And last, but certainly not least, Apple Valley High School brave person, Olivia, stepping in for Effie. I'm guessing he's preparing for his debut tomorrow night. Awesome. Um, I'm looking forward to going and catching that for the first time. It'll be my first time seeing that. Um, I wish you the best. Um, I don't know if you're going to prom, but all the seniors at Apple Valley High School who are going to prom, Edward's Mansion is amazing. So, have a good time. CTE regional competitions, 39 gold. Impressive. 39 silver and 15 bronze. Um, well done. I look forward to seeing both Granite Hills and Apple at state April 9th through 12th. So, thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you, Anita Tucker. Okay. I I want to thank you all. Rio Vista, I was really excited when I saw the aprons and I was thinking, "Oh, food." But but this was better and less calories.
>> No. >> I think I she's got the floor. Hang on. She's got the floor. She gets >> No. Best way is to do a process sheet. This is the process. >> You should know something. I need something. >> Yeah, we can send you a We can send you a process sheet. This is the process. >> I'd like to >> and I can actually send you a video um you know from another school that's already done this and you can watch that video. So you can see from another school and you can look at their website and you go to their admissions page and you'll see that certified list with the numbers. That might help to make it more clear. Better than nothing. >> All set. >> When are we having >> way after the >> We can send you the link. We can send you the link and try to send an explanation document that helps follow the uh the video.
So Amarie is now going to uh talk about how we take district ideas and bring them into the classroom. >> Thank you Christine. So thinking about we've heard a lot about coaches and what we do and how we support teachers. So let's let's think about what's happening now. We are the bridge between professional learning about instructional practices and getting them into the classrooms for our students. So I've been working very closely side by side with Azra helping bring HQI high quality literacy instruction to our students. So back in December, we had a little mini marathon, nine PD sessions in the two weeks right before winter break, right prime time. a lot of great learning, a lot of great feedback that the teachers gave us. So actually talking about teacher feedback, a very common practice in many PDs is that we want anonymous feedback like let us know what did you get like what did you understand out of this PD and what do you need next?
Tresy, uh Teresa Ursty, instructional aid for 40 years, honored for her dedication. Hemsus secretary attendance and sub senior administrative bilingual recognized for positivity and professionalism. All of our LMTs who make AUHSD libraries vibrant hubs of reading. Jasmine Alba EIT senior admin for consistent support and positive attitude. Raquel Lzaraga for stepping in to support the Lac department during uh proctor absences. our lack and translator plural lingual services department for working as a team to take last minute requests when needed. Student support services and health office staff, thank you for your smiles and professionalism. EIT Calpads department, thank you for ensuring accurate Calads data for state certification. And while they're not CSEA, we did receive quite a few shoutouts for custodians. And since I agree that I appreciate their work, we also like to thank them. And finally, Tanya Vasquez, program support secretary, for her efforts in keeping me sane and for developing communication tools to educate families on the CBHI program and her work assisting with our medical reimbursement programs.
You all did an amazing job. Um I'm excited to go back to Rio Vista and see some of these amazing things. So, thank you and thank you staff. Um hi Desert. Um great job on your presentation. Um, I know that Miss Longshore had good experience with senior pictures. Mine are really ugly. You can probably still see them in the old yearbooks, but I'm glad that they were good for you. Good job, Granite. Excellent job as always. I I too love the cheering team. I I think that's um maybe a little competition now for for cheering um on that. Uh, congratulations to the sports team, especially the soccer team. I'm so excited for tonight. I'm like just waiting to hear that we crushed it again. So, good job for that, Apple. Um, I I can't wait for Mr. um Sunundevil. And I' I've been to Mr.
You can see >> who's next? So I just going to explain it. So I think I understood it now because still it doesn't make sense but I understand. >> Yeah. >> So when they pull the first number they pulled the you know I was the first number and and my number is 9,999 and I'm the first one. I that doesn't make me number one. That's I'm still the last one to get in because even though they boom my number, the lowest number to the thousand going to get better chances than me even though I got pulled first, >> right? >> So how that how does a lottery how is that a lottery? >> But that's that just that's what I said. I I understand it if it still doesn't make sense. That's how it is. So I'm number 9,999 out of the 10,000. Right. >> But I'm the first one that can that got pulled out.
So in that particular PD um we got a lot of feedback but some examples like I got it. I got a list of resources to use. I need help on how to use them. I got it. I got multiple resources from you. These are actual teacher responses. I need help conferencing with students. Okay, I got a scope in sequence, but I need help with kids who are below grade level or I got it. I got the pacing for my bridge lessons. I need time to talk it over. Okay, that was two weeks before winter break. Most of my January, my February, and into March, and in fact all day today here at Dittle, I am side by side with teachers in the classrooms, I am modeling their bridge lesson, their phonics lessons, but the teacher or teachers, depending on what the coverage could be, are watching.
With her assistance, we just submitted our largest cost reimbursement claim ever for $6.5 million. So, these recognitions show what we already know. Classified employees are the heart of EUHSD. Thank you. NEXT VIA LACY MUNGER, APJ co-president. Good evening, President Guerrero, members of the board, Superintendent Freed, Executive Cabinet, and AHSD cabinet me um community members. I want to take a moment to recognize school social workers week and express our appreciation for AHSD's dedicated school social workers. Counselors value the strong partnership we have with the social work team. Together, we work towards a shared mission, supporting the mental health and well-being of all of our students. Congratulations to our senior pontentistas who were recognized tonight as Poente Student Leader Award recipients. These students are prime examples of what the Poente program can do when students are connected to our program in the community. A fun fact about Pointe is that it was originally created by a community college counselor in Northern California.
Scorpion. I've been to Mr. Cougar. I've met to Mr. Jack Rabbit. And so, they didn't have Mr. Sunundevil when when I went to school at Apple. So, I'm excited to see that. Congratulations on everything that you've done with uh CTE. I've toured some of the programs. They're amazing. Great job. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Maria Akara. >> Thank you so much. Um it is always a pleasure to hear the students speak. Uh because this this is exactly why we are here. Uh to service each one of you. Uh so it's always it's always my biggest joy just to hear you. But I I wouldn't um get this done if I didn't thank those who stood to to speak to us. It is not an easy thing to stand up and speak to adults. Um, so I I give you, you know, if I have a hat, I'll take off my hat for each one of you, uh, because you've done such a marvelous just uh, job of um, showcasing your schools, uh, showcasing the things that you are doing at your school, but I'm going to start with Rio Vista.
That still doesn't make me to get in because then they put everybody else under. Even though I got pulled first, I'm still the last one who have a chance because everybody else have a lower number than me. Has a better chance than I than I do. >> Even though number 1000 is the last one to get pulled out, he has the first the first one in the lottery. He's already in because he's number 1,00. He have the lower number, >> right? >> No. >> That's what happened. So then out of the 1,00 then 1,0 is the second lower number. Then 1,0 is already is number two. Then 3,000 is the lower number. Then 3,00 is the number three. 3,59 is number four. That's the and so on until they get to the higher number. And when the higher number is out, the rest are out.
But then the great opportunity is that we have a chance to co- sit and talk afterwards where the teachers can stop, reflect on what they saw. So maybe they saw an entire bridge lesson with a lesson with a whole class or they watch a conference and I could be conferencing with a small group of students or maybe an individual student but then we have time to sit the teacher can reflect on okay this is what I saw let me ask you some questions so I can answer the questions but then here's the important part now side by side with the teachers we're going to plan the next steps for the teacher because the goal is you learn this in PD right and then I showed it to you we did it we talked about it and now we need to help build their confidence so they can take it back into the classroom.
The story goes that after reviewing more than 2,000 student transcripts, that counselor recognized a need for stronger counseling support, improved writing skills, and increased mentorship for Latino students. While Poente began in the community colleges, leaders quickly recognized the need to bring the program into high schools, and AHSD was one of the first districts in Southern California to adopt it. More recently, Ahsd also became the first district to expand Pointe into junior high schools. And while the academic component takes place in English classes in grades 7 through 10, it is actually the point counselor who continues the work of mentorship, connection, and guidance with students throughout their high school years until they graduate. Last month, I shared that I would provide an update on our FAFSA completion as March 2nd was a priority deadline for students, which ensures that students are considered for the maximum amount of financial aid available.
Uh, I had no idea that I was going to be on on blast. Um, when I go to any school, I just want to be one of you. I I just want to enjoy what you're doing. I just want to do the little things that you're doing. I don't mind painting. I don't mind getting the paint on me. Um that's the joy of it. Um because I'm I'm all in as an educator. So I don't think of myself anything different. Um so when I came to your school, I had a fabulous time. I have to say it was probably the best time. And I came twice back to back. Uh because I had no idea that um when I make my little thing, whatever the uh hand the the thing we made that I had to come back the next day to finish the job.
Even though the number 9,999 was the first one pulled out, he still got no chance. >> Okay. >> Can we do one more question? >> No, I have no more question. I think I don't want to prolong this discussion. I don't want to prolong it either. >> I think what would be helpful is the administration, they can send the entire committee a guide of how it is and the video that you're referencing so that we can change everything. >> Yeah. But just a reference, this is a thing that the state made >> and it's intended to be confusing. So that's what every single vocational has to deal with right now. And there's going to be a lot of confusion with parents because I'm assuming we've all gotten some sort of call. So that that guide would be helpful and even for the parents too. It would be helpful so that they have their questions like a frequently asked questions sheet kind of thing.
Um just recently um you know I've been doing this January, February and March in all of the buildings. There's one teacher here at Doodle that actually was kind enough to share his thoughts on the whole process. I'm going to share that with you. >> This year coaching has helped build my confidence with my reading conferences. Uh, specifically coaching is useful because I get to see um another educator work with my specific students and really identify areas where I can improve my instruction. >> So, as you could see, like coaching, yes, there's professional development. constantly giving teachers the knowledge of high quality instruction and what instructional practices look should look like, but then the coaches take it to that next step, bring it into the classroom with the students and help because at the end everything we do here is to help our students student outcomes.
I was curious how this year compared to last. And at this time last year, AHSD's FAFSA completion rate was 49%. And the federal government later extended the priority deadline to April 2nd because of issues with the FAFSA website. I'm pleased to share that this year our FAFSA completion rate is currently at 70%. That means that 3,265 AHSD seniors have completed their FAFSA application, giving them the opportunity to receive the best financial aid package at the college they choose to attend. In addition, we have 226 seniors, which is about 5% who have submitted an opt out form. Students opt out for a variety of reasons, but it does not prevent them from completing the FAFSA later if they do change their mind. What it does tell us though is that in total 3,490 seniors have already made a clear indication about whether they plan to pursue financial aid for their post-secary education up to today.
I thought I was going to take it home and I've kept it. It's still at my house to this day. Um so um on the menu I really I really really enjoyed uh coming to your school and enjoying um the programs that you had and I even came to your field day um to see what was happening outside outdoors to see um the kids being kids and to enjoy every moment of it. Um then uh hide as a premiere. I've always enjoyed to come coming to hide as a premiere because many of the teachers who were there who are still there were teachers that worked when I was a principal. So I still stop in to say hello to those teachers and and uh to feel at home. It just feels like I'm at home and it's really hard to get out of that school when I arrive because it's like home.
They can just go and look, okay, I got this number. What does that mean? >> So it's like the charter school, they'll come in on Zoom and they'll have like a >> you know like the lottery games, they'll throw out numbers and >> number one question is over. >> All right. I understand the numbers how you can get your place but what happens if we're we're allotted percentages like Lawrence said 65% we have 25 has five >> this chart doesn't change >> I understand that but what if more of the lower numbers happen to be in the do like say we use up our 25% plus >> so you do you do you do the calculations separate for each community. >> Same same thing. You still have to get the same numbers from the community. >> You still take the lowest number of the kid.
So, um, districtwide literacy in all the buildings, but my counterpart is going to talk about members. Sorry. >> Hi. Um, so just to kind of give you an idea about what we do as district coaches, um, one of the things that we really want to make sure is happening is that there's a vertical alignment across schools across elementary to middle to high school. Um, one of the things I'm able to do is also meet with our math coach at our middle school um, regularly throughout the year so that we can make sure there's a a continuity among schools. Um, also we're both in elementary schools every single day of the week. So we go to a different school each day. We spend time in those buildings meeting with teachers, modeling lessons in classrooms, uh co-eing, co-planning. Um this morning, for example, I spent a lot of my time today at Dittle working with small groups of students.
Our senior counselors along with our partners at Fullerton and Cypress Colleges and programs such as ETSs, Upwardbound, and EAOP have worked dig diligently to personally reach our seniors and their families through classroom presentations, small groupoup workshops, and parent nights. And I think the numbers show the success of this outreach. This is also the time of the year when many of our seniors are waiting to hear decisions from the Cal State and UC systems along with our private universities. It's an exciting time for students and their families and a little bit nerve-wracking and I'm sure Leia could tell you the same thing up there in front. Um, I do want to thank our counselors though who continue supporting students through this process and helping them understand their options as those decisions begin to arrive because they are big decisions as we know. While the focus this month was heavy on our class of 2026, as always, our counselors will continue working with all of our students to ensure every student leaves AUHSD with a plan and the support needed to pursue their post-secary goals.