Dear Parents and Community Members,

We are looking forward to a very positive 2006-2007 school year. 

Poway Unified School District set two major long-term goals in 2002.  The first focuses on literacy and student achievement, and the second focuses on our building and modernization effort to support student learning.

Goal Area #1 – Literacy Update
High Expectations and a Focus on Literacy Results in Significant Gains in Student Achievement
Our academic focus on literacy in reading, writing, and mathematics has resulted in a fifth year of consecutive districtwide gains on the California Standards Test (STAR).  The district Academic Performance Index (API) has risen during this period of time from 813 to 858.  As of last June, 99.6% of our seniors in the Class of 2006 who were on track to graduate had passed the California High School Exit Exam, and efforts are still underway to help the remaining eight students pass the exam.  Student participation in the Scholastic Aptitudes Test (SAT) has increased from 63% to 67%, and the number of students completing one or more advanced placement courses in high school has risen from 28% to 46%. 

These increases reflect our college readiness initiative, which strives to prepare our students for college, technical training, and the world of work.  The results reflect a deep commitment by our staff and our partnership with you. A clear goal focus and measurable performance targets have proven to be instrumental in our important efforts.

Goal Area #2 – Facilities Update
Building for Success Program
Monterey Ridge Elementary School in the 4S Ranch area, constructed with Community Facilities District (CFD) funds, opened this fall with an entering enrollment of 470 students.  Westwood and Midland elementary schools have now been fully completed with Proposition U funds.  The renovation of Mt. Carmel High School will be finished this coming spring, and Poway High School will be completed early next fall.  Also under construction through Proposition U. Tierra Bonita and Twin Peaks are projected to be completed by this winter.  Construction at Chaparral, Garden Road, and Painted Rock has also begun.  We anticipate completing the building program by 2009-2010.

Your Continued Support and Involvement Key to Student Success and Literacy Effort
We appreciate how important it is to have a strong partnership between home and school.  We know that students are much more likely to succeed when parents are involved with the education of their children.  In this spirit, we encourage you to work directly with your child’s teacher(s), principal, school administrators, and counselors. 

I want to share ten thoughts regarding how you can be actively involved in your child’s education:

• Talk to your child daily about what he or she is doing in school.  Show interest in what he or she is studying.
• Make homework an important part of “home talk,” reinforce good study habits, and help ensure adequate time to complete homework.
• Limit the amount of TV/electronic game time, and make sure your child gets enough sleep.
• At home, encourage your child to be physically active and provide healthy snacks – a healthy student equals a better learner at school.
• Send a note to the teacher at the beginning of the year with your email address or best times to call.  Good communication between teacher and parent is key.
• Ask the teacher how you can help your child at home to succeed, and continue this constant communication all year long.
• Contact counselors, administrators, and teachers periodically.
• Know your child’s friends and encourage him/her to pursue interests and make friends through extracurricular activities.
• Volunteer at school and, most importantly, attend school activities in which your child is participating.
• Acknowledge and reward efforts at school.

We know that by working together through a home-school partnership we can help ensure your son(s) or daughter(s) reach their potential.  I wish you and your family the very best as we begin this new school year.

Warm regards,

Don Phillips
Superintendent

STUDENT RECOGNITION

These are examples of the fine accomplishments occurring at our schools every day.

• 2006 San Diego County Fair Results

Poway Unified students participated in the 2006 San Diego County Fair and received many outstanding recognitions. The following honors were received as part of the Student Showcase section at the Fair. Congratulations to the students and instructors listed below.

The following students received top awards for their projects:

Fine Art
Ink - Best of Show / Best of Class
      Westview High School: Shelia Thomas
             Instructor: Keith Opstad
Pastel - Best of Show / Best of Class
      Westview High School: Olivia Lui
            Instructor: Keith Opstad
Pastel - Best of Class
      Westview High School: Corey Webb
            Instructor: Keith Opstad
Pencil - Best of Show / Best of Class
         Poway High School: Brittany Banning
               Instructor: Claudia Johnson
Acrylic - Best of Show / Best of Class
        Westview High School: Lai Xu
               Instructor: Keith Opstad
Oil - Best of Class
       Westview High School: Julia Zhu
               Instructor: Keith Opstad
Watercolor - Best of Class
        Westview High School: Etta Au-Yeung
               Instructor: Keith Opstad
Mixed Media - Best of Show / Best of Class
        Westview High School: Eric Heaton
               Instructor: Keith Opstad
Printmaking - Best of Class
        Mt. Carmel High School: Robert Myer
               Instructor: Kristine Adams
Recycled Art - Best of Show / Best of Class
        Mt. Carmel High School: Graeme Fisher
              Instructor: Kristine Adams
Ceramic - Best of Class
        Westview High School: Tara Shoecraft
               Instructor: Hayley Shields

Drafting
Architectural Model - Best of Class
     Poway High School: Anthony Shafer
          Instructor: Rodger Dohm  
Drafting Group Projects - Best of Show / Best of Class
     Poway High School: Ben Norris
          Instructor: Rodger Dohm
Drafting Group Projects - Best of Class
     Poway High School: Dan Bielinski
          Instructor: Rodger Dohm

General Technology
Robotics Engineering (Fabricated) - Best of Show
Poway High School: Matt Howard, Joe Abremski, Ashley Alexander, Greg Del Castillo, Alex DiMarzo, Russ Goff, Clark Heckman, Aaron Mandell, Zack McClure, Zach Mullenger, Tanya Patterson, Michael Robinson, Anthony Shafer, Nick Shumate, Chris Soltysiak, Nick Stark, Alex Swaisgood, Phoenix VantVeer, Kyle Zampell
     Instructor: Rodger Dohm
Robotics Engineering (Snap Together) - Best of Show
Poway High School: Kayla Lyman, Michael Robinson
    Instructor: Rodger Dohm
Energy / Power Sources - Best of Class
Poway High School: Alyssa Randazzo, Bryant Garretson
    Instructor: Rodger Dohm
Group Project - Best of Class
Poway High School: Alexa Wolleh, Allison Long
    Instructor: Rodger Dohm
Prototype - Best of Class / Best of Show
Poway High School: Richard Coburn, Benjamin Norris
          Instructor: Rodger Dohm

Photography
Black & White Photo - Best of Class
    Poway High School: Alex Papasavas
         Instructor: Daniel Harris
Color Photo - Best of Class
    Poway High School: MacKenzie Grimmer
        Instructor: Daniel Harris
Creative Photo - Best of Class
    Poway High School: Adam Gould
        Instructor: Daniel Harris
Fair Theme, Water - Best of Class
    Mt. Carmel High School: James Kang
        Instructor: Bob Bjorkquist
News / Sports Photo Journalism - Best of Show / Best of Class
    Mt. Carmel High School: Alex Siebenthal
        Instructor: Bob Bjorkquist
Photo Essay of Student Activities - Best of Show / Best of Class
    Mt. Carmel High School: Derrick Sun
       Instructor: Bob Bjorkquist
Photo Essay of Student Activities - Best of Class
    Mt. Carmel High School: Ayesha Ghosh
        Instructor: Bob Bjorkquist

Literary Publications
Newspapers - Best Editorial
     Mt. Carmel High School
         Instructor: Rick Mercurio
Newspapers - Best News
     Mt. Carmel High School
         Instructor: Rick Mercurio
Newspapers - Best Focus on School
     Westview High School
          Instructor: Jeff Wenger
Newspapers - Best Features
      Westview High School
          Instructor: Jeff Wenger
Newspaper - First Place
      Mt. Carmel High School
          Instructor: Rick Mercurio
Newspaper - First Place
      Poway High School
          Instructor: Terianne Libby
Yearbooks - First Place (Middle School)
     Bernardo Heights Middle School
          Instructor: James Shadoan
Yearbooks - First Place (Middle School)
     Mesa Verde Middle School
         Instructor: Greg Ruth
Yearbooks - First Place (High School)
      Westview High School
          Instructor: Chris Fousek

• PUSD middle school students attended Tech Trek, a math/science/computer camp at UCSD for six days and nights this summer.  Tech Trek encourages young women to pursue careers in science, math, and computer technology.  The students were nominated by their teachers and received scholarships from the Rancho Bernardo Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).  The following students were chosen:

Bernardo Heights Middle School: Tyler Adair, Hannah Bochsler, Madeline McIntyre, Katie Morelan, Ally Nicholson, and Tess Whitwam.

Twin Peaks Middle School: Madeline Campbell, Hana Hadiprodjo, Giselle Harkous, Brea Luton, Andie McPartland, Maria Morales, Nancy Morales, Natalie Surh, and Aimee Trujillo.

Three teachers from Bernardo Heights Middle School taught at the camp this summer: Tanya MacMartin, Biology; Karrie Campos, Chemistry; and Erika McCoy, Chemistry.

• Rancho Bernardo High School students Jason Yeh and John Pratt and instructor Ross Kallen won top honors in the commercial category at the Best Fest America Film Festival.  The team received a First Place for the film “EF Tours”.

• Matt Roberts, Poway High School junior, was one of 72 high school juniors nationwide selected for a three-week Congressional Page program. Matt applied for the program in the Fall of 2005.

STAFF RECOGNITION

• Randie Allen, Chief Financial Officer, and the Poway Unified School District Finance Team have been selected as a winner of the 2006 Business Finance Vision Award presented by Business Finance Magazine (www.businessfinancemag.com) for SAS Financial Management (FM) achievement. The award acknowledges PUSD’s innovative accomplishments in the area of financial management including business planning and budgeting, performance measurement, and business and financial reporting. The award will be announced in Greenwich, CT, on October 30-31, 2006.


• Barbara Busalacchi, first grade teacher at Turtleback Elementary School, received a LeRoy Finkel Grant to create a mentor/Teaching & Learning Cooperative (TLC) program to incorporate movie making into the elementary school curriculum.