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A Moment with Doc Ervin
Superintendent Doc Ervin has an important safety message for students and families.
Future in Focus
Quick tips, brief updates, and reminders about what’s coming up to help families, employees, and our community make the most of our schools.
Vacant2Vibrant Neighborhood Development
Uplift San Bernardino is hosting a free webinar on September 22 for high school and college students who live in San Bernardino. The one-hour, virtual event will teach students about urban planning with a look at the vacant lots in the city. The goal of Vacant2Vibrant is to provide all residents with the knowledge and opportunities to shape the future of currently vacant lots. Call (909) 381-1294 or complete the Google form to register.
SBCUSD High School Students Eligible to Participate in Virtual College Fairs
SBCUSD is making the 2021 virtual California College Fairs available to all high school students. Students can sign up by creating an account, select one of the live, virtual events, and then select the specific sessions and colleges they are interested in.
High school students may sign up for any one of the following live, virtual college fairs:
- Saturday, October 2, 2021, 1–3 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 5–7 p.m.
- Saturday, October 9, 2021, 1–3 p.m.
- Saturday, October 16, 2021, 1–3 p.m.
High school students should contact their College and Career Readiness teacher, school counselor, or the District’s College and Career Readiness/Linked Learning department at (909) 473-2084 to learn more.
California Native American Day
California recognizes the fourth Friday of September as California Native American Day to honor California’s 107 federally recognized Indian tribes. Join SBCUSD in celebrating September 24 as California Native American Day.
Pure Land Food Distribution
The Pure Land Foundation is distributing free groceries while supplies last.
September 25, 2021
9 a.m. to Noon
Pacific High School
1020 Pacific Street
San Bernardino
Highlights of the Week
Highlights of key news from the week that will help you stay in the know.
Hope is Here
Have you seen the new Hope is Here banners that popped up on school fences recently? Hope is Here is a new campaign designed to inform all local families about all the great ways SBCUSD is Making Hope Happen for students.
Sierra is RAMPed Up!
Sierra High School is among an elite group of 130 across the nation that earned a 2021 RAMP designation. RAMP stands for Recognized ASCA Model Program. ASCA (American School Counselor Association) bestows the title on schools that align their counseling program and services with the ASCA National Model, deliver a data-informed school counseling program, and make a commitment to their school counseling program.
Dell Computers & Accessories on Sale
SBCUSD students and families can save 17% on select Dell laptops, desktops, and accessories through September 22 with the code SAVE17. Qualifying computers include the Dell XPS desktop, the XPS 13 laptop, and the G15 Gaming laptop. You must shop using the exclusive Dell/SBCUSD webpage to access these and other deals. You may need to use your SBCUSD-provided email address during checkout to access some discounts.
ParentSquare Tip of the Week
How to Reset Your Password
There are two main ways to reset your ParentSquare password. The first is through the website browser. Go to the ParentSquare sign in page. Click Forgot Password under the password field. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your ParentSquare account and click Go. Depending on what you entered, you will receive either an email or text message with directions to reset your password. If you enter an email address or phone number not associated with your ParentSquare account, you will be taken to a different form. It may take several days for a follow-up from your child’s school.
The second option is via the ParentSquare app. If you are signed in, tap the three horizontal bars at the top left. Select Account and Change Password. If you are already signed out of the app, enter the email or phone number associated with your ParentSquare account, click Continue, and then click Forgot Password. In either case, check your email or text messages for a verification code, which you will enter in the Reset Password Code field. Click Verify and follow the on-screen instructions to enter a new password.
You can also follow the directions here.
Better Together. Welcome Home.
Continue Washing and Sanitizing Hands
With flu season approaching, please continue encouraging and reminding children to wash their hands regularly throughout the day. When hand washing is not an option, children should use hand sanitizer, which is provided at school.
In the Spotlight
Vandalism and Theft at School Hurts Everyone
We know that our San Bernardino and Highland students want to attend schools they can be proud of. We know our families want to be able to brag to their friends and family about the great education their children are receiving and how they are succeeding now and are being prepared to succeed in the future.
SBCUSD is committed to providing safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments for your children. However, we need your help to maintain those standards.
Students spend a good portion of their day at school. Having a clean classroom with nice tables and desks is like having a clean home with a nice sofa and coffee table. It just makes for a more pleasant environment and a better day. When students commit theft or vandalism at their school, it’s like stealing from or destroying their own home. It doesn’t make sense because you’re hurting yourself and your friends. And it doesn’t just affect the stolen or damaged items. Fixing or replacing those items takes time and money, time and money that can’t be spent on other things.
Imagine you saved money for a down payment on a car, but somebody steals your computer and television. Now you have to decide if you’re still going to get that car and live without a computer or TV or use the money you saved for the car to replace the stolen items. That’s what SBCUSD may have to do when students steal or vandalize District property.
A new social media trend has resulted in an increase in theft and vandalism, which is hurting our entire District community. Students are being encouraged to lick or steal items from school, including things like soap dispensers or urinals. These are not acceptable behaviors for anyone and most certainly not our children. If a student is found stealing, possessing stolen items, or damaging school property (which also includes people’s personal belongings), the District will:
- Take the appropriate disciplinary action.
- File charges; per Penal Code 484, stolen property valued at $950 or more is a felony.
- Remove the student’s privileges for the remainder of the school year, including participation in athletics or other extracurricular activities, attending athletic games, dances, and graduation activities.
- Seek reimbursement for the stolen and damaged items from the student or their family.
Please talk with your child about the serious consequences of participating in this destructive trend or participating in any other activity that involves stealing or damaging school property. Please help us to keep our schools places students want to be and you can be proud of and keep students from making poor decisions that result in serious consequences.
Transparency is Vital to Establishing Trust and Communication in Our School Community
When it comes to COVID-19, communicating with your child’s school is essential. Read more in this letter that was distributed to all families via ParentSquare.
Dear SBCUSD Families & Employees:
SBCUSD is committed to providing accurate and timely information about all topics of concern for families and staff. We truly appreciate the hundreds of parents, teachers, and employees who joined us earlier this month for our Town Hall focused on COVID-19 safety and notification protocols. The questions and concerns shared there will help us continue our efforts to keep everyone safe and informed. You may view a recording of the Town Hall on our District YouTube Channel or at sbcusd.com/covidtownhall.
We are convinced that transparency is vital to establishing trust and communication ties with our employees and the families of our students. We work diligently with the resources and information provided daily by our schools and we use that information to keep you up to date regarding COVID-19 cases. We provide information about COVID 19 cases through letters sent home to our families and a dashboard published on our website. We recognize that the dashboard numbers may differ from what people personally know due to the COVID-19 cases that are not reported to us. Please understand that we cannot require families to report positive cases and families have a right to privacy. However we work to make everyone aware of the importance of reporting positive COVID-19 cases to school so as a team we can do our part to slow this pandemic. When you, a member of your household, or your child test positive for COVID-19 we ask that you notify the school right away so we can ensure contact tracing begins for the safety of students, employees, and families and so we can provide families more accurate data about active cases in the District. When you notify us, we can assist you by providing resources to help you navigate this challenge and ensure your child continues learning even while not attending school in person. In addition, if you have concerns about COVID-19 protocols in our schools or offices, we encourage you to share this with someone in a leadership role or call our hotline at (909) 381-1184.
Together we can and will get through this pandemic. Our students are cherished by our teachers, our staff, our administration, and our Board of Education members. We appreciate our parents for trusting us with their child’s education and safety. I can assure you that nothing is more important to us than your child’s and our employee’s health and security. It is upon the foundation of safety that we can do what we love, which is to see our students learn and thrive in our schools.
Sincerely,
Doc Ervin
Superintendent