IN THIS
Escalon Unified
Van Allen students visit the Fab Lab...
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January 2024: Vol. 11, Issue 6
A new time to achieve our goals at Dent...
Fentanyl presentation captivates students at Vista...
Winter at EHS: sports, formal and more...
Celebrating the holiday season at Gateway...
ISSUE
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 1
Sonia Melendez, Paraprofessional, and Gianna Genetti, School Psychologist, are recognized for supporting EUSD students...
Farmington & Collegeville's After-School Program Partnership...
TODAY
Students' success take center stage at El Portal...
We will serve and connect with all students.
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Ricardo Chavez EUSD Superintendent
Happy New Year!!! 2-0-2-4
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 2
Ricardo "Ricky" Chavez
Escalon Unified TODAY
Looking forward to seeing you in 2024!
Dear Escalon community! I hope you all enjoyed a safe, relaxing and restful holiday season. As we LEAP into the new year, I am excited about the potential ahead. The power of Yet. The phrase “the power of yet” was coined by Carol Dweck in her book Mindset. Obviously it’s a hot topic, and this idea of “yet” has found its way into the classroom. Yet, this three-letter word, packs a much bigger punch than its small size suggests. The use of “yet” is particularly potent in these three educational situations: encouraging learning, maintaining engagement and increasing confidence. A simple way to start changing to a growth mindset, is by the use of the word yet. In essence, the word means that some things are worth waiting for and those things take work. It's not always easy, but the power of this small word allows for success. The reality is that students and teachers both have a fixed mindset about certain things. It may be “I’m no good at math.” “I will never be able to read that book.” or “I can’t teach like…” The list goes on and we’ve all been guilty of saying this. For example, those with a fixed mindset talk about “being good” while those with a growth mindset set goals for “getting better.” This means for those who are striving to get better, you’ll talk with them about improving skills they’re not good at yet. To say it another way, those with a growth mindset consider themselves “works in progress.” They have the confidence to admit there are skills they’re not good at yet. Plus, you can help them embrace challenges they haven’t yet faced before. Our students are continuing to excel on their academic careers… and many of them are looking ahead to graduation, whether that be from kindergarten, 8th grade or high school. We don’t know what the future will hold for our young people, yet, but we hope that the foundation, discipline and life skills they have learned in our district schools will send them on their way to be college and career ready! Even though the school year is only half way through... I have a feeling the best is YET to come!
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The Best is YET to Come... a message from the Superintendent
As we welcome 2024, we continue striving for our yearly goals as a student, teacher, class, school site and district. The holidays have come and gone -- and were amazing! It is now time to buckle down and prepare for the next stretch of uninterrupted learning (if there is such a thing? :) After last year's career low in attendance, a goal this year was to increase our student attendance. If you have attended an EUSD board meeting, you are aware that period attendance is reviewed every month. Last year, Dent Elementary’s attendance was near or at the bottom of each period. We vowed to change this! Working together with our Professional Learning Team (PLT) Vice Principal Mr. Fyke, Office personnel (Attendance Clerk Darla Towner, Secretary Amanda Sanchez, and Administrative Secretary Mayra Bravo) and Nurse Giles, we’ve come up with ways to communicate with families the importance of their students' daily attendance. We have incentivized and celebrated classes that have maintained the highest attendance for the week. We have brought on a display, updated by our team (daily), to visually remind our families of how we are doing as a school site. When kids and parents see the daily attendance numbers, they are shocked to see the number of kids either being pulled out of class early, absent or tardy. Our daily phone calls home -- and working with Nurse Giles -- following up with families have been successful. Informing families of the reasons to stay home / versus the reasons for coming to school has made a major impact. When parents are unsure, they are more willing to call and ask for guidance... rather than assume they have to keep their students home. Why do we do this? Yes, we care about attendance due to funding all the programs and extras we have been able to bring on this year; but it is SO much more than that! Students need to be with their peers and they need their teachers to LEARN. We will continue this important work because this is where we build stamina and healthy learning habits. By instilling in our students the importance of attending school everyday, at a young age, it will continue a lifelong commitment as they move through our grade level ranks.
New Year... Time to Achieve Our Goals!
by Principal Anthony Varni
Sonia Melendez, Bilingual Paraprofessional
We also celebrate our Spotlight Staff on our Facebook Page, check it out to leave them a message about how they've positively affected your life. Special thanks to Maira Rodriguez for the Staff Spotlight photography.
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 4
Gianna Genetti, School Psychologist
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Inspiring Students Surprised by Their Teachers
Meet Sonia Melendez, a dedicated and respected member of the Van Allen Elementary School community; a paraprofessional who helps many of our K - 5 bilingual students. Her journey in education is deeply rooted in her personal connections and a passion for fostering student learning. Sonia hails from our beautifully tight-knit community of Escalon... where she attended Dent Elementary, El Portal, and Escalon High School. Family is at the core of her life; happily married to her husband Jesus for 11 years, they they have one daughter, Lizet, currently a second grader at Van Allen. Motivated to be closer to her daughter, Sonia joined the district in the 2020-21 school year, discovering a passion for working with students. "I really love the job," Sonia said, evident in her strong connections to the entire Van Allen school community. Taking note of the various challenges in her role helping bilingual students, Sonia openly acknowledges the emotional toll of seeing them struggle at times. Nevertheless, she remains committed to personal and professional growth, aspiring to make a lasting impact in the lives of her students. Beyond education, Sonia cherishes family time and finding joy in these shared moments. As Sonia continues contributing to our Van Allen community, she embodies dedication, compassion, and a genuine love for the transformative power of education.
Gianna Genetti has been our district's school psychologist for two school years -- previously serving as an intern. Immediately after she joined the EUSD team, the Student Services Department started receiving positive comments about her warmth and sincerity. Gianna has become a staple at the high school and students and staff rave about her kindness, her easy-going nature and her positive outlook. Gianna is originally from Linden, CA and graduated from Linden High School before continuing her studies at Fresno State (majoring in Psychology). After graduation, Gianna moved to the Sacramento area and enrolled at National University in Rancho Cordova in their school psychology graduate program; all of which changed to a virtual learning platform during the 2020 pandemic. Near this same time, Linden Unified School District had a long-term substitute position open at Waterloo Junior High. Eager to be near family and return to her small town, Giana moved back to the San Joaquin Valley and began working as a substitute 7th grade History teacher. In 2021, she started interning with EUSD, coming on board as a member of our district’s Student Services team. As a member of our Escalon community, she loves living in a small town because it reminds her so much of her hometown. "It's rewarding to be part of this community and being able to help students and their families, Gianna said. As a dedicated “fur parent," she loves walking her “gentle giant” -- her 85 lb. dog Bruno! We are honored to have Gianna as one of our team members and look forward to many more years of her positive impact on our Escalon community and schools.
Van Allen 5th graders visited the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) Fab Lab in December and experienced a slew of STEM activities from 3-D printing and laser etching, to coding and robotics.
By Principal Julio Zambrano
Van Allen Students Get Hands ON at the SJCOE Fab Lab
All this state-of-the-art technology gives an amazing science and engineering experience to students -- who come for field trips, events and STEM summer camps; as well as professional development or graduate-level classes through the Teacher's College of San Joaquin (TCSJ).
The Fab Lab is a giant engineering classroom designed to "WOW!" Students of all ages learn NGSS engineering design standards, while being amazed at their own ability to use math, science, and technology to invent something new, solve a problem, or compete with others. The lab has tons of high-end equipment, including: Laser cutters, 3-D printers, Computer numerical control (CNC) mills, Robotics arenas, Vinyl cutters, and more than 100 computers! (from 3-D augmented reality and space workstations to Raspberry Pi)
"a Unique Engineering Experience"
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by Principal Joel Johannsen
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The month of December is always busy at Gateway and this year has been no different. In addition to winter benchmarks, finals and more, Gateway also holds two major events: the 5th-6th grade play and the Winter Wonderland Festival. The 5th/6th grade play has been held for the last three years and marks the end of Gateway’s Fall enrichment classes as well as the end of the first semester. What started as a small (masked) production in the Fall of 2021 (during the pandemic) has now become a major theatrical production. Last year’s play was held in a classroom on Gateway’s campus and it was standing room only in each of the three performances. This year, the staff felt it was time to go bigger so the event was moved to the EHS Performing Arts Center. On December 13, at 6 p.m. with a near-capacity crowd, our 5th and 6th graders performed Gold Dust or Bust. Gold Dust or Bust is a musical comedy set during California’s Gold Rush and covers many of the historical events of the time. In just four short weeks, our students put together an amazing performance that wowed everyone in attendance. One parent commented, “The kids did such a great job! All the parents loved it and want to see more!"" and it looks like a spring performance is in the works. With a Welcome Back Night and a Spring Carnival, Gateway felt it needed something to commemorate the holiday season. Last year, Gateway held its first Winter Wonderland. Last year's event was fairly popular, but this year things went through the roof with over 200 families and students in attendance! On December 7th, the parking lot was filled with a variety of booths and activities -- with some snow thrown in for good measure! Students made decorations, broke up ice balloons searching for frozen treasures, decorated cookies, and even had a snowball fight! We were blessed with beautiful weather for the second annual Winter Wonderland Festival and it was truly enjoyed by all. We closed out 2023 with a lot of memorable and fun community events and we can't wait to kick off 2024 with many more exciting activities ahead!
The cast of Gold Dust or Bust (left); and images from the Winter Wonderland Festival (right).
Gateway: Celebrating the Holiday Season
Principal's Honor Roll
El Portal Recognizes Students Exceptional Achievements at Awards Assembly
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 7
Honor Roll
By Principal Mike Gaston
I am delighted to share the success and joy we experienced during our recent Trimester One El Portal Awards Assembly. The event was a remarkable celebration of our exceptional students' hard work, dedication and achievements. On November 29, parents, teachers, and students gathered in our outside stage area to honor and recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our Panthers. The assembly was a testament to the collective efforts of our school community. We acknowledged sixth through eighth-grade students who excelled in their academics with: Honor Roll 3.0 - 3.49 GPA High Honor Roll 3.50 - 3.99 GPA, and Principal’s Honor Roll 4.00 GPA Their commitment to excellence was evident and we were thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments. In addition to academic achievements, we recognized students who grew positively on their Math STAR exam(s). As the principal, it was genuinely inspiring to stand alongside our dedicated team of educators and witness the pride and joy on students' faces. Congratulations to all recipients for their dedication to our school's mission statement: We Learn, We Succeed, We Make A Difference, We Are Panthers! All students behaved with our core values (being respectful, responsible, and safe) while fellow classmates were recognized.
High Honor Roll
by Principal Jason Furtado
Winter Homecoming & Sports at Escalon High School
January presents an excellent opportunity for both teachers and students to embark on a fresh start, recenter their focus, and rejuvenate their goals as they commence the second half of the school year. Escalon High School (EHS) winter sports are currently in full throttle... with our teams looking to be as competitive as ever. The girls' and boys' basketball squads are poised to battle for league honors, with their sights set on a successful playoff run. Meanwhile, the boys' and girls' soccer teams are determined to make a significant impact in the Trans Valley League (TVL). Notably, our EHS wrestling team has established a legacy of success, clinching section titles in recent years, and they look to continue that trend this year. In addition to all of the sporting events, January is a great month for student activities. Winter Homecoming Week is happening during the week of January 15th and the theme this year is High School Musical. The week concludes with the Homecoming Rally and Crowing of the Homecoming Queen and King on the 19th, followed by the Winter Formal Dance; this year's them “A Night in New York” will be held in the EHS school theater on Saturday, January 20th. January is going kick off a New Year filled with exciting opportunities, spirited competitions in winter sports and memorable student activities. Let's embrace the new year's potential for growth, unity and success at EHS!
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 8
Go Cougars!!!
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Collegeville and Farmington After School Programs Invigorated with Boys & Girls Club Collaboration
by Principal George Megenney
After School Education and Safety (ASES)
The ASES Program is the result of the 2002 voter-approved initiative, Proposition 49. The purpose of the ASES Program is to create incentives for establishing locally-driven expanded learning programs, including after school programs that partner with public schools and communities to provide academic and literacy support, and safe, constructive alternatives for youth. The ASES Program involves collaboration among parents, youth, and representatives from schools, governmental agencies, individuals from community-based organizations, and the private sector.
Due to the establishment of an ASES grant coordinated and facilitated by San Joaquin County of Education (SJCOE), Collegeville has been running an after school program for several years. Prior to this school year, that program was internally run at the site level. Although it experienced varying levels of success prior to 2019-20, like any school offering, it was dependent on the dedication and efforts of its staff to create and maintain a robust and well-ordered program. The long-term impact of COVID, along with turnover in staff, resulted in serious challenges to keeping the program running, particularly during the 2022-23 school year. The willingness of regular-day classroom aides at both Collegeville and Farmington to work additional hours, eventual hiring of a few after school program staff, hiring of third parties to offer physical fitness activities, and the fortuitous availability of some classified substitutes to help plug in holes in the schedule -- allowed the program to function for the entirety of the school year. We somehow managed to keep the doors open and the program running for the 100 or so students who were enrolled and whose families depend on it to provide a safe place for students to be between 2 - 6 p.m. The decision to bring on the Boys & Girls Club of Tracy to oversee and manage the program at Collegeville has been a highly positive change. Although a combination of Collegeville and Farmington staff pitched in to keep the program functioning, it was doing so without having the desired characteristics of a more successful program: well-organized, structured daily activities designed and implemented by permanent staff, special events like visiting presenters, community outreach, field trips and other worthwhile activities. In addition, rather than the site having to assist with enrollment, day-to-day operations, communication with families, and student discipline, all of these functions have been assumed by Boys & Girls Club staff to the great relief of Collegeville’s office. The addition of the Boys & Girls Club to Collegeville has been very successful and well-received by parents and regular day staff. The years of experience that Boys & Girls Club staff have with running such programs has been evident since the spring of 2023... when representatives came on site to interact with parents, answer questions and begin the process of enrolling students. The Boys & Girls Club has also been able to successfully initiate an after school program at Farmington Elementary... something highly sought after by parents. As with Collegeville’s program, consistent leadership, self-management, open and ongoing communication with site administration, and development of a program that offers time for students to complete homework (and have fun with outdoor activities and indoor projects and games) has led to a safe and welcoming environment for students after school.
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 9
By Principal Gustavo Arzac
Dent Modernization & Expansion Project
EHS Track & Field Renovation
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 10
Fentanyl has affected millions of lives in the United States, and Escalon is no exception. San Joaquin’s District Attorney (D.A.) Ron Freitas has created a new unit to increase awareness concerning the immense dangers of Fentanyl. He and his team recently gave our Vista High School students a very engaging and informative presentation. His team brought real-life testimonies to help our students understand the severity of this drug. Then, Deputy D.A. Cindy DeSilva finished the presentation with an open Q & A session. The presentation was not focused on enforcement, but rather it was designed to educate our students and ultimately, save lives! The presentation was nothing short of engaging and eye opening. The goal of the D.A. office is to partner with as many schools in the area -- for maximum reach to students who could fall victim to this incredibly dangerous drug. The initial speaker was a grieving mother who has recently lost her son from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. She shared how her son was on track to attend university and how one experimental experience (during his senior year of high school) led to a life-altering pathway. This mom shared how her son quickly spiraled out of control and consumed something that was laced with a lethal dose of Fentanyl. She shared how her son’s decisions not only affected him, but the family as a whole with many still feeling the consequences of his decisions. The presentation then transitioned to D.A. Cindy DeSilva, who shared firsthand experiences with families affected by Fentanyl use, both personally and professionally. She revealed that many victims were unaware of Fentanyl being laced in drugs; and highlighted the alarming trend of fentanyl being found recently in "everyday items" like candy and other edibles. Deputy D.A. DeSilva shared that more and more people are getting a hold of Fentanyl -- but do not know how to handle it, leading to potential lethal doses. Notably, the presentation shed light on a frightening fact about numerous vaping items (purchased through social media platforms such as instagram and Facebook Marketplace) containing undisclosed amounts of Fentanyl. The presentation concluded with a question and answer session. Every single student was so engaged... we had a slew of questions from students -- some that D.A. DeSilva said she had never been asked before. At the end of the session, we had multiple students requesting D.A. DeSilva to come back to give additional information since our time was limited. After the session, we asked our students what they liked about the presentation. “The first speaker was a mom who lost her son a couple months ago due to one pill he took. ONE pill unfortunately ended his life because it was laced with fentanyl," said student Nathaly Lopez. "That honestly really impacted me because she was talking about how her son was top of his class and was captain of the football team. Everything can change so fast due to one decision." Overall, the presentation was extremely well crafted and really reached our students on their level. D.A. DeSilva was relatable, passionate and students found the guest speakers very impactful. This presentation was aligned with our school's goal of preparing students to be college and career ready while making them aware of potential obstacles or dangers. These awareness talks mark a step toward achieving our goal and we believe that, armed with this knowledge, our students are now better equipped to navigate the challenges ahead.
Fentanyl Awareness Presentation Makes Poignant Impact at Vista
Student Services Blast
Promoting Wellness
If your child needs to take medication at school, please complete the Escalon Unified Medication Authorization Form. This form can be found on the District website under Health Services. Medication Form (English) Medication Form (Spanish)
Wellness Hub
The mission of the Wellness Hub is to provide prevention and intervention services to students and families actively in crisis through connection, collaboration, empowerment, and therapeutic support. Students and families are referred to the Wellness Hub after site-based interventions have been exhausted.
Key Nursing Reminders
With the colder weather and darker days, winter is the most important time to promote wellness. We have student services staff available at each school site to provide mental health support for students. Practicing gratitude, staying connected with loved ones, and keeping a regular schedule during breaks can help combat the winter blues.
Happy New Year! By now, the hustle and bustle and stress of the holiday season is behind us. You have probably spent weeks shopping, gift-giving, and visiting with friends and family – mostly time spent focusing on everyone else. Now, with the New Year upon us, it is time to focus on YOU. As we think of New Year’s resolutions, we naturally reflect on how we can better ourselves and contemplate changes to make that happen.
Mental Health Corner
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 11
New Year's Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 12
Escalon Unified Contacts
Nicholas Caton, President Kate Powell, Vice President John Largent, Clerk Sal Reyes, Member Martha Coelho, Member Ricardo "Ricky" Chavez, Superintendent
Early Release: PLC collaboratioN MLK HOliday, No School EUSD Board Mtg. (7 pm) Early Release: PLC collaboratioN staff development day, no school First day back to school! (... winter break finishes)
JANUARY DATES to remember
Escalon Unified TODAY, Page 13
First day back to school! (... winter break concludes)
Escalon Unified Schools
Collegeville Elementary 941-2007 6701 S Jack Tone Rd, Stockton CA 95215 Dent Elementary 838-7031 1998 Yosemite Ave, Escalon CA 95320 El Portal Middle School 838-7095 805 1st Street, Escalon CA 95320 Escalon High School 838-7073 1528 Yosemite Avenue, Escalon CA 95320 Farmington Elementary 886-5344 25233 E Hwy 4, Farmington CA 95230 Van Allen Elementary 838-2931 21051 E. Hwy 120, Escalon CA 95320 Gateway Academy 838-7177 17590 South Van Allen Road, Escalon CA 95320 Vista High School 838-1450 1204 Escalon Avenue, Escalon CA 95320
Board & Superintendent
Main Office Phone 838-3591 Main Office FAX 838-6703 Bus Garage 838-3165 Curriculum Office 838-3591 Maintenance/Operations 838-3165 Food Services 838-3170
Jan 4: Jan 10: Jan 15: Jan 16: JAn 24: Jan 29: