Partners in Education at Carlsbad Unified
Here at Carlsbad Unified, parents, businesses, and community members are critical partners in education. They provide opportunities to interact with an array of community resources as our students explore their passions, learn about what’s available here in North County, and enrich their lives through the artists, scientists, and leaders they meet. COVID might have limited in-person interactions, but we were able to continue to connect via virtual field trips and guest speakers. Now our campuses are once again busy with excitement as we welcome back our invaluable partners in person.
Parent volunteers, book fairs, ice cream socials, and field trips are now back as we return to normal. Our partners are again participating and contributing – organizing career days, family picnics, and other special activities on every campus.
For instance, on Compassion Day at Kelly Elementary School, experts and parent volunteers helped students rotate through stations where they experienced what it feels like to have a disability. Students tried decoding messages in Braille, endured a sensory overload room, tried to function wearing blindfolds, and attempted to run on the field with yardsticks taped to their legs. Then, in a student-run center, they wrote notes about kindness to create a beautiful mosaic.
At the Sage Creek High School PTSA’s JIVE event (Jobs, Internships, Volunteers and Education), parents and community members helped students get information about possible jobs and internships. Local businesses such as Handel’s and Chick-Fil-A set up tables and shared information about jobs and summer internships.
Booster club members are now making hot dogs and selling tickets to sporting events, working backstage at musical and theater performances, and raising money for competitions, travel, and sports equipment. Tutors are giving needed help to students in danger of falling behind.
Our Carlsbad Educational Foundation (CEF) and its partners facilitate a multitude of community-based programs for Carlsbad Unified students. Lego Robotics; Agua Hedionda Lagoon field trips; Coastal Roots Farm visits; Junior Achievement BizTown curriculum and field trips; Nordson Corporation’s Tech Time Challenge; Science Days with volunteers from Thermo Fisher; Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation’s Environmental Stewardship initiative; the Science Olympiad supported by Viasat; and Junior Achievement’s Finance Park – these are some of the many initiatives and programs supported by CEF and its partners.
And, in the field of Career Pathways, our business, industry and community partners are providing vital support. Overseeing these important relationships is our own Nicole Moersch, K-12 Pathway Coordinator. She was just named the 2022 College & Career Pathways Educator of the Year by the Classroom of the Future Foundation for her commitment to innovation in education.
Our Pathways are guided by the expertise of the District Career Pathways Advisory Committee and other business partners who collaborate with career pathway teachers in aligning curriculum, software, and equipment with industry standards. These volunteers from the business and industrial community also offer internships, feedback on student projects, mentorships, guest speakers, and other hands-on experiences for students.
In addition, our partners at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce offer their Rising Stars student recognition program, scholarships for high school students, and exposure to the world of work.
We are indebted to all of these partners for their generosity of time and resources to ensure that our students have an educational experience that prepares them for a successful future. Partners – we couldn’t do it without you!
