Sweetwater Currents
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A SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLICATION JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS Elf Workshop Chula Vista Middle Elves were Busy at Work San Ysidro Adult Showcases Student Talent GINGERBREAD HOUSES www.sweetwaterschools.orgPLUS! SWEETWATER LIBRARIES HOST LITERACY JANUARY 2013NIGHTS SWEETWATER P.9 CURRENTS 1 SWEETWATER CURRENTS JANUARY 2013 CONTENTS FEATURES KUDOS 03 ELF WORKSHOP 06 BVM & TOYS FOR TOTS Chula Vista Middle Elves Busy at Work Bonita Vista Middle Helps Raise Money 04 GINGERBREAD HOUSES 07 GIFT & FOOD DRIVE San Ysidro Showcases Student Talent Student Services Overwhelmed By District Generosity 08 MONTH OF JANUARY National Hobby Month 09 SYH NJROTC CHOSEN For Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade 09 LITERACY NIGHTS Sweetwater Libraries Welcomes Families 10 BVH HAS GOT MILK 10 SAN YSIDRO HIGH HONORED Football Players Win Statewide As Breakthrough School Breakfast Billboard Contest 11 DR. VICTOR DeNOBLE & TUPE 10 SWEETWATER LIBRARIES ART Anti-Tobacco Advocate Visits San Ysidro High CONTEST Art Contest Promotes Reading, Literacy 16 SUPERINTENDENT’S COLUMN and Technology In Our Schools Looking Back at 2012 Board of Trustees Produced by: Jim Cartmill • Bertha J. López • John McCann • Pearl Quiñones • Arlie N. Ricasa Grants & Communications Dr. Edward M. Brand Superintendent FACEBOOK TWITTER www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 2 Chula Vista Middle Elves were Busy at Work Holiday charm bracelets, photo frames and make-your-own ornaments were in abundance this week at Chula Vista Middle School. In their annual holiday tradition, students were given the opportunity to make a number of crafts that they could then use as gifts for their friends and family. The "Elf Workshop" was available to students for only $1. They selected from a number of crafts and then worked in groups to assemble the gifts. Along with dozens of volunteers from the school and the community, including Chula Vista City Councilmember Mary Salas, the students made gifts that would have a lasting memory. The event is hosted by Club Teen Connection, under the direction of Sandra Bishop. Congratulations to Club TC on another successful holiday event! www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 3 Gingerbread Houses! San Ysidro Adult Showcases Student Talent The confectionary talents of culinary arts students were on display this week in the form of some 30 Gingerbread Houses and several other edible creations. This year, several of the students made houses that reflected holiday traditions from around the world. The edible visions put a twinkle in the eyes of the beholders as they "oohed" and "ahhed" over the tasty creations on display during the 8th annual competition. The public was invited to cast their votes and choose their favorites. Professional chefs and other community members also participated in the judging. San Ysidro Adult School serves adult learners seeking to improve their job and career skills, and those looking to complete their basic education. The annual gingerbread competition has become a holiday favorite in the Sweetwater District and we are already looking forward to what the students have in store for next year! Take a look at the showcase here! www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 4 www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 5 Renowned Author Charles Fishman Makes Waves of Inspiration Olympian High School Students meet the author of book read by entire Senior Class Charles Fishman, author of The Big Thirst, visited students at Olympian High School to discuss the book’s theme, “The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water”. Each year, Seniors at Olympian High School select a book to read as an entire class and then integrate the book into the curriculum of their classes. This project is called the “Common Senior Experience” and was recognized in 2010 by the California School Boards Association as a Golden Bell Award Winner. Read More & Watch the Video Here... KUDOS! Bonita Vista Middle & Toys for Tots During the Holiday season, many of our students are working to give back to their communities. Students at Bonita Vista Middle have been working with the Toys for Tots program and recently raised $548 for the program. They earned the money by staying after school 3-4 days a week to open the Student Store for business. Profits from the After School Sales were used to purchase the toys. Well done Crusaders! KUDOS! Melanie Brown-Davis Melanie-Brown-Davis , Science Teacher and District Wide Academic Support team Member, has successfully renewed her title of National Board Certified Teacher. Sweetwater thanks you for the years of commitment and education to high quality Science Instruction across the district. Congratulations! www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 6 SWEETWATER STUDENT SERVICES Food & Gift Drive Overwhelmed by SUHSD Generosity Student Services offices are overrun with brown bags full of Sweetwater generosity. Over the past few weeks, Sweetwater Student Services have been collecting brown bags full of complete holiday meals. Each bag is donated by a group of people from a department or a school site across Sweetwater District. The initial goal was to collect 115 bags of food, but thanks to the generosity of staff, well over 250 bags were collected. Our SUHSD elves have been working overtime and our teens and families in need will be the beneficiaries. Way to go! www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 7 JANUARY 2013 National Hobby Month 1 Happy New Year’s 15 21 28 First Day of School Dr. Martin Luther King Day Board Meeting La Jolla Literacy Society Host Montgomery High Seniors, Meet Award-Winning Author Montgomery High students have been recognized by the La Jolla Literary Society for being enthusiastic, and well-prepared. As a result, Montgomery High students are always invited to the annual kick-off of the La Jolla Literary Society’s Authors Luncheons series. This November, seven Montgomery High School seniors traveled to the La Jolla Country Club to meet and interview award-winning author, Robert K. Massie (Catherine the Great) and enjoy lunch as part of their annual trip to the La Jolla Literary Society’s Authors Luncheons series. MOH students got to interview the author after listening to him address attendees. Following the event, the author chatted with the students again and signed their books. Several weeks before the luncheon, students receive complimentary books from the publisher. Along with their teachers, the students read the book and attend twice-weekly Literature Circles to discuss the book and create questions for the author. Pictured: Jacob Aquino, Melissa Virgen, Mrs. Obrist, Kristine Jaio, Kadiedra Crawford, AUTHOR ROBERT K. MASSIE, Cristian Fox, Samantha Mazariegos, Nereyda Perez, Mrs. Steinberg www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 8 Sweetwater Libraries Host Literacy Nights Montgomery Middle and Mar Vista Middle welcomed hundreds of Sweetwater families into their libraries for Literacy Nights during the month of October. Literacy Nights brought parents, teachers, and students together to celebrate the positive impact that literacy has on our students’ education and academic achievement. At Mar Vista, librarian Mercedes Hernandez organized literacy activities like bilingual story time, a book give away, and Teen Read Week promotions. At Montgomery Middle, librarian Imelda Alvarez worked with teachers and the ASB to coordinate different stations where parents learned about how they can support literacy efforts at home. There were a number of activities in which parents worked alongside their child to learn more about the Accelerated Reader Program, including creating a reading list, and a library scavenger hunt. Sweetwater libraries put the importance of literacy first by inviting families in the community to participate in this special event. KUDOS! Eastlake High School Football Congratulations to Eastlake High School’s football team for winning the Division One CIF Football Championship. This could not have happened without the dedication of Coach John McFadden and his team of coaches who worked closely with the athletes to get them to the Championship. The Titans represented the South Bay well and came home victorious! www.sweetwaterschools.org JANUARY 2013 SWEETWATER CURRENTS 9 San Ysidro High Honored as Breakthrough School San Ysidro High School was recently named a 2013 MetLife Foundation - National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Breakthrough School. They are one of only 10 schools in the entire nation to receive this honor. They will be awarded a $5,000 grant and will be attending the Breaking Ranks School Showcase and NASSP Annual Conference in Maryland next February. San Ysidro High will be featured during the conference and will take part in several activities throughout the year to highlight their accomplishment, such as being featured in Principal Leadership magazine. KUDOS! Tony Atienza & Main Attraction Representing Chula Vista High School and the SCPA, Chula Vista High Music Director Tony Atienza and the group Main Attraction, took the stage at Qualcomm stadium for the start of the San Diego Chargers game against the Carolina Panthers. They sang backup to Brooke White, American Idol season 7 finalist during a rendition of two Christmas songs! KUDOS! San Ysidro High School NJROTC San Ysidro High School NJROTC will proudly represent the state of California in the 2013 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade taking place in the island state of Hawaii.