NVUSD News

We distributed a new edition of our Family eNewsletter today; read it wherever you receive your ParentSquare messages or click here. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond honored seven outstanding math and science teachers from California. These individuals were finalists for the 2023 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Of those seven, NVUSD's own Jonathan Southam, a teacher at New Technology High School, was selected. According to a press release issued by Superintendent Thurmond’s office, “Awards are given to teachers who teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Department of Defense schools, and four U.S. territories (as a group). Each applicant must display subject mastery, appropriate use of instructional methods and strategies, lifelong learning, and leadership in education outside the classroom.”

Upon learning of the award, Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti shared, “We are incredibly proud, but not surprised, to learn that New Technology High School math teacher, Jonathan Southam was selected as a 2023 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. He Works incredibly hard and aims to provide high-quality, rigorous math instruction, every day, to his high school students. Congratulations, Jonathan!”

Mr. Southam shared, “I’m honored all around. I’m deeply honored to be nominated by a former student. I’m honored to represent our school and district and the work that we do for our students. Teaching is a practice that develops over time and I wouldn’t be the same person without my colleagues and students over the past 11 years. I want to thank all my schools: New Technology High School, Sonoma Valley High School, Redwood Middle School, Sonoma State, Chico State, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Nevada Reno. And of course, most importantly, thank you to my students, past and present, who have taught me the most. You all rock!”

Background (from State press release): Jonathan has been teaching for 10 years. He currently teaches Math I, Math III, and Precalculus. He has spoken at the California Mathematics Council North and South conferences as well as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference. He served as a STEM teacher mentor with Trellis Education in the San Francisco Bay Area to support middle school and high school STEM teachers in their first five years of teaching. The lesson Jonathan submitted was taught in his Precalculus class and explored the product law of logarithms.
 

Dear NVUSD Families,

Wow, it’s hard to believe May is almost over. Ahead are full calendars, joyful celebrations, and excitement as summer approaches. Before we trade in our backpacks, I want to take a moment to reflect on the 2023-2024 school year. This last year allowed us to continue to stabilize our organization and community post the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we continue to be challenged by the pandemic’s impacts, I am so grateful we have developed the systems, and committed the resources, to be responsive to these challenges. 

One of the systems that allowed us to traverse the pandemic so successfully was the execution of our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan. This document provided our community with a framework for governance, administration, implementation, and improvement. Thanks to our community’s ability to remain steadfastly committed to moving NVUSD through this comprehensive plan, we are poised to continue our upward trajectory.

We shared a little about these successes in our 2023 State of the District presentation. For those who were unable to attend in person or through our NVUSD-TV live stream, we invite you to take a moment (or 93 moments/minutes) to see, firsthand, how NVUSD is prepared to tackle current challenges as well as those that we don’t yet know exist. We are proud of the foundation we have laid, one that provides excellence in education, equity, and enrichment - all in a caring, supportive, and challenging environment. 
If you don’t have 93 minutes to view our State of the District presentation, then please take just 3 minutes to skip to the end. There, our Vintage High School students share what NVUSD means to them in a video they created and produced, titled My NVUSD is. We look forward to ending this year strong and to continuing to keep our most important focus top of mind - our students. Have a wonderful last few weeks of school and a joyful, restful summer!

Sincerely,

A SELPA Executive Board Meeting will be held on June 9, 2023, starting at 12:00 pm. 

We distributed a new edition of our Family eNewsletter today; read it wherever you receive your ParentSquare messages or click here. 

Students at NVUSD Elementary schools are participating in a schoolwide assembly hosted by community partners Common Ground Society. The assembly aligns with NVUSD’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan and our focus on developing strong "Ecosystems of Cariño" for all students. Director III Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and English Learner Services Matt Manning shared, “Not only does it align with our NVUSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan but it also helps ensure we are creating safe, caring school communities for all learners.” 

This past week, Canyon Oaks hosted the group. According to Canyon Oaks Principal Stephanie Vasquez, “The assembly's presenters started the conversation about disabilities providing students with practical tools to grow their inclusive muscles. They emphasized that we all have strengths and weaknesses and that the key to inclusion is pushing past the initial fear we all might experience when we encounter differences by finding what we have in common. The message from the assembly encouraged our Mighty Oaks to be brave and simply start by saying hi.”

“This is just one way we work to ensure students of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome, seen, and understood at school, shared Manning. This endeavor has the potential to build strong bridges and understanding between students.”

We distributed a new edition of our Family eNewsletter today; read it wherever you receive your ParentSquare messages or click here. 

California is known for its cultural diversity, and this diversity was on full display in the recent Escribo en Español writing contest organized by the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles. The contest was open to students in grades three through twelve across the state enrolled in Spanish Bilingual/Dual immersion programs, Spanish for Spanish speakers classes, and Spanish as a foreign language classes. Participating students were required to write an essay in Spanish about an unforgettable experience (Una experiencia involvidable). Every dual immersion student at Unidos Middle School wrote an essay for the contest.

The Consulate recently announced the contest winners, and according to Principal Alejandra Uribe, “It was a moment of pride for the students, their families, and their schools.” Elaborating upon this sentiment, she noted, “We are thrilled that three of our students received the statewide ISA writing contest award! Our students are very deserving as they have worked intently in becoming bilingual and bi-literate since their elementary years. This award validates the commitment and hard work as they work on their writing skills in Spanish (and English) and move through the dual immersion pathway.”

According to Ann Dearborn, Unidos could only submit a limited number of essays per grade level. Once the students finished writing their essays, staff met and read them to select those that would advance and represent the school in the statewide competition. Elena Ingram noted, “The students selected went above and beyond in responding to that prompt both in terms of their level of Spanish and the content of their essay.” 

Zoe A., a 7th-grade student from Elena Ingram’s class, took first place for Spanish speakers in the sixth to eighth-grade category. Zoe’s essay is a thoughtful reflection on her pandemic experience. In it, she shares her passage through the phases of the pandemic and the way it changed her perspective.  

In the non-native Spanish speakers sixth through eighth-grade category, Dee D., a sixth-grade student from Ann Dearborn’s class, took second place. Dee’s essay was about her journey of processing and coming to terms with the unexpected loss of friendship. Emory D., a seventh-grade student from Elena Ingram’s class, took third place in this same category. In her essay, Emory shared her discovery of a homeless encampment. 

Zoe, Dee, and Emory will receive a certificate of recognition signed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, and the Education Attaché at the Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles. They will also receive a package of books in Spanish and a copy of the 2023 Edition of the Escribo en Español. 

Phillips Magnet Elementary School fifth grade teacher Jennifer Veveiros is an NVUSD alumna and teacher of 22 years! She attended Northwood Elementary School for Kindergarten, NVLA for 1st-5th grade, Northwood, again, for 6th grade, Redwood Middle for 7th and 8th grade, and, finally, Vintage for high school. Sharing her love for teaching, she credits her teachers for inspiring her to join the profession, stating, “I was loved by my teachers like Mrs. Herdell and Mr. Roberts. They saw something special in me. That's when I knew I wanted to be a teacher.” 

Academics and athletics played an important role in helping her determine her path in life. She participated on the Redwood Middle School basketball team with Mr. Soper and felt the team changed her life. She shared, “I was focused, got good grades, and was part of a community of girls who taught me about hard work and teamwork.” This only continued as she moved to high school. “At Vintage, I thrived academically and was part of the honor society, the environmental club, and the basketball and track teams. Again, teams and teachers saw something in me, and my senior year I won Crusher of the Year (1995) as well as two scholarships that paid for my first two years of college.”

Mrs. Veveiros credits these successes to hard work and also to the teachers she felt were always there for her, “even when life was chaotic or uncertain.” She pays all this kindness back to the community she loves. Over the last seven years, she has been the site director of the middle school summer program called Aim High. Aim High is a free five-week summer learning program for middle school students that provides them the time and space to try new things, make new friends, and build connections with inspiring teachers through a mix of project-based academics, outdoor and physical activities, and a fun and supportive community. Mrs. Veveiros is also bringing past students back to the program as teachers, sharing, “It is so amazing to see these kids grow up!”

Ms. Veveiros and her husband have two daughters, one who just graduated from the University of Oregon and another who has her early childhood certificate and looking to teach preschool! Ms. Veveiros also continues to learn by working towards her administrative credential.

Although we don’t know what the future holds, we do know that whatever is next for Mrs. Veveiros will be amazing and that she will be surrounded by a community that believes in her!

We distributed a new edition of our Family eNewsletter today; read it wherever you receive your ParentSquare messages or click here.