Dear Parents and Community Members,

We are so fortunate to work in a community that values quality education and actively partners with our schools to help us collectively ensure your children have every opportunity to realize their potential. We hope that during the holidays you have the opportunity to encourage your children to dream about their future and to discuss the importance of education as the key pathway to success.

We feel very privileged as educators in Poway Unified to have so many talented and thoughtful students. We know that you are their primary teachers, and we are very thankful for the outstanding and wonderful children you send to our classrooms and schools each and every day.

On behalf of the Board of Education and Poway Unified School District, I wish you a very special holiday season.

Warm regards,

Don Phillips
Superintendent

• Poway Unified School District received a Best Academic Practice School District Gold Award for Outstanding Efforts in Education from the San Diego County Urban League. The award was given at the Fourth Annual “Best Academic Practices Schools for African American Students” Awards Ceremony on December 3, 2005. The Gold Award recognizes the achievements of African American students as indicated by API scores ranging from 747-799. Poway Unified has a district API score for African American students of 755.
  
  
• Lynn Grindstaff and Pat Carlisle, Elementary Library Media Technicians at Painted Rock and Park Village, initiated a districtwide book drive for Katrina victims to restock school libraries in Harrison County, Mississippi. These libraries, mostly located in Gulfport, were completely devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Enlisting the support of school library and library techs at 31 of our schools, students, parents, and community members donated just over 60,000 books. Allied Van Lines of Poway donated shipping the 31,000 pounds of materials, which completely filled one large moving van. Other donations included 1,500 boxes from Houghton Mifflin Publisher, boxes and packing materials from Rancho Bernardo Moving, and various community donations such as $500 from BAE Systems and $500 from Poway resident Wilma Townsend.
  
  
• Our Poway Unified school communities are reaching out in many ways to help others during this holiday season. Several of the holiday projects in which students and staff are participating include:
  

Adobe Bluffs	Food Drive (Kiwanis) Adopt-a-Family Community Holiday Store Toys for Tots
Canyon View	Adopt-a-Family (San Diego Police Dept. SWAT Team) Donations to assist setting up shelter for Katrina families with autistic children
Chaparral	Food Drive (Interfaith Community Services) Adopt-a-Family Sack lunches for low-income and homeless families Coat drive Coin collecting for Farr Elementary Garden (Sister School) Recycle collection: Money for orphanage in Mexico Foster Care blankets Letters to Fire Fighter/Military Singing carols at Remington Club Spanish greeting cards to children of Tijuana Chaparral ESS - Holiday Toy Drive
Creekside	Adopt-a-Family Angel (trees for 10 local families)
Deer Canyon	San Diego Food Bank Toys for Tots Adopt-a-Family
Garden Road	Family Caroling to a local assisted living facility Food Drive (Interfaith Community Council) Six Giving Trees for Palomar Council PTA
Highland Ranch	Adopt-a-Family Toy Drive
Los Peñasquitos	Organized Adopt-a-Family for Los Pen families San Diego Police Department Holiday Party for Kids Cookie sale fundraiser for Katrina victims through American Red Cross Tree decorating at Doubletree
Midland	Adopt-a-Family (3 local families) Adopt-a-Family (7 families coordinated with local businesses) Gift cards (Wal-Mart) for 7 Katrina families
Morning Creek	Adopt-a-Family Chores for Charity (MCES Student Council) Canned Food Drive (PTA) Toy Drive (PTA)
Painted Rock	Gift Cards and donations for Needy Families in Community Teddy bears handmade by fifth graders (North County Interfaith Council) Post Holiday Food Drive (Student Council) Handmade fleece blankets (Fourth Grade) Pen Pals with Seniors (Third Grade) Singing for Seniors at Joselyn Center (Third Grade) Christmas Tree Decorations at the Nelson House in Old Poway Park
Park Village	Adopt-a-Family Thanksgiving meals to Los Peñasquitos families
Pomerado	Canned Food Drive (San Diego Food Bank) Holiday Songs at Brookview Retirement Home Caring Coins (Donations for needy families)
Rolling Hills	Adopt-a-Family Canned Food Drive Student Council coin drive for local military families for the holidays
Shoal Creek	Handmade teddy bears donated to local charities Doctors without Borders - $942 donation Operation Gratitude letters to troops Goodie bags for Villa Pomerado Convalescent Center Adopt-a-Family
Stone Ranch	UNICEF Classroom bake sale for Katrina victims The Giving Tree Teddy Bear Project Adopt-a-Family
Sundance	Adopt-a-Family Food Drive (San Diego Food Bank) Letters to Military Personnel “Giving Tree" holiday gifts for a needy family (PTA)
Sunset Hills	San Diego Food Bank Letters to Military Personnel
Tierra Bonita	Habitat for Humanity (continuation of collecting coins for Katrina Disaster) Adopt-a-Family Food Drive (San Diego Food Bank)
Turtleback	Toys for Tots Shoeboxes for the Needy Food Drive (November - Scouts) Clothing Drive (January and end-of-year - Scouts) Adopt-a-Family Care packages for the VA Hospital Caroling at Retirement Center
Valley	Hands to Hearts Adopt-a-Family (Kiwanis) Canned Food Drive
Westwood	Canned Food Drive (San Diego Food Bank) Adopt-a-Family (through Los Peñasquitos Elementary School) Caroling at Casa de las Campanas
Bernardo Heights	Food Drive (San Diego Food Bank) Adopt-a-Family
Black Mountain	Adopt-a-Family BMMS (Beanies, Mittens, and Matching Socks) to five local shelters
Meadowbrook	Adopt-a-Family Canned Food Drive
Mesa Verde	$7000 for Katrina victims Operation Shoe Box Adopt-a-Family (9 local families)
Oak Valley	Adopt-a-Family Toys for Tots Holiday Food Drive
Twin Peaks	Adopt-a-Family Canned Food Drive $3900 for Ocean Springs Middle School, near Biloxi, Mississippi
New Directions	"Giving Tree" for Katrina victims Care packages to military personnel who were former New Directions students
Abraxas	S.A.F.E. Center Food Drive to assist Abraxas families Holiday cards/supplies to the military Aid to families in Mexico
Mt. Carmel	Adopt-a-Family Adopt-a-Family for Thanksgiving Dinner Wheel Chair Foundation Animal food and donations for animal shelters Teddy bears for children who are victims of domestic violence
Poway	Toys for an orphanage in Mexico Toys for Tots Adopt-a-Family Canned Food Drive Collection for local women's shelters Adopted families for Thanksgiving Collected blankets, food, and clothes for the homeless Helped feed the homeless at Thanksgiving Free gift-wrapping for staff (provided by peer counselors) Bike for Kids
Rancho Bernardo	Canned Food Drive Adopt-a-Family New books and food to benefit Los Peñasquitos Elementary School Collect blankets, jackets, and socks for homeless Stocking stuffers for 400 foster children (Friends and Family) Assist at Foster Family Party and Los Pen Family Night
Westview	Adopt-a-Family Letters to soldiers in Iraq San Diego Canned Food Bank
Business Support Services and Administration Center	Salvation Army Toy Drive



• Schools and staff throughout the school district responded to a request to write letters and send donations to troops serving in Iraq. The following schools joined in the 2005 Support Our Troops Letter Writing and Donations Campaign:
  

  Adobe Bluffs Elementary School
  Bernardo Heights Middle School
  Canyon View Elementary School
  Creekside Elementary School
  Deer Canyon Elementary School
  Los Peñasquitos Elementary School
  Meadowbrook Middle School
  Mesa Verde Middle School
  Midland Elementary School
  Morning Creek Elementary School
  Mt. Carmel High School
  Oak Valley Middle School
  Painted Rock Elementary School
  Rancho Bernardo High School
  Rolling Hills Elementary School
  Turtleback Elementary School
  Twin Peaks Middle School
  Westwood Elementary School
  Partners in Education

  Many schools and PUSD departments participate in the Adopt-a-Family program organized by Palomar Council PTA. The following are among those who have volunteered this year:
  

  Learning Support Services and Extended Student Services
  Partners in Education/Youth Programs
  Personnel Support Services
  Special Education/Health Services
  Superintendent’s Office
  Transportation Department

• Chaparral Elementary School was one of ten schools in the nation recognized as a 2005 National School of Character at the Character Education Partnership National Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. The National Schools of Character Program, now in its ninth year, recognized K-12 schools and districts demonstrating outstanding character education initiatives that produce positive results in school climate, student behavior, and academic performance. Winners emphasize core ethical values such as honesty, respect, responsibility, and caring. Chaparral received a cash award of $2000.
  
  
• The "No Excuses University" at Los Peñasquitos Elementary School received the Channel 8 Cool School Award. The segment aired November 4. An on-going promotion for Cool School nominees will feature Los Peñasquitos students.
  
  
• Poway High School's Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) chapter was selected to receive a $1000 grant from the ESA Foundation through the National Association of SAVE. The grant is to be used to enhance and expand SAVE activities in the school and surrounding community.

STUDENT RECOGNITION

These are examples of the fine accomplishments occurring at our schools every day.

• Sarah Thead, Poway High School junior, has been named to the Hewlett-Packard Scholastic Junior All-Americans by the American Junior Golf Association and Hewlett-Packard. The 2005 team consists of ten young men and ten young women who demonstrate the ability to excel both on the golf course and in the classroom. Sarah will be eligible to participate in the Polo Golf Junior Classic taking place November 19-25 at Sea Island Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia. 

• Arianna Afsar, freshman at Westview High School, has been awarded scholarships totaling $25,000 for achieving First Runner Up in the Miss America Outstanding Teen event in August.
  
  
• Emily Yang, fourth grader at Deer Canyon, placed in the top ten from over 600 entries in the Time Soldiers essay contest, which is sponsored by the San Diego Union Tribune. Emily was recognized at the Kroc Center during Literacy Day and was presented an award
  
  The following high school students have been accepted to participate in the Southern California Honor Choir at Orange Coast College on November 19:
  
  

  Poway High School Allison Barnes, junior Gary Barnes, sophomore Katie Chludzinski, senior Amanda Eldreth, junior Abigail Frisch, junior Rebekah Helms, senior Karen Hoey, senior Alisha Kassel, senior Chase Kassel, sophomore Ben Rollins, senior Chris Rossio, junior Conor Tibbs, junior

  Rancho Bernardo High School Alize Rozsnyai, junior Westview High School Alicia Archambault, junior Rufina Bavin, junior Anastashia Blanch, junior Mandy Gill, senior Anthony Lagar, senior Kezia Liu, junior Lauren Steffler, senior Andrew Sykes, junior Paul Yoon, senior

• Seven Poway Unified School District teachers earned National Board Certification for 2005 based on extensive year-long assessments. The assessments measure not only the knowledge teachers possess, but the actual use of their skills and the ability to demonstrate highly accomplished teaching in the classroom as they work to improve student learning. These teachers join others who received recognition from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in previous years, bringing the total to 106 teachers in PUSD who have earned this distinction.
  
  The Poway Unified teachers earning certification for 2005 are:
  
  Robert Kinder, Stone Ranch Elementary School, Grade 4 Teacher
  Tanya MacMartin, Bernardo Heights Middle School, Science Teacher
  Katharine Murphy, Adobe Bluffs Elementary School, Kindergarten Teacher
  Dena Riedl, Sundance Elementary School, Grades K-2 Special Education Teacher
  Vickie Stowe, Black Mountain Middle School, Grades 7/8 Teacher
  Jan Van Horne, Twin Peaks Middle School, Resource Specialist
  Robert Voelkel, Oak Valley Middle School, Grades 7/8 Teacher
  
  The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, based in Arlington, Virginia, began certifying teachers in 1995. Since 1995, there have been 3,379 teachers in California who have received certification (California has a total of 300,000 public school teachers). California certified 298 teachers this year, ranking seventh in the nation in national certification.