Mountain Empire Unified School District |
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November is Native American Heritage Month |
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In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we recognize and celebrate the rich cultural tapestry, traditions, and contributions of Native American communities. We acknowledge that Mountain Empire Unified School District resides on the traditional territory and home to three federally recognized and resilient tribes of the Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians, La Posta Band of Mission Indians, and Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. This month provides an opportunity for us to learn about and appreciate the heritage, history, and enduring spirit of Native Americans. Let us continue to promote understanding, respect, and unity among all members of our diverse school district community. |
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Community School Safety Forum |
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On October 17th, MEUSD held a Community Safety Forum to discuss school district safety and community safety. The forum began with a presentation addressing questions submitted prior to the forum and was followed by an open dialogue and question and answer session between the attendees, the rural Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant, rural Sheriff’s Detective, the Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Specialist, and the Superintendent. Twenty-seven parents and community members attended and participated in the discussion.
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Indian Education Alliance |
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At our recent Indian Education Alliance Meeting, the committee unveiled its new name, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. During the session, we thoroughly reviewed relevant data to better understand the needs of our Native American students.
Productive discussions centered around innovative ideas and strategies to support and empower our Native American students, ensuring they receive the education and resources they deserve. We remain dedicated to fostering a supportive learning environment for all, respecting and honoring the diverse cultures within our school community. We hope to see more families attend our next meeting at the Campo Education Center on January 11, 2024.
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🌍 Multilingual Advisory Highlights 🌍 |
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We're excited to recap the recent District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) Meeting on October 30th, where parents and school leaders from MEHS, Potrero, Campo, Clover Flat, and the District Office gathered to discuss multilingual students' progress and available programs. With over 30% of MEUSD students being multilingual, your involvement matters!
A significant focus was the election of committee members for the 2023-24 school year. Your active participation is vital! Cast your vote via the provided ballot link below. Mark your calendars for our next DELAC meeting on December 7, 2023. |
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Program Highlights: Adult Education
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East Region Adult Education (ERAE) is a consortium between MEUSD, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, and the Grossmont Union High School District. The ERAE works together to create an extended learning system that works across academic foundations, workforce development, and community college for seamless transitions into employment and career. MEUSD participates as a full partner in this consortium and currently offers Welding, High School Diploma, and Office and Google Suites courses.
MEUSD’s Adult Education office is located at our Pine Valley Education Center (Formerly Pine Valley Middle School). Our Adult Education office is currently staffed Tuesday-Thursday and can help onboard students into one of our local programs or help connect you with one of the other offerings through the ERAE. Please contact our Adult School Coordinator, Vince Chambers, with further questions at vincent.chambers@meusd.org or 619-473-8693 ext. 806 |
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MEUSD is acutely aware of the condition of school facilities. The reality is that our school facilities range in age from 30 years old to nearly 90 years old. The infrastructure in many of our facilities is getting beyond usable capacity. Our school district is disproportionately impacted by high transportation costs which account for over 7% of the district budget. By comparison, most districts in San Diego County have a transportation cost of 2% to 3% of the district budget. The disproportionate impact of transportation costs on the budget comes at the expense of other district needs including, but not limited to, facilities and maintenance funding. Over time, this has led to increased challenges with our facilities. Many of our school buildings need full replacement and others need refurbishment. In particular most buildings at Mountain Empire High School and Potrero Elementary are in need of full replacement while other buildings in the district need refurbishment, infrastructure upgrades and added facilities such as modern TK classrooms as well as indoor dining and assembly facilities at our elementaries.
The State of California does not provide direct facilities funding as part of the budgeting process for school districts. School buildings and major facility improvements are generally funded through local school bonds. School construction costs are four to five times the cost of private or residential construction. Our last bond measure in our district has been used for the following: - Mountain Empire Junior High
- Relocation of District Office out of the Junior High Facility
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ADA Access and Drainage in front of MEHS
- Flooring in Ag Room at MEHS
- Roofing at Campo Elementary
- Fire Panel replacement at Clover Flat
- Septic at Descanso
- ADA Access ramp in Descanso
MEUSD is currently conducting feasibility studies for another bond measure to continue rebuilding and refurbishing our schools. This is no small task. The economic profile in our district is such that while we need local funding sources for this major undertaking, we recognize the cost of such an undertaking is far beyond the funding capacity of our district. To that end the district has engaged the Office of Public School Construction to qualify for Facilities Hardship.
Facilities Hardship means that we may qualify for matching state funding to rebuild our high school should we obtain funding through passing a bond measure or other means. Additionally, the school district has partnered with Senator Brian Jones, Senator Steve Padilla, Assemblymember Marie Waldron, and County Supervisor Joel Anderson who have all written letters to support our efforts at the state level to obtain additional funding for school facilities. It is our hope to secure funding through these various means within the next year in order to continue to rebuild and refurbish the school facilities in the district to benefit the children in the Mountain Empire Community.
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One of the challenges we are all facing in preparing our children and students for their future is how to appropriately set boundaries for children and teens. This month’s focus is on cell/smartphone usage and family oversight. Commonsensemedia.org is a great resource for families to use to help teach children and teens how to use this powerful technology safely.
A critical element is to establish rules and expectations before allowing the youth access to the technology. Some areas of concern that need discussion and rule setting include texting, calling, taking pictures and videos, Apps and downloads, and posting. These areas should also be expanded to discuss how to appropriately use a smartphone at school since these devices are causing much distraction that prevents students from accessing their education. At schools, educators and counselors have frequently heard from students that they stay up all night either chatting with their friends or watching videos on their devices. Without the appropriate amount of sleep, students are not able to apply the brainpower needed to learn at their best. |
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Article recommendations:
Since technology often impacts students' sleep, we are including these articles on the sleep needs for our student's health concerns. |
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All California Libraries offer free online homework help. It’s easy to access free help in math, reading, writing, science, social studies, and more 24/7 with internet access. To access homework help for free follow these steps: -
Log on to HelpNow through the Brainfuse webpage at https://www.brainfuse.com/highEd/liveTutoring.asp
- Click “Live Tutoring”
- Select your subject and level
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Click “Get Live Help”
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Mountain Empire Unified School District
3291 Buckman Springs Rd, Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-9022 |
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