March 26, 2023
We have much to celebrate today, with highlights from two unique EUSD programs.
In EUSD, every student is a performer! While performance opportunities are provided in numerous ways throughout our schools, we are especially excited to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary, award-winning Ignite Dance Team.
Ignite brought home the gold last weekend at the USA Dance Nationals in Anaheim! The team competed in three categories – Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Jazz – and placed first in all three. Ignite was invited to perform in the event’s finals showcase, an honor bestowed on the highest-scoring teams to showcase their best performance at the closing of the event.
“We've overcome so much for our team to get here,” said Rose Elementary family liaison Veronica Casanova, who coaches Ignite along with Jennifer Robbins, a Specialized Academic Instruction teacher at Rose. “To see our dancers who came from zero dance experience a few years ago to a place where they are accepting trophy after trophy, it was surreal. We simply believe in them. How can we not? They are stellar kids with big hearts.”
Ignite has grown from a small group formed a decade ago at Rose to a team of around 40 from several EUSD schools. Advanced dancers who competed represented Rose Elementary, Limitless Learning Academy, Mission and Hidden Valley middle schools, and Del Lago Academy.
“Ignite came to be when we realized that many kids are in need of expressing themselves in ways that are artistic and fun,” Robbins said. “We found that through movement and dance, they found their voice. We also wanted the kids to experience a dance studio experience without the cost. We've been able to accomplish this through the support of our school community, the district, and the families.”
In EUSD, every student is a peacemaker! For more than two decades, EUSD has been a proud participant in A Season for Peace and Nonviolence, a national program dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and communities. On Wednesday evening at Hidden Valley Middle School, EUSD recognized nearly four dozen individuals – students, staff members, and a community member – at our 24th annual Season for Peace and Nonviolence Awards event, a beautiful recognition of our students and staff members who lead the way in kindness and peacemaking. This year’s Season for Peace and Nonviolence Community Recognition award was presented to Escondido Police Officer Aaron Reber, who’s served the district as a dedicated school resource officer since 1995.
Kimberly Israel, Coordinator of Student, Family and Community Engagement, leads this program for EUSD. “It is a meaningful way for us to acknowledge our students and character development, and their positive impact on their community. It’s one of the things that makes our district so amazing, that we have an avenue for recognizing those social-emotional skills that we value so much.” The Integrated Student Supports team provides numerous options for schoolwide implementation, Israel said, but each school is able to conduct their own lessons and events to honor the season in their own way.
We are incredibly proud of our dancers and peacemakers!
Spring break: The spring season is officially here, and spring break in EUSD is scheduled for Thursday, March 30, through Monday, April 10. We look forward to students’ return to campus on Tuesday, April 11. As a reminder, Wednesday, March 29, is a minimum day for students in TK through 8th grade. The minimum day schedule does not apply to children enrolled in our State Preschool Program. Check this bell schedule for your school’s release time. The district office will be closed to the public from Monday, April 3, through Friday, April 7.
Summer programs: Learning doesn’t take a break for summer, and EUSD is excited to offer a variety of education programs to keep students engaged. Keep an eye on your inbox, as parents and guardians will receive by email this week full summer program details and a customized interest form for each child. Parents and guardians will choose an appropriate program for their child and submit their online interest forms by April 14. Summer programs will include a nine-hour academic and enrichment program for incoming kindergartners through 8th-graders; and a two-week elementary GATE field experience option for incoming 3rd- through 5th-graders. In addition, Special Education program offerings will include Extended School Year for preschool through incoming 8th-graders and separate class options for incoming kindergartners through 5th-graders. Summer programs will be held at six campuses across Escondido, with the opportunity for limited transportation to most summer sites from designated stops. Enrollment eligibility varies by program. Space is limited, and enrollment will be conducted by lottery in the event that there are more applicants than spaces available. Summer programs will be held June 20 through July 14.
High school hiring event: We are pleased to share that our Human Resources team will be bringing its convenient hiring events to our neighbors in the Escondido Union High School District in an effort to recruit graduating seniors to join our district as full-time employees and aspiring educators. The event is scheduled for 3:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at Orange Glen High School, 2200 Glenridge Road. The event is open to EUHSD students only. View this flyer for complete details and registration information. This event is geared toward seniors interested in working as paraeducators in K-8 classrooms and joining the Palomar Paraeducator Partnership, a new program that supports paraeducators in earning a college degree.
Nominate a Teacher Lighthouse: Community members are invited to celebrate a teacher’s contributions through the inaugural HMH Lighthouse Awards, which are inspired by “The Lighthouse Effect” by author Steve Pemberton. Nominations may be submitted online here through April 7. The forms ask for a brief submission describing how a teacher uplifted their students, teachers, or community during the 2022-2023 school year.
– Luis Rankins-Ibarra, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools