We have come so far these past several years.  I’m proud of our important work, including 

• A major expansion of early childhood education to lift up students otherwise starting school at a disadvantage;

• Implementing standards-based curricula across key subject areas, including language arts and mathematics;

• Launching college dual enrollment to increase access to post-secondary education;

• Receiving a US Green Ribbon Award for our environmental sustainability curricula and operational improvements;

• Navigating a global pandemic and its ongoing aftermath; 

• Improving school facilities including rebuilding our three largest elementary schools;

• Passing multiple parcel tax and bond measures for critical funding support; 

• Initiating implementation of restorative practices to stem the school-to-prison pipeline;

• Navigating the impacts of chronic underfunding and advocating for change; and

• Developing our first-ever, student-focused strategic plan to bring all this work together and focus our resources accordingly. 

 

Yet we still have so far to go.  We can and must continue…

• To strengthen our academic foundations for ALL students and refine targeted, holistic supports where needed;

• To innovate how we recruit and retain staff our students need most;

• To shift our culture and communication structures towards cross-district collaboration and unity rather than the historical, oppositional hierarchies that maintain the status quo; and

• To evolve toward more sustainable practices for our budget, our people, and our planet, better balancing short- and long-term needs.

 

I am so grateful to all who supported our campaign to continue this important work for our community, and congratulate the newly elected members to the Cabrillo USD Board.  The path forward, at a time of significant social unrest for our country, is not clear though potentially turbulent for a variety of reasons.  

 

What is clear, however, is that it will take each and every one of us to see beyond ourselves, to see beyond the here and now, and to see how we can each contribute to a better public educational system for Coastside kids and beyond – and that we commit to our students and community and follow through on this vision together.