Earlier start date for school year
-The San Diego Unified School District voted June 9 to move the start date of the 2016-17 school year to a pre-Labor Day start. Next year, there will be the traditional post-Labor Day start, but in the following year, classes will begin one week earlier, on Aug. 29. The Mission Bay Cluster would like to sincerely thank the many parents, staff and community members who sent emails, shared concerns at the cluster meetings, responded to the surveys and spoke at the board of eduction meetings to share their opinions. The cluster had many concerns about the calendar committee process, the rationale for change and, most important, the negative impacts of heat indexes in the classrooms with the earlier start date. The cluster appreciated its board of education representative, Michael McQuary, for expressing those concerns on the cluster’s behalf on June 9 and voting against the calendar change. The cluster will be putting together a plan to insist that the district address the heat issue in schools. The cluster will also strongly urge the district to relook at their committee processes in regard to transparency and inclusion. Crown Point Junior Music Academy -Crown Point Junior Music Academy won a two-day residency on the John Lennon Education Tour Bus. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a nonprofit, state-of-the-art mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility. With the assistance of three on-board engineers, students learn how to write, perform, record and produce original songs, produce and shoot music videos and documentaries and complete a broadcast quality music video – all in one day! -The academy has been named one of the Campaign for Business & Education Excellence honor roll schools for 2014. Each year, the campaign presents this award to individual schools and to districts that have excelled in raising student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Way to go, Tritons! -On May 28, CPJMA celebrated its first Day of the Military Child event. There was an exercise warm-up first thing in the morning with military volunteers, reading in the classroom by military families and volunteers, a pancake breakfast for military students (sponsored by Pacific Beach Town Council), an all-school assembly with special guests, and lunch with a loved one. It was a day full of activities for the whole school. Pacific Beach Elementary School
-New student registration for the 2015-16 school year will begin on Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for grades transitional kindergarten to fifth grade. -Our new student orientation is Friday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m. in the auditorium. Pacific Beach Middle School
-John O’Donnell, the music director from PBMS, will be offering free music classes for both string and band students in July. -Any new sixth graders and returning seventh and eighth grader are welcome, including beginning music students. – Workshop dates are as follows:
Developing Strings: Wednesday, July 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 9 a..m to 3 p.m.;
Upper Strings: Wednesday, July 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 10:30 a.m. to noon;
Developing Band: Thursday, July 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; and Upper Band: Thursday, July 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Contact [email protected] for more information.