001Okay, good evening everyone. Thank you so much for coming to our state of the district tonight and once again, this big turnout, we're really excited to share closing in. So just to start off, the report at closing, there's nothing to report. And I'd like to open the regular open session at 6. I'm Mrs. Gill. Hi. Student board member also coming here with us tonight because he's preparing for over to Dr. Monterito to introduce students who are leaving us in the flood relief. And thank you, President Gill. Tonight is my distinct pleasure to welcome San Diego University of Ohio's kindergarten Mandarin Dual Language Immersion cohort. And the first person to join us for this presentation is a salute to the flag. Immediately following the salute, we are delighted to welcome our first grade Mandarin Dual Language
002Immersion students who will perform a song in Mandarin. These remarkable students represent our signature Mandarin Dual Language Immersion program by our incredible teachers, Ms. Christina Lin, Ms. Helen Yang, Ms. Chen, and Ms. Machat. Through their dedication and hard work, these students are mastering state standards in two languages, English and Mandarin, all while developing confidence, cultural understanding, and global awareness. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them as we celebrate their journey toward biliteracy and in some cases, multiliteracy. Now I know you don't want to hear me talk anymore. You don't want to hear me talk any longer because you see our beautiful students coming in. So at this time, please join me in welcoming our kindergarten Mandarin Dual Language Immersion class. . . . . . . . . . . .
003. Today we are going to perform the song of happiness. I wish you all a happy and happy new year. Hi everyone, my name is Ariana Chang. We are first graders in the MDLM class. We are going to perform the song of happiness. We wish everyone happiness. We wish you all the best. Our incredible teachers, our kindergarten teachers. To provide public comment we will have three options to submit public comments. Mr. Wong please start the clock. It is targeted, thank you. One, submit through an online form. Were any comments submitted via the online form? No, thank you. Number two, request to speak during the meeting via Zoom. We request to speak during the meeting in person via the public comment. Do we have any cards submitted? No. Consent Section 8. Do I have a motion
004to approve and consent Section 8A for being added? I make a motion to approve Sections 8A all the way to L. Do I have a second? Second. Roll call. Mr. Sun? Aye. Mr. Chang? Aye. Mrs. Bryan? Aye. Mrs. Gill? Aye. And now we will move on to our State of the District presentation. Good evening everyone and welcome to Sam Rainer Unified School District 2526 State of the District Address. It is a pleasure to see so many members of our school community here tonight. Parents and families, students, staff, administrators, community partners, and residents. We have Christine Quong here as our PCC Trustee, Hunter Chang, and John Cho from our City Council. Thank you for being here. Our team of students and students. Mr. Justin? Yes. We have many VIPs here tonight that will get introduced. So
005it is, as Board President, I want to briefly highlight the Board's role as elected officials. We are entrusted by our community to govern the district by providing oversight, accountability, and long-term discretion, direction to ensure every student receives an outstanding educational experience. Our work includes developing a vision for the 21st century, and the future of the district. We also work with the Board to develop and implement the 21st century learning and adopting policies that align with state and federal laws. Through governance, we strive to ensure all students continue to receive a safe, supported, and well-rounded education. At the end of each school year, the Board spends two full days evaluating our accomplishments and setting new goals for the year ahead. Once those goals are established, our Superintendent moves them forward with the four A's in mind.
006Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Education. The Board works closely with our leadership team through professional development, strategic planning, and site and department action plans aligned to the Board's priorities. The process ensures that the Board's vision translates into meaningful work and results across the district. Tonight, you will hear how this work comes to life at each of our incredible schools and through the dedication of our outstanding administrators, faculty, and staff. Before we continue, I would like to thank the Board for their support. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and introduce my fellow Board members for the countless hours they devote to supporting our schools. Vice President Shelly Ryan. Unfortunately, Board Clerk Joanna Lam-Pidopi is with us tonight. Board Member C. Joseph Chang. And Board Member Mr. Joshua Sun. As I mentioned earlier, our student
007Board Member, Rowan Burr-Pidopi, is here as well. Serving on the Board requires time, commitment, and thoughtful decision making. And I am grateful for all of your dedication. Thank you again for joining us this evening. And now, it is my pleasure to turn it over to our Superintendent, Dr. Linda De La Torre, who will share more about our goals, progress, and the exciting work ahead. Thank you so much, President Gill, members of the Board of Education, families, students, and community partners. Tonight, you will hear many stories. Stories of classrooms, campuses, performance, and programs. Rather than repeat what you will soon see and hear directly from our schools, I want to spend a few minutes on how all of that work fits together and what it tells us about the state and future of San Marino Unified
008School District. At its core, the school district is strong. But strength does not happen by accident. It is the result of intentional alignment. Between vision and vision. And the goal of the school district is to create a future where students can have a better future. Between vision and practice. Between resources and values. And between the people who make this system work every day. This year, our work has been guided by the following district-wide commitments. Board goals. Coherence across the system. Capacity building. Not just program expansion. Stewardship. And sustainability. From transitional kindergarten through to grade 12. We are focused on ensuring that learning experiences are not isolated, but connected academically, socially, and culturally. You will see that coherence reflected tonight as each school presents not only as a stand-alone entity, but as a part of a
009unified K-12 pathway. Rather than chasing initiatives, we are investing in you. We are investing in people, structures, and systems that endure. That means strengthening our leadership teams, refining goals, and ensuring that our staff have the conditions they need to do their best work. Today, and 10 years from now, excellence requires work aspiration and discipline. As a district, we are balancing innovation with fitness. And we are balancing innovation with success. We are balancing innovation with fiscal responsibility. Honoring our voter trust. And planning thoughtfully for long-term stability. You will hear a specific update on facilities and Measure M from Dr. Choi very shortly. And I want to acknowledge the careful planning that supports that work. Afterall, a district is only as strong as the people who lead and support it. At this time, I would like to
010introduce our District Executive Cabinet, beginning with Dr. Lynna Richter, our Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. Please stand. Dean Choi, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services. Dr. Jason Rhodes, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Business Services. Dr. Rochelle Meyer, our Public Information Officer. Finally, I would like to thank Mrs. Jennifer De La Torre and Mrs. Claudia Velasquez for all of their help and support in coordinating tonight's event. Thank you so much. I would like to recognize our District Leadership Team. There they are up on the screen. This group of professionals represents instructional leadership, operational expertise, and a shared commitment to students. Next, our district would not be the same if not for our strong PTAs, led by the following PTA Council President. Mrs. Marissa Kelly-Pistand, San Marino High School PTSA President, Dr. Jackie Tuong, and she may
011have a question, but we thank her all over in dedication. Hamilton Middle School President, Mrs. Ryan Zanotti, Valentine President, Mrs. Kim Sutatio, and our President, Dr. Kathy Newton. Last but not least, I want to recognize and thank our wonderful PTA affiliates President, Mrs. Stephanie Duncan. These women represent the strength and the journey of our school district. They worked tirelessly and gave countless hours to the success of our school district on behalf of each of the students we serve, and their partnership and advocacy helped to enrich every school campus. At this time, I'd like to recognize, and I know they've already been recognized, but once again, our wonderful City Council members, Hunter Chang and John Chow. Thank you so much for being here this evening. I'd also like to take this opportunity to recognize all the
012PTAs that have been here this evening. I'd also like to recognize, although they're not here, Police Chief John Contro and Fire Chief Mario Rueda for their partnership with the school district and ensuring that we are adequately prepared for any disaster that may come along. And we are really prepared to keep our students safe at all times. Additionally, we have with us tonight City Club President, Ed Tom. Thank you for being here. We have to express our sincerest appreciation for the relationship and partnership that we have with Pasadena City College. As you know, we have forged a relationship that allows our students to engage in dual enrollment with PCC. And I'd just like to, on behalf of the Board of Education and the school district, recognize Christine Pond, one of the most amazing trustees. And the
013work that you do on behalf of our students. I would also like to express our deepest appreciation for the members of the Chinese Club that are here this evening. I want to thank you for continuing to support our schools. I see Teresa sitting back there, so thank you so very much. And it is also a distinct honor to recognize our San Marino Unified School District Teacher of the Year, Valentine Elementary's own fifth grade teacher, Ms. Leigh Piper. And the Teacher of the Year, Conservative Central Kitchen Manager, Sher Palisov. And their daily impact defines excellence in ways that no Metro could ever. So I really want to appreciate these ladies. They really do put everything that they've brought into working on behalf of our students. I'd also like to express my sincerest appreciation for the Food
014Services Department. They provided the food truck tonight for refreshments. So if you're interested in that after our State of the District is over, you can really help yourself to that. And again, I want to thank the students. I want to thank the board of education and our leadership team. I would like to recognize the leadership of San Marino Teachers Association and the California School Employees Association, whose collaboration with the district strengthens both our workforce and our schools. So thank you to SMTA President, Mr. Jose Kerr, SMTA Co-Vice Presidents, Erin Diaz and Kristen Dunn-Steenwick, and also CSCA President James Jacobs, CSCA Vice President, Alan L. Terratula. Their leadership makes a difference each day. As you know, public education works best when trust, professionalism, and shared purpose are present. And we are fortunate to have that here.
015You will hear shortly from the San Marino Schools Foundation about their critical role in enhancing opportunities for our students. Each school will address topics like achievements, culture, and student voice. You will also hear about facilities, capital planning, all for Measure M. And really my role here tonight is to say very clearly that what you are about to witness is not a collection of isolated successes. It is the result of a community that believes in public education and a district that is committed to continuous improvement without losing its identity. As superintendent, I am deeply aware that our responsibility is twofold. To honor what makes San Marino exceptional and to prepare the system for what comes next, even when that work is highly complex and uncomfortable. That is the work ahead. And we are doing it together.
016At this time, I would like to invite Dr. Steven Choi to provide a brief introduction to the program. I would like to invite him to provide a brief update on Measure M and our ongoing facilities work which continues to be an important part of supporting safe, modern, and functional learning environments for our students. Thank you Dr. Del Tori. I am very proud to say that we are building the future of San Marino schools together. I am Steven Choi, the assistant superintendent of business services and it is an honor for me to provide an update on Measure M. The San Marino Unified community sent a powerful message, passing Measure M, a $200 million bond that received 71% voter approval. That vote reflected a shared belief that investing in our schools is investing in our students and
017investing in our future. Tonight, I will highlight a few of our Phase 1 projects. Starting with San Marino High School, we will construct and modernize the Medical Arts and CTE building. This building will be a hub of innovation, supporting our Medical Arts Academy and our award-winning Media Arts and Robotics programs. It will also provide the infrastructure to expand additional career technical education programs and create flexible, collaborative spaces that prepare students for the careers of tomorrow. We also have exciting new classroom buildings coming to both elementary schools. At Valentine Elementary, a new two-story building will add fourth and fifth grade classrooms, along with spaces designed to expand capacity and support learning and wellness. At Carver Elementary, new buildings with purpose built for growing transitional kindergarten and kindergarten programs will also have age-appropriate classrooms. And a separate
018drop-off and pick-up drive for enhanced safety. While many have already noticed the ground markings on our campuses, temporary classrooms will be installed beginning this summer, so learning can continue smoothly as these three major projects move into construction. In the meantime, we also have launched several early impact projects. We are replacing roofing systems, starting at Huntington Middle School, and expanding across the district. And while roofs may not be the most visible upgrades, a few others certainly are. This summer, we will replace both the track and field at San Marino High School, following recent improvements to stadium restaurants and seating. And at Carver and Valentine, we are excited to share that brand new playground equipment, chosen with student input, will be installed this summer, along with the new playground equipment. And this is just the beginning. For
019more information, please visit our Measure M webpage, sign up for our Measure M alerts, and subscribe to receive the monthly memo newsletter. I hope that this provided a glimpse of what building the future of San Marino schools looks like. And thank you for the opportunity to share as we move forward in this exciting new chapter. Thank you. Thank you so much, Dr. Choi. The San Marino Schools Foundation is not just a funding organization. It is a strategic partner that helps translate community generosity into meaningful student experiences across our district. The foundation was created to bridge the gap between the funding we receive from the State of California and the funding that most other districts receive from the state. We are, in San Marino, one of the lowest funded school districts in California. Despite that, we
020are in fact one of the highest performing school districts in the State of California. This is only made possible through our highly qualified professional educators and staff's expertise and dedication, along with our parents' and our community's generosity and volunteerism. It is my pleasure to say, It is my pleasure this evening to introduce Mr. Tony Wu, who is the president of the San Marino Schools Foundation. He will share a brief update on the foundation's work and its continued impact on our schools. Mr. Wu. Good evening, everyone. My name is Tony Wu. The school foundation's president this year, the director, the director of the team, the supporters of the foundation, needed to educate. This year, the foundation's consumer support raised over $2 million for its students. You can see in this slide that we see some color.
021It feels good to donate to the foundation. Throughout the year, we provide information on our events, and we are glad to answer any questions you have. We consider your generosity is greatly appreciated. I just want to take a moment to personally invite everyone here and listening online to our Pi Day Friday event. This is now our third year in a row. Pi Day is on Saturday, so don't be confused. We're doing it on Friday the 13th, which is totally different. It's totally fine. I would have won Pi, Gates, and Yvette jujube. But please come to that. And then also on Saturday, March 15th, Sunday, March 15th, we are doing a new event called, let's say, Pi Making Buy-In Party. And we will be guiding students or adults, if you'd like, in making a milk bar
022pie, and we will be giving out a gift card. So if you'd like to donate, you can do that. And then also, we are also doing a Pi Day party. We're doing a Pi Day party, which is a little bit different. We're doing a Pi Day party, and we're doing a Pi Day party, and we're doing a Pi Day party, and we're doing a Pi Day party, and we're doing a Pi Day party, and we're doing a Pi Day party. And then also, if you'd like, in making a milk bar pie, we want to invite a baker who will help create it. And this is Mary Marr Beckerman, my current baker. And she will also give up a secret Pi puzzle to make a cake. So hopefully you're happy. If you all want to come
023to both events, give them for everyone. Please come. We will have wonderfully delicious pies made by our classified employee of the year, Cher. Please come and see. And we will be giving out a gift card. And then also, we are doing a Pi Day party, which is a little bit different. And then also, we are doing a Pi Day party, which is a little bit different. And then also, we are giving out a gift card to our classified employee of the year, Cher, who's now back there. She is an amazing baker and we check in with her for what she feels the most about you. Thank you so much to ourٹanhamrinterschools Foundation. We would not be the same school district without your support. Before hearing from our principals this evening, Let's hear from our students.
024Day Patrol, Student Council, Orchestra, and Girls Laugh Football. My name is Opton May motivate. I'm a fourth grader at Ballantyne Elementary. This year, your film production, place first place in the Valentine category, and then on the award-of-merit and award of 240 participating school districts. My name is Azalea Avila. I am in 11th grade. I go to San Bernardino High School. This year I excel in athletics. I'm a four-sport athlete. I do flag football, cheer, basketball, and track. I enjoy all sports very much. It has been a great experience to work with all the amazing coaches we have here at San Bernardino. Hi, my name is Isabel Domikian and I am an A-trainer at Huntington Middle School. This year I excelled in academics by taking advanced level math at the high school. I've been able to
025take a group of calculus as an A-trainer with the help and support of the HMS Staten faculty. Without them I would not have been able to achieve this and they have my utmost respect and thanks. My name is Preston Tauk and I'm a senior at San Bernardino High School. This year I excel in activities. Thank you. Thank you. I'm one of the editor-in-chiefs of the yearbook for photography and as well as one of the co-vice presidents of ASB. Hello, my name is Noel Easton and I'm in sixth grade. This year I have excelled in athletics through participating in the many sports HMS has given me. I am grateful that HMS has given me a new passion and a new sport and that sport is volleyball. Hi, my name is Lauren Forsythe and I am in
026fifth grade at Ballard. I'm a senior at Ballard Elementary School. This year I excel in activities by creating the Heart Helpers Club. We support our student body by helping making sure everyone feels safe, included and is having fun at school. Hello, my name is Diane Lee and I am a fourth grader inside of Carver Elementary. My teacher is Ms. Ricky and I am proud to be a Goal Patrol member and a part of the student advisory committee and I excel in everything I'm writing. Hello, my name is Rohan Taftar and I am in seventh grade at Huykley Middle School. This year I excel in academics by getting a perfect score on the Math CAS, and getting a level four with a weighted degree every semester. Hi, my name is Lauren Forsythe and I am in
027fifth grade. This year I excel at athletics by getting a perfect score on the Math CAS. Hi, my name is James and this year I excel in academics. I won first place in the Science Fair and I also won first place in the P.T. for the Reflections Contest for Music Composition. My name is Katya Bradshaw. I'm in grade 12 at San Marino High School. I've excelled in the arts this year as I'm section leader in chamber choir. I'm a leader in the advanced dance department and I play a pivotal role in the theater department as well as being the social media manager for the Best Games Club. Hi my name is Debra Machadi and I'm a middle grade at Valentine Elementary. This year I excelled in arts, film, photography. I earned first place in the
028Valentine Reflections Contest in the photography category and received an award in marriage from over 240 participating schools. Hi my name is Alexandra Millenoy and I'm a seventh grader here at Huntington Middle School and this year I excelled in athletics by participating in this school's cross-country program. I was cross-country team captain and I medaled at the world's largest football team in the United States. I was a senior at the University of Michigan. I was the first and most competitive cross-country Mount SAC, getting to seventh out of nearly 140 students. Hi my name is Jasmine Dean and I am in fourth grade at Harper Elementary. This year I excelled in arts. I took intermediate art section and loved creating beautiful and creative artwork. Hi my name is McKenna Ryan and I'm a big theater at Huntington Middle
029School. This year I excelled in art. One of the things I've done this year is participating in the student-led arts rocks program. My name is Alan and I am in 12th grade at San Marino High School. And this year I excelled in academics because of the support that all the teachers here have given me. I really have to thank them for preparing me for my high school career and everything else after that. ...our students and that is just a small sampling of our amazing students who are really engaged in a lot of the academics, arts, athletics, and activities that we do. ...our students and that is just a small sampling of our amazing students who are really engaged in a lot of the academics, arts, athletics, and activities that we do. ...our students and that
030is just a small sampling of our amazing students who are really engaged in a lot of the academics, arts, athletics, and activities that we do. I wish we had more time to be able to show you more of that. But we have some really special things in store for you this evening. So here tonight to present the state of Cape Harbor Elementary School is Principal is Dr. Stuart Caldwell, and Assistant Principal, Samantha Pearson. Someone immersed in that space and a real character and person toadays the says, members of the president of the editorial cabinet members and our san juliano community i'm sir palpo the proud principal at carver elementary with a brief update to the board's four driving goals carver is a national food living school a california distinguished school and a platinum pbis school
031and most recently recognized by the u.s news and world report is a top elementary school our students perform at high levels of math ela and science because of strong partnerships talented teachers and staff an outstanding pta and parent community and students who are enthusiastic and eager to learn you saw a couple of them up there tonight i'll highlight through the four a's athletic activities and arts and academics with regard to athletics students have daily pd where they learn skills sportsmanship teamwork and healthy competition on our playground you'll see students challenging themselves and cheering each other on i should note that gaga ball is the most competitive and exciting game at elementary school right now our play are with regards to activities our work offers experiences of their leadership and belonging our award-winning student council gets
032fourth and fifth graders authentic leadership and points to new decisions this year provides they provided bandwidth on a new playground kit that connected to our bond work that Dr. Trace spoke about and collaborated with our food services team on healthy food. And if you were at the hula hoop at Vaughn, you saw what we mean by carvers a little bit. Akira, there are over 800 kids out there living in a signature tradition airway. We provide these families with food. We want to support them and are supported by the San Marino Police Department and our PTA safety committee. The covenant was a little bit of fun, but the real impact was on the community that spoke through this weekly essay. With regard to the arts, every student learns music, visual arts, and our TPA winter show,
033the upcoming third and fifth grade spring show, showcases the creativity of our students. Teachers also leave the arts into instruction and student engagement and critical thinking. With our TPA funding, we share our teaching with Valentine and for lunchtime, our program is full at Carver, which is a testament to just how successful and desired our program is. With regard to academics, I don't mean to say it, but Carver's academics remain strong and our fall is improving. Our CASP and CASP results are consistently among the highest in the state. And our I-ready diagnostics show significant growth from fall to winter regularly. Most recently, we increased from 67% to 1%. From initial diagnostics to 84% on the actual grade level. And in math, from 55% to 81%. That's just in three months. We expect to continue to grow
034this year. We intentionally build student voice into what we do at Carver. Public speaking is practiced at an improved grade level, including TK. And we are now in year three of our Mandarin, no-language version program, solving some of them this evening. We are proud to help develop our digitalism and social-cultural competence. Helping students to understand language through the language. Two foundations for everything we do. First, PBIS. Our bold expectations, which means give respect, actions, and need for kindness, and do the best to create a positive campus culture. Students are in bold bucks for positive choices and are able to spend those at the pioneer outpost every other week. And our fourth and fifth grade bold control, self-movement, and out there in videos, model leadership, and service for all. Multi-tiered systems of support, through native youth
035recyclers and scholarly action plans, are staffed to meet students' current day needs academically, socially, and emotionally, so every child is challenged and supported. What stands out the most is that every student is a part of the community. Right? Right. And that care, and there's a strong instruction, is what makes the partnership. The laboratory, the district view, our parents, the GTA, our teachers, the staff, and all, and into our students. Our work is awesome. You can see, this is Ferris, and we'll come back up here, because she is shared between the two elementary schools. So she's putting lots of miles on her car. Good thing we're a small town. Lots of steps, right? Which is good. You're staying in good shape. So next, we have here to present the state of WL Valentine Elementary School principal,
036Mrs. Whitney McAlpine, and again, assistant principal, Samantha Harrison. Good evening, President Gill, members of the Board of Education, superintendent Dr. De La Torre, executive team, and community members. It is an honor to be here tonight as the proud principal of Valentine Elementary School, alongside our assistant principal, Samantha Harrison. We're excited to share how Valentine continues to thrive in alignment with the district's vision through the four A's, academics, arts, athletics, and athletics, while building on our continuing success. Valentine proudly serves 445 scholars who bring curiosity, creativity, and energy to our campus each year. At Valentine, we believe every child deserves opportunity to be a part of the school. So we're excited to be here tonight. We're excited to be here tonight because WL Valentine deserves opportunities to grow academically, creatively, physically, socially, and emotionally. And that
037belief guides everything that we do. Academics are our foundation. Our students continue to perform at high levels on state assessments. Last spring, 90% of our third through fifth graders who take the state assessment were proficient in ELA, with 65% of students exceeding the standards. In math, 85% of students were proficient in math. proficient in 63% of the exam. It's remarkable. These results reflect strong instructional practices and the dedication of our exceptional teachers and staff. A key driver of the success is our implementation of universal design for learning, supported by a strong culture of collaboration. This year, we held non-judgmental walkthrough days where teachers observed one another, identified UPL strategies, and engaged in reflective dialogue. These insights directly inform targeted professional development. Tools like iReady, along with formative and summative assessments, are utilized to guide instruction,
038small group support, and intervention, ensuring every student receives what they need to be successful. Excellence extends beyond our campus. Assembly member Mike Fong recently honored two of our teachers, Julie Palladion and Kelly Sum, and we expanded our traditional kindergarten program to four classes, strengthening early learning foundations. Time also has received multiple prestigious recognitions, including we named a 2025 California Distinguished School. We were ranked number seven in California by Niche for 2026, and recognized by US News and Educational Results Partnership. We are also proud to be a kind of service to our students. In addition, Valentine earned PBIS Platinum status, the highest level of our commissioning yet in PBIS, and our heart values, which we are inviting you to know what heart means, healthy, empathetic, accepting, respectful, and trustworthy, guide behavior and decision-making across our campus.
039Our strong implementation has made Valentine a model site for other schools, and complementing this work are restorative practices, which focus on building relationships, accountability, and empathy, while supporting the whole child. In the arts, creativity and student voice flourish. Through the PTA Reflections program, we received over 100 student submissions, with four students earning top honors. Our visual arts program provides hands-on experience across multiple mediums, and thanks to our PTA, students receive high-quality music instruction through encore music. We also have a variety of music-based programs that include band and orchestra programs that build a strong music atmosphere. Thank you, Kendall. Athletics are a vital part of the Valentine experience. Students receive daily P.E. with our certificated teacher, focusing on fitness, teamwork, perseverance, and healthy choices. Events like our annual jog-a-thon celebrate movement, goal-setting, and Viking pride, while
040strengthening our school community. Beyond academics, arts and athletics are activities that are important to our students, and we hope to see them in the future. Our activities provide leadership and connection. Programs like Heart Helpers and Student Council empower students to lead through service, kindness, and civic engagement. This year, Student Council students hit an active role in the planning of our new playground that's in construction this summer. School-wide events such as the Great Kindness Challenge, Disability Awareness Week, and Multicultural Night further strengthen empathy, inclusion, and community pride. Looking ahead, we have a lot of work to do, and we hope to see you all in the future. We're excited to plan for next year a speech and debate program and pilot a new science curriculum, STEMscopes, ensuring instruction remains rigorous, engaging, and relevant. These experiences reflect
041who we are at Valentine Elementary, a school where students are engaged, empowered, and excited to learn. We're incredibly proud of our students, staff, and families, and we look forward to continuing our growth and success. This time, it is my pleasure to invite our students to the stage, along with Encore Orchestra Director, Mrs. The State of Henry B. Huntington Middle School is Principal Ms. Mary Hazlett and Assistant Principal, Mrs. Goddard. Thank you, Dr. Del Vittori, President Hill, members of the board, executive leadership team, student board member group, teachers, staff, families, students, and community members. Our outstanding assistant principal, Mrs. Coda, and I are honored to represent Huntington Middle School and share both the current and future state of our middle school community. The four A's, academics, arts, athletics, and activities, are alive and well at HMS,
042and we continue to meet and achieve the board's annual goals. With a strong focus on fiscal responsibility, we have strategically invested in campus safety. Expanded wellness supports, strengthened community partnerships, and continued preparing our students for postgraduate success. To maintain a safe and secure learning environment, we have enhanced campus signage at fencing and gates, updated classroom and emergency safety supplies, added additional security cameras, and conducted monthly safety drills with staff, students, and families. Our wellness services continue to grow to support our more than 770 HMS students. From lunchtime Zen Zone hangouts to increased access to individual wellness support, students are provided with opportunities to regulate, reflect, and build coping skills. Students are continually supported through counseling and restorative conversations that focus on reflection, empathy, accountability, and building relationships. Thank you. In classrooms, teachers continue to receive
043training and actively use restorative circles and UDL strategies, strengthening student voice, connection, and engagement while fostering a positive and inclusive school culture. Community involvement remains a cornerstone of HMS. Our PTA, led by President Ryan Zanotti, and an outstanding executive board, brings our campus to life through events such as the annual Hauntington Breakfast, monthly lunchtime activities, sixth grade dances, Fox games, and the eighth grade promotion celebration. They also host successful fundraisers, including parent parties, and consistently celebrate our teachers and staff through appreciation events such as the coffee cart, staff lounge surprises, holiday lunches, and dinners for back to school night and show time. Thank you. Preparing students for postgraduate success is at the heart of our academic program. Our highly qualified faculty, veteran educators, alongside inspiring new teachers, design engaging lessons that connect learning to students'
044lives. Academically, HMS continues to excel, with past scores once again among the highest in the state, including math scores that surpass the highest in the state. This year, HMS earned the U.S. News & World Report's Best Middle School designation. Our academic teams, speech and debate, mock trial, math team, robotics, and Science Olympiad, continue to grow and thrive. Students needing additional support have access to tutor.com, providing free live tutoring and online learning. HMS is a great place to start your career. HMS is a great place to start your career. HMS is a great place to start your career. We also expanded in use of NWEA, IXL, and individualized skills plans in math, English, and Science to close gaps and challenge advanced learners. Our arts, activities, and athletics programs provide students with meaningful opportunities to explore interests
045and develop talents. We offer Interscholastic and Intramural sports, new lean athletes, varied learning purposes Unicide physicians are conferred more often. Soft grat ув análşenia kli Rei M involal harme öşke Agen pompa melulešte Neck estrut der vai Abuing sport new leagues, lunchtime clubs such as Zen Zone, chess club and origami for example, and after school programs like jazz club. Our arts courses and creative outlets allow students to build skills, earn reflections, awards, and express themselves in powerful ways. Community events such as Showcase, 5th grade parent night, move up day, and arts rock highlight by HMS and SNUSD continue to be the premier choice for families. Partnerships with San Marino Rotary, Partnership for Awareness, PTA, and the San Marino Schools Foundation provide vital support for staff, programs, writing competitions, camps, and community education. We are deeply grateful
046for the PTA support, including last week's Mardi Gras themed parent party fundraiser at San Diego Country Club. We invite you to attend our Open House Showcase and 5th grade move up day on Thursday, March 12th. Our annual musical, this year it's Music Man, Jr., is well underway with cast and stage crew preparing for performances on March 20, 21st, and 22nd in the Kenneth F. White Auditorium. We hope you'll join us. This week also marks Career Week, culminating in Career Day on Friday when parents and students will be able to participate in the program. We hope you'll join us. Parents and community members share their professional journeys with our students. We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Della Torre, the Board of Education, Executive Team, PTA, San Marino Schools Foundation, and our community partners for your
047continued support. As we close our HMS portion this evening, it is our honor to present two performances from our award-winning Visual and Performing Arts Department. First, our Wind Ensemble Flutes. Under the direction of Ms. Mariah Moffitt, including Emily Guo, Cherie Chu, Renee Lee, Fia Petelahus, Rose Pan, and Kara Mack will perform. Wave your hands. Then, following them, our Orchestra Stream Octet, directed by Mr. Rob Holstom, comprised of Jewel Lee, Ellen Liu, and Dr. Della Torre. Thank you. Karissa Chui, Colin Espino, Natalie Chua, Yilia Hu, Alex Lee, and Connor Espino will entertain us. Wave your hands. Thank you, everyone, and go Foxes! And works Tyra. So, Lauren, thank you for being a student here. And thank you for being here. He is an outstanding educator at San Marino High School. I want to thank him. I
048mean, robotics program. He is very engaged. I see him at Dancentra. I see him in all the performances that we have at San Marino High School. So, I mean, he works all day long with kids, and then he comes to watch them perform. So, we appreciate your devotion to our students, Mr. Bartman. Thank you for all that you do. To present on San Marino High School, we have Principal Dr. Benjamin Wolfe and Assistant Principal Dr. Emily Gill. Thank you, President Gill, members of our board, Superintendent Della Torre, and our wonderful San Marino community here with us tonight. Like my colleagues, I have the privilege of presenting on the four A's for San Marino High School. And also, like them, I'm going to begin with talking about some of the amazing awards that our school has
049won recently. Last year, we were one of the last high schools in the United States to be given the National Blue Ribbon Award. And that award is given to high schools across the country. You have to be nominated by your state. And then you go through the awards. And then you go through a quite rigorous application process where we get to talk about the four A's through the application. And we were fortunate enough to be granted the award in its last year for the U.S. Department of Education. But I think even more prominently is the AP Honor Roll Platinum. And I just want to take a second to, I'm going to explain what the criteria is for that in a few minutes. But I want to take a second and talk about the fact that
050you see on the slide there are school board priorities on the right side of the slide. And my colleagues have spoken about those. But for those of us who have worked in other school districts where school boards don't do this, I can't tell you how valuable of an activity it is that our board meets every year to come up with their priorities. Because then we have to match our goals to their priorities. And when I came to San Marino, I had taken a look at the board priorities. And I noticed that we were an AP Honor Roll Gold School. And nowhere but at San Marino could you have a slogan, gold is not good enough. Because you heard all the schools talk about all the awards that are platinum right now. Gold is not high
051enough any longer. And we were an AP Honor Roll Gold School for more than a decade. And I saw the criteria for platinum and actually presented these goals at one of my first PTA meetings. And I showed what it would take to go from gold to platinum and actually had a lot of people very skeptical of it. They were looking at that going, that's insane, we'll never do that. And we have now for the second year in a row become the college board's AP Honor Roll Platinum list. That's obviously due most in part to the work of our incredible faculty at the school. But it is also because we do set high expectations and goals for ourselves and for our students. Our teachers are reading a book by a gentleman named John Hattie. He's the
052preeminent researcher in education. And he will tell you that the number one effect size, the number one thing that affects student outcomes is setting high expectations. And there's certainly no shortage of that in this community. Our parents set high expectations for us and their children. And we do the same for ourselves and our students. Okay, next slide please. All right, I apologize for the small font, but there's a lot of important stuff. And I'm going to not read every single little thing that's on there. But we do have some amazing signature programs at the school that I've just mentioned. The first is our medical arts program. This year is the first graduating class of that program. Oh, thank you. We got it zoomed in for those of us who have poor glasses. I think it's
053going to go on mobile. This is an amazing program that is done in conjunction with our partners at PCC. Our students get credit at both the high school and the college for taking dual enrollment courses that are taught by PCC professors in the medicine arts. It's a really amazing experience that students can take these classes from college professors. They also take a special anatomy class from us in our senior year where they get to use the most amazing technology due to the generosity of KITI affiliates and Mrs. Duncan, who was introduced earlier. We had $250,000 worth of anatomy tables donated to us where our students can do virtual dissections and just some of the most amazing things. We've had over 200,000 students come in that senior seminar. This year is also the first year that
054our students are going on an internship. We have a parent and a community member, Dr. Charmaine Ross, who has graciously opened up her medical practice to our students. Next year, we have several other doctors coming on board and we'll be adding more internship opportunities for our seniors next year as well. Our next program is our humanities program. This is another amazing program that has a partnership with the University of Wisconsin. It's a program that has a partnership this time with Huntington Library. In addition to visiting the Huntington Library 18 times during the school year, you can see that this year our humanities students are also meeting with a docent from the Old Mill and as well as an architect from the Michael White Adobe. They get to learn about architecture in addition to English, art,
055poetry, history. The course is taught by two of our teachers. It's co-taught by an art teacher and an English teacher. So it's quite an amazing experience for these students that participate in humanities. And our third signature program is our STEM program. And yet again, we have another amazing partnership in our community, this time with Caltech. And we have students who apply to get into this program. It's quite rigorous. These are very advanced students. This year, we have four different groups of students studying in the areas of material science, applied mathematics, ecology, and plant biology. And these students get to go to Caltech twice a month and learn and participate in things. And then they come back to the school and they have to work in groups to present their research and findings to our instructor.
056And it culminates by at the end of the year with a research paper or research project. So this is very, very advanced stuff. This is stuff that college students don't even always work on in their freshman year of college. And our high school students are doing this. And then we always talk about three signature programs, but I think it's time we start adding a fourth. And that's our new AP research capstone program. This started just a few years ago, and we are now graduating students. This is essentially a program where high school students get to essentially write a mini dissertation, just like they would do if they were a doctoral candidate. They have to select their own research topics. They have to conduct the research. They have to conduct interviews, collect data. They have to
057present presentations in front of large audiences. And then they have to submit their findings to the college board for approval to get credit in the course. It's really an exciting opportunity for students to take the research and capstone courses. And you can see a quote from one of our students up there. AP seminar and AP research have taught me how to find, organize, and read through scholarly research papers in a manageable way. And I know that these skills, along with having the opportunity to write my own research paper, will be very beneficial for me in college. So really a fantastic opportunity. And then I promised I would tell you what are the criteria for AP platinum status. And you can see this is really quite amazing. 80% of our students have to take at least
058one advanced placement exam while they're in high school. 50% of our students have to score at least three, which is a passing score, on an exam. And 15% have to take at least five or more AP exams, with one of those being in the ninth or tenth grade. There are very few in the ninth or tenth grade. And the platinum status puts us in the top 5% of American high schools. There are 30,000 high schools in the United States, and only 1,500 received the platinum award. OK. And then I'd like to talk about some of our amazing arts and activities in athletics as well. In San Marino, you'll see that arts and activities oftentimes bleed in with academics. And one of the most amazing programs at San Marino High School is our speech and debate
059program. This is considered a visual and performing arts by many, but also an academic subject by many. And it really does kind of bleed into both skill areas. And you can see up here, I won't read every single one, but our team has won award after award after award every year. And in fact, if you come to the high school and vote for the best student, you'll see that each award has a different focus and choice. So if you come to the high school and take a tour and visit the classroom, there's not enough space in the room for all the trophies that are there for speech and debate over the years. So our students do an amazing job. They have to perform under pressure. They travel all over the place competing in these competitions.
060Our other amazing NAPA programs, we have a fantastic choir that is often time run in conjunction with the middle school and the high school performances. Our其實, the National Magic Band and Ballet Club are regularly on campus. And so, we really enjoy walking around in the NAPA. So, this is like a one-way street. Our choir this year is not only performing in festivals, they're going to host one on campus at San Marino this year where they'll get to compete with the home field advantage. Our band this year participated in a state competition and took seventh place in the state of California. And for the size high school that we are, that is really amazing and you're going to get to hear from our band in just a few minutes. Our visual arts, this quote from a
061student, this was a project that our visual arts high school students do with the elementary students. It's really a cool thing. I'll read the quote because it describes the project. My favorite project from last semester was likely the monster project. I felt this assignment was very fun and I enjoyed learning how to use the sewing machines and irons. I also like the concept of bringing a kindergarten's classroom ideas of monsters to life. I like going to Carver and giving the children their drawings. Learning with the different fabrics and colors made me feel like I had lots of artistic freedom with what I could do with the drawings. It was a new experience where I learned new skills that I always wanted to try so I really like this project. And then our dance program, huge
062award winning program. They have gone to many competitions. They're going to New York again. This year they won several categories in New York last year. And then you're going to see the dance. They're going to be tonight also a little snippet of our spring musical from our drama program. Okay, next slide please. Athletics, I'm proud to say that this year we had eight Rio Hondo league championships. So from last spring to currently you can see that boys volleyball, baseball, boys swimming, girls flag football, girls tennis, boys water polo, and then just recently this week boys basketball and girls soccer all won Rio Hondo league championships. So we're going to be doing that. And our boys basketball team enters the first round of CIF tomorrow night and our girls soccer team enters the first round of
063CIF Thursday evening. So we are rooting them on and wishing that we get to the second round. Both games are away but if we make it to the next round we'll be hosting games at San Marino High School possibly as early as this weekend. Dr. Troy already talked about the wonderful fact we're getting a new field and track this summer which is fantastic. And I will move on to our last category, activities. Dr. De La Torre just mentioned Mr. Barton who is here tonight with our robotics team. Again, I won't read every single one of those awards but robotics, much like speech and debate, for a very small school goes out and competes against all these teams all over the place and is amazing. And just a year and a half ago participated in the
064world championships in Houston, Texas. So again, this is an amazing program. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. De La Torre. Our students will be the star of the program and you'll get to see our students demonstrating that tonight. Other activities, of course, we have an amazing ASB program. Our student leaders participate in homecoming. They run our dances. They actually do all the school tours. So when people come from outside San Marino to see if they want to attend San Marino High School, the tours are conducted by our own students and they are the best sales people that we can have in the community is our own students talking about all these wonderful programs that the school has. I look forward to the opportunities that you will have as a state.
065And again, I think we've got about yourself, as the state, spoken to. I look forward to the opportunities that you will have as a state, spoken to. I look forward to the opportunities that you will have as a state, spoken to. so when people come from outside San Marino to see if they want to attend San Marino High School the tours are conducted by our own students and they are the best salespeople that we can have in the community is our own students talking about all these wonderful programs that the school has and then clubs we have more than 100 clubs on campus so there's something for every student to get involved in and then last but not least we have the superintendent's Advisory Council because we do believe that students should have some voice
066in their education and our superintendent meets with high school students every month to talk about their ideas and their concerns and their goals and what the district can do to help them achieve those and it's not only just this amazing group of kids that she meets with but San Marino puts that policy into action by having a student board member who sits on the board at all our board meetings and participates in the decisions of the school. So we are a district that does take the voices of our students very seriously and then last but not least you see a picture of the most amazing activity that we have of all which is our grad night because that involves the entire community so I hope everybody comes out this year and sees the Star Wars
067light up for this year's grad night. Okay and then our last slide here is just our advertisement for our spring musical which you can get a snippet of so please join us starting on March 1st. March 1st. March 4th excuse me for Mamma Mia and then if we go to the next slide I will introduce the wonderful student performances you're gonna see tonight you're gonna see a piece of our spring musical from our drama team you're gonna see our dance company perform you're gonna see our marching band you're gonna see our robotics team so with no further ado let's bring up our spring musical. I'm Zimi Bernstein I'm a senior at San Marino High School and I'm honored to be accompanied by our amazing cast of Mamma Mia which is this year's spring musical. We're
068all very excited today we are going to be performing one of our pieces called Money Money Money hopefully you guys are familiar with the movie and musical and thank you so much for having us and I was told to remind you all that our show dates are March 4th through March 8th as you can see here every day at 7 p.m. except for Sunday March 8th which is at 4 p.m. so we hope to see you there and thank you so much for having us. Bills I have to pay me and world I'm a lady I'm a lady Run to the left Play to the right Drop a down low And take it back high You know I don't need introduction Follow my step on the junction Run to the left Play to the right
069Drop a down low And take it back high You know I don't need introduction Follow my step on the junction Zimi and I go How does your fire Snow meet me? In the queue Oh yeah Meet my cook Oh yeah Tokyo in a coffee Take a spino I'm mind you could skino If you're the 50 men I'm dyin' out of robots I'm a lady Run to the left Play to the right Drop a down low And take it back high Snow meet my cook I'm a lady I'm a lady Or aана I'm a lady I'm a lady I'm a lady Yeah Send me out for everything we want Cookin' for me There ain't nothin' in the sky There ain't no cruel way Got a love in my pocket Got a love is so perfect for
070fallin' is all right good evening everyone my name is and i'm the drumming group of the types of enrichment before we get started i do have to let you guys know that we do have a spring concert on march 19th at 7 00 pm so make sure to come support all these young and amazing talented musicians we are 160 from the san francisco high school my name is brandon twong i am the engineering president my name is annie dang i'm one of the engineering vice presidents my name is joshua i'm the other engineering vice president i'm kind of one of the business vice presidents i'm miranda fang i'm the other business vice president and i'm olivia of the engineering outreach so we are part of the nonprofit organization first which uh specializes in encouraging standard
071robotics to kids of all ages students are able to start from building micro robotics and follow teams at elementary schools and go all the way up to building 100 pound metal robots with the fmc team so every year first releases a new game where teams around the world are competing so starting in january we start building a new robot for this year's season and six weeks after that we compete in regional competitions where the winners move on to district championships and before that they finally go to worlds so in 2024 we're actually able to qualify to worlds which is in houston Texas currently we're in week five of our build season so we've just wrapped up our prototyping stage and now we're moving towards manufacturing and assembling the robot our team isn't all about engineering
072beyond the robot we fundraise to find sponsorships market and be community outreach to help support our team financially and spread awareness about stem one of our biggest annual events is when we have a fundraising collaboration with Camp Del Corazon which provides opportunities for children with heart or children with heart disease aside from that we also participate in high school sports games like football basketball and baseball where we're planning to throw the first pitch at one of our upcoming games the business side of our team manages our social media creates promotional content designs our team branding and communicates with sponsors and partners we also mentor younger robotics teams and volunteer community making our impact on the local and global community all of this helps grow both our team and robotics community as a whole okay now
073for our robotics let's see some action i would like to invite Dr. Del Toro to come and shoot our cannon don't worry guys are you ready three two one thank you so much to this amazing robotics team give them a big round of applause Mr Barton for your support of the robotics team and your support of football your support of drama your support of dance and all the other programs that you support so thank you so much have a good night we're getting to the end i really want to thank our amazing students staff families our wonderful board of education and community members for all taking the time to be here tonight and for believing in the power of public education i also want to thank uh San Bernardino Tribune for being here and for
074the strong partnership that we have with your newspaper thank you so much for always supporting our kids and showcasing the academics arts athletics and activities at our off-board schools so thank you so much for doing that work the state of the district is not defined by a single night or a single presentation it is in fact defined by what happens every day in our classrooms on our campuses and through our important partnerships thank you for your trust your support and your shared commitment to San Bernardino Unified School District and good night and with that i adjourn this meeting at 7 53 and i thank you