group of students around counter with donations of food

January 8, 2023


In EUSD, every student is giving! There’s no shortage of examples of how EUSD students of all ages demonstrate their generosity and care on campus and in their community. Guiding our students in this giving are the supportive teachers, PTA leaders, administrators, counselors, school site staff, and other role models who set a shining example for what it means to build a caring community. 


students at table making placemats


Our schools have been bursting with acts of giving in recent weeks. At Rose Elementary, 4th- and 5th-graders in the Distinguished Dolphins group made placemats for a local senior care facility. Miller Elementary’s Random Acts of Kindness Club collected 802 pairs of socks to donate to Interfaith Community Services in Escondido. The WHO Crew (We Help Others) at Conway Elementary launched a food drive before winter break, and the collection continues through January 18 to benefit Interfaith. An after-school AVID club of about a dozen students at Bear Valley Middle School also chose to assist Interfaith with care packages, teacher Denise Van Doorn shared. “They collected items for a month, created positive messages, and prepared bags of needed items,” Mrs. Van Doorn said. “The students were thoughtful with each message they wrote. The kids came up with the idea, publicized it, and helped me fill my car to take the care packages to Interfaith!”


Orange Glen Owls and their families donated enough toys to fill three large boxes to the Toys for Tots program, and the Orange Glen staff donated food, clothing, and gifts to brighten the holidays for six Orange Glen families. Over at Rock Springs, the grown-ups set a beautiful example of giving for students through its annual Giving Tree, which this year helped 34 families. “It helps remind all of us that the holidays are much bigger than a two-week break,” Rock Springs Principal Elizabeth Ramirez said.


Juniper 5th-graders wrote cards for their neighbors, delivering them to doorsteps near campus. That same afternoon, Principal Brooke Cottingham got a message from one of the neighbors: “She thanked us for cheering up her day! Little things make a huge difference.” And at Pioneer Elementary, students filled more than a dozen baskets with food to help fellow Puma families in need. 


At Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences, a recent giving project was especially hands-on. Intervention teacher Michael de Neve was looking to work with his students on a project that extended beyond the classroom, Assistant Principal Carla Cardona-Gibbs shared, adding that after many discussions of areas of need in the community, students decided to make hats to share with Interfaith Community Services. 


“Not only did this project spark our students' interest in helping the community, it created a stronger sense of community in our school,” Mrs. Cardona-Gibbs said. “Teachers got involved by donating yarn and sharing their expertise, stopping by Mr. de Neve's room to check on progress.” The hand-made beanies take patience and time to complete, and the students hope to have more than two dozen to donate this month.


student with circular knitting frame


With his class, Mr. de Neve works to find interests and projects that excite his students so they have something new to look forward to when they arrive at school. “My goal is to show students that they matter and can succeed in many areas of their lives,” he said. “We promote service projects to help them focus on the needs of others. I love it, and I enjoy finding new ways to make positive relationships with my students.”

We are proud of this extraordinary mindset embraced by our students and staff members: “It feels good to do good.” 


Here are this week’s updates and reminders.  


Back to school: We are looking forward to seeing students on Tuesday, January 10, when school resumes following winter break. As a reminder, at-home COVID test kits were provided for students to help reduce potential exposure to the virus at school by ensuring that students who are sick stay home. Please plan to administer the test tomorrow, January 9, and notify your school site if your child tests positive. This at-home testing program is strictly voluntary. As we head into the second half of the school year, I want to wish you the very best for a happy, healthy 2023!  


Registration for TK, Kindergarten: New Student Registration for Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Special Education Preschool will open online Tuesday, January 10. EUSD offers a full-day Transitional Kindergarten program to bridge the path between preschool and Kindergarten. For the 2023-2024 school year, children are eligible for TK if they turn 5 between September 2, 2023, and June 2, 2024. Students applying for Kindergarten must be age 5 on or before September 1, 2023. Students in EUSD TK and Kindergarten programs are eligible to participate in their school’s optional Expanded Learning program. The Expanded Learning program provides before- and after-school student care, from 6:30 a.m. to the morning bell and from the dismissal bell to 6 p.m. To find your neighborhood school of residence, use our online school locator tool. For questions regarding Special Education Preschool or about your student’s Special Education needs for next school year, contact the team at spedsupport@eusd.org.


School choice: The School Choice application window for the 2023-2024 school year is open through Tuesday, January 31. School Choice is an opportunity for families to apply for an intradistrict transfer for their child to attend a school other than their neighborhood school of residence, including one of our Dual Language Immersion programs at Farr, Glen View, Lincoln, and Pioneer elementary schools; or one of our specialty schools, including Quantum Academy, Limitless Learning Academy, Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences; and Conway Elementary. Explore all of our schools online. School Choice details and application links can be found on our website.


– Luis Rankins-Ibarra, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools