September 17, 2023
In EUSD, every student is empowered to gain hands-on experience! For our 8th-graders, that means donning a white lab coat to learn life-saving skills. This particular hands-on opportunity for our students is thanks to the Middle School M.D. – Medical Discoveries – program from Palomar Health Foundation.
The Middle School M.D. program gives every EUSD 8th-grader a full-day immersive experience on the Palomar Medical Center campus, with hands-on instruction from medical professionals. The program, now in its second year, got underway last week, with Palomar hosting Rincon and Hidden Valley 8th-graders over four days. Nearly 1,500 EUSD 8th-graders from all five middle schools, Limitless Learning Academy, and Quantum Academy will get this experience over the course of 11 days this month.
Upon arrival at the hospital campus, students receive a white lab coat, branded with Middle School M.D., to wear during the day – and to take home with them. This lab coat is powerful, allowing students to connect with the experience in a profound way. “It makes them feel empowered, that they can see themselves in this field of work someday,” said Kristen Wrisley, a STEM teacher on special assignment.
The program not only promotes health education, it inspires career explorations in health care. Our scholars are gaining valuable skills that can help save a life, receiving one-on-one instruction with medical professionals, and discussing career pathways. Students receive instruction in small groups through six modules: Hands Only CPR; Stabilize a Patient; Casting and Splinting; Stop the Bleed; and Science of Blood. Students then participate in a final activity to connect the learning to additional real-world scenarios.
This extraordinary program – which is fully funded by the Palomar Health Foundation and staffed by Palomar professionals who are volunteering their time – is yet another example of our commitment to learning experiences that will help achieve the whole-child outcomes set in Framework for the Future and the EUSD Learner Profile within it.
Here are this week’s updates and reminders.
Work with EUSD: Our next hiring event includes an opportunity for credentialed educators seeking substitute teacher positions, as well as classified positions. Join us tomorrow, Monday, September 18, as Human Resources team members guide classified and credentialed job-seekers through the application process. The hiring event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the district office, 2310 Aldergrove Avenue. Walk-ins are welcome for numerous essential full- and part-time positions across the district. View this flyer for details on classified positions; employees who work more than five hours a day are eligible for enrollment in EUSD benefits and retirement programs. Substitute teacher candidates are urged to apply in advance through this link to be contacted with an appointment time; however, walks-in are welcome. This flyer provides details on the substitute teacher positions, including necessary steps in the application process.
Rooms update: Staying connected with your child’s school is an essential component of student success. The EUSD mobile app has been updated with new features, including behavior progress and notes from teachers. Check out this brief video to learn about the updated user experience. The app update will also help with users who are having trouble signing in. To ensure that you have the updated version, go to your device’s app store, look up “EUSD Escondido CA,” and click the Update button; if users only see Open, they already have the latest version. Users also may delete and reinstall the app to get the update.
Successful systems of support: We are thrilled to share that 13 EUSD schools have been honored by the California PBIS Coalition’s State Recognition Program for their achievements in supporting student success through effective behavioral instruction and maintaining a safe and positive school climate under the framework of a multi-tiered system of support. It takes a tremendous amount of hard work, passion, and dedication to successfully implement PBIS, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, which is embedded in everything we do in EUSD. To determine the level of recognition, the CA PBIS Coalition looks at the quality of tiered intervention on site, the use of exclusionary discipline practices, the amount of students being served by mental health professionals and evidence of school-wide academic improvement. This year, we are proud to have 12 schools achieving Platinum implementation status, the highest honor: Conway Academy of Expeditionary Learning; Quantum Academy; Farr Avenue, Felicita, Miller, North Broadway, Oak Hill, Orange Glen, Pioneer, Rock Springs, and Rose elementary schools; and Mission Middle School. In addition, Glen View Elementary earned Gold status. EUSD has had schools participate in the recognition system since 2018, and has consistently shown high levels of implementation.
Foundation fundraiser: There’s still time to secure your spot for an afternoon of fashion and fun with the Escondido Education Foundation! “Fall Into Fashion” is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, October 7, at Trinity Episcopal Church in the Old Escondido neighborhood. Get all the details and purchase tickets online. Tickets for this fundraiser event are $50 or $85 for a pair; delicious food and drinks are included. The foundation is partnering with the Assistance League for this year’s fashion show. The all-volunteer Escondido Education Foundation spends countless hours supporting the innovative learning happening in our schools, particularly through the annual Dr. Mike Caston Innovation Awards. Fundraisers such as “Fall Into Fashion” help make these generous grant awards possible!
Dental clinics: Community partner Neighborhood Healthcare is bringing its Mobile Dental Services program to EUSD. This community-based oral health initiative provides preventative and early intervention services in community settings like our schools. There is no cost to our students for these services, which may include a complete dental exam, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatment, X-rays, and sealants. The mobile dental clinic kicked off the school year last week at Felicita Elementary, and will continue visits around the district. If you would like your child to participate, please submit this brief interest form or contact your school’s family liaison.
– Luis Rankins-Ibarra, Superintendent of Schools