OUR VISIONRising above in Silicon Valley!

OUR MISSIONTo prepare students of all ages and abilities to succeed in an ever-changing world.

District Leadership and Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Albert Gonzalez, President

Jim Canova, Vice President

Jodi Muirhead

Andrew Ratermann

Michele Ryan, Ph.D.

Noelani Sallings

Christopher Stampolis

SUPERINTENDENT

Stanley Rose III, Ed.D.

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS

Mark Allgire, Business Services

Kathie Kanavel, Educational Services

Andrew Lucia, Human Resources

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP

Larry Adams, Director, Bond Projects

Julie Beadell, Coordinator, Career Technical Education

Bonnie Billings, Director, Educational Media and Learning Resources

Daniel Bridges, Coordinator, Special Education

Michele Burchfiel, Director, Classified Human Resources

Maria Elena Calonje, Program Specialist, Migrant / ELD

Rod Cardin, Manager, Facilities

Jennifer Dericco, Public Information Officer, Public Relations

Patricia Eagles, Manager, Accounting

Elizabeth Gordon-Stoll, Coordinator, Assessment

Rob Griffin, Coordinator, Student Services

Rochelle Kelly, Director, Educational Options

Karen Luna, Director, Child Nutrition

Kathy Martarano, Director, Educational Options

Kim Nguyen, Manager, Budget

Lori Paolinetti, Director, Elementary Curriculum and Instruction

Eugene Soares, Interim Manager, Transportation

Laurie Stapleton, Ph.D., Director, Secondary Curriculum and Instruction

Lorena Tariba, Director, Supplemental and English Learner Programs

Anna Marie Villalobos, Ed.D., Director, Special Education

Joseph Zeligs, Director, Information Technology

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Melissa Alatorre Alnas, Principal, Scott Lane Elementary School

Jone Amador, Vice Principal, Buchser Middle School

Marc Auger, Vice Principal, Cabrillo Middle School

Deborah Bauer, Principal, Santa Clara Community School

Barbara Berman, Principal, Washington Open Elementary School

Lisa Blanc, Principal, Bowers Elementary School

Michael Fong, Principal, Sutter Elementary School

Chandra Henry, Vice Principal, Wilcox High School

Paul Fuller, Assistant Principal, Laurelwood Elementary School

Pamela Galano, Principal, Westwood Elementary School

Stan Garber, Principal, Cabrillo Middle School

Kristin Gonzalez, Principal, Wilcox High School

Susan Guerrero, Principal, Mayne Elementary School

Susan Harris, Principal, Peterson Middle School

Susan Jezyk, Principal, Briarwood Elementary School

Matthew Kolda, Vice Principal, Wilcox High School

Tony Lam, Vice Principal, Santa Clara High School

Wayne Leach, Principal, Bracher Elementary School

Kathleen MacDonald, Vice Principal, Wilcox High School

Diana Marshall, Principal, Braly Elementary School

Mary Martinez, Principal, Don Callejon K-8 School

Andy Masur, Vice Principal, Peterson Middle School

Alissa Meltzer, Principal, Ponderosa Elementary School

Gilbert Montiel, Principal, New Valley High School

Teri Morrow, Principal, Hughes Elementary School

Bob Moss, Principal, Millikin Elementary School

Priscilla Reza, Assistant Principal, Scott Lane Elementary School

Tricia Ringel, Principal, Pomeroy Elementary School

Lori Rogers, Principal, Laurelwood Elementary School

Aaron Schomberg, Vice Principal, Don Callejon K-8 School

Greg Shelby, Principal, Santa Clara High School

Viola Smith, Vice Principal, New Valley High School

Monica Stoffal, Principal, Buchser Middle School

Antonio Vela, Vice Principal, Santa Clara High School

Kimberly Wakefield, Principal, Haman Elementary School

Lorrie Wernick, Principal, Montague Elementary School

Join Us In Our Journey!

Dear Santa Clara Unified Community,

We are very pleased and proud to share our vision and strategic plan for the next five years— Rising Above in Silicon Valley!

Our plan uniquely positions Santa Clara Unified School District to prepare all students for success in a rapidly evolving world—a world that demands our young people to possess a new set of skills, knowledge, and interpersonal abilities required for success. The strategic plan also builds upon the tremendous gifts already residing in our highly diverse, multi-cultural community. This enriches the experience of education for students, families, staff, and community members alike.

Three central themes weave across our nine strategic priorities: the critical importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), the need to invest in continuous Professional Development for our teachers and classified staff, and a shared commitment to consistent Communication across our multiple internal and external stakeholder groups.

The 2015-2020 strategic plan is the product of an intensive, year-long, community-driven process involving over one thousand stakeholders—parents, teachers and classified staff, students, administrators, and members of the general public. Please refer to the Our Planning Process section that follows for more information about our professionally facilitated planning.

We extend our deepest gratitude to those of you who contributed to the strategic planning process— serving on one of our nine planning teams, participating in our Community Conversations, completing a survey, or hosting us at your school or community site. We are especially grateful to those who served as committee chairpersons, investing enormous time and energy to ensure rigorous and inclusive planning.

We invite all members of our community to join us in advancing our bold vision and strategic priorities.

Sincerely,

Stanley Rose III, Ed.D. Albert GonzalezSuperintendent President, Board of Trustees

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Our Planning Process

The District’s 2015-2020 strategic plan is the product of an intensive, year-long, community-driven planning process. Approximately 200 people participated on our nine strategic planning teams throughout the 2014-2015 school year. Each team was carefully recruited to include a balance of parents, teachers, classified staff, students, administrators, and members of the general public.

Each team was led by two or three co-chairs using a five-phase planning process developed and guided by an independent advisory firm.

Phase 1: Assess the Environment (analyze data, trends, community survey results, and best practices)

Phase 2: Frame the Opportunities (brainstorm and prioritize potential strategic opportunities)

Phase 3: Define Goals (articulate an overarching aspiration statement for the initiative)

Phase 4: Identify Objectives, Action Steps, and Resources

Phase 5: Finalize the Plan and Prepare for Implementation

Serving as invaluable community input tools throughout the strategic planning process, “Community Conversations” and surveys were offered in multiple languages at various school sites and timeframes to accommodate the diverse needs of our constituencies. The Community Conversations involved professionally facilitated small group discussions addressing specific questions and ideas emerging from the planning teams. Over one thousand community members contributed their feedback via this multi-pronged stakeholder input process.

The strategic plan produced via our comprehensive process now serves as the guidepost for the annual Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), as well as other required district-wide plans. To ensure that our aspirations do indeed become a reality, implementation of each strategic priority will be guided by stakeholder teams and stewarded by the Superintendent and Board of Trustees.

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Academic Excellence: College Readiness

Create a college-going culture in which all students have a pathway to college success.

1 Reduce class size to maximize the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

2 Provide the tools and support so students embrace high expectations of themselves and reach their highest potential.

3 Lower the student to counselor ratio and provide counselors with professional development to enable students to have individualized guidance for their educational paths.

4 Offer a variety of curricular pathways meeting the A-G requirements to ensure that all students have the opportunity to attend college/university.

5 Strengthen formal articulation of curricula and student expectations among teachers across all grade levels and partnering post-secondary institutions.

As one of the twin components of Academic Excellence, college readiness anchors the District’s commitment to preparing students to succeed in today’s world. Rigorous academic preparation, enhanced by increased access to teachers and counselors, will ensure that all students have the option for a high quality post-secondary education.

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Academic Excellence: Career Readiness

Ensure that all students–pre-K to adults–participate in a variety of learning experiences that enable them to develop and demonstrate 21st Century skills, while exploring career pathways that are responsive to industry needs and personal aspirations.

1 Develop a culture among parents, staff, and the broader community recognizing the importance of career exploration, readiness, and education.

2 Integrate rigorous Career Technical Education (CTE) into the core curriculum, with emphasis on the Four C’s of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking.

3 Develop career interest plans for all students.

4 Structure creative scheduling across our schools.

5 Explore multiple post-secondary options for students, dual-enrollment, and articulation agreements with partnering institutions.

6 Develop business and community partnerships to provide career exploration, mentoring, job shadowing, career readiness experiences, field trips, and guest speakers.

Carefully interwoven with its Academic Excellence twin, career readiness encompasses the wide range of skills and experiences needed for all students as they graduate into our rapidly changing world. Leveraging our location in the heart of Silicon Valley, the District will implement innovative strategies and partnerships to ensure that each graduate has the opportunity to thrive in his or her career of choice.

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1 Demonstrate a commitment to be positive and solution-oriented.

2 Create a systematic method of communication utilizing a variety of tools.

3 Strengthen relationships and a sense of community among SCUSD staff.

4 Build competency by sharing expertise through personal and professional development.

As the driver of an organization’s potential for success, culture manifests in day-to-day norms, beliefs, attitudes, and practices. Both visible and invisible, culture transcends all aspects of a school district—from school-based staff to administrators and from students to the board of trustees. We believe that a shared commitment to excellence—in all its forms—must be pursued with unrelenting conviction and infuse the District’s culture.

Cultivate a positive, solution-oriented environment that nurtures communication, compassion, competency, and consistency.

Culture of Excellence

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1 Centralize the planning and coordination of parent and family engagement strategies district-wide.

2 Ensure consistent, effective communication with parents and families using a variety of tools and incorporating multiple languages.

3 Develop and implement consistent parent education curricula across the district.

4 Establish family resource centers in easily accessible, centralized locations.

Foster a sense of belonging for all families, with the goal of supporting each student in realizing his or her maximum potential.

The consistent support and active involvement of family is essential to each student’s success. From parents and siblings to extended family and other caregivers, SCUSD welcomes all families to become involved—engaging the “whole family” in educational opportunities that reflect and respect our diverse cultural traditions.

Family Engagement

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1 Develop and implement a consistent “positive behavior support” program.

2 Expand health services across all schools, including mental health services.

3 Ensure that all staff are trained on safety and disaster preparedness.

4 Implement comprehensive anti-bullying and cyber safety programs for students in all grade levels and across all student populations.

5 Expand administrative support at our school sites to foster greater school safety.

There is no greater requirement for student success than a safe and supportive learning environment. In today’s world, SCUSD must take a broader view of school climate—looking beyond traditional physical safety and disaster preparedness to emotional and mental health, meaningful engagement with adults, and safe virtual environments including social media. The District will ensure that all students are provided the environment in which they can truly thrive.

Ensure all students are educated in safe learning environments that support greater opportunities for student-teacher interaction, school connectedness, and the social well-being of each learner.

Safety and School Climate

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As one of the major public school districts in Silicon Valley, SCUSD deeply recognizes the importance of technology—and its associated challenges. Technology represents an essential tool for student learning and career preparedness, as well as being a vital engine driving efficient staff operations. The District will implement an aggressive technology strategy with culture and training at the center, supported by a resource-rich, flexible infrastructure.

1 DREAM: Create a district culture that embraces evolving technology.

2 BUILD: Design and build the architecture and infrastructure for rapidly evolving classrooms and workspaces throughout the district.

3 TRAIN: Provide continuous training opportunities to ensure technically proficient staff.

4 SUPPORT: Institutionalize continuous commitment to a robust technology infrastructure.

Develop classrooms, workplaces and technology proficient staff and operations, to prepare students to be successful, responsible members of our global society.

Technology

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1 Have adequate facilities ready for enrollment where and when needed.

2 Utilize innovative products, materials, and technology to support environmental sustainability.

3 Create facilities that are flexible for new technologies and evolving instructional practices.

4 Define a process to periodically review the elements necessary for optimal school site facilities at all levels.

5 Offer flexible facilities to meet the needs of diverse user groups and to address varied purposes.

6 Develop learning spaces that promote healthy lifestyles.

7 Utilize a facilities needs taskforce to obtain ongoing input from key stakeholder groups.

8 Ensure continued transparency in construction oversight.

The opportunities and challenges associated with our District’s facilities mirror the rapidly changing world in which we live. The notion of “school” as we’ve known it for decades is transforming in parallel to exciting technological breakthroughs and increasing pressure for K-12 learning environments to foster the creative collaboration required in today’s work world. SCUSD will address these opportunities creatively within the challenging context of an aging infrastructure and expanding student population.

Develop environments for the 21st Century learner, while allowing each site and department to plan responsibly and with funding assurance.

Facilities

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Located in a thriving community in the heart of Silicon Valley, SCUSD recognizes that many local businesses and community-based organizations share in our commitment to provide the highest quality education to our students. The District will invest in the infrastructure needed to establish and manage strategic partnerships that bring vitally needed financial and in-kind resources to our classrooms and beyond.

1 Establish and staff an infrastructure to effectively cultivate, coordinate, and track partnerships across the district.

2 Develop and implement a process to identify annual partnership priorities based on the district’s strategic plan, LCAP, school site priorities, and emerging trends.

3 Design, implement, and continuously improve channels of engagement with the district for local businesses and corporations, community-based organizations, and government entities.

4 Create an advisory network of key decision-makers and thought leaders to collaborate with the district on issues and opportunities of critical importance to student success.

Cultivate and implement mutually beneficial business, community, and government partnerships to support student success and a thriving district.

Community and Business Partnerships

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Today’s rapidly changing economic conditions require all organizations—including school districts—to proactively steward financial resources. For public school districts, the cyclical nature of traditional funding demands sophisticated, multi-year planning and the increasing diversification of funding sources. SCUSD’s strategy for long-term financial sustainability emphasizes comprehensive planning and the expansion of new funding sources such as grants and corporate support.

1 Develop and implement a rolling five-year plan for the District and each site/department, reflecting multiple scenarios.

2 Generate additional revenue through the effective use of facilities and optimal lease structures.

3 Determine and maintain adequate reserve levels.

4 Maintain capital facilities, including energy saving improvements and technology infrastructure.

5 Replace one-time resources with more permanent revenue streams.

6 Address site-based fundraising challenges and gaps.

7 Restart a SCUSD Budget Advisory Committee process.

Provide maximum services to all students within available financial resources, allowing each site and department to plan responsibly and with funding assurance.

Financial Sustainability

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Samia Abbasi, StudentLarry Adams, Co-Chair, AdministratorMark Allgire, Co-Chair, AdministratorGary Alver, Classified StaffJozef Antolin, TeacherJanet Armstrong, TeacherKristina Bass, ParentJulie Beadell, Co-Chair, AdministratorChristine Berdiansky, AdministratorFrederick Bianca, School NurseBonnie Billings, Co-Chair, PrincipalLisa Blanc, TeacherErin Brown, TeacherMichelle Brown, TeacherMichele Burchfiel, AdministratorMaria Elena Calonje, AdministratorJim Canova, Board MemberCarrie Casto, TeacherCathy Carvalho, TeacherChristy Chalfant, TeacherLeslie Code, TeacherKaren Cornwell, ParentJennifer Dericco, Co-Chair, AdministratorJon Joey Dizon Telebrico, StudentMary Dooley Ng, Community MemberMonica Dupree, ParentDon Ellerby, ParentDave Fernandez, CounselorTanya Fisher, Co-Chair, AdministratorKellie Fitch, TeacherMichael Fong, Co-Chair, PrincipalLynne Formigli, Co-Chair, TeacherJames Gallos, Classified StaffKamala Ganapathi, StudentStan Garber, PrincipalAmanda Gardner, Community MemberLinda Gentry, ParentSuzanne Gokel, ParentLeanna Goldenberg, TeacherKristi Gradwohl, ParentRob Griffin, Co-Chair, AdministratorKate Grimes, Teacher

Colleen Haley, Community MemberJulie Hall, CounselorVanessa G Hayden, TeacherLynne Hayes, TeacherSarah Hedges, ParentJonathan Jenkins, Classified StaffSusan Jezyk, PrincipalKathie Kanavel, Co-Chair, AdministratorRochelle Kelly, AdministratorLisa Kinneman, TeacherDiana Kinsey, Classified StaffChris Kloes, ParentLeslie Kloes, ParentChristine Koltermann, Co-Chair, Community MemberSofia Kritikopoulos, StudentLisa Kunze, ParentLillian Kwiatkowski, ParentClaire Lachance, Strategic PlannerKathy Lane, Classified StaffJennifer Lang-Jolliff, TeacherWayne Leach, PrincipalAndrew Lucia, AdministratorJenny Maehara, TeacherJohn Markhum, Community MemberKathy Martarano, AdministratorBeatrice Martinez, Classified StaffMathew Thankachan, ParentLorrie McPheeters, ParentSwetha Medagam, Community MemberRaquel Mejia, Classified StaffAlissa Meltzer, PrincipalTeri Morrow, PrincipalBob Moss, PrincipalJodi Muirhead, Board MemberSrirama Muppalla, Community MemberTeresa O’ Neill, Community MemberVicki Pardini, TeacherKatherine Patterson, StudentPam Pewitt, Classified StaffPatty Picard, Classified StaffNicole Piscionere, Teacher

Andrew Ratermann, Board MemberLily Alex Rathbone, ParentJennifer Reyes, ParentPriscilla Reza, Co-Chair, Assistant PrincipalTricia Ringel, Co-Chair, PrincipalStanley Rose, Co-Chair, SuperintendentNoelani Sallings, Board MemberAngie Scott, TeacherHannah Sebrero, StudentGreg Shelby, PrincipalMark Shimada, Community MemberKirankumar Shinde, ParentAnne-Marie Sierra, TeacherSarah Smith, TeacherApril Spurgisz, ParentLaurie Stapleton, AdministratorElizabeth Stavis, TeacherMonica Stoffal, PrincipalAgillatha Subbiah, ParentShail Talati, ParentEdwin Tan, Community MemberLorena Tariba, AdministratorTim Towers, Community MemberPeg Tushak, Classified StaffPeggy Uyeda, Classified StaffAldijana Velagic, StudentGina Ventresca Cruzen, Classified StaffKelly Villarreal, TeacherPhllip Volta, TeacherKimberly Wakefield, PrincipalAnn Waterman Roy, Community MemberCarmelita Weddle, TeacherAnna Welsh, Classified StaffLorrie Wernick, Co-Chair, PrincipalCarol Wheaton, TeacherDave Whittum, Community MemberFernanda Wilson, Classified StaffDevin Wong, StudentJoe Zeligs, Co-Chair, AdministratorMyrna Zendejas, Parent

Committee Members

Santa Clara Unified School District

1889 Lawrence Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051

(408) 423-2000

communications@scusd.net

www.santaclarausd.org