Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: SAUSD

Retiring SAUSD Superintendent launches a literacy program that uses cell phones

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Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer (714) 558-­‐5555 (office) (714) 673-­‐4995 (mobile)

Superintendent Unveils Citywide Early Learning and Literacy Initiative Using Smartphones and Mobile Devices

Santa Ana, California – July 22, 2016 – Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) Superintendent Dr. Rick Miller is hosting Paso a Paso – Together We Read, an Early Learning Literacy Innovation Summit from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PST at Davis Elementary School, located at 1405 French Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

With an invitation open to the entire Santa Ana community, this event will unveil Superintendent Miller’s citywide English and Spanish early reading initiative using smartphones, tablets, and computers. Together, with members of the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education, Dr. Miller will challenge the Santa Ana community to read 1 million words by November 30, 2016. Continue reading→

Councilman Tinajero honored for his work as a speech and debate coach

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City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Upon Retirement, Councilmember Tinajero Receives National Honor for Speech and Debate: Recipient of Harold Keller Award

Over the past weekend, at the National Speech and Debate Association’s 2016 National Tournament, Santa Ana Councilman Tinajero was announced as the recipient of the Harold C. Keller Award, a top honor provided to individuals for their dedication and development to speech and debate.  This great honor comes on the heels of Councilmember Tinajero’s retirement from being Director of the Fullerton Union High School Speech & Debate Team earlier this June after 15 years of dedicated service which included over 170 speech and debate tournaments, coaching of over 1,000 students, and numerous other prestigious accolades.

Councilmember Tinajero has an outstanding record of achievement including: Continue reading→

Valley H.S.’s culinary arts team wins a national championship for the fourth time

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For Immediate Release: June 15, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, Deidra.powell@sausd.us, (714) 558-5555 office, (714) 673-4995 mobile

Valley is Four Time Champions of National Culinary Arts Competition

(Santa Ana, CA) – The Culinary Arts Team of High School Inc. at Valley High School did it again! They are the national champions of the Cooking Up Change Culinary Arts competition for the fourth time in five years. Congratulations to Rosa Aguilar, Daisy Lagunas, and Mariah Macias for proudly representing Santa Ana while facing tough competition from nine other cities across the United States to bring home a 1st place finish.

The road to becoming champions began with a regional competition hosted locally by Kid Healthy and Northgate Gonzalez Market as part of a national program, founded by Healthy Schools Campaign, based in Chicago. As a requirement of the competition, students must work within the constraints of school food service including limited ingredients, tight budgets, and limited steps to produce the full meal. The team did just that. After creating a delicious meal that included Moroccan stuffed zucchini, Moroccan salad, and spiced pear cups, the trio captured the attention of the judges and were awarded 1st place out of 11 high schools in Orange County who competed in the 5th annual Cooking Up Change® competition. Continue reading→

Record-breaking number of SAUSD grads earn a biliteracy certificate

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 4 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile

News Release: Record-Breaking Number of Graduating Seniors Receive Certificate Certifying they are Fluent in Multiple Languages in SAUSD

(Santa Ana, CA) – Santa Ana Unified School District celebrates a record-breaking number of graduates receiving their Seal of Biliteracy when they receive their high school diplomas during graduation ceremonies to be held Tuesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 16, 2016. This year, 1, 013 students will be recognized for being fluent in at least one or more languages and English, an increase of 124 students from last year. Proficiency in the Spanish language was the most popular language followed by French. Continue reading→

Free meals for all local kids at SAUSD schools this summer

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FREE MEALS FOR CHILDREN IN SANTA ANA THIS SUMMER!

The Nutrition Services Department in Santa Ana Unified School District is pleased to announce that we will be participating in the Seamless Summer Feeding Option; serving free summer meals to children in the community!

We have 54 school sites and 7 Parks and Recreation Centers participating across the district. The federally-funded program operates Monday through Friday for breakfast (except Parks and Recreation Centers) and lunch. The program is open to all children in the community from 1-18 years, no income requirement or registration is necessary. Continue reading→

Dr. Rigo Rodríguez is running for the SAUSD School Board again this November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Education, Politics, Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2016

Contact: Rigo Rodríguez, (949) 478-4162

Dr. Rigo Rodríguez Announces Candidacy for Santa Ana School Board

(Santa Ana, CA) – CSU Long Beach professor and school district parent, Dr. Rigo Rodríguez announced his candidacy today for Santa Ana School Board.

“I want all students to have safe and excellent schools that prepare them for college and a career.” Dr. Rodriguez added, “As the youngest of 13 of a farmworker family, I experienced the economic hardships and social isolation that many families face in Santa Ana. Fortunately, I attended a great public grade school that inspired me and prepared me to stay on the path to success. Although I attended four different high schools in four years in two different countries and three states, I had the motivation and skills to get to college.” Continue reading→

Online volunteer tutors from businesses meet SAUSD 1st grade students for the first time

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 office, (714) 673-4995 mobile

ONLINE VOLUNTEER TUTORS FROM BUSINESSES MEET FIRST GRADE STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME FACE TO FACE AFTER TUTORING THEM IN READING ALL SCHOOL YEAR

(Santa Ana) – With the goal of every child reading at grade level by the end of the third grade, the Santa Ana Unified School District, with the partnership of Innovations for Learning, and the support of Orange County United Way, launched “Read Santa Ana Read,” a volunteer program supporting nearly 250 first graders at reading at the beginning of the 2015- 2016 school year. Volunteer tutors from Wells Fargo and PIMCO will finally get an opportunity to meet the first graders face to face whom they have been tutoring in reading all year long on June 3, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at Walker Elementary School, located at 811 E. Bishop Avenue in Santa Ana, and June 7, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at Madison Elementary School, located at 1124 East Hobart Street in Santa Ana. For 30 minutes once a week, business volunteers from the community have helped first graders in the Santa Ana Unified School District learn to read without ever leaving their desk. Through an online tutoring program, Tutormate, volunteers have been able to interact with our students remotely from their computers and tablets and tutor and encourage them to become strong readers,” said, Michelle Rodriguez, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning of the Santa Ana Unified School District. Continue reading→

Activists demand ethnic studies at Santa Ana’s public schools

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Community Gathers to Pack the Santa Ana School Board Meeting Tonight to Call for Ethnic Studies Requirement In All Santa Ana Unified Schools

SANTA ANA, CA—Tonight students, parents, teachers, professors, and community organizations will pack the Santa Ana School Board meeting to call for Ethnic Studies classes in all Santa Ana schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, a high school graduation requirement, the expansion of restorative practices in Ethnic Studies classes as an alternative to suspension and expulsion, and the creation of an Ethnic Studies Summer Teacher Institute where teachers can engage in pedagogy and curriculum that is culturally relevant and responsive to the Santa Ana community.

Santa Ana is rich in diversity, with cultural roots from places like Cambodia, Vietnam, Samoa, Central America, Afghanistan, and one of the largest Mexican American populations outside of Mexico, yet the majority of our students’ histories and cultures have been pushed out of the curriculum. The community is calling for a curriculum that challenges eurocentrism and reflects the diversity and linguistic legacy of the students in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

SAUSD Music Festival set for this Saturday

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City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: SAUSD Music Festival this Saturday, May 21st!

Spend a warm sunny afternoon enjoying the musical sounds from our talented students at the first SAUSD Musical Festival, to be held May 21, 2016, at Memorial Park from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Memorial Park is located at Flower and Anahurst, in Santa Ana.

This is a free event open to all residents of Santa Ana. It will be a day to relax, enjoy a picnic, and listen to some of the best musical groups in the Santa Ana Unified School District. Food trucks will be available with a variety of selections. Guests can enjoy the concert in their lawn chairs. Continue reading→

OneOC to host several Earth Day events in Santa Ana this Friday

Posted on by Posted in Environment, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Here are a few projects organized by nonprofit OneOC going on this Friday for Earth Day:

OneOC “Spirit of Giving-Environmental Literacy” – Countywide 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Education (Service-Leaning) – Spirit of Giving empowers Title-1 first-grade students to improve literacy skills while teaching them how they can make a difference in their communities, regardless of their personal circumstances. Volunteers will assist first grade teachers, reading and reflecting with students on environmental topics as well as present each child with a book for their personal library.

  • Heritage Elementary – Santa Ana = 3-6 Spots 8:30 a.m.
  • Lincoln Elementary – Santa Ana 9:00 a.m. State Farm volunteers
  • Monroe Elementary – Santa Ana 9:00 a.m.
  • Wallace Davis Elementary- Santa Ana 8:30 a.m.

Continue reading→

The SAUSD needs your help as they search for a new School Superintendent

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The Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education (SAUSD) would like your input in regards to the search for a new superintendent, and they have requested the help of Hazard, Young, Attea, and Associates to help them with the process.

As one of the initial steps in the process, the Board would like to seek the input of staff, parents, community members, and even students, on the desired characteristics and skills that are critical for the next superintendent of SAUSD. Input can be provided in two ways. Continue reading→

SAUSD Trustee Valerie Amezcua flew to DC to learn about school governance

Posted on by Posted in Education, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 4 Comments

SAUSD’s Valerie Amezcua Joined NALEO Educational Fund and Latino Policymakers in Nation’s Capital for Policy Institute on School Governance

Two-day event equipped Amezcua and more than 40 other Latino officials with the skills and information needed to advance student success in their communities

(Santa Ana, CA) – Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education Clerk Valerie Amezcua joined the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, the nation’s preeminent Latino leadership organization, and more than 40 other Latino school board members and trustees from across the country for the group’s National Policy Institute on School Governance.

The two-day Institute, held from March 15-16, 2016 in Washington D.C., focused on providing Latino public servants with the enhanced capacity and governance skills needed to become effective advocates for their students, families and communities. During the event, Amezcua and other participants had the opportunity to engage with leading education experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors who tackled pressing education policy and governance topics. Continue reading→

22nd annual SAUSD Parent Conference set for March 19

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Contact:

Deidra Powell Williams (714) 558-5555

SAUSD Parent Conference to Provide Valuable Resources for Student Success

(March 16, 2016) – Parents of the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) are invited to attend the 22nd Annual Parent Conference on Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Villa Fundamental Intermediate School, located at 1441 East Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92701. This year’s theme is SAUSD – Investing in the Future because students are our future leaders and citizens of tomorrow.

The event will feature a host of workshops and seminars, and community resources that are specifically designed to aid parents in supporting their student’s success. This event is free, and transportation is being provided from each school in the district to the location. Please visit the Santa Ana Unified School District website at www.sausd.us for pick up times. Continue reading→

Carr Intermediate students and teachers will shave their heads to fight cancer on 3/15

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Media Advisory: March 15, 2016

Santa Ana USD children to shave their heads to conquer childhood cancers!

Carr Intermediate School

Students and teachers will BRAVE the SHAVE and go BALD during their Fifth Annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation Fundraising event on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 8:30 a.m, at Carr Intermediate School, located at 2120 W. Edinger Ave., in Santa Ana.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation sponsors head-shaving events around the world by asking the simple question: How much money would you donate to conquer kids’ cancers to see me shave my head? Volunteer barbers donate their time and participants raise funds and then sit back and have their heads shaved in solidarity with kids who have been diagnosed with cancer. The money raised goes towards grants given to doctors and scientists who are dedicated to finding cures and treatments for infants, children, and young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. Continue reading→

SAUSD’s Superintendent is retiring after spiking his pension in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Education, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 2 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555, (714) 673-4995 (Cell)

SAUSD Superintendent Announces Retirement

The Santa Ana Unified School Board and Superintendent announced today the resignation and anticipated retirement of Dr. Rick Miller. Dr. Miller will be retiring from the Santa Ana Unified School District on July 1st of this year to spend time with his family. Dr. Miller has served in excess of 45 years in education including the last 27 years as a district superintendent. Dr. Miller thanked the Board and District for the tremendous opportunity to serve in Santa Ana and commends the staff for the great work they have continued to provide. Continue reading→