Welcome to the Office of the Superintendent
- Contact Information
- Budget Updates
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SUPERINTENDENT
Donald A. Phillips, Ed.D.
(858) 679-2550 FAX (858) 679-2642
dphillips@powayusd.com
Sandi Lee Carlyon
Executive Assistant to
the Superintendent
(858) 748-0010 ext. 2086
scarlyon@powayusd.com
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
John P. Collins, Ed.D.
(858) 679-2517 FAX (858) 679-2642
jcollins@powayusd.com
Pat Rosenberger
Executive Assistant
to the Deputy Superintendent
(858) 748-0010 ext. 2622
prosenberger@powayusd.com
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Sharon Raffer
(858) 679-2631 FAX (858)
679-2642
sraffer@powayusd.com
Marlene Cowell
Executive Assistant
to the Board
(858) 748-0010 ext. 2478 FAX (858)
679-2642
mcowell@powayusd.com
Superintendent Don Phillips - Message to the Parents
print version
May 6, 2009
Re: Budget Update
Dear Parents,
I am writing to keep you apprised of our school district budget
as we deal with deep cuts due to the loss of State revenue. Let
me begin, however, by sharing some very good news.
The Poway Federation of Teachers (PFT), the classified employees
represented by the California School Employees Association
(CSEA), the administrators, managers, counselors, and others
represented by the Association of Poway School Managers (APSM),
and the Board of Education have all taken proactive steps to
roll back salaries by 2.7% for the upcoming school year, with a
corresponding five-day reduction in non-student days. Students
will still attend school for 180 days, as required by law.
We know of only two other districts out of the thousand-plus
school districts in California that have taken a similar action.
This generous and unselfish act will help us to preserve
approximately $4.5 million in jobs and will help reduce the
negative impacts on our educational program. I ask you to join
me in thanking our staff and the Board of Education for doing
the right thing for our students, our community, and their
colleagues. We are very fortunate to have such progressive union
leadership in our district and such a dedicated and talented
staff. Click here for more of this letter
>>> Click here for the Superintendent's Previous Messages and Updates Mar '09 thru Mar '08
>>> Click here for all Budget related messages and resources
Superintendent's Message to the Community
Dear Community,

Over the years, Poway Unified has been an innovative leader in
education and has a strong local, state, and national reputation for the
quality of its educational program.
We remain committed to moving Poway Unified to the next level of excellence. The School Board has adopted a strategic plan that builds on our tradition of excellence while raising expectations for all students. We are committed to providing opportunities for all students to reach their potential. In particular, we are striving to significantly increase the number of students who are well prepared for college. To help guide our efforts, we have set measurable targets for our graduates, including:
* A 100% pass rate for the new and rigorous California High School
Exit Exam
* Increased completion of the University of California and California
State
University “a-g” entry requirements
* Expanded participation in advanced placement classes
In addition, we have established key indicators throughout the grade levels to help you better understand how your child is progressing and to inform systematic improvement efforts.
We appreciate and value the importance of helping each and every child succeed, and we understand that by having an accountability system where we share data and hold ourselves accountable, we can do an even better job than what we have done historically.
We recognize that in order to realize our vision of educational excellence for all students, we need to attract and retain the very best teachers, support staff, and administrative leaders. We also recognize the importance that parents play in the education of their children and the need for an active partnership between home and school. In addition, a cooperative relationship with city offices, businesses, nonprofit groups, citizenry, and local higher education institutions supports our efforts in the continued pursuit of excellence.
We believe that through shared commitment and thoughtful planning, coupled with a strong accountability system, we can build an even better educational program that will challenge all of our students to do their very best. We already see evidence that the annual State of the District report helps us realize this commitment. We look forward to working together with our community to continue to move our system forward.
Sincerely,
Donald A. Phillips, Ed.D.
Superintendent


