A Moment with Doc Ervin
Superintendent Doc Ervin introduces members of his executive cabinet.
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.
We Need Your Input
The San Bernardino City Unified School District needs your help! Our District is working to create a better website and we need your feedback. Please take this short survey to help us design a better web experience for our school community.
Weekly Bulletin Board
Are you interested in chatting with other parents about the joys and challenges of raising children? Join us at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3 for Parent Cafe. Register at this link. For more information, please call (909) 880-4057.
The Family Engagement Department wants to help you master Aeries, the student information system that lets you monitor your child’s grades and attendance, with various virtual training sessions:
- On Wednesdays in November, learn the ins and outs of Aeries.
- On Tuesdays and Thursdays next month, learn the simple steps for confirming your emergency contact information, renewing special authorizations, and more.
Save the date for the upcoming International Men’s Day, a celebration of the value that men bring to the world.
Learn more about nutrition and the importance of physical activity on November 15 at 3 p.m. in the first session of the Parent Health Institute. Other sessions in 2022 will focus on nutrition, diabetes, and asthma. Click here for more details, including a registration link.
Avoid getting the flu by getting the flu shot on November 13 at a free COVID-19 and flu vaccination event at Muscoy Elementary School. Find out more about this free event for San Bernardino County residents ages 12 and up here.
Highlights of the Week
Highlights of key news from the week that will help you stay in the know.
Red Ribbon Week Highlights Substance Abuse Prevention
Students across SBCUSD campuses donned red and participated in educational and wellness activities designed to mark Red Ribbon Week, an annual, nationwide event dedicated to drug prevention.
Parent Teacher Conferences Continue
Parent teacher conferences for elementary school students began this week and continue through November 5. Keep in mind that during this week, schools dismiss students early to give teachers more time to prepare to meet with families. The majority of conferences are being held virtually due to COVID-19, so make sure you keep meeting information handy and add the date and time to your calendar.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for a productive parent teacher conference:
- Make a short list of topics that you want to chat about with the teacher.
- Prepare a list of questions, such as what are my child’s strongest and weakest subjects? Does my child hand homework in on time? What can I do at home to help?
- Be on time for the meeting and end the meeting on time. Other parents will probably have a conference after yours.
- If your child receives special services, ask about your child’s progress in those classes/programs.
- Ask the teacher to explain or repeat anything you don’t understand.
- Ask the teacher for ways that you can help your child at home.
Avoid the Winter Surge
Do your part to fend off a COVID-19 surge this winter by continuing to take these precautions:
- Wear a face covering
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Use hand sanitizer
- If it’s too cold to safely open doors or windows, you can reduce virus particles in the air by using air filtration and/or bathroom and stove exhaust fans
SBCUSD in the News
Retiring Tetlocks go out with a roar
SBCUSD recognized for employee onboarding
In the Spotlight
San Bernardino City Unified Workforce Preparation Program Honored with Prestigious State Award
An innovative program that prepares Special Education students to be gainfully employed after high school has been lauded as a state model of excellence.
The California School Boards Association announced it will present a prestigious Golden Bell Award to the District’s Beyond Pathways Program, which provides job skills training to students with moderate to severe disabilities like autism. Overseen by the Special Education Department, the program includes the Business and Technology Pathway at San Andreas High School, the Community Integrated Program/Bridges to WORC Program at Anderson School, and the WORC Program at Middle College High School.
Students who participate in Beyond Pathways have opportunities to learn valuable life and work skills before reaching the age of 24. By the time they leave the program, students are skilled at keeping inventory, stocking shelves, packing items, and other tasks they might face working in warehouse, retail, food service, or shipping jobs. Students also learn responsibility, time management, and leadership skills that are vital to succeed in the workforce.
On-the-job training is essential to helping students with special needs lead productive lives, said Dr. Howana Lundy, director of the District’s Special Education Department.
“The success of our program is rooted in the belief that all students can benefit from career pathways, especially students with special needs,” Lundy said. “We have students working in numerous businesses right here in our community who have a new lease on life because of our Beyond Pathways program.”
Each year, CSBA recognizes outstanding educational programs and school governance practices that effectively address the needs of California students. The District has earned several Golden Bell Awards in recent years, including one for its efforts to cultivate future teachers from its student ranks through the Grow Your Own program. The employee onboarding program and the Demonstration Teacher Program, both overseen by Human Resources, have also won Golden Bell acclaim.
The Golden Bell Award will be presented on December 2 at the California School Board’s annual conference in San Diego.