@ Blossom Valley Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Back in 2016 Blossom Valley was chosen for a site visit when the US Dept. of Ed, Digital Promise, and the League of Innovative Schools came to visit Cajon Valley. Amazing to see the growth since then! Tim Dobbins, Assistant Principal of Los Coches Creek joined principal Kirk Hoeben and me as we toured classrooms and visited with staff and students. There were a few grade levels working on projects that showed the power of teacher collaboration. We saw a Mystery Science lesson that integrated a story and lesson on the career “Technical Writer” then went right into writers’ workshop. It was obvious where planning and lesson design were done in teams.   The rewards are that all children at a grade level benefit from the ideas and strengths of multiple teachers. We also observed students being introduced to “Meet Up/Buddy Up” from the Sanford Harmony resources. Tim Dobbins shared how impressed he was by caring atmosphere and warm environment everywhere on campus. The kids perked up when they learned he was from Los Coches Creek. “I’m going there!!!” many kids shouted out with a smile.

 

David Miyashiro Ed.D.

Superintendent

Empower Academy “Discovering Students’ Strengths”

Empower Academy is a separate school program that services students with various social emotional and behavior needs through compassionate, therapeutic and nurturing best practices with dedicated, passionate team of teachers, therapists, and behavior intervention specialists. The Empower staff comes to work daily determined to make a difference by learning about students and engaging them through academics, through listening, validating and talking, through laughter, through play and through tears. Our first and very important focus is cultivating positive relationships with every student in order to build trust, safety, confidence, and the feeling of importance that may lead students to discover their strengths, their abilities and grow their desire to learn, care about themselves and utilize skills to making safe and positive choices to function daily to their best ability.

 

Iman Degano
Special Ed Coordinator
Empower Academy
619.593.5211

Cajon Valley Teachers Rock the SD CUE Tech Fair

Cajon Valley teaches attended SDCUE Tech Fair in force! Over 120 teachers participated in the local technology centered conference hosted by the San Diego Computer Using Educators (SDCUE). Sessions ranged from basic Google tools to specialized apps like Desmos a math app. This year’s favorite app sessions include Seesaw and Flipgrid. Teachers created a collaborative document to take notes and share resources from sessions. Nine Cajon Valley teachers presented sessions on Genius Hour, Presentation Literacy, DLP Coaching, and Digital Admin Resources. The day ended with several of our Cajon Valley crew winning raffle prizes.

Liz Loether   Director LSS, Cajon Valley Union School District
photo Phone: (619) 593-5219
Email: loethere@cajonvalley.net
Address: 750 East Main Street, El Cajon CA, 92020

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Google Expeditions AR Visits Cajon Valley Schools

Throughout the past months, Cajon Valley students and teachers have had the opportunity to beta test Google’s latest Expeditions app with augmented reality. Augmented Reality differs from Virtual Reality in that the experience takes place in the actual real-life environment with virtual objects appearing.With AR, students can get up close to virtual objects and scan around using a selfie stick and smartphone to view objects at different angles. In Cajon Valley, students and their teachers were able to explore natural disasters like erupting volcanoes and whirling tornadoes, get up close to animals on the ocean floor, and even analyze artifacts from ancient Rome! Google continued to visit sites throughout December.  Thank you Katie Connolly for organizing and assisting with connecting this opportunity to our schools!

Click here to see the 10 News Story https://www.10news.com/news/el-cajon-students-test-out-new-google-augmented-reality-device

Katie Connolly
EdTech Facilitator, Maker Bus/STEM Support
@ConnollykCVUSD

Jamacha Hawks Ready for the Holidays

When Kindergarten students can articulate what computer programmers do and why their work is important, demonstrate how to debug a machine, then look you in the eye and deliver an explanation of their learning with confidence… you have to stop and pause!  Wow… Chase’s Assistant Principal Catherine White joined Governing Board Member Jim Miller and I as we learned about the 2018 goals from principal Colleen Newman.  I was impressed by the integration of the Colombia Teacher’s College and TED Ed curriculum and how much student voice was evident in both writing and in student presentations.  It was also visually evident in a few grade levels that deep collaboration is taking place and that all students benefit when teachers share strengths and align resources.  Thank you for the Holiday Cheer Jamacha.

David Miyashiro, Superintendent

Montgomery Middle International Baccalaureate School

What does it mean to be a Global Learner prepared for the 21st Century and Beyond?  Montgomery students and staff can articulate that clearly.  Principal Bryan Schultz brought years of International Baccalaureate experience with him from the Sweetwater School District.  He explained the recertification process they are currently in to Lexington’s Assistant Principal, Sergio Navarro and Governing Board Vice President, Tamara Otero as we visited classrooms.  Assistant Principal Debbie Long and Bryan make a great team!  IB takes the concept of a well-rounded education to a whole new level.  Break a leg on your accreditation visit Montgomery!  We saw flying colors!

David Miyashiro, Superintendent

Greenfield Middle School “Academics, Arts, Athletics”

Cajon Valley Middle School’s Assistant Principal, Vidalia Resendes joined me at Greenfield to collaborate and learn with the GHouse.  Passion, engagement, and a growth mindset philosophy permeated the campus.  Fun to see Joan Knoernschild in her new role as Assistant Principal having fun and setting a positive tone.  Principal Greg Calvert and the Greenfield team were in preparation for the GAP Gala.  When students are excited about showcasing their work, results are optimal.  Google and Digital Promise have chosen Greenfield to host the next Dynamic Learning Project collaboration.  Visitors from all over the country will be here in the Spring to learn about our initiatives first hand.

David Miyashiro, Superintendent

Anza All Stars “Here to Change the World”

Anza Elementary has received both regional and national recognition for their work in environmental science.  School Gardens, Natural Habitats, Farm to Table, Hydroponics, etc… If you haven’t seen it in person yet, Anza is definitely a destination school.  Equally impressive is the work Principal Cindy Knight and her team have done around data, early literacy, and personalized learning.  Everything is integrated from K through 5.  The icing on the cake was to see impressive World of Work and Presentation Literacy lessons in almost 100 % of Anza classrooms.  It’s not that you do it all… It’s that you do it all so well!  We welcomed new Cajon Valley Middle School Assistant Principal, David Geck, on his first elementary school visit and were also joined by Governing Board President Jo Alegria.  Congratulations Anza.  We can’t wait to return.

David Miyashiro, Superintendent

Monster Mash @ Magnolia

Always fun to visit schools right before Halloween!  Classrooms were festive, fun, and child centered.  New Principal Sarah Robinson was very proud to showcase the work of the Magnolia teachers.  Trustee Jill Barto and I were very impressed by how quickly and deeply Presentation Literacy and the World of Work have been integrated into Magnolia classrooms this early in the school year.  Already a model school for flexible spaces and modern learning environments… Magnolia is a model school for the district’s 2018-19 initiatives.  Very impressed Magnolia!  Keep up the great work.

David Miyashiro, Superintendent

Local News and Google Visit Hillsdale Middle School

What a treat to be on a site visit with Governing Board Member Jim Miller when representatives from Google, 10 News, and Fox 5 News are there to capture the Huskies using Augmented Reality in their lessons.  So cool to see teachers and students pioneering new technologies in the classroom.  Hillsdale was the first of many CVUSD schools to host Google’s Virtual Reality tools.  Principal Jake Launder credits Assistant Principals Bartley and Stephens for their teamwork and leadership.  We’re very excited about Hillsdale’s momentum and look forward to much more in 2018.

David Miyashiro, Superintendent