CUSD Newsletter

“COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING; KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS; WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS.”

- Henry Ford

Good Afternoon, CUSD.

It was fun to visit our school sites yesterday and experience the fun and excitement of Halloween across all grade levels. I think it’s safe to say that many of the adults in our school community enjoy the holiday just as much as the kids! It was inspiring to see so many creative costumes, group costumes, and fun student projects.

On a more serious note, I have been participating, along with Superintendents in the South Bay, in conversations with County Public Health on understanding and responding to the sewage crisis impacting our region. County Public Health is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in gathering information from people who live in affected areas.

South Bay community members who live or work near the Tijuana River Valley and area beaches now have an opportunity to share their insight and experiences with a federal agency that monitors the health of residents of a particular location.

San Diego County is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the launching of a survey called the Assessment of Chemical Exposures. It will help public health and emergency response leaders learn more about health concerns and impacts from sewage and pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.

You can participate in this online survey, which is available in both English and Spanish and runs through Nov. 22. Your participation is voluntary and confidential. Your input will help provide insight to understand how this affects your health and our community. The survey, which takes about 35 minutes, can be accessed at https://redcap.link/tjrv2024.

To learn more, visit: sandiegocounty.gov/southregionhealth

And finally, don’t forget that clocks go back an hour when daylight savings time ends this weekend. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep!

Karl J. Mueller

Superintendent

As our educators, parents, and community come together to connect, challenge, and champion our students, we are humbled by the outpouring of compliments. What a positive testament to our CUSD family!

• Julie Salvatierra is the heart of the learning department. Her easy going, I can and I will attitude is always accompanied by a funny joke, an interested ear, and even a shoulder when we need it. Very little gets done without her capable hands in the mix.
• Ashley Thornton: I would like to commend Ashley Thornton for her outstanding dedication to creating an engaging and supportive learning environment. Ashley consistently goes above and beyond to make learning exciting and accessible for her students, transforming her classroom into a place of inspiration and growth. Her commitment to encouraging and guiding each child individually is evident, as she takes the time to ensure that every student feels valued and motivated. Thank you, Ashley, Kai is so lucky to have an amazing teacher like you!
• Traci Orth: Traci's 100% rapid response time coupled with her humble manner solving tech issues professionally is invaluable. Thank you Traci. CUSD hit the jackpot.

Click here to recognize an employee or volunteer who goes above and beyond to make a difference. Those who are "caught" will receive a copy of the positive words that were shared about them and a "Caught Being Awesome" decal. Please take a minute or two to brighten someone else's day!

If your student has a CUSD issued Chromebook, you are encouraged to review and consider purchasing the OPTIONAL Mobile Device Protection Plan (MDPP) for the 2024-2025 school year. The annual plan is designed to cover accidental damage of CUSD Chromebooks including screen breakage. In addition, the plan will protect against spills, fire, flood, natural disasters, and theft/loss. Mobile hotspots, power cords, cables, and other accessories are not covered. Intentional damage, improper device storage, and misuse are not covered.

The cost of the plan is $30 per device per year. The plan must be purchased annually at the beginning of each school year or at the time of registration to be valid. To maintain coverage, a new plan must also be purchased if a student is provided with a replacement device due to damage/loss of their previous device. This money will be used to create a dedicated pool of funding to replace or repair covered technology. All money collected through the program will go into a special account that can only be used to replace or repair technology that is covered in the plan. We highly recommend this low-cost protection plan. To purchase a Mobile Device Protection Plan for your student, please use the instructions at the following link: Mobile Device Protection Plan Purchase Instructions.

If you do not purchase the Mobile Device Protection Plan for your student’s device, the following fees will apply should damage occur:

Damage Type and Replacement Cost Plus Tax

Chromebook - Full Replacement $400

Damaged Keyboard $80

Damaged Screen $80

Damaged Motherboard $160

Damaged LCD Bezel $40

Damaged Camera $40

Lost/Damaged Charger* $22

Lost Case* $19

*Accessories are not covered by the Mobile Device Protection Plan.