Press Releases
SCUSD, City of Sacramento to Hold Ribbon-Cutting for Newly Upgraded Argonaut Park
Joint Venture at Evelyn Moore Center adjacent to New Tech High School
Officials with Sacramento City Unified School District and the City of Sacramento will officially open the newly outfitted Argonaut Park located at the Evelyn Moore Community Center adjacent to Sacramento New Technology High School. The park has been furnished with state of the art Energi Fitness Course Stations for use by New Tech students and the entire community. This project was a joint venture between the City, school district and community organization Freeport Renovation on the Move and was funded, in part, through grants from Kaiser Permanente and Gift-to-Share.
Sacramento, CA 95822
Sacramento Parents Send Clear Message: Let the People Vote!
SCUSD Survey Shows Overwhelming Support for Special Election on Tax Extensions
Sacramento City Unified School District parents and staff have weighed in loud and clear on the prospect of drastic state cuts to schools next year:
Ninety-three percent favor a special election on tax extensions that would prevent overcrowded classrooms, massive teacher layoffs and the loss of bus service, sports, drama, cheerleading, yearbook and marching band.
Statement from SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond about Budget Talks Breakdown
Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond issued the following statement today in response to Governor Jerry Brown’s announcement that he has halted budget negotiations with Republican Legislators:
Future Shock tonight
Parents, students will see the Sacramento school of the future tonight if the Legislature fails to act
Forty desks crammed into a classroom? Sports banners showing championships never won? Disappearing teachers?
Sacramento parents tonight will get a chance to see the school of the future if the Legislature fails to act to give voters an opportunity to extend taxes that are set to expire at the end of June.
CA School Superintendents Press for Ballot Measure on Tax Extensions at Event Monday
Press conference on Capitol steps to highlight urgent need for state action
A coalition of California superintendents — including superintendents whose schools are within the legislative district of Republican Legislators negotiating with Governor Brown — will gather at the steps of the Capitol on Monday to discuss the drastic cuts public schools will face without the extension of current temporary taxes.
Rosa Parks Middle School Targeted For Turnaround as Seventh ‘Priority School’
Rosa Parks Middle School has been named Sacramento’s seventh Superintendent’s Priority School, expanding SCUSD’s bold school improvement effort that is already seeing positive results on six other campuses, Superintendent Jonathan Raymond announced Thursday.
As a Priority School, Rosa Parks will get extra resources and innovations to boost learning though improved teaching, engaging curriculum and strong family and community connections.
Anti Youth-Violence Rally Expected to Draw Hundreds of Students Downtown
‘Peace Rally’ Culminates a Week of Teen Tolerance-Building Activities
What: Hundreds of teens from several regional high schools are staging a “Peace Rally” to bring attention to rising gang violence and an increase in teen crime victims. Hosted by the Sacramento Youth Commission, the rally culminates a week of peace-related activities on various campuses throughout Sacramento.
Who: Mayor Kevin Johnson
County Supervisor Phil Serna
Supervising Deputy District Attorney Karen Maxwell
Students from Hiram Johnson, C.K. McClatchy, Grant, Luther
Burbank and St. Francis
When: Friday, March 18, 2011
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Today’s Argonaut Park Opening Cancelled
Wet, Muddy Conditions Force Rescheduling of Event
Today’s event to officially open the newly upgraded Argonaut Park is cancelled due to muddy conditions triggered by rain. A date for a rescheduled event will be announced once it is determined.
Sacramento City Unified School District, the City of Sacramento, Freeport Renovation on the Move and Kaiser Permanente partnered to furnish the park — located at the Evelyn Moore Community Center adjacent to Sacramento New Technology High School — with state-of-the-art Energi Fitness Course Stations for use by New Tech students and the entire community.
Students Initiate Regional ‘Peace Week’ to Speak Out Against Youth Violence
Rising gang activity and an increase in juvenile crime victims has prompted a coalition of concerned high school students to organize a “Week of Peace” that will culminate with a rally across from City Hall.
The week, March 12-18, will include activities such as the signing of a Peace Pledge, creation of peace collages, distribution of green ribbons and “Challenge Days” for students at C.K. McClatchy and Hiram Johnson high schools. Luther Burbank High School will also host two kick-off assemblies on Monday, March 14 beginning at 1:00 p.m.
SCUSD Considers Eliminating Support for Athletics, Laying Off Teachers, at Tonight’s Meeting
At tonight’s Board of Education meeting, trustees will consider drastic measures to balance a projected “worst case” deficit of $22.35 million – including cutting financial support for sports, drama, yearbook, newspaper, marching band, cheerleading and speech and debate.
The proposal is to eliminate “extra pay for extra duty stipends,” uniform replacements funds, athletic trainer funds and co-curricular transportation funds for a savings of $1.261 million.
Sutterville Elementary Celebrates History Day with Hands-On Student Displays
Sutterville Elementary School will hold its Seventh Annual History Day Gallery Walk – part of the highly regarded National History Day academic competition — on Wednesday, February 23, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The school is located at 4967 Monterey Way, Sacramento.
Gallery Walk is an opportunity for the more than 100 participating students to showcase projects on the theme of “Debate & Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, Consequences” as practice for the Sacramento County History Day Competition at Rosemont High School on Saturday, March 12.
SCUSD Orders Closure of Fruit Ridge Elementary School as a Precaution
SCUSD has ordered the closure of Fruit Ridge Elementary School while safety crews conduct a specialized cleaning of the main building in preparation for a complete removal of attic insulation containing asbestos fibers.
Superintendent Jonathan Raymond ordered the closure and the asbestos abatement after workers installing wireless technology came in contact with the insulation, potentially disrupting the asbestos.
”We are being extremely cautious in this situation,” Raymond said. “The safety of students and our staff is our top concern.”
SCUSD Orders Emergency Closure of Fruit Ridge Elementary Due to Asbestos
Fruit Ridge Elementary School will be closed on Friday, February 18, to allow asbestos specialists to test insulation in the attic crawl space above main hall classrooms.
Buildings throughout the country constructed prior to 1977 often contained asbestos. Superintendent Jonathan Raymond ordered Fruit Ridge Elementary shut down for one day after work crews installing wireless technology came in contact with the insulation, potentially disrupting the asbestos.
SCUSD Board to Consider Innovative Fund-Raising Initiatives
At Thursday’s meeting, SCUSD’s Board of Education will consider reconstituting its nonprofit, 501(c)(3) foundation to make it more effective at raising funds for schools.
In addition, trustees will discuss a pilot program for donations that would be used to reduce classroom sizes, retain current teachers and recruit new teachers.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Serna Center, 5735 47th Ave.
SCUSD Wins Bid for Green Schools Fellow
The district is one of the first in the country selected for award
Sacramento City Unified School District has been chosen by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for participation in its Center for Green Schools Fellowship program – one of only two K-12 districts in the nation selected for the honor so far.
An official announcement of the district’s selection will be made on Tuesday afternoon at Mayor Kevin Johnson’s Greenwise meeting at the Guild Theater in Oak Park (1:30 p.m.).
SCUSD Solicits Community Input on Budget with Public Forums, Survey
Sacramento City Unified School District will launch a major effort this month to increase community awareness of 2011-12 budget issues and engage the public in this difficult process.
Starting Tuesday, February 15, SCUSD will hold a series of public forums on the district’s projected financial picture for the next school year. Additionally, the district has launched an online survey to gain greater feedback and input from the community.
Sac City Board to Vote on Resolution in Favor of Placing Proposed Tax Extensions on Ballot
The Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) Board of Education will vote at its February 3 meeting on a resolution in support of Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to hold a special election on the extension of statewide taxes. The Governor has proposed the measure, in part, to mitigate cuts to statewide education spending.
In order for the tax extension to be voted on, the state legislature must first decide to hold a special election, likely in June.
SMUD Recognizes Sac City’s Energy Conservation Efforts with $250K Check
Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) officials will present a check for $250,674 to the Sacramento City Unified School District’s Board of Education tonight – an energy efficiency incentive to recognize the district’s commitment to conservation.
During 2010, SCUSD partnered with SMUD to identify opportunities for reducing energy costs. From this partnership came an aggressive lighting improvement project that upgraded lighting systems in 50 campuses while cutting energy and maintenance costs.
Sac City Schools Closed on February 14 in Observance of Lincoln’s Birthday
All schools in Sacramento City Unified School District will be closed for students on Monday, February 14, in observance of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, district officials announced.
District schools traditionally have been closed on this holiday, but, due to an error, the official SCUSD School Year Calendar shows February 14 as a regular school day. School will resume on Tuesday, February 15. Teachers and principals will be using this day for a variety of purposes, including staff development focused on critical district initiatives and administrative prep time.
Neighbors asked to help protect schools over long winter break
Holidays are happy times for kids on vacation, but they can be trying times for school districts hit hard by vandals, thieves and arsonists taking advantage of empty, darkened campuses.
In fact, school districts experience more property losses in the month of December than any other time of the year, according to risk management agencies. In light of this, SCUSD is asking the community for help in keeping schools safe and secure over the long break, which begins Monday, December 20, and ends Monday, January 3.