ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022
REACHING N EW HEIGHTS! Cover1
OUR MISSION The San Marcos Unified School District is an innovative and collaborative community providing an unparalleled educational experience. Through an engaging and supportive environment, all our students are challenged, inspired, and poised to excel.
BELIEFS • • • •
We believe every student deserves to learn every day. Positive relationships and a strong sense of community connect students to learning. Teachers who challenge and care for students make a significant impact on students’ lives. Excellence is attained when we accept only the best from every individual in our learning community.
COMMITMENTS • • • • 1
We commit to providing each student with an appropriate and challenging educational experience. Maintaining a respectful environment that fosters learning through positive relationships among students, staff, adults and our diverse community. Providing quality education based on high standards, effective practice, continuous improvement and innovation. Hiring and retaining only the best educators and investing in their success.
SAN MARCOS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD The Governing Board is elected by the community to provide leadership and citizen oversight of the District’s schools. Pictured from left to right: Board Clerk Jaime Chamberlin, Board President Stacy Carlson, Board Vice President Sydney Kerr, Board Member Sarah Ahmad, Board Member Dr. Carlos Ulloa.
SAN MARCOS UNIFIED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP The Superintendent’s Office oversees all Divisions within the District, including Business Services, Educational Services, and Human Resources and Development. Pictured from left to right: Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Erin Garcia, Superintendent, Dr. Andy Johnsen, Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Tiffany Campbell, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Development, Henry Voros, Public Information Officer, Amy Ventetuolo.
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It is an understatement to say that the past two years have been extremely challenging for school systems across the country, and SMUSD has been no exception. But as we began the 2021-22 school year with our 18 campuses completely open for full-time, in-person instruction, a spirit of excitement and optimism has driven our commitment to keep schools open, keep students in class, and keep students and staff safe while on campus. With ever-changing public health guidelines and a January COVID surge, this was no small feat! I am grateful for the tireless efforts of our amazing SMUSD teachers, administrators and support staff, and for the partnership of our families as we have worked together to provide virtually uninterrupted full-time, in-person instruction on all of our campuses this year. School districts up and down the state have suffered enrollment loss through the pandemic, and SMUSD has not been immune. With funding tightly tied to student enrollment, this has caused us to make non-staff related budget reductions as well as undergo some difficult right-sizing of staff this year. But I am confident that with this and other budget stability measures we have implemented, along with our successful advocacy efforts in Sacramento to improve funding for school districts like ours, we are poised for smoother sailing in the years to come. And the future is bright for our district! Led by our forward-thinking Board of Trustees, this year we engaged SMUSD staff, students, parents and San Marcos business and community leaders to begin crafting a vision for the future for all SMUSD students. Our Portrait of a Graduate defines the skills and competencies our graduates will need to be successful as they take the next steps into whatever future they envision for themselves. In the coming months we will complete our district Strategic Plan, which will map out our efforts over the next 3-5 years to bring those competencies to life in our classrooms. It is an exciting time and I can’t wait to create this future together! I invite you to review the rest of this Annual Report and I hope you are as enthusiastic as I am for the future of SMUSD. Thank you for your partnership and support of our district!
Andrew S. Johnsen, Ed.D. Superintendent 3
As I look back on the 2021-22 school year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and in awe of the perseverance of our staff and leadership teams as we forged through our first full year back in person from the pandemic. While I am grateful to have been entrusted with this role of serving on the Governing Board of Trustees for nearly 8 years, this year has been unlike anything we, or school boards around the nation, have seen. From new COVID mandates, creating and implementing safe reopening plans, and civil unrest experienced throughout the country, we have not been without our challenges. However, in times like these we must remember, it is during challenge and adversity where greatness is born, and SMUSD is no exception.
As Board President, I am proud that San Marcos Unified has not allowed the pandemic to thwart our plans for the future or stand in the way of the academic success of our students. This school year my fellow Board Members welcomed Dr. Andy Johnsen to the SMUSD family as our new Superintendent. Additionally, while we anticipated that some students may have not kept pace academically during the pandemic, we are encouraged that our most recent achievement data illustrates our students showing tremendous growth. We are grateful to our families who provide them with the encouragement and support needed, as well as our school counselors, teachers, social workers and school staff who work every day to create a safe and nurturing environment for our students. I am also personally so proud of the progress made on our Richland Elementary construction project where a brand new, state-of-the-art elementary school is under construction. When complete, it will offer a first-class experience for our students and staff, allowing them to continue to reach new heights. It is my belief that public schools are one of the key pillars of a healthy community—when our schools thrive, so does our community. It is only through the dedication of our local businesses, non-profit and public agency partners, who collaborate so willingly with us, that allows so much amazing work to be done in the lives of our students. On behalf of all of us here at the San Marcos Unified School District, thank you.
Stacy Carlson Governing Board President 4
Reaching New Heights by SUCCESSFULLY OPENING SCHOOLS
It was a proud moment as we began the 2021-22 school year fully reopened to safe, in-person instruction. Keeping schools open, keeping our students in class, and keeping our students and staff safe, became the goal of our district and school teams as we navigated through the year together.
0
school closures
< 1%
COVID positive case rates this school year* *during the January Omicron surge, positive case rates rose to just over 5%
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THANKS
to all of the hard work, students enjoyed an incredible athletics season, school activities and fundraising events, the return of beloved dances like Homecoming and Winter Formals, resuming school clubs, serving the community, and so much more!
dedicated SMUSD on-site COVID testing locations
17,970
COVID tests administered at SMUSD testing locations
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free COVID & flu vaccination events in collaboration with Universidad Popular 5
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Reaching New Heights
THROUGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT While news headlines illustrate the realities of COVID-related learning loss in students, this year our team has been hard at work to ensure students continue to rise to reach new heights in their academic achievement.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES THRIVE AT SMUSD The Advanced Placement, or AP, Program consists of college-level courses which encourage students to pursue college-level work while still in secondary school and receive college credit, advanced academic standing, or both. AP courses are recognized and help students in the very competitive process of university admission.
AP COURSES OFFERED
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THE BILITERACY JOURNEY AT SMUSD Research has long illustrated the benefits of dual language learning, or biliteracy. SMUSD offers opportunities to learn English along with another language, from Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade.
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DUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS
Twin Oaks Elementary School is proud to be the only elementary school in the district to offer a dual language program, where students learn half of the day in English and half of the day in Spanish, beginning in Transitional Kindergarten.
RECLASSIFIED STUDENTS
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English language learners who, in addition to their native language, become proficient in English are then reclassified as an English speaker in their time at SMUSD.
STUDENTS ACHIEVED BILITERACY STATE SEALS
145
The State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded on the diploma of graduating high school seniors, conferred by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.
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VETERINARY TECH ASSISTANT PROGRAM An innovative partnership to bridge the gap between the classroom, college and career This year SMUSD, in partnership with Pima Medical Institute and The San Marcos Promise, launched a new Veterinary Tech Assistant Program on the campus of Twin Oaks High School. This partnership brings high-quality veterinary science curriculum into the classroom, while offering students an opportunity to continue the program upon graduation or allow them to enter the workforce more quickly through job shadowing and internships with local veterinary clinics. This partnership is a prime example of private/public educational partnerships benefiting students and saving taxpayers money. -Fred Freedman, Pima Medical Institute CEO Pima Medical’s commitment to our students is going to give them opportunities they might not have had without this partnership. This collaboration is a great example of the good that can be done when institutions pool their resources and work together. -Garth Phillips, Twin Oaks High School Principal
CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION: SMUSD students build Wounded Warrior home CTE, or Career Technical Education, classes prepare students for a wide-variety of in-demand careers, or college-level classes with both technical and academic skills. More than fun or interesting electives, students gain an opportunity to explore areas of interest or further tap into passions, preparing them for future success. San Marcos High School students used their skills and talents from the Career Technical Education woodworking program to build an accessory dwelling unit to be part of the residential program operated by Wounded Warrior Homes.
It was great to see how excited our students were to work on a project that would be used by our community. It gave the work new purpose. - Chris Geldert, CTE Building & Trades Instructor
CTE PATHWAYS OFFERED
(STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL)
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Reaching New Heights
BY MEETING STUDENT NEEDS
Social Emotional Supports are at the heart of our learning environments. Students can’t learn and receive quality instruction without first knowing they are in a safe environment; physically, socially and emotionally. It’s no secret the pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of our nation, and across the globe, and we recognized some students needed extra support in the transition back to in-person learning. From therapy dogs on campus, to adding extra social workers and counseling staff to our district staff family, we are reaching new heights by best meeting the real-time needs of our students.
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33.5
SOCIAL WORKERS
SCHOOL COUNSELORS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS HELP US SUPPORT AND MEET STUDENT NEEDS: • • • •
The San Marcos Rotary has been a dedicated partner to San Marcos Unified. This year they conducted a literacy project, as well as donating brand new ping pong tables to the 5th graders at every elementary school in the district. Feeding San Diego provided a Holiday Food Pantry and Costco donated approximately 150 backpacks to San Marcos Elementary. The Movement Church donated 120 winter jackets and 120 Winco gift cards to families in need this holiday season. The Knights of Columbus also shared the love by donating nearly 50 brand new winter coats to help provide students with warm clothing(pictured right).
THANK YOU
to all of the businesses and community partners that support SMUSD throughout the year! 9
CITY OF SAN MARCOS SUPPORTS SMUSD WELLNESS UNITS WITH $1.25 MILLION GRANT It takes a village, and when it comes to bringing stronger mental health support to students and families, the City of San Marcos stepped up in a big way. Identifying a need to provide a continuum of support, SMUSD presented a proposal to the City of San Marcos to create a school-based mental health program, offering evidence-based prevention practices and traumainformed family mental health care interventions, in the form of Wellness Units. By addressing barriers associated with mental health, we can collectively improve the outcomes of behavior, academic, and attendance issues in students. Wellness Units will not only provide mental health support, but also
$1.25 MILLION
INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS TO BRING WELLNESS UNITS TO SMUSD
bring needed wraparound services to both students and their families.
While the skyrocketing mental health concerns across the country as a result of the pandemic is tragic, we are deeply grateful to the City of San Marcos for partnering with us to address these challenges for all students. - Dr. Tiffany Campbell, Deputy Superintendent
TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, WE HAD TO SUPPORT AND INVEST IN OUR STAFF. THIS YEAR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF PLACED AN EMPHASIS ON ENSURING MEANINGFUL STUDENT GROWTH, BY: District-wide focus on Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Strengthened diagnostic and assessment practices to ensure meaningful and continual growth for every student Research-based instructional framework for all teachers, grounded in the Essential Elements of Instruction and “How People Learn” Research-based leadership framework for all site and district administrators from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
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SMUSD students have had an
AMAZING YEAR
and have made the most of
every moment!
SAN MARCOS ELEMENTARY HOSTS SAVE THE MUSIC EVENT San Marcos Unified has a long and proud tradition of music, which includes an award-winning band and pageantry program and a music program at every elementary school in the district. Because music has been thriving in SMUSD, Save the Music and Sound Start generously provided a grant to provide over 200 brand new musical instruments to our elementary music program.
SMUSD ALUMNUS & LA RAMS SUPER BOWL WINNER MAKES A VISIT TO HIS FORMER HIGH SCHOOL With the recent LA Rams Super Bowl LVI win, local LA Rams player and San Marcos High School alumnus, Terrell Burgess, attended a celebration event in his honor. The student-led celebration featured drumline, cheer, and dance performances and key community members including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, San Marcos City Council Members, San Marcos Unified Superintendent Dr. Andy Johnsen, as well as some of Terrell's family and close friends.
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SMUSD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLAN A FUN-FILLED 8TH GRADE WELCOME DAY The SMUSD high school students at both San Marcos High School and Mission Hills High School pulled out all the stops for our SMUSD 8th graders! From tour groups, club fairs, pep rallies, games and performances, our high schools made these soon-to-be high schoolers feel right at home.
CARRILLO ELEMENTARY HONORS CAMP PENDLETON MARINES For the last two decades Carrillo Elementary has conducted a canned food & diaper drive for young Marines and their families, and honors our local armed forces with a special flag salute ceremony. After a COVID hiatus, this year’s event was better than ever as the school community honored the Assault Amphibian School in Camp Pendleton by serving them breakfast and conducting the flag ceremony along with a special Carrillo Singers Choir performance. In turn, the Marines brought out military vehicles and special equipment to share with our students.
SMHS & MHHS AWARDED FOR THEIR SWEET SOUNDS OF MUSIC This year the San Marcos Knight Regiment Marching Band ended their undefeated season as Grand Champions, sweeping multiple categories and being named the best overall at their last competition of the season. The love of music also rings true at Mission Hills High School as their Indoor Percussion Ensemble was awarded a spot for the first time in school history into the highly-competitive Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Championships.
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for the oldest elementary school in San Marcos Unified
RICHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, celebrating its 60th year serving students in the community, is also currently in the process of an entire school rebuild to debut in early 2023. This year marked significant progress and a milestone in the Richland project, as Board members, school leaders, elected officials, community members, and more, came out to celebrate the traditional Topping-Out Ceremony, where the final beam was placed on the building.
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BUILDINGS
3
44
NEW
2
two story
91,477
3
single story
117 850
SQ. FT.
STUDENT CAPACITY
CLASSROOMS
PARKING SPACES
PICK-UP ZONES
PLAY AREA, FIELDS, AND GARDENS
This new school is a promise kept to the community and a new chapter in San Marcos Unified School District’s history. - Stacy Carlson, Board President
When kids have a modern learning environment, they sit up a little straighter, pay better attention and learning improves. This project is more than new buildings, it’s contributing to the education of students. - Dr. Andy Johnsen, Superintendent
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Reaching New Heights BY ACHIEVING BUDGET STABILITY As a new school year dawned, not only was our goal to keep schools open, but to gain fiscal stability after pandemic turmoil and battling a structural deficit. In December 2021, SMUSD filed a “Qualified” budget, which automatically triggers a district to be placed on a fiscal watch list. Building on budget stability measures taken through the past several years, the Governing Board and leadership team continued to implement budget efficiencies with the goal of ensuring SMUSD could file a “Positive” budget as soon as possible. A “Positive” budget is the highest certification and signifies a district is in good financial standing. SMUSD is on track to file a “Positive” budget certification at the next reporting period.
KEY FISCAL FACTS •
The Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, is currently based on pre-pandemic enrollment and accounts for 75.2% of the budget.
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85.2%: Typical for school districts, a majority of expenditures are invested in employee salary & benefits.
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One-time (not ongoing) pandemic-related funding increased revenue by $24.5M to bridge any gaps in learning loss as a result of the COVID pandemic. Most of these temporary funds were spent on staff to support student needs.
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San Marcos Unified CalSTRS & CalPERS pension contributions are projected to increase by $3.9M in 2022-23 - in the last 9 years this cost has increased 239%, which represents a significant pressure point in the district’s budget.
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San Diego County is one of the top ten declining public school enrollment counties in the state.
DECLINING ENROLLMENT IS ON THE RISE With declining public school enrollment, which is largely how school districts are funded, it is more critical than ever that SMUSD work to command a strong financial position. Thanks to the leadership and hard decisions of our Governing Board, SMUSD will be well-positioned for the future. 15
Fiscal Discipline and Advocacy for Fair Funding
What is SMUSD doing to address the structural deficit?
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The Governing Board and Superintendent are advocating at the state level for a more balanced and equitable funding formula for all school districts.
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The Governing Board has committed to reducing expenses for next year by at least $10 million as part of the budget stabilization process.
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In addition to reducing non-staffing expenses in the budget, the District had to initiate a very difficult layoff process to right-size staffing to prepare for lower revenue projections in future years.
Significant work has been done this year to address the structural deficit to give SMUSD a firm financial footing going forward - Dr. Andy Johnsen
SMUSD IS NOW ON TRACK TO ELIMINATE STRUCTURAL DEFICITS, TAKING US OFF THE FISCAL WATCH LIST AND ALLOWING US TO FILE A “POSITIVE” BUDGET CERTIFICATION AT THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD (DEC. 2022).
FOR MORE BUDGET INFORMATION, PLEASE SCAN 16
Reaching New Heights BY PURSUING EXCELLENCE The benefits of San Marcos Unified’s caring & supporting school environments translates beyond the walls of a school. Our talented students are utilizing their education and experiences to make a difference and leverage their voice in our community. Here are just a few highlights from this year:
SDCOE STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVE San Marcos High School junior, Abby Coca, was selected as one of the Student Board Representatives for the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). As an SDCOE Board Rep, Abby will have the opportunity to lift the voices of young people in our region and represent SMUSD and San Marcos High School at future meetings.
2022 YOUTH OF THE YEAR Mission Hills High School senior, Ernie Montano, was named the 2022 San Diego County Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos! Ernie has completed over 400 volunteer hours and become the first member of the Leaders in Training (LIT) program to be offered a paid internship at the Club.
2021 SPEAK UP CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING Remy Corbin, senior at San Marcos High School, represented SMUSD in the 2021 Speak Up Congressional Briefing. SMUSD was one of only four districts in the nation to participate in this international event discussing the latest research findings on student engagement and self-empowerment in learning today, and creating more equitable learning experiences for all students.
14 Schools Have Received California Distinguished School Designation 3 Schools Have Received Gold Ribbon School Designation 3 Schools Have Received Blue Ribbon School Designation 17
Rewarding extracurricular activities including a thriving Athletics Department Internationally recognized and award- winning Band & Pageantry program K-12 Visual and Performing Arts programs
MISSION HILLS SOPHOMORE WINS NATIONAL CENTER FOR WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY AWARD Mission Hills High School sophomore, Nikita Jadhav, won the National Center for Women in Technology award which seeks to combat unconscious bias and stereotypes in the field of computing. Jadhav works to bridge the diversity gap in computing, “When you have a diverse perspective, you’re bringing in multiple backgrounds and you’re really opening up the discussion. That kind of drove me to understand the importance of diversity,” said Jadhav. *Story and photo originally published in Mission Hills High School’s award-winning student newspaper, The Silvertip. Authors: Isabel Ner, Natalie Ner, photo credit: Kenzi Holmes.
SAN DIEGO’S “25 MOST REMARKABLE TEENS” AWARDED TO SMUSD SENIOR The San Diego County Public Defender’s Office named its recipients of the 25 Most Remarkable Teens from around San Diego County, and San Marcos High School senior, Kellen Bynes, was selected as a recipient. Out of 150 nominations, each interviewed by the San Diego County Public Defender Youth Council panel, Kellen Bynes earned a spot on the coveted list in the category of Campus Leadership.
65TH ANNUAL LAURELS FOR LEADERS EVENT HONORS SMUSD ASB LEADERS Congratulations to our hard-working Associated Student Body Presidents, who were honored this year at the 65th Annual Laurels for Leaders Awards Ceremony in San Diego. Laurels for Leaders honors and recognizes the achievements of ASB presidents of San Diego County high schools.
SMUSD STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES The SMUSD Governing Board has three student representatives that participate in Regular Board Meetings throughout the year. Ren Casillas of Twin Oaks High School, Chanel Davis of San Marcos High School, and Addai Vasquez of Mission Hills High School have attended Governing Board meetings sharing updates and regular presentations about the events, programs and happenings from their campuses.
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Reaching New Heights THROUGH A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
AT SMUSD, our mission is to ensure our students are challenged, inspired, and poised to excel - but we must ask ourselves what this looks like in our 21st-century global economy. As school leaders, we must ensure our students are prepared and learning experiences not only provide for the acquisition of rigorous academic content, but must also foster critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and other 21st century skills and mindsets our students need to thrive. With this goal in mind, this year SMUSD began the journey to develop a Portrait of a Graduate, a collective vision that articulates our shared aspirations for every student. As we set forth to create this fresh vision for the future, we knew we couldn’t do it alone. We created a Portrait of a Graduate Design Team comprised of nearly 100 community partners including elected officials, local business leaders, staff, students, parents and alumni. We also engaged the Superintendent-Student Advisory Council to ensure even more students had an opportunity to engage in the process and share their voice in this important work. This group met consistently over the course of several months diving into the top skills, mindsets and competencies we want all students to have upon graduation. The final product of this collective vision is our Portrait of a Graduate, which outlines the top competencies all SMUSD graduates will have. These competencies are:
• Critical Thinking • Communication • Adaptability 19
• Empathy • Leadership
WE ARE PROUD TO UNVEIL THE FINAL VISUAL GRAPHIC TO REPRESENT THIS WORK AND OUR GUIDING NORTH STAR FOR THE DISTRICT!
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• LEADE RS HI
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APTABILITY AD
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CR
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IN K
IN G • E
TH A MP
PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE
Equipped with a shared vision for the competencies of each student at SMUSD, the work of bringing this to life in every classroom begins. A new Strategic Plan is currently being developed by our Strategic Plan Design Team, with clear goals to ensure our Portrait of a Graduate becomes a reality for every student in the San Marcos Unified School District. 20
Reaching New Heights
THROUGH THE POWER OF A TEAM
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WORK TO MAKE SMUSD A DISTRICT OF THE BEST & BRIGHTEST CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL OF OUR 2021-22 EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR:
Martha Rotramel, Mona Patel, Holly Hartzell, Eddie Jenkins, Lindsey Sparacino, Lindsey Ward, Michael Todisco, Karla Wilderotter, Jade Machado, Stacy Rossman, Melissa Hogg, Anetta Sidawi, Kristen Engler, Gaby Dellamary, Joseph McCormick, Suzanne Aaknes, Tyler Eytchison, Isaias Escamilla, Sau Ying Skerl, Abel Gonzalez, Megan Hernandez, Brett Benware, Charity Shepard, Natsuko Doyle, Anette Dale, Hurvie Milner, Valery Harris, Ramon Torres, Monique Del Pago, Debra Weaver, Jillian Ryan, Erie Unutoa, Geoffrey Radant, Gabriel Ortiz, Veronica De La Torre, Johanna Bonfiglio, Karen Lee-Mimaki, Pamela Simpson, Diane deBruyn, Alfonso Luna, Shannon Goan, Andrea Mancino, Sarah Fruzyna, Tricia Green, Ivy Keim, Sameh Grais Additionally, each year three of our staff team are also honored with the title of District Classified Employee of the Year, Certificated Employee of the Year, and Administrator of the Year. These 2021-22 awardees are:
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: Ivy Keim, Occupational Therapist, Early Education Center As an Occupational Therapist, Ivy brings her expertise to the youngest learners at SMUSD, providing meaningful interventions to develop their skills. Ivy is known for striving to do better which is only rivaled by her calming demeanor and love for students.
CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: Kristen Engler, School Counselor, Richland Elementary Returning to in-person learning posed no shortage of social emotional challenges and adjustments this year. Throughout the process of guiding students through the transition, Kristen remained steadfast, always ready to help with kindness and empathy.
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR: Nathan Baker, Assistant Principal, Mission Hills High School A dedicated and compassionate leader, Nathan is always ready and willing to do whatever is needed to create a safe, caring, and supportive environment for students and staff. An educator at heart, Nathan’s passion has created a culture of mutual respect on the Mission Hills campus. (Pictured from left to right, Cliff Mitchell, Mission Hills High School Principal, Dr. Andy Johnsen, Superintendent, Dr. Tiffany Campbell, Deputy Superintendent, and Nathan Baker, Administrator of the Year.)
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AWARDS AND ACCOLADES MHHS WASC 6-YEAR ACCREDITATION Mission Hills High School once again achieved their Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or WASC, accreditation this school year. WASC accreditation is a robust world-renowned ongoing six-year cycle of quality where a school must demonstrate the capacity, commitment, and competence to support high-quality student learning and ongoing school improvement.
San Marcos Unified is ranked as one of the top 5 school districts in San Diego county Average testing ranking places San Marcos Unified in the top 20% of public schools in California SMUSD is the seventh largest district in San Diego with 19 schools
TWIN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVES MODEL CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOL DESIGNATION
The Model Continuation High School (MCHS) Recognition Program identifies and recognizes schools that provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth through the use of exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, guidance and counseling services. Twin Oaks High School is the alternative high school at SMUSD which offers students a variety of quality programs to ensure the most vulnerable students have the tools and support to reach new heights.
SAN MARCOS MIDDLE SCHOOL RECEIVED “SCHOOLS TO WATCH” DESIGNATION The Schools To Watch Program focuses on school improvement efforts characterized by a continuous trajectory toward success, focusing on four domains: Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity, and Organizational Structures and Processes. We are proud that San Marcos Middle School has achieved this designation in partnership with the California Department of Education and California League of Schools. 22
REACHING N EW HEIGHTS!
Printing of the 2021-22 Annual Report generously provided by Mission Federal Credit Union
255 Pico Avenue, Suite 250 San Marcos, CA 92069 www.smusd.org