Superintendent Community Update

Translation: Para ver este boletín en español: 1) ubique el ícono que ve a la derecha de este artículo ( la figura de palo en un círculo) ... está en la parte superior derecha de su pantalla. 2) Haga clic en la imagen. 3) seleccione "Traducir" en la parte superior derecha de su pantalla (computadora). 4) Seleccione Spanish/Español.​

Dear JUHSD Community,

We are about to enter the last month of school, which is exciting, busy, and filled with opportunities to celebrate! Students are running for ASB offices, getting ready for prom, celebrating with pep rallies, acting in school plays, ending athletic seasons, putting in academic effort to finish strong, and making plans for next year!

I encourage you to pay attention to upcoming events taking place in JUHSD. Throughout the year, our schools are buzzing with various events, initiatives, and academic endeavors. And, it really ramps up in May. Please be sure to check your school's website and follow our school's official Instagram accounts, listed below:

JUHSD @juhsd1, JHS @jeffersonhsdc, WHS @westmoorasb, TNHS @terranovapride, OHS @oceanaasb, THS @thorntonsaints, Adult School @jeffersonadulted

Student Advisory Council

I want to give a shout out to our Student Advisory Council for their AWESOME presentation at our school board meeting this week (link below). I am in the lucky to meet with them twice per month and they are an amazing group of young people! Below you will see the link for an application to join the 24-25 Student Advisory Council. Being a Student Trustee is a great way to represent your peers and elevate student voice at the district level. Interviews are May 1, so fill it out ASAP if you are interested in serving.

Shrek

I can't wait to hear the early reviews for Shrek at TN this weekend. I will be attending next week, so no spoilers!

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Toni Presta

Superintendent

@superintendent_tonipresta

Do you want to make JUHSD a better place in which to be? Do you have thoughts and opinions that would serve the better could of this district community? If so, you should join the JUHSD Student Advisory Council! During monthly Board of Trustee meetings, Student Advisory Council members and trustees share their thoughts on ways to improve the quality of education and student life for their specific school site and district as a whole. Learn more about this amazing opportunity for current JUHSD students and how to apply by clicking here.

Miss this past Tuesday's JUHSD Board Meeting?

Scroll below to see a few highlights from the April 23 meeting!

Congratulations to Westmoor High School 12th grader for being named the District's Student of the Month for April! During the April 23 Board Meeting, Kitspa was awarded this honor after WHS Principal Brock Ahrens read about her accomplishments while attending Westmoor, along with challenges and obstacles she faced while living in Myanmar, and her journey to the United States in 2022. To read more about this amazing student and her being selected as Student of the Month, click here. Thank you for being a role model to us all, Kitspa! #juhsdproud

Congratulations to Terra Nova High School Band Director Oliver Bishop for being honored with a special recognition from the Board of Trustees for orchestrating the triumphant return of the city's all-band concert held on March 2, 2024. His dedication and hard work in coordinating this event, which brought together bands from our partner schools, have truly enriched our community. Way to go, Mr. Bishop!

Photo: The Oceana High School girls soccer team and coaches stand with members of the Board of Trustees after receiving official certificates for their winning the Lake Division Championship games this past winter. Though this team was initially honored at the March 19 Board Meeting, most of the athletes, along with their coach, were unable to attend. Go Sharks!

JUHSD is pleased to announce that at the April 23, 2024 regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees, Shou-Long Leung, was appointed to the position of Vice Principal I of Oceana High School effective July 1, 2024. Shou is a current Special Education and Humanities Co-teacher at Oceana High School. Prior to joining our JUHSD family, Shou worked as a Physics Teacher as well as a Special Education teacher. Shou is a committed to ensuring equitable learning outcomes for all students. Congratulations, VP Leung!

JUHSD is pleased to announce that at the April 23, 2024 regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees, Angel Vargas Rico was appointed to the position of Vice Principal I of Jefferson High School. Angel comes to us with experience as a Dean as well as an Ethnic Studies Teacher. He is a deeply committed to social justice, cultivating equitable outcomes, and inclusive environments. Welcome to JUHSD, VP Vargas Rico!

In honor of Earth Day, the Oceana High School Conservation Club took part in this past Saturday's Whale Fest, an event hosted by the Pacific Beach Coalition, where they volunteered collecting trash and other items found on local area beaches.

Students from the Terra Nova High School Environmental Science classes, along with members from the school's marching band, spent Saturday, April 20, cleaning the campus and collected over three bins of trash, two full bags of recyclables, and a bag of compostable materials.

JUHSD thanks these students and advising staff members for taking time out their weekend to make their schools and community a cleaner place in which to live! #juhsdproud

Photo: Students from TNHS recognize Earth Day 2024 by spending the morning of April 20 beautifying their campus.

On Thursday, April 25, students from across the District ventured to the Terra Nova High School Bob Lotti Field to compete in this year's JUHSD Special Olympics!

Sponsored by the JUHSD Adapted Physical Educational Department, with support from the Terra Nova High School Leadership Class, this half-day event hosted student Olympians who competed in a host of events including mini-hurdles, dis golf, balance beams, bowling, soccer, and a 50 meter dash! Participating students received stamps in a special passport, ribbons, and medals.

JUHSD thanks District Adaptive Physical Education Teacher Eddie Arias, along with Terra Nova Leadership, for their hard work and support in organizing and hosting this event. Scroll below to see more photos!

The Terra Nova High Drama Department will present the widely popular Shrek the Musical! on the school's state-of-the-art theater, April 26-May 5. Bring the whole family out to see this heartwarming story of a lonely ogre who makes friends with a clownish donkey and saves a princess in the hopes of finding true love.

Tickets can be purchased before the show from the theater box office, and also online by visiting tntheatrearts.org. Adult tickets are $15, with students and senior tickets at $7. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:00 pm with Sunday matinees taking place at 2:00 pm. This is one show you don't want to miss!

On Friday, May 3, students from Jefferson High School's Mission Fusion program will perform in the City College of San Francisco's annual spring showcase "Emergence," an dance concert featuring the new works of their faculty, students, alumni, and JHS! For ticket information, click here!

Learn more about Jefferson High's acclaimed Mission Fusion program by visiting their Instagram @missionfusion_.

For this week’s Student Spotlight, we feature Oceana High School 12th grader Avery Allen!

To say that Avery is a go-getter is an understatement! Along with being a member of many campus clubs and organizations, including the Historian Commissioner for the school’s student government program, Treasurer of the Gender Sexuality Alliance, Treasurer of the Creative Writing Club, and Sharks Out of Water Hiking Club, Avery spearheaded the return of the school’s cheer team after its twenty year absence.

After support from the school, and volunteer coach Kimberley Abrau, a handful of enthusiastic students banded together to create an all-inclusive cheer squad. With many of the joining students having little to no cheerleading experience, they relied on the talents of Coach Abrau to create and perform amazing routines performed at school rallies, basketball games, Open House, and local parades. Along with jumpstarting the school’s cheer team, Avery led a fundraising campaign to purchase new uniforms for the team. Avery shared that bringing the cheer program back to life has been a significant highlight of her time at OHS.

As mentioned, Avery is a member of the school’s student government program lead by OHS Activities Director Mr. Chris Korp. She thanks Mr. Korp, who was also her humanities teacher in both the 9th and 10th grades, for being incredibly inspirational and supportive, seeing Avery’s full potential as a student leader. Avery has gained so much confidence and wisdom from him and his mentorship. Avery also thanks her family for their never-ending support of her educational career. She also thanks her friends, including her fellow cheer team members, for supporting her projects, both on and off the campus. She also expresses her gratitude to the Oceana High School staff for allowing students' voices to be heard.

After graduating from OHS this May, Avery plans to attend UC Davis and major in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies, along with possibly joining the Davis STUNT Team and equestrian program.

When not busy with her Oceana extracurriculars, Avery enjoys riding horses, attending concerts and movies, cooking and baking bread, dancing, reading, and working as a barista at a local coffee shop.

JUHSD thanks Avery for being such a positive influence on both the students and staff of OHS, and her community as a whole, and wishes her nothing but the best as she continues to take on the world around her. Way to go, Avery!

Avery (front center) and the OHS Cheer Team show off their new uniforms during a basketball game in the school's gym.

Congratulations to Westmoor High School 11th grader Chloe Chou for being named as California's Youth Poet Laureate of the Year during an online competition held this past Saturday, April 20.

Chloe competed against 11 other poet laureates from the State during this noteworthy event. When asked about her winning this honor, Chloe has this to say. "I am super excited about winning and really grateful for this opportunity. I think it's awesome that my journey with creative writing and poetry, which started as my being named the Daly City Youth Poet Laureate back in 2022, was able to get me to this point."

With this new title, Chloe will represent California at youth poetry and creative writing events around the country, including her attending the Urban Word's national workshop and training session this summer. She looks forward to working with the California Youth Poet Laureate program, along with the many sponsors associated with this program, including the California Arts Council.

Chloe recently represented San Mateo County at the 2024 California Arts Council Poetry Out Loud Competition and for winning runner-up in the Poetry Ourselves Competition! Chloe also holds the title of Daly City's 2022-2023 Youth Poet Laureate. Way to go, Chloe! To watch the announcement of Chloe winning this title, click here (timestamp 49:22).

Photo: Superintendent Toni Presta stands with California's newly titled Youth Poet Laureate Chloe Chou (WHS, Grade 11) and finalists in this year's Daly City Youth Poet Laureate competition, Stephanie De Guzman (JHS, Grade 10) and Madison Yu (WHS, Grade 11), held at Daly City Hall on April 25 hosted by the Daly City Public Library Associates @dcpla_

This past Wednesday event, April 24, JUHSD's Director of Human Resources Daina Lujan, along with three others, were named South San Francisco's Women of the Year! This annual recognition from SSF is in continued celebration of Women's History Month where local women are honored for their contributions to the community as a whole. Along with proudly working for JUHSD, Daina is the Board President of South San Francisco Unified School District and an Adjunct Faculty for the Early Childhood Education Department for the San Mateo County Community College District. Daina was nominated for her knowledge of education issues and her advocacy for early childhood education. Congratulations, Director Lujan! #juhsdproud

Congratulations to four JUHSD employees for being featured in this month's San Mateo County Office of Education's Spotlight online newsletter! Recommended for this honor by their site supervisors, these four individuals go above and beyond to ensure their sites, and the JUHSD community, are a better place in which to be. Way to go Lillian Bussell (Oceana High), May Madrid (Thornton High), Ann Radoc (District Office), and Rosalind Carney (Adult School) for receiving this special mention. Read more about these awesome employees in this month's SMCOE Spotlight here.

JUHSD Students! Are you wanting to serve your school community at the State level? The California Board of Education is seeking student trustees who play a crucial role in representing the perspectives and interests of students across California in important policy discussions and decisions. This position offers a unique opportunity for a dedicated student to actively contribute to shaping the future of education in our state.

Along with serving a one-year term from August 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026, student board members will have their voices heard and vote on educational policies vital to California students and schools, along with receiving a $100 stipend for each day’s service on approved official business. To learn more about the application process, click here. Applications are due by Friday, September 20, 2024, 5:00 pm.

Though prom season is a few short months away, it's not too early to visit The Princess Project's free prom dress closet, open to all genders. To reserve your spot for receiving a free dress, along with finding out more about this amazing project, click here! Please note that students under the age of 18 must have their guardian sign a waiver.

The California Association of Student Councils (CASC) is one of California’s most impactful student advocacy platforms. Our organization is a 501c3 nonprofit and empowers student leaders from across the state of California. As a member of the Region 4 Cabinet, students will play a meaningful role in implementing CASC’s programs at the local level, which include our annual Fall and Spring Leadership Conferences. There are a diverse range of roles available and no prior CASC experience is required. Learn more. Applications due April 30.

Join Dr. Lisa Damour in discussing her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which gives families the practical information they need to guide their teens through the bumpy yet transformational journey into adulthood. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission. Learn more.

Help support Midpeninsula Regional Open Space connect with tomorrow’s land stewards, people in underserved communities, and upcoming generations who are exploring their interests and purpose in life as a Community Connections Volunteer! Volunteers provide support at community outreach events, with some opportunities to assist in the preserves or other areas of connection building and communications. Volunteers must be 18 years or older. Sign-ups will take place on May 11, 9:30-11:30 am. Learn more.

The San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commission Youth Committee's Youth Action Board is seeking student members, especially from JUHSD!

This board believes that young leaders, like those in our schools, are essential in addressing the mental health needs of our community. Their unique insights and enthusiasm can drive positive change and create a more supportive environment for all.

If you are passionate about mental health advocacy, then this is the board in which to apply. The deadline to apply is June 1 and interested individuals can learn more and apply by clicking here.

Throughout April, we have the wonderful opportunity to recognize and celebrate Americans who can trace their roots to countries in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and other Arab countries as part of Arab American and Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) Heritage Month.

The Arab and MENA American community is not a monolith – it is made up of an estimated 3.7 million people who are diverse in many areas, such as their race and religion, yet similar in their strong family values, work ethic, and dedication to education and the greater community. Those with Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African ancestry have made valuable and substantial contributions to every facet of American life and yet have been repeatedly misrepresented in the media, particularly after the 9/11 terrorist attack, leading to stereotypes and prejudices that challenge our efforts to create an inclusive environment and community.

Public Schools Month calls attention to the excellent work and success of California’s public schools and the need to recognize their important role in our communities and state. Public schools educate 9 out of 10 students and provide key resources to families and community members.

Help us celebrate Public Schools Month by thanking your teachers and school administrators for creating safe and inclusive school communities where students can thrive and reach their full potential!

Autism Acceptance Month is celebrated every April to increase understanding, acceptance, and inclusive programs for people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the family members, educators, and other professionals who teach and care for them.

Thanks to improved early intervention tools, more students are being diagnosed with ASD – allowing them to receive the intervention and treatments they need. Learn the signs, symptoms, and realities of ASD and promote acceptance and inclusion in everyday life for those living with ASD.

As a district, we embrace inclusion, value diversity, and educate ourselves in order to confront and dismantle systemic inequities to bring about a more just society. JUHSD commits to engaging, educating, and empowering ALL students, with an intentional focus on those under-served, inadequately served, or disenfranchised by educational institutions and systems, eliminating disparities in educational outcomes.