, psychologist, speech language pathologist, etc.) for your essential preparation for a great year of learning. Finally, a huge thank you to all of the parents and families for the love and support you put into making the start to this school year a great success for your children. I have been in classrooms and at drop-off and dismissal every day these past two weeks. I am so proud of the speed with which teachers and students focused on their education. We are off to a great start to the new school year!

1. Create a Cozy Learning Space: Set up a quiet, comfy spot for homework and study. A regular routine helps children stay focused.

2. Celebrate Effort Over Perfection: Praise their hard work and progress, not just grades. Learning is a journey.

3. Be Involved in Their School Life: Attend school events when you can and stay in touch with teachers.

4. Encourage Healthy Habits: Ensure they get sleep, eat well, and stay active. Healthy habits fuel their learning.

5. Support Their Passions: Encourage activities they love. Pursuing passions builds confidence.

6. Set Goals, But Keep It Real: Set achievable goals together. Celebrate all the little victories.

7. Teach Time Management: Help them stay organized with a fun planner or schedule.

8. Keep the Conversation Going: Make sure they know they can talk to you about anything.
   

The Vista Unified School District is committed to developing character, camaraderie, and excellence through education-based athletics. Our comprehensive high schools are off to a great start in interscholastic sports this season!

At Mission Vista High School, Girls Volleyball is looking to defend their league title with another strong team this year. Cross country is off and running and has its eye on qualifying for state playoffs. On the course, Girls Golf has the highest participation in school history. Sitting on top of the division one rankings is Field Hockey and Boys Beach Volleyball returns this Fall with aspirations of a county championship.

The Longhorns of RBV are poised for another great season of sports. Coed tackle Football and Girls Flag Football are taking the field this Fall. This is the first year of Girls Flag Football and the participation and excitement are huge at RBV. The Cross Country team is off to a great start and Girls Volleyball is undefeated to begin the season. Boys water polo is looking forward to their league games and Girls Golf will be beginning league play as well. On the tennis court, the Girls are ready to continue their tradition of excellence against tough competition.

On the gridiron, the Panthers of Vista High had a great start to the season in Coed Football with their first victory of the year. Year two of Girls Flag Football is underway and growing with more than double the participation from student-athletes as compared to last year. Girls Field Hockey is preparing for their season opener and looking to be a strong contender. On the trail, the Girls and Boys Cross Country teams finished third in the Bronco Roundup and Girls Volleyball is hoping to maintain their success from last year while moving up a division in CIF. Boys Water Polo is looking to continue their tradition of success in the pool and eyeing the state playoffs again. The Girls Tennis team has great participation this year and will begin their league season to continue their growth and success on the court.

Can you believe it's the 20th anniversary of VUSD’s Festival of the Arts this year? Join us on Saturday, October 19, 2024, in downtown Vista on Main Street for a day of celebration! The festivities will begin at 10:00 AM and continue until 4:00 PM. Our teachers and students are already hard at work preparing for this special event, and we can't wait to see you there to celebrate the vibrant arts with our talented students.

Although the calendar shows that Fall is just around the corner, many parts of the US are experiencing record heat and California is no exception. As we start the 2024-2025 school year, we would like to use this opportunity to remind our Vista Community how to stay safe—and to ensure that those most vulnerable to the heat take extra precautions. Here are some tips for batting the heat:

1. Wear Appropriate Clothing: Choose lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.

2. Stay Cool Indoors: Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. Electric fans also provide comfort from the high temperatures. Use stoves and ovens less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.

3. Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully: Try to limit outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas.

4. Pace Yourself: Cut down on exercise during the heat. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.

5. Wear Sunscreen: Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.

6. Do Not Leave Children and Pets in Cars: Cars can quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures, even with a window cracked open. While anyone left in a parked car is at risk, children are especially at risk of getting a heat stroke or dying.

7. Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

Vista Unified used the HeatRisk tool from the National Weather Service (NWS) to identify potential levels of heat risk for our area. The NWS website provides a location map with a seven-day forecast and uses the following chart to determine risk levels. When extreme heat is predicted, our team will monitor the heat risk and work with schools to ensure they follow all necessary steps to keep our students safe.

Email: webmaster@vistausd.org
Website: vistausd.org
Location: 1234 Arcadia Avenue, Vista, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 726-2170
Twitter: @VistaBlueprint