April 21, 2024
In EUSD, every student experiences Authentic Learning – learning that sparks collaboration, and is meaningful, relevant, and grounded in real-world challenges and applications! One of the most powerful examples of Authentic Learning in EUSD is our annual STEM Challenge Day, when scholars spend a Saturday morning tackling math, science, and technology challenges in a fun, competitive environment.
This year’s theme for STEM Challenge Day was “Ride the Wave,” which inspired organizers to create some of the tasks around the concept of waves. Teams of 5th- and 8th-graders trained for weeks with their coaches from their school.
“Teams have to learn how to work together to divide up the tasks and to help one another during the competition when help is needed,” said Teacher on Special Assignment Lisa Jaquess, a math coach. “This sparks collaboration during the practice sessions at their sites and as a team determines who would be best for specific tasks. Each student has a part in contributing to the collective success of their team, by bringing their own strengths to the different tasks. Some are good at logic, while others excel in hands-on science.”
Through activities like STEM Challenge Day, students are embracing our learner-centered model – actively listening, engaging, and recognizing diverse perspectives to work toward a common goal.
“Working together at practice and during competition is essential for students,” Jaquess said. “They listened to one another, they discussed the best answer to each of the challenges, and considered what was best for their team.”
For more about the third annual STEM Challenge Day, including a list of winners, you can read our news article here.
Here are this week’s updates and reminders.
State assessments: Attending school on time and on a daily basis is essential for ensuring a child’s future success, and is especially important as the annual CAASPP testing continues in EUSD schools. Students in grades 3 through 8 take the computer-based California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP, which measures each student’s progress in English language arts and math. Students in grades 5 and 8 also will take a science assessment. Remind your students to bring their fully charged iPads to school. While a good night’s rest, a healthy breakfast, and encouragement to do their best are always important for students, please take a moment to ensure these steps happen on testing days. Each school develops its own testing schedule, and the testing window is open through May 17.
Concert season: We invite you to support our vibrant music programs at one of our upcoming band concerts in the beautiful Concert Hall at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. The Middle School Bands Concert is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23. Each band from our five middle schools will perform two pieces, followed by an extraordinary performance of two musical pieces by all five school bands playing together. Elementary School Bands concerts are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, May 14 and May 15. The concerts are open to the public, and admission is free. Visit the Events section of the arts center website to reserve your tickets.
Fishing for a cause: EUSD is a proud member of the Kiwanis Club of Escondido – Hidden Valley, which supports a number of programs in our community with a focus on making a positive impact on the lives of children. We are pleased to invite our families to attend the club’s Trout Derby fundraiser on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and April 28, at Dixon Lake. All proceeds support programs in Escondido. The park entrance fee is $5 per vehicle. The fishing derby entry fee is $18 for adults, and $12 for children and seniors. This family-friendly event also includes free Kiddie Ponds on the pier for children 8 and younger. View this flyer for complete details. In addition, numerous volunteer opportunities are available at the event; to get involved, contact the club by email President@KiwanisClubOfEscondido-HiddenValley.org.
Rotary awards: We are proud to share that more than four dozen EUSD students were honored last week by the Rotary Club of Escondido during its annual student awards event. Students in 5th and 8th grades are honored in two categories: Outstanding Achievement, which recognizes students for their academic success; and Service Above Self, which recognizes students who make contributions to their school, peers, or community. Each of our schools selects the students for this prestigious recognition by this venerable service organization, which is celebrating 100 years in Escondido. For a full recap of the awards, please check out our news article.
Middle school summer opportunity: It’s not too late for current 6th- and 7th-graders to join the Middle School Expanded Learning Summer Program, scheduled for June 24 through July 19. This full-day, enrichment-based summer program provides middle school students with opportunities to dive into career exploration, get to know entrepreneurship, and learn essential financial literacy skills. The program includes a field trip to the innovative Junior Achievement Finance Park. Complete the interest form here for your student today!
– Luis Rankins-Ibarra, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools