Superintendent’s 
Monthly Update
Poway Unified 
School District
November/December 2006

Dear Parents and Community Members,

Holiday Message

‘Tis the season of giving. At the December Board meeting, our student members shared how students, staff, and parents were giving back to their communities through the gift of time, sending good cheer, and donating gifts and food to those less fortunate. I was deeply touched by the joy and love that is being shared in the spirit of the holidays.

My report to the Board included information on over one hundred charitable projects initiated at the elementary, middle, and high school levels that reach out to help others during this holiday season. Adopt-a-Family, San Diego Food Bank, Toys for Tots, and letters to our troops abroad are just a few of the efforts reported. One cannot help but be proud of our students and so many adults for stepping forward to assist others during this season. Helping engender in our students the spirit of giving sets apart our schools and community.

Building for Success Update

We held a special study session at the regular October 2006 Board meeting regarding the status of the Building for Success program, created with the passage of Proposition U in 2002. The measure provided $198 million to be raised in local taxes to expand and renovate facilities in 24 schools within the School Facilities Improvement District (SFID). In addition, we have secured $68.1 million in state funds and, to date, an additional $50 million through creative and prudent financial management for a total of $316 million in current revenue.

Since the passage of Proposition U four years ago, the construction industry has experienced an unparalleled 40 to 45 percent increase in building costs. Many factors have led to this unprecedented increase. As a result, school construction projects across the state have fallen short of what would have been possible in normal times of inflation. In our case, we had anticipated an annual inflation of 3%, which was the historical average, in calculating the original bond amount.

To help offset some of the impact of inflationary pressure, the District utilized a bridge financing process to shorten construction timelines, which provided facilities for students earlier and saved more than $20 million in today’s dollars in cost avoidance. This savings was recognized by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, which presented the Poway Unified School District with a “Watchdog” award for financial management of taxpayer resources.

We anticipate that an additional $80 million would be needed to complete all of the projects outlined in the original bond measure. However, to stay within the limit of our current resources, we have developed a revised scope of work plan for projects remaining to be completed under Proposition U. The proposed work plan would result in meeting all program needs at 14 schools (Garden Road, Los Peñasquitos, Midland, Painted Rock, Pomerado, Tierra Bonita, Valley, and Westwood elementary schools; Black Mountain, Meadowbrook, and Twin Peaks middle schools; and Abraxas, Mt. Carmel, and Poway high schools). Four schools would receive modernization and other upgrades (Chaparral, Rolling Hills, Sundance, and Sunset Hills Elementary schools).

The six newest schools (Canyon View, Deer Canyon, Morning Creek, and Turtleback elementary schools; Bernardo Heights Middle; and Rancho Bernardo High School) would be provided with technology upgrades in the classrooms. All of this work is in addition to any upgrades that have already been provided at each site. These newest schools will qualify for state modernization in 2013 and beyond.

In addition, regular routine maintenance work will continue on all campuses, including equipment and carpet replacement and painting. Having clean, attractive facilities has been a longstanding commitment of Poway Unified. As I travel around the state and visit other districts, I’m always impressed with how well our facilities and grounds look.

If you have questions about timelines or scope of work at your child’s current or future SFID school, please see the Building for Success web page at www.powayusd.com/bond/ or contact your school’s principal.

The Board of Education will be reviewing current and proposed projects through the completion of the Building for Success program at the regular January Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 16, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. in the Morning Creek Elementary School multipurpose room. The meeting is open to the public and open to public comments.

Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC) Applications Available

The Poway Unified School District Board of Education is seeking four highly qualified, interested individuals to participate on a “Blue Ribbon” committee of community leaders that serves as the independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (“COC”). The current vacancies will fill term assignments expiring in March 2007. New terms would end in March 2009, with the possibility of being reappointed for an additional two-year term.

Interested persons are requested to complete the application form located on the PUSD Web site or request an application by calling Pat Rosenberger, Executive Assistant to Deputy Superintendent John Collins, at 858-679-2622 or email prosenberger@powayusd.com. Completed applications must be received by the Superintendent’s Office, Poway Unified School District, 13626 Twin Peaks Road, Poway, CA 92064 or faxed to 858-679-2642, no later than Friday, January 12, 2007, at 4:30 p.m.

High School Boundaries Will be Presented to the PUSD Board of Education on January 16

We plan to bring the proposed recommendations regarding high school boundaries (including boundaries for our newest high school, Del Norte which is planned to open in 2009-2010) to the Tuesday, January 16 Board of Education meeting. This proposal has been reviewed by all high school principals, senior staff, and the PUSD Superintendent’s Education and Facilities Advisory Committee over the past nine months. We will post the recommendations on the PUSD website on Friday, January 12, 2007. The January 16 Board meeting is open to the public and open to public comments.

I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.

Warm regards,
Don Phillips
Superintendent

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

• Emily Hulme, a senior at Poway High School, has been recognized by the American College Testing Program (ACT) for her perfect score of 36. This is the equivalent to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of 2400 on the comparison chart between the two tests. In California last year more than 73,000 students took the ACT and only 12 students received a perfect score. Nationwide, 2.2 million tests were administered last year and 256 students received a score of 36. Additionally, Emily is a National Merit Semi-Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction.



• Victoria Wang, a junior at Westview High School, has been recognized by the College Board for her perfect score of 2400 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).  Nationwide, 1,465,744 students took the new SAT test in 2006.  According to the College Board, a score of 2400 was achieved by 238 students, or 0.017% of those who took the test. In California, Victoria was one of 43 students who received a score of 2400 on the three-part test that now includes Writing along with Mathematics and Language Arts.



• The Museum of Photographic Arts exhibit, “Close-ups: San Diego Neighborhoods,” features photographs from three Westview High School students. The exhibit gives visitors an opportunity to see the city from the perspective of the next generation of photographers. Each photograph is accompanied by a paragraph about the picture. Sixty young artists are featured. The following students’ photographs have been chosen for display:

  Amanda Epple, Melissa Marsh, Sheila Thomas - Westview High School

• Five twelfth grade students from Rancho Bernardo High School have been selected as 2006-2007 Bronco student ambassadors because of their success in academics, extracurricular activities, and the decision to live drug and alcohol free during their high school years. The students spoke with students and autographed photo trading cards at Stone Ranch Elementary School during Red Ribbon/Character Counts! Week. During the school year, they will be visiting all the elementary and middle schools with students who are scheduled to attend Rancho Bernardo High School. The Rancho Bernardo High School students are: Bita Assad, Brad Hering, Michelle Kim, Monica Mendez, and Christian Steverson.
  
  
• The Rancho Bernardo Speech and Debate Team received three First Place awards at the Jack Howe Memorial Tournament at CSU Long Beach, on September 30 and October 1. The following members of the team won awards:
  
  

  Ashley Grisham	First Place award: Novice Division - Thematic Interpretation (TI) First Place award: Oratorical Interpretation (OI)
  Christopher Kyle	First Place award: Junior Varsity Division - Lincoln/Douglas debates
  Cameron Baghai	Octo Finalist in Varsity Division - Lincoln/Douglas debates (as an 'octo' finalist, Cameron was undefeated in his first five rounds)
  Advisor: Jane Wakeham-Lopez. Co-Advisor: Jeff Blankman

  
  
• The Southern California Regional Honor Choir has selected by audition the following Poway Unified students to perform at Santa Monica High School on November 18:

  Mt. Carmel High School
  Junior: Bryan Gill. Choral Instructor: Marti Martinez

  Poway High School
  Seniors: Ryan Davidson, Amanda Eldreth, Abigail Frisch, Greg Katakalidis, Lindsay Pulaski, Christopher Rossio, Kendall Sallay, Conor Tibbs. Juniors: Gary Barnes, Marquel Gerson, Chase Kassel, Heidi Smyth. Choral Instructor: Nancy Gray

  Westview High School
  Seniors: Alicia Archambault, Rufina Bavin, Tasha Blanch, Kezia Liu, Gabrielle O'Leary, Andrew Sykes, Kelly Tran. Junior: Blake Harwell. Sophomores: Mark Suennen, Peter Yoon. Choral Instructor: Barb Fletcher

• Poway High School Die Lieders Singers, Women's Ensemble, and Festival Choir were invited to participate in The Disney Honors National Choral Invitational Festival. The Festival will take place on April 13-16, 2007. Choir Director: Nancy Gray



• Alize Rozsnyai, a senior at Rancho Bernardo High School, won the Professional Opera Singers Association (POSA) competition. Alize won the overall grand prize at the competition as well as her division for 15-17 year olds. She will receive a scholarship for $500 from POSA.

STAFF RECOGNITION

• The maintenance staff of the Transportation Department was recognized as a 2006 ‘TOP 10’ Fleet Maintenance Program in the April/May issue of School Bus Fleet Magazine. The School Bus Maintenance Staff include: Dan Alkire, Bert Cirineo, Scott Clark, Doug Collins, Mark Cooley, Jim Eriksen, Mike Gerth, Mark Haughelstine, Ryan Miller, Romeo Ordinario, Bill Roeckl, Milo Saroca, Phil Weston, and Maintenance Supervisor, Phil Medved. Tim Purvis is the PUSD Director of Transportation. In addition, the Transportation Department maintenance staff has achieved a record 28 zero discrepancy California Highway Patrol inspections.



• Warren Torns, Mt. Carmel High School Music Director, has been recognized by Heritage Festivals as an Outstanding Music Educator for his efforts to build an outstanding instrumental program through giving students opportunities to participate in music festival.