Superintendent Response to draft 2023-24 LCAP Annual Update and 2024-25 LCAP

 

Ensuring student safety is not just a priority but a fundamental prerequisite for effective learning in our schools. We demonstrate our commitment to providing a secure learning environment through a variety of measures. Supervision assistants are present during unstructured times such as during lunch, recess, and nutrition breaks, providing continuous oversight and ensuring student safety (2023-24 LCAP Action 4.07; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 2.12). Our dedicated custodians play a vital role in maintaining secure facilities by conducting timely repairs, maintenance, and ensuring the proper locking of all gates (2023-24 Action 4.04; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 4.04). In addition to their role in maintaining secure facilities, our custodians also ensure the cleanliness of all classrooms and campus grounds.

 

Moreover, each school employs office staff responsible for greeting visitors and ensuring they sign in before entering our closed campuses. Regular safety drills, such as the Great Shake Out for earthquakes, are conducted to prepare students and staff for emergencies. Additionally, we proactively address modern safety concerns by providing families with workshops focused on student technology safety and substance use prevention. We remain steadfast in our commitment to equipping families with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate today's challenges, especially related to technology safety, and plan to continue offering similar workshops in the future.

 

We encourage open communication and urge students, families, staff, and the community to reach out to their school principal immediately with any questions or concerns regarding student safety and security. Together, we can ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for all.

 

 

 

We are fully committed to enhancing our learning spaces to cater to the evolving needs of our students. We are currently working on a plan to update student furniture and technology, ensuring that our classrooms are equipped to support future-ready learning environments. We anticipate the rollout of new furniture and technology in classrooms, with transitional kindergarten being the starting point, in the next couple of years.

 

 

 

We are committed to meeting students’ unique academic needs and building upon their strengths. Every school has an intervention teacher who provides supplemental and intensive intervention to students, focusing on acceleration rather than remediation (2023-24 LCAP Action 1.09; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 1.09). We use a variety of data sources to proactively identify students who may require additional support and to monitor their progress, ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed.

 

We also are unwavering in our dedication to enhancing resources that cater to student wellness, emotional well-being, and behavioral needs. Each of our schools is equipped with a counselor or social worker who delivers services (2023-24 LCAP Action 2.08; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 2.07). These services include large group lessons that focus on social emotional learning, small group counseling, individual check-ins, and crisis response, ensuring that students receive the support they need to thrive. In addition, our behavior intervention specialists provide workshops for both staff and families and offer tiered behavior support (2023-24 LCAP Action 2.09; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 2.10). This ensures that students from all backgrounds receive the necessary support to address their behavioral needs and succeed academically.

 

Furthermore, we have nurses and health assistants who provide medical care and early intervention to ensure the physical well-being of students (2023-24 LCAP Action 2.05; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 2.04). Additionally, our outreach consultants provide supplemental and intensive support for students who are at risk of or experiencing chronic absenteeism (2023-24 LCAP Action 2.04; 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 2.01).

 

While the LCAP's contributing actions are primarily directed toward unduplicated students, it's essential to emphasize that all our students, regardless of whether they are in general education or special education settings, have access to our comprehensive continuum of support.

 

 

 

We are deeply committed to fostering the exceptional capabilities of our students and addressing their individual needs with the utmost care. Our comprehensive approach includes offering visual and performing arts to all students, as outlined in our 2023-24 LCAP Action 4.09 and our 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 1.16. Additionally, we maintain a dedicated Gifted and Talented Education program, detailed in our 2023-24 LCAP Action 1.08 and our 2024-25 Draft LCAP Action 1.08. If you believe your child possesses extraordinary talents, we encourage you to contact their teacher for further exploration and guidance.

 

In addition to these programs, we utilize various funding sources to provide enriching experiences at no cost to families. During the 2023-24 school year, fourth grade students visited Sacramento, sixth graders participated in the Outdoor Science School, and eighth graders traveled to Washington, D.C. Individual schools also organized field trips to museums, aquariums, and other educational destinations. Furthermore, district-wide swim lessons are offered to second grade students and fifth graders participate in a dance program where they learn a variety of dances. 

 

Beyond regular school hours, our commitment to student enrichment extends to engaging after-school education programs. Funded through the After School Education and Safety Program and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant Program, these programs offer stimulating activities outside normal school hours, including weekends, before and after school, as well as during summer and intersession breaks. Students are encouraged to participate in diverse activities such as art, ballet folklorico, culinary arts, mariachi, musical theater, soccer, tutoring, speech and debate, and the Youth Cinema Project.

 

We also prioritize family engagement through enriching events such as Lunar New Year, Dia De Los Muertos, Art Night, and Math Night. These events provide opportunities for families to come together, celebrate cultural diversity, and participate in engaging activities that further strengthen the bond between home and school.

 

Looking ahead, we are excited to expand our enrichment programming into the 2024-25 school year. To ensure these programs meet the needs and interests of our students, families, staff, and community, we have been actively collecting feedback and input through focus groups, surveys, and listening sessions. Your input is invaluable as we continue to enhance and refine our offerings.

 

 

 

Professional development significantly impacts student engagement and achievement. In our ongoing commitment to enhancing teaching effectiveness, our 2023-24 LCAP integrates professional development across various actions, including 1.01, 1.02, 1.05, 1.06, 2.05, and 4.02. Building upon this foundation, our draft 2024-25 LCAP continues this integration with actions 1.02, 1.05, 1.13, 2.08, 2.09, 2.10, and 4.02. 

 

To ensure ample time for professional growth, we strategically incorporate dedicated days into our instructional calendar. This year, we scheduled three shortened days and one full day in September, followed by three more days in October. Additionally, January featured a full day dedicated solely to staff professional development.

 

Our commitment extends beyond traditional boundaries as both internal experts and external organizations contribute to our diverse professional development offerings. Certificated staff engaged in training covering literacy, math, language acquisition, behavior management, improvement science, and professional learning communities. Equally essential is the development of our classified staff, who participated in training related to small group instruction, workstations, math whole group instruction, and behavior management. Many staff members also acquired certifications in nonviolent crisis prevention intervention and CPR. 

 

As we look forward to the 2024-25 school year, we remain dedicated to prioritizing professional development. In May, we initiated a survey to gather staff feedback, informing the development of future offerings. Recognizing the diverse needs and interests of our staff, our focus next year will center on providing tailored professional development opportunities, ensuring every team member can thrive and excel in their role.

 

 

 

Each year, funding is determined by the total population of our student enrollment and the number of students in various subgroups, including socioeconomic status, foster youth, and English learners. In order to optimize funding, the district utilizes various data sources to determine the needs in our district and create actions accordingly. Progress toward goals is monitored throughout the year and actions may be modified as needed.