VUSD Superintendent's Update

Congratulations to the following VUSD students for their recent recognition at the Every Student Succeeds Awards Event held in San Andreas on Feb. 14th.

Wyatt Walker - Albert Michelson Elementary

Brice Terry - Avery Middle School

Jakob Adams - Hazel Fischer Elementary

This award is presented to students who have overcome the odds to achieve success.

Principals shared the following:

Wyatt is a low vision student who has recently entered remission after a long battle with brain cancer. He uses a walker to help with his mobility. Even with the challenges of learning in an environment that is built for children that can see and run freely, Wyatt shows up and gives his all every single day.

After previous struggles with learning barriers, maintaining functional behavior, and often feeling overwhelmed by school, Brice has evolved into a polite, respectful, and active 8th grade classroom participant who owns his learning. The maturity and growth shown in Brice this school year cannot be understated. He has unequivocally changed his attitude and overcome the noted challenges such that the AMS staff unanimously chose him as our Every Student Succeeding Award nominee for the 2023-2024 school year.

While math has naturally been a strength for Jakob, progress in reading has required a lot more effort. Fortunately, Jakob possesses an unrivaled work ethic and an ever-positive attitude. These outstanding attributes coupled with how well he treats others makes Jakob a role model who is well-deserving of this honor.

Congratulations to both Larkin Davis, VUSD's Certificated Staff Person of the Year, and Daysi Valencia, VUSD's Classified Staff Person of the Year. Both are extraordinary individuals who serve students with special needs at Avery Middle School and Albert Michelson Elementary respectively. Their professionalism and commitment to the students they support is valued by everyone who works alongside them. Thank you - this recognition is well deserved!

We were recently informed by Caltrans that they will be collecting pedestrian and bicyclist traffic use data near Albert Michelson Elementary in the next two months. They will collect data for the pedestrian crossing volume through the SR 4 at the Pen-Gulch intersection. This data is being collected as part of the community and District's request to expedite the Murphys Safe Routes to School project. A virtual Caltrans meeting was held the end of January and several local community members joined to express their opinions and request for moving forward with the project - Caltrans response demonstrates they heard the communities' collective voice. Thanks for everyone who participated.

At the time of writing this update, there have been no school closures this year due to heavy snow, power outages or state of emergency circumstances. Weather conditions this year are very different from last school year. Vallecito Union School District does have inclement weather days built into our calendar in case we have a need to close school. The days we have set aside are: April 22, April 29, May 6, May 20 and June 3rd. All of these are scheduled on Mondays. If we do not need to make up days, then these Mondays become non school days for students.

Click Here to View the District Calendar

VUSD is also hiring a part time District Office Receptionist and Delivery Person

(4 hours daily from 9am to 1pm)

Vallecito Union School District has initiated an Attendance Awareness Campaign this year to support student achievement. The long term evidence supports that students with good attendance, year over year, perform better academically throughout their K-12 education.

Below is a snapshot of our attendance rate by grade level. 6th Grade is leading the way with an attendance rate of nearly 94%! (Our District Goal is to achieve 95% attendance District Wide)