February 25, 2024
In EUSD, every student is a Creative Problem Solver. They ask questions and pursue solutions through multiple points of view, all while understanding that failure and challenges are part of the learning process.
You’ll find students working as Creative Problem Solvers in every subject, including art. In Chrissie Preston’s art class at Hidden Valley Middle School, students are immersed in an artwork called “Self-Portrait With Crazy Zentangle Hair.” The assignment asks students: “What will your self-portrait say about you?”, with a special focus on hair and the role it plays in one’s identity. Physically, the project incorporates photography, for an image of the artist’s face; ink to create the artist’s hair using the zentangle method, a form of meditative doodling that has patterns; and collage to fill in color around the portrait.
And while the word “doodling” appears in this art assignment, the work is anything but random. This calls on students to figure out their use of the space they are given to work with, and to incorporate shapes and layers. Strategy and design are essential. Preston’s students studied other examples of self-portraits before starting on with a “thumbnail,” an initial sketch that is small and meant to serve as a map or reference for an artist to use in planning a larger work.
This multi-step project includes the creation of hair for the self-portrait through the drawing of zentangles, and Preston asks for a minimum of 10 different zentangle designs for a variety of weight in the lines and patterns.
Looking around Preston’s colorful classroom, and you’ll see that the hours of thought, research, and design – the hours of creative problem solving – have produced intricate and stunning works of art, creative reflections of these talented middle-schoolers.
Here are this week’s updates and reminders.
Share your feedback: Please join us at 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, at Farr Avenue Elementary School for a community meeting to collect input as we update the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan. Feedback from our parents and guardians is valued and essential as we reflect on current performance, areas for improvement, allocation of resources, and future goals. The district’s LCAP is the blueprint tied to state funding that describes how our schools support the success of all students. There’s still time to share your feedback through our LCAP Priorities Survey, which is open through February 27. This survey aims to collect input from all of our stakeholders. Responses are anonymous.
February festivities: There is much to recognize in February, such as Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Presidents Day. We are proud to share highlights from classrooms around the district. The origin of Black History Month dates back to 1915, and it gained official recognition in 1976 thanks to President Gerald Ford, who called upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Around EUSD, lessons on Black American history are incorporated in countless ways and highlighted during this time. At Conway Academy of Expeditionary Learning, 5th-graders are engaged in a Learning Expedition – a long-term, in-depth study of a topic – on human rights. For the expedition’s culminating project, students created posters about human rights advocates, presenting two of them – Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman – for Black History Month. We are proud of our students’ extensive research in order to share the impacts of these extraordinary leaders with their peers.
Work with EUSD: EUSD is seeking applicants for numerous essential roles on campus and at the district office, including paraeducator, nutrition assistant, school clerk, and temporary and substitute positions. Join us at the next EUSD hiring fair, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, at the district office, 2310 Aldergrove Avenue. Walk-ins are welcome. Human Resources team members will guide individuals through the application process for full- and part-time jobs. Employees who work more than five hours a day are eligible for enrollment in EUSD benefits and retirement programs. Find all employment opportunities here.
Report cards: The second trimester concludes on March 1, and report cards will be issued Friday, March 8. Report cards for elementary school students will be distributed at school. Report cards for middle school students will be delivered by mail.
Low-cost computers: The San Diego County Office of Education and Computers to SD Kids are hosting a Smart Tools for Schools event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 2, at Palomar College Escondido Campus, 1951 E. Valley Parkway. This event provides an opportunity for families to purchase a refurbished desktop computer for $100 or a refurbished laptop for $150. Follow this link to submit an application and schedule an appointment. Direct questions to 858-200-9788 or programs@c2sdk.org.
– Luis Rankins-Ibarra, Superintendent of Schools