Print
For the first time in over a year, the Del Mar Union School District board and staff gathered in-person for an exciting milestone event: the groundbreaking of the new Pacific Sky School on June 24.
At the ceremony on the Pacific Highlands Ranch construction site, DMUSD Superintendent Holly McClurg pointed out the most important guests: the future students of Pacific Sky. Several youngsters were invited to partake in the groundbreaking, eagerly and ambitiously digging with their little plastic shovels.
“The sky’s the limit for this school and the district couldn’t be more excited to break ground on
our ninth campus,” McClurg said. “It’s been long planned for the Pacific Highlands Ranch community and we appreciate the community’s support and patience through this process.”
On a night when they honored all teachers as Teachers of the Year during the challenging pandemic school year, the Del Mar Union School District board approved an off-schedule 4% salary increase for its teachers.
Print
With his May budget revision, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $20 billion investment in “the total transformation of schools as gateways to equity and opportunity.”
His education proposal, the highest level of state school funding in California history, includes plans for universal transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds by 2024. Currently, transitional kindergarten is offered only to children who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. Starting in 2022-23, it will be expanded in annual increments, first to children turning 5 by March 2, then in 2023-24 for birthdays by July 2 and finally in 2024-25 for full implementation at an additional annual cost of $2.7 billion.
“We’re doing more than just fully reopening for the upcoming school year, we’re proposing historic investments in public schools to create new opportunities for every student, especially for our neediest students, so that every child can thrive, regardless of their race or zip code,” Newsom said
Print
A data-driven presentation on the benefits of transitional kindergarten (TK) was provided to the five local Basic Aid districts last month by North County community member Allison Trent.
Marsha Sutton
(File photo)
Of the four districts that included the presentation on recent agendas, the Del Mar Union School District was the only one that held an open session discussion.
The Cardiff, Encinitas and Solana Beach school districts did not discuss the issue in open session. Donna Tripi, superintendent of the fifth district, Rancho Santa Fe, said she did not receive a request to place TK on the agenda.
At their board meetings, Cardiff, Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach had two presentations: Trent’s – which was extensive, thorough and research-based – and one developed by each school district.