Superintendent's Message: Introducing Transitional Kindergarten

This newsletter was provided to Pacifica Patch by Pacifica School District Superintendent Wendy Tukloff. 

As we move into the final trimester, staff continues their hard work in ensuring great learning is taking place in safe and clean learning environments. The schools have been having their Open House where they have the opportunity to showcase our student accomplishments. We are also beginning to plan for next year with registration of our in-coming kindergarteners and transitional kindergarteners, a new program for students whose fifth birthday falls within the dates of Nov. 2 – Dec. 2, 2012).

Transitional Kindergarten is a new program that the State has legislated for the coming year. We are very excited about this developmental approach to kindergarten. PSD will begin the program this coming year at Sunset Ridge and taught by Katie Feinstein. Principal Ellie Cundiff and Katie will be assisting us in developing the curriculum, assessments, and procedures for the program.

As foundational support to preschool and kindergarten programs, PSD has been awarded $18,600 from First 5 for the second phase of Bridges to Success. Coordinated by Julie Lancelle who directs the Pacifica Collaborative and guided by Dr. Celoria, Associate Superintendent, the plan provides opportunities for preschool and kindergarten articulation as well as the development and purchase of instructional materials.  Julie deserves a very special thank you for serving as the liaison for our district with First 5. These funds are a part of the School Readiness Initiative that supports our summer Kick off to Kindergarten to assist with creating a strong spirit of collaboration among our early childhood education programs.

We continue to monitor the progress of the potential measures to be placed on the ballot for November. Our current development of the budget for 2012-13 is based upon a loss of $370 per student average daily attendance, which equates to an approximate $1.5 million reduction to PSD. Without enhancement to State funds, we have been informed that schools will experience the loss as a mid-year reduction. We will continue to work with our labor partners, PTO/PTAs and the Pacifica Education Foundation to coordinate our options for educational programs.

Despite these fiscal issues we continue to focus on student learning. Our teachers and Carline Sinkler, Professional Learning Facilitator, Math have been busy scoring the MARS tasks, the district-wide assessment used to review/monitor student progress in mathematics in grades 2-8. The data will inform us of the strengths of our students and areas needing support.  We are also very fortunate to have the participation of teachers from Oceana and Terra Nova high schools, in assisting our scoring for our 8th grade tasks. This support exemplifies how we articulate with JUHSD to ensure a seamless progression to the high school.

The two districts, PSD and JUHSD, are very sensitive to ensuring the students have a positive transition. Thus, as JUHSD does visits to our K-8 and middle school sites to inform and schedule students for the upcoming year we pay particular attention to two specific areas: placement in mathematics and schedules for students who have individual education plans. Should a family have concern, they may contact the site principal as to the status of one’s child.

We have also been working closely with the Pacifica Education Foundation (PEF) in ensuring we continue moving forward with implementation of our Strategic Plan supporting 21st Century education. PEF and PSD have been reviewing the teacher feedback regarding the learning experiences provided this year. Additionally, PEF is working on the parent survey that will be sent out through the schools. The District will use the feedback for program direction. 

On a somber note, one of our Pacifica School District families has had a very tragic experience that has left us stunned, saddened and reflective. The Haro family has experienced a horrible fire that has destroyed their home and taken two of their loved ones, a great grandfather and a PSD student, Christian. Please join me in embracing the family and letting them know we are here for support. One may contact Judy Hildreth at sunsetridgepta@gmail.com or call Sunset Ridge Elementary School (650) 738-6687 for more information regarding needs of the family. If you wish to support the family with a monetary donation, a Haro Family Memorial Fund, Account No. 888213582 has been established at Wells Fargo Bank. You may send a check made out to that account and send it to Sunset Ridge Elementary School, 340 Inverness Drive, Pacifica, CA  94044. You may also go to ANY Wells Fargo Bank location and deposit funds directly into that account. Additionally, if you are a Wells Fargo customer, you may transfer funds directly to the account.  

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