San Juan Scene - March 4, 2025

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San Juan Scene - March 4, 2025 Date

News for San Juan Unified - March 4, 2025

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Meet San Juan Unified’s Classified Employees of the Year for 2025

San Juan Unified School District is honored and excited to announce the 2025 Classified Employees of the Year. These honorees work diligently to support our students, classrooms and staff, and contribute to the success of our community and district as a whole.


This year, our honorees are:


  • Marina Alba, Instructional Assistant I at Cottage Elementary School

  • Andy Anderson, Lead Custodian at El Camino Fundamental High School

  • Diana Braden, Health Instructional Assistant for Health Services

  • Anthony Brooks, School Community Intervention Specialist at Katherine Johnson Middle School

  • Marythony Sohl, Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Staff

  • Dave Wilkerson, Plumber for Maintenance and Operations


Each honoree will be entered into the Sacramento County Classified Employee of the Year program.

Breaking barriers: How key staff build confidence in English learners

English learners across San Juan Unified are gaining confidence and finding their voice with the support of English Language Development (ELD) teachers and bilingual instructional assistants (BIAs).


Starting school in a new country with a new language can feel overwhelming, but with encouragement from staff, students build the skills they need to participate, make friends and reach their goals.

Mariemont Elementary School students unleash their creativity at the Art Ark

The students of Mariemont Elementary School stepped into the magical and colorful world of the Art Ark presented by the Crocker Art Museum.


Students engaged in a variety of hands-on activities that allowed them to build visual art and storytelling skills. There was excitement and eagerness to participate in the different stations: cozy reading corner, stencils, drawing and coloring, Magna-Tiles and paper chains.


As students wrapped up their creations, they were invited to hang their art in the Art Ark for others to see. This unforgettable experience was rewarded even further as the students received a family pass for the Crocker Art Museum.

Mission Avenue spreads disability awareness through 'A Touch of Understanding’

On Feb. 13, fourth-grade students from Mission Avenue Elementary participated in an empowering and immersive disability-awareness workshop.


For fifteen years, Mission Avenue has partnered with A Touch of Understanding to bring their disability-awareness workshop to fourth-grade classrooms. The workshop teaches students about the challenges associated with disabilities, and students learn from the guest speakers and hands-on activities. This increases their acceptance and respect for all individuals.

Gold River Discovery Center students shine in dance showcase

TK through fifth-grade students at Gold River Discovery Center took center stage in a Disney-themed dance showcase on Feb. 12 and 13, performing for their families and the community.


The event brought creativity to life, not just through choreographed dance routines, but also with personalized class shirts designed by the students themselves.


The showcase was made possible with the support of Starstruck Showcase, an organization that partners with local schools to help students shine on stage.

Get egg-cited: the Fair Oaks Chicken Run is happening on May 4

Scramble along the roads of Old Fair Oaks to support the San Juan Education Foundation at the 44th annual Fair Oaks Chicken Run.


Choose your challenge: the five-mile run, the non-competitive two-mile run/walk or the kids race for children 12 and under – there’s a race for all!


Learn more information or register at www.fairoakschickenrun.com.

Looking to volunteer at our schools? Attend a fingerprint clinic on March 18

Any San Juan Unified parents/guardians or community members who want to complete the fingerprinting process to sign up to volunteer at our schools but cannot make an appointment during the business day are invited to our free walk-in volunteer fingerprint clinic. The clinic will take place on Tuesday, March 18, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the District Office Board Room, located at 3738 Walnut Avenue in Carmichael.


We recommend filling out the volunteer verification form before attending, but assistance will also be available on-site if needed. All applicants must bring a valid photo ID. If you have any questions, email volunteer@sanjuan.edu or call (916) 971-7935.

What's happening this month

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We’re lucky to have engaged students, families and community members who stay involved with their school and district! Students, parents, staff and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend the following Board of Education meetings:


  • Facilities Committee Meeting - Tuesday, March 4, at the Arcade Middle School Library at 6:30 p.m.

  • Curriculum, Standards, Instructional & Student Services Committee Meeting - Wednesday, March 5, at the District Office Board Room at 6:30 p.m.

  • Board of Education - Tuesday, March 11, at the District Office Board Room at 6:30 p.m.

  • Curriculum, Standards, Instructional & Student Services Committee Meeting - Wednesday, March 19, at the District Office Board Room at 6:30 p.m.

  • LCAP Parent Advisory Committee Meeting - Thursday, March 20, at the District Office Board Room at 6 p.m.

  • Board of Education - Tuesday, March 25, at the District Office Board Room at 6:30 p.m.


To keep up to date on all the committee meetings or to learn more about each committee, visit sanjuan.edu/committees.

Upcoming workshops and events for families in March

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Families are invited to these upcoming workshops and events in March:


  • Visit a Community Care Hub to access free district and community resources, learning tools, school supplies, food boxes, diapers and more.

    • March 13 at San Juan High School from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

    • March 27 at Encina High School from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

  • Participate in Signs of Suicide: Awareness and Prevention event on Zoom on March 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

  • Participate in the Navigating the CAASPP Journey: Strategies for Student Success Zoom on March 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

  • Join us at Arden Middle School for a session on Understanding Special Education and Your IEP on March 20 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

  • Attend the four-session series Level Up Your Leadership, which helps parents/caregivers dive deeper into learning about the school system, strategies for effective home-school partnerships and utilizing parent voice in decision-making spaces. The four sessions begin Monday, March 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and are in English and Spanish. Dinner, childcare and language support are provided.


Learn more about these upcoming events at www.sanjuan.edu/face.


Families can also visit the video library to watch a video on understanding bullying, cyberbullying and cyber safety. Visit sanjuan.edu/familyed to view the video.


Lastly, save the date for the FACE Fam Fest on May 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Arden Middle School. This free event will be a community celebration that connects families and educators with resources, promotes student well-being, and showcases the ways families can have fun together.

Family tip of the month: Just how long will it take?

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To manage time responsibly, your child needs to understand how much time tasks take to do. Have your child:


  1. Estimate how many minutes it will take to complete a task.

  2. Track the time it actually takes to carry out the task.

  3. Compare the estimate to the real time.

  4. Write down the task and the time it takes to refer to next time.

San Juan Unified School District
www.sanjuan.edu

The San Juan Scene electronic newsletter delivers monthly school and district information to parents, students, staff and community members. Click here to view previous editions of San Juan Scene.