On behalf of the Board of Trustees, myself, and staff, welcome to the 2017-18 school year in the Los Gatos – Saratoga Union High School District! I hope you have enjoyed a summer with opportunity for rest, rejuvenation and a chance to reconnect with family and friends.
As a district, we are committed to a tradition of excellence – for our work and for ourselves. We strive to ensure we provide each student the best possible educational environment; one that meets our 2016 -2019 Strategic Plan goal of “SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS to develop the skills, passions, confidence, and resiliency to pursue college and career pathways that are right for them. We foster academic excellence and offer a variety of courses and programs that support student needs and interests. Academic college preparatory courses, Career Technical Education, visual and performing arts, New Tech (LGHS), MAP (SHS), and a host of extra-curricular/co-curricular programs ensure students have options. Innovative instructional strategies fostered though ongoing, coherent professional development and supported by targeted, intentional educational technology mean our students/your children have access to the resources they need to engage in their journey towards global citizenship.
Our Strategic Plan also includes a commitment to fostering “Student Wellness, Balance and Belonging.” Programs and professional development that support students’ social/emotional well-being are in place across our campuses. For example, Passageworks training and community workshops focus on engaged teaching and leadership and cultural sensitivity. The Asset Survey, administered for the third time last year, gives us data that informs our work and planning around student connectedness and self-esteem. Students have access to counseling, through CASSY (Counseling and Support Services for Youth) and Student Centers, now at both campuses, that provide ongoing support. The S3 committee (Student Support Services) continues to look at ways to ensure all students have the resources they need by applying a tiered intervention model.
This year, we will be deepening our work around acceptance and cultural awareness. We have contracted with Dr. Nancy Dome, of Epoch Education, and have been working with her over the summer, to examine our policies and practices to ensure a school culture where everyone feels welcome and safe. By the time school begins, we will be identifying staff and student leaders who will be trained by Dr. Dome and, using a Trainer of Trainers Model, will then serve as ambassadors for the work. We are also providing funding for a District Social/Emotional Learning/Diversity task force. Throughout the year, these teams will provide workshops, forums, assemblies and training around these topics. And, this work will not end this year. It will become an integral part of our curriculum, ensuring that everyone receives the message that our schools are places where ALL students, parents and staff members are valued, welcome and feel connected. We are looking forward to the focused, productive discussions this important work will create, which will ultimately benefit our students during their school career and beyond. Community involvement will also be key to this effort and you will hear more about those opportunities as the work progresses.
We continue the work of transforming our campuses, thanks to your support and the support of the larger community for the Measure E bond. As you return to school, you’ll see that much has been accomplished over the summer. At Saratoga High, the music building is open, and will provide space for 600 passionate music students, as well as relieving the previous logistical issues, caused by a program which had been scattered across campus. The 800 Wing demolition has begun and renovations will continue through the school year. Room 901, recently used for storage of musical instruments, has been renovated and returned to its original purpose – English department staff collaboration space. Drama renovations and many safety repairs are also complete. At Los Gatos High, you will see two new buildings underway. The new classroom and music wings are scheduled for completion in time for the opening of school next year. In the meantime, I appreciate your patience with traffic and parking issues. Ultimately, we will be able to return all parking spaces to students. Finally, the bond also supports critical technology needs. The summer was a busy one for our I.T. team, as they continued the Audio/Visual installations at Saratoga and technology upgrades for the World Languages labs at Los Gatos High. To learn more about Measure E projects, please follow us at @LGHSMeasureE and @SHSMeasureE.
Another thank you to you and our community for renewing our $49/parcel tax. By approving this renewal, you allow us to count on approximately $970K of revenue that we are using to maintain core academic programs and reduce class size.
Our students continue to thrive. Academic measures, such as the SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium), graduation rates, A-G completion, UC/CSU eligibility and A.P. testing scores indicate impressive results, and you are part of the partnership that makes this happen. Thank you!
I will continue to share highlights and important issues with you via the Superintendent’s Quarterly. We are committed to focusing on what is best for kids; and, your support and engagement in that effort is truly appreciated. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this community and this work for another year. Welcome to 2017-2018 in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District!
Regards,