Summer 2020 - Volume 9, Issue 4

News and Information from Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin

for employees of the Tustin Unified School District

Visit the TUSD website at www.tustin.k12.ca.us and www.DestinationTUSD.org

Follow us on: Twitter: @SuptFranklin and @tustinUSD

Facebook: facebook.com/tustinUSD Instagram on iPhone or Android: @tustinUSD

Sign of the Times -- Tustin Connect High School held a drive-through celebration for its 40 graduating seniors on May 8 at the Education Support Center. During the parade, each student received a “Congratulations Class of 2020” lawn sign for their home. Photo below: Graduating senior Jordan Sparks holds a 2020 yard sign.

Superintendent’s Message: Meeting the Challenges for Student Success

What an unusual and challenging way to end a school year! Yet, even in the face of these challenges, TUSD students, staff and parents found ways to adapt, persevere and overcome! After only one school day of being closed, Educational Services staff provided online platforms and teachers began delivering instruction through distance learning. The IT Department and school staff provided thousands of students with devices and internet connections. Nutrition Services began serving thousands of student meals per week at Grab-and-Go locations. Maintenance and Operations staff cleaned and sanitized facilities, and maintained campus security. Teachers and students hosted the District’s first Virtual Film Festival with over 500 student entries. Finally, parents – who are every child’s first and most important teachers – did an

incredible job of helping students learn from home. Incredibly, most of this was accomplished from individual dining room tables, living rooms and patios. Thanks to everyone who learned how to work differently, focused on students and did their best.

The 2020-21 school year could be even more challenging. The Center for Disease Control has provided Guidelines for reopening schools, and they will be difficult to implement. Depending on the guidelines in place for the beginning of school, the District is planning scenarios that include returning to school with social distancing, distance learning, or a hybrid combination of in-person and online instruction. Regardless of the instructional delivery model, we all realize there will be a need to help students catch up. We also realize the distance learning model provided in the District over the last 10 weeks met the need for an emergency situation but would be insufficient if needed for a sustained period of time. A team of teacher leaders will be working with Educational Services staff on a new distance learning model if needed for the fall term. Regardless of the model, our goal will be that students and staff are safe, and that students are learning.

A final challenge for the next few years is the recession that has developed as a result of business closures and job losses. Governor Newsom has identified a shortfall in the state of approximately $50 billion over three budget years. As a result, his latest budget proposal for 2020-21 would reduce the District’s budget by approximately $23 million. Even with Tustin Unified’s healthy budget reserves, these reductions will require significant spending cuts. The California legislature and the governor will approve a budget by the end of June; however, since the deadline to file and pay income tax has been postponed to July 15, the budget will be updated after those payments are tabulated. The District will provide updates on the budget situation on the District’s website at www.tustin.k12.ca.us.

The Tustin Unified School District has successfully faced difficult times in the past by working together. The same will be true as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting recession. I look forward to working with you as we muster our creativity, compassion and commitment in meeting the challenges ahead.

Go TUSD!

Gregory A. Franklin, Ed.D.

Barbara Benson Elementary School teacher Allison Goodlander has been named one of six Orange County Teachers of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education. Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares, TUSD Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin, TUSD Board of Education President Francine Scinto and District administrators surprised Goodlander with the good news via a Zoom meeting on May 20. The photo above was taken prior to the stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photos courtesy of John Garrett

Allison Goodlander Named Orange County Teacher of the Year

Allison Goodlander, fourth/fifth-grade teacher at Barbara Benson Elementary School in the Tustin Unified School District, has been selected as one of six 2020-21 Orange County Teachers of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education. She will represent Orange County in the 2021 California Teachers of the Year program.

Goodlander has been a teacher for 20 years – all at Benson School. Over the years, she has taught kindergarten, first, second, fourth and fifth grades. She is a GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher, UCI Mathematics Institute participant, Tustin Public Schools Foundation grant award recipient and master teacher for several local universities. She was also named Benson Teacher of the Year in 2007.

Outside of the classroom, Goodlander has participated in building projects for Habitat for Humanity, volunteered for the Foundation’s Dinosaur Dash during the past 12 years, and has supported local food banks and philanthropic organizations celebrating the advancement of women through awards, grants and scholarships.

Rick McKinley, a government teacher at Foothill High School, was named a semifinalist in the county Teachers of the Year program. Goodlander and McKinley will be recognized at the Orange County Teachers of the Year Awards Dinner at the Disneyland Hotel on November 13.

Arroyo Elementary School health clerk Michael-Ann Pevehouse, center, is surprised with balloons and flowers for being named Tustin Unified School District 2020 Classified Employee of the Year. TUSD Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin, far left, made the announcement April 22 at the Pevehouse home. He was joined by TUSD Board of Education Member Jonathan Abelove, far right, Arroyo Principal Katy Sheyka, second from left, as well as District Office administrators, representatives from the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, Dash Dino and Arroyo teachers and staff members in a parade of cars driving past Pevehouse’s home.

Michael-Ann Pevehouse Selected as TUSD Classified Employee of the Year

Michael-Ann Pevehoue, health clerk at Arroyo Elementary School, has been selected as the 2020 Classified Employee of the Year by the Tustin Unified School District. Pevehouse was chosen based on her significant contributions to the District and community. . The 23rd annual awards program recognizes classified or support services employees whose contributions to TUSD have proven to be outstanding. The award is given to a classified employee who provides valuable services to their school and contributes to a positive instructional environment.

Pevehouse, also known as the “Aunt Bee of Arroyo,” is being recognized for going “above and beyond” for the students and staff at the school, and her community work, such as the Tustin Public School Foundation’s Dinosaur Dash and Summer Academy.

Pevehouse has worked in TUSD for 10 years. She is outstanding at serving in the health office and working with the Arroyo community, helping students with their health needs and is a lead member of the Arroyo School Safety Committee. According to Principal Katy Sheyka, “Michael-Ann is literally the frontline care provider to children having cultivated trusting, strong relationships with their parents, which has meant the world to Arroyo families.”

“It is a wonderful honor to be chosen as the District’s Classified Employee of the Year,” Pevehouse said. “I feel very fortunate to work in a school district that appreciates and recognizes its employees in such a special way. It’s truly a privilege to represent all the amazing health clerks and classified staff in the District and go on to the Orange County Classified Employees of the Year program.”

Tustin Unified’s other 2020 School/work Site Classified Employees of the Year include:

District Administration Center: Jan Moe, secretary, Educational Services Department.

Maintenance and Operations: Eddie Cruz, groundsperson.

Elementary Schools: Giselle Dunn, community liaison, Benson; Jocelyn Teo, paraeducator, Beswick; Marisol Flores, community liaison, Estock; Michele Macduff, paraeducator, Guin Foss; Sergio Perez, head custodian, Heideman; Joaquin Cabrera, head custodian, Heritage; Kari Knodle, behavior interventionist, Hicks Canyon; Arfa De La Vega, head custodian, Ladera; Frank Matijevich, paraeducator, Loma Vista; Catherine Avila, library media technician, Myford; Beverly Gilbert, paraeducator, Nelson; Denise Fear, school secretary, Peters Canyon; Carrie Stahovich, technologist, Red Hill; Melissa Guzman, paraeducator, Thorman; Naomi Dei Rossi, paraeducator, Tustin Memorial Academy; and Peggy Shen, Nutrition Services assistant, Tustin Ranch.

Orchard Hills School: Jackie Finazzo, office assistant.

Middle Schools: Rosa Ford, community liaison, Columbus Tustin; Gretchen Truebe, cafeteria manager, Currie; Julie Gullion, school secretary, Hewes; Martha Cronic, campus supervisor, Pioneer; and Alicia Smalley, paraeducator, Utt.

High Schools: Elizabeth Calleros, campus supervisor, Beckman; Jeremy Ruiz, custodian, Foothill; Joseph Arballo, custodian, Hillview; and Myra Rivera-Smith, data processing technician, Tustin.

Due to stay-at-home protocols as a precaution to slowing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pevehouse and all school/work site nominees will be honored at the “Classified Celebration at the Courtyard” ceremony next school year at the District Administration Center. Pevehouse will also represent the District in the Orange County Classified School Employees of the Year Program, sponsored by the Orange County Department of Education.

Utt Middle School Named AVID National Demonstration School

C.E. Utt Middle School has been selected as an AVID National Demonstration School, a recognition for becoming a premier Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) schoolwide implementation site.

AVID is a nonprofit organization that provides educators with proven, real-world strategies to accelerate the performance of college-bound students. AVID National Demonstration Schools provide schoolwide student support towards success in college, career, and life.

“It is an honor to achieve AVID demonstration school status because it affirms our efforts to create a college-going culture,” Utt Principal Heather Bojorquez said.

The Tustin Unified School District provides the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at nine schools, including Columbus Tustin, A.G. Currie, Hewes, and Pioneer middle schools; Orchard Hills School; and Beckman, Foothill and Tustin high schools.

“As Tustin Unified’s third AVID National Demonstration School, joining Columbus Tustin School and Tustin High, Utt will serve as a model for area schools and districts interested in implementing or improving their program,” said TUSD AVID teacher on special assignment Laurie Jimenez, who coordinates the program.

Above photo: Utt Middle School staff participates in College-wear Day at the school.

Library media technicians and IT technicians at Benjamin Beswick Elementary School conduct device deployment for TK-4 students while maintaining social distancing requirements.

Information Technology: Working Behind the Scenes of Distance Learning

When schools closed in mid-March due the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest challenges was assuring that students had access to internet service and a device that would allow the possibility of learning from home.

Thanks to the passing of Measure S, the Tustin Unified School District was in a great place to make a quick transition to online instruction. Measure S funds had already provided iPads and Surface Pro devices for every student in grades 5-12.

Principals, library media technicians and IT technicians all scrambled in a matter of three days to deploy an additional 3,000 devices to serve students in grades TK through 4.

In addition, IT staff was able to shift our network functionality, add new software needed by students and teachers, and assist over 900 families with getting discounted home internet or LTE hotspots within a few weeks.

This remarkable behind-the-scenes effort was a great compliment to the efforts of teachers and parents.

When everyone in TUSD is behind in an effort, the District gets things done for students!

Top photos: Yard signs for award winners were proudly displayed in front of the District Office. Photos below: Beswick Elementary School kindergarten student Joanna Leon won Most Uplifting Film for “Happy News.” Pioneer Middle School seventh grader Timothy Okajima won Best Acting for “A Boring Documentary.”

Educational Services: TUSD Virtual Film Festival Spotlights Student Filmmakers

Lights! Camera! Action! May 15 was an exciting day for Tustin Unified School District student filmmakers. This was the date of TUSD’s first-ever Virtual Film Festival. Students in grades TK through 12 were encouraged to submit a film entry to be considered for the District’s virtual showcase. Some of the award categories included: Best Editing, Best Acting, Most Creative Use of Props and Most Inspirational Film. Awards were given in the form of yard signs to be proudly displayed in windows or in front of the students’ homes. The elementary and secondary festivals were hosted by enthusiastic student emcees Emily Diaz, a fifth-grade student at Benjamin Beswick Elementary School, and Timothy Okajima, a seventh-grade student at Pioneer Middle School. With over 350 submissions from all school sites in TUSD, the film festival provided an opportunity

for students to express creativity, showcase their digital storytelling skills and dispense hope during this challenging time of school closures. Students used their own devices (computer, iPad, laptop or phone) while practicing social distancing. The elementary film showcase received over 800 visits in the first two days and the secondary site had over 750 viewers connecting from all over the world, including Japan! The virtual film festival showcased the many hard-working and talented students in the Tustin school district.

To see the videos, click on TK-5 Film Festival and Secondary (6-12) Film Challenge.

Business Services: An Unprecedented Time – Updated Fiscal Outlook and K-12 Funding

On May 7, the California Department of Finance released its May Revise Budget Outlook followed by Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revisions to the California Budget on May 14. The updated financial reports portray a significant change in the fiscal forecast for 2020-21 compared to the fiscally sound budget initially proposed in January 2020. Due to the unprecedented economic impact of COVID-19, the state economy and budget are now facing significant declines in productivity, employment and tax collections. Given that education funding is closely tied to state revenue collections, a concern now exists for the future projection of K-12 education funding.

When Governor Newsom ordered the school closures in March, he assured K-12 schools would maintain state funding for fiscal year 2019-20 under Proposition 98, which guarantees a minimum level of funding for public schools. However, with California facing a $54 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year, the governor is now looking at making some difficult budget reductions. While a significant amount of uncertainty still exists regarding the effects of the COVID-19 recession, the state’s Prop 98 education funding guarantee is estimated to decline by $19 billion under the governor’s budget proposal. In summary, the governor is proposing:

• No cost of living increase.

• A 10% reduction in per student funding.

• Major reductions for very specific programs such as After-School Education, Adult Education and Career Tech Education.

• Preliminary estimates indicate Tustin Unified could lose over approximately $23 million next year for core programs on an ongoing basis.

In addition, the District now faces a substantial new challenge of increased costs in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the continued decline of student enrollment. Consequently, in the next couple of months, the District’s administration and Board of Education will be making some difficult decisions regarding budget adjustments. The good news is that the state and federal governments are having serious conversations to provide additional funding relief to offset these challenges, and the Board has prudently established reserves above the bare minimum for economic uncertainties and will use these reserves to soften the impact of funding cuts and the operational challenges ahead.

Finally, it’s important to recognize the governor’s budget proposal is a starting point. The state budget development process now begins with discussions between the governor and the state legislature in refining and revising elements of the state budget that will address the current financial uncertainty. Even though the governor and legislature are required to approve a state budget by the end of June, governmental finance experts believe a more refined budget plan will not be determined until possibly August, considering final tax collections were delayed until July due to the impact of the coronavirus, and have not been fully accounted for. As a result of these potential delays, K-12 school districts will be required to develop budget plans in June without the knowledge of final state apportionments due to them. Stay tuned.

Left photo: Roof tiles are removed and stacked in preparation for new underlayment material at Pioneer Middle School. Right photo: Demolition of the roofing material on the covered walkway at Foothill High School.

Maintenance, Operations and Facilities: Summer Deferred Maintenance Projects Underway

The Tustin Unified School District’s Maintenance, Operations and Facilities staff are already working diligently on the extensive list of summer deferred maintenance projects, including over 50 projects at 23 school sites. The timelines and completions for each project vary. However, all work is anticipated to be completed before the start of the new school year in August. A list of the projects has been included below:

• Completion of Legacy Magnet Academy for an August opening

• Modernization and office improvements at Sycamore Magnet Academy – K-8 Spanish dual language immersion program (formally Thorman Elementary School and Currie Middle School)

• Roof replacements at Pioneer Middle School (entire site) and Foothill High School (building 100)

• Covered walkway roof replacement at C.E. Utt Middle School and Foothill High School

• Engineering portable building at Beckman High School

• Classroom/office improvements at Heritage Elementary School

• Asphalt slurry and striping at 11 school sites

• New flooring at six school sites, including major flooring replacements at Red Hill Elementary School and Beckman High School

• New concrete at the trash enclosure at W.R. Nelson Elementary School

Nutrition Services: Grab-and-Go Meals Program Continues in June and July

Due to the USDA extending its National School Lunch waivers, the Tustin Unified School District will continue providing Grab-and-Go breakfast and lunch meals throughout the summer at Robert Heideman Elementary School, 15571 Williams Street; Columbus Tustin Middle School, 17952 Beneta Way; A.G. Currie Middle School, 1401 Sycamore Avenue; and Tustin High School, 1171 El Camino Real.

Here is the Grab-and-Go meals schedule for the coming months:

• June 1 through July 29, Monday and Wednesday – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. On Mondays, students receive four meals (two breakfasts and two lunches) – two for the current day and two for the next day. On Wednesdays, students receive six meals (three breakfasts and three lunches) – two for the current day and four for the next two days.

The meals are provided at no cost to all children 18 years and younger (it is not necessary for them to be in the free and reduced lunch program). Service is set up as a drive-through style for pickup; however, walk-ups are accepted.

Grab-and-Go Meals Program – Left photo: Nutrition Services assistants Pati De Bernal, Flori Denning, Debbie Montejano and Ronda Jay serve meals at Currie Middle School. Right photo: Nutrition Services assistant Vanessa Santos asks families an important question at Columbus Tustin Middle School.

The number of families picking up meals has increased since TUSD started the program – from 2,600 students to 3,300 students served per day. The District has provided over 150,000 breakfast and lunch meals since March 23.

For more information, call the TUSD Nutrition Services Department at (714) 730-7301, extension 396

Tustin Public Schools Foundation: The Summer Academy Reimagined

This year, the Tustin Public Schools Foundation Summer Academy is going online, but including many favorite classes reimagined and plenty of new offerings focused on learning virtually. Credentialed Tustin Unified School District teachers will be using their creativity to offer opportunities for students to explore, collaborate and learn in new ways.

To prepare for the program, new dates have been selected for classes, July 6 through 31. The Academy will be held four days a week, Monday through Thursday, in two separate two-week sessions. Teachers will work with students in small class sizes in one of two sessions offered daily.

TK through eighth-grade students can keep learning this summer or explore something new. Now is the time to take up cooking, focus on creative writing, or start learning coding and robotics. Rising high school seniors can also use this time to prepare and be mentored as they explore college options and applications. There is something for everyone, and full details and registration can be found at https://www.tpsf.net/summer.

Registration is now open and classes are beginning to be filled. Find the dates and times that work best for you, and encourage friends to sign up for a virtual meet-up.

During these unusual times, the Foundation is still committed to offering scholarship support so students can participate regardless of need. A Scholarship Fund has been established to support students continued

learning this summer. Scholarship support can be contributed online at https://www.tpsf.net/donate or contact Andrea Dabrow at andrea@tpsf.net for more information on how you can ensure all students are included in this wonderful summer learning program.

Follow Superintendent Franklin and TUSD on Social Media!

During the year, get the latest news and information! You can always follow Superintendent Gregory Franklin and the Tustin Unified School District on Twitter: @SuptFranklin and @tustinUSD / Facebook: tustinUSD / Instagram: @tustinUSD. Stay in touch with us!

The Franklin Almanac is produced by the TUSD Communications Office.

For questions, comments or information, contact: Mark Eliot, Director of Communications

and Public Information (714) 730-7339 or meliot@tustin.k12.ca.us