Welcome Back!
With great enthusiasm I welcome the Carlsbad Unified school community—students, teachers, staff, and families — to the 2018-19 school year, as we spark curiosity, ignite passion, and unleash genius.
Our theme this year is Learner-Centered Innovation, which reflects our school district’s commitment to its North Star—our Vision and Graduate Profile. We are a mission-driven organization, and our more than 1,000 staff members are driven to continuously find ways to improve the educational experience and outcomes for our 11,500 students.
We are proud of our 2017-18 successes in academics, athletics, visual and performing arts, and school awards. Once again we have been named to the Advanced Placement Honor Roll for maintaining high AP Test passage rates while expanding access to the AP Testing program to our students. In 2018, Pacific Rim Elementary School was given the National Blue Ribbon Award; Aviara Oaks and Pacific Rim Elementary Schools received the CA Distinguished Schools Award; Kelly Elementary School was honored with the NCSSE Excellence in Special Education; Calavera Hills and Valley Middle Schools won Classroom of the Future Foundation awards; Sage Creek High School was named to the US News and World Reports list of Best High Schools; and Carlsbad High was named by Varsity Brands as the Most Spirited High School in the Nation. And so much more.
We have been hard at work over the summer, attending great trainings on expanding access to technology for teachers and students, creating hands-on lessons based on the Next Generation Science Standards, and promoting Project-Based Learning.
In addition, we conducted a safety audit in the spring, and have been implementing the audit’s findings. We collaborated with the Carlsbad Police Department on an active-shooter exercise in August at Calavera Hills and have provided safety training for all teachers and staff at Back to School Professional Development in-services. We are working to bring consistency to school safety plans district-wide, with ongoing safety training and infrastructure upgrades.
One important news item from this summer concerns money for school facility repairs and updates. As you know, CUSD has provided a world class education to students in our community since 1958. But some of our schools were built more than 50 years ago and lack the modern classrooms, science labs, and instructional technology that our students need. Our older schools need upgrades to meet the same academic and safety standards as newer schools, so that all students can continue to achieve success in college and careers. As state funding for school improvements is limited, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to place a school bond on the ballot with the goal of maintaining high-quality education and safety in our schools. Measure HH will be on the November 6, 2018, ballot to generate up to $265 million for facility repairs and updates. More info can be found here.
I hope you had a satisfying summer, and have returned to the new year refreshed and recharged. Let’s all work together to make 2018-19 the best year ever!
The Class of 2018 Graduates
The diplomas have been conferred, the graduation caps have sailed high into the air, and the students, families, and staff members have shared hugs and tears. Carlsbad Unified has bid a bittersweet farewell to its seniors, and these young people—equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed—now begin their journeys to colleges and careers. Graduation 2018 is in the books.
Carlsbad High School boasted 522 graduates this year, with an impressive graduation rate of over 95%. The Valedictorian and the Salutatorian, Kenneth Trang and Orion Lehrmann, are both headed to UC Berkeley in the fall. Graduating seniors include NROTC Scholarship recipient Gavan McCarthy, who received a $180,000 stipend to attend George Washington University. Football player Cameron Thomas will join several former Lancers as a member of the team at San Diego State University. Peytie Slater, member of the State Championship Surf Team and former Project Runway Junior fashion design contestant, is off to UCSB. And scholar/athlete Tyler Francis, who played football, track and soccer at CHS, will play football and major in molecular biology at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
At Sage Creek High School, 312 graduates crossed the stage at SCHS Stadium, representing a 99% graduation rate. Both Valedictorian Brendan Drury and Salutatorian Tyler Jung are headed to UCLA. Several Division I Athletes, including Volleyball All-American Christian Janke, will be competing next year at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ.
A solid 93% of SCHS seniors reported that they will attend a two-year or four-year post-secondary institution. Of these students, 77% plan to attend college in California, 5% will be heading to Arizona, and 2% are off Colorado, New York, Washington, and Oregon. Notably, 100% of Advancement Via Independent Determination (AVID) seniors were admitted to a four-year university. And all SCHS seniors were challenged to make an impact, develop a passion, and grow outside of the confines of the school classroom via Sage Creek’s Genius Project.
Adriana Escobedo was Carlsbad Village Academy’s Valedictorian, representing its 36 graduates. Over half of the Academy’s grads have enrolled at either MiraCosta College or Palomar College.
Carlsbad Seaside Academy’s 16 graduates include Valedictorian Katherine Fandey and Salutatorian David Krekorian. Among the colleges CSA grads will attend are Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo, the University of Denmark, Cal State Fullerton, MiraCosta College, Palomar College, Biola University, and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
I was honored to watch these accomplished young adults as they walked across the stage, leaving behind their Carlsbad Unified schooldays and stepping into their futures. As I saw the pride and the excitement these graduates exuded as they left the stadium, I reflected on what had come before.
I considered the parents who had carefully tended their little ones, fiercely shielding them from danger, introducing them to the wonders around them, and teaching them to make wise decisions. I thought of the kindergarten teachers who showed them how to share and cooperate and find joy in butterflies and rhymes. And I remembered all of the teachers who instilled in them the passion for analyzing, questioning, learning, and caring. There were the coaches and scout leaders and community volunteers, the first responders and health care professionals, and the administrators and counselors and support staff who guided and protected them on their way. As our former students now move forward into their adult lives, they carry with them the support of these special people who have touched their lives.
Congratulations to the Class of 2018. We look forward to hearing great things from you!
