Downey students shine at State of the Schools breakfast

I can’t believe it’s October already. I have my Fall decorations up, appropriate clothing unboxed and cinnamon pine cones distributed throughout the house… even putting one in the car. Fall, I’m ready for you!

Now, moving on to more important topics like what’s happening around the District.

The Seventh Annual State of the Schools breakfast was held the first week of October and had a full house. As promised, it was an outstanding event.

A presentation was given by Linda Saldana showcasing all the offerings provided to our students through the Downey Foundation for Educational Opportunities. She shared a video of students engaged in the various programs that they provide such as violin, guitar, art, soccer and 5th Grade Science Camp and announced that this year the 5th Grade Science Camp will be offered at more of our schools. What a treat for our 1,500 students.

Rose Zeisel, our Downey Unified LA County Teacher of the Year, that I mentioned last month, spoke about her journey as a teacher. She shared what being a teacher means to her and the family influences that led her down this path during the early years of her life.

Dr. Garcia provided an update on the district, talking about growth and our vision moving forward. Pictures of our students kept the focus on what’s important to us all...the kids. His mantra, “Our Kids Deserve the Best,” is what guides our decisions every day.

Each year, the State of the Schools showcases a program that sets Downey Unified apart from other districts. This year attendees were challenged with a Robot Speed Build Activity that showcased our elementary robotics. I’m SO glad that there were elementary students assigned to each table to “coach” the groups if and when trouble arose when building the robot.

I believe that most of the tables were able to complete the build in the allotted time; however, I really think that was due to our amazing student coaches who helped everyone through the process.

On a side note, many of you may not know but Downey Unified offers robotics opportunities to all of our students, meaning that even our kindergarteners are 21st Century learners.

Proceeds of the State of the Schools event is provided to TLC, our hidden gem for families, that is the heart and soul of Downey Unified and the community.

Each month I go out to visit a couple of schools and my school visits this month were extra wonderful because I was able to visit our Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) programs. This regional program that has been housed by Downey Unified for many years is now officially a part of Downey Unified, located on four of our schools: one high school, one middle school and two elementary schools.

The students enrolled in this program get individual support when needed all while being integrated into general education classrooms when possible, with or without an interpreter. As are all our teachers are phenomenal, the teachers within the DHH program are as equally phenomenal and they all bring different life stories with them.

I was also able to visit Griffiths MS and Downey HS. The construction at Griffiths appears to be moving right along. The students have been doing well traversing the new paths as machinery works to prepare the ground for the new two-story building that will be built at the front of the campus. Kudos to Griffiths’ new principal Dr. Zegarra for circumventing the potential difficulties of construction.

At Downey HS, we were able to visit a co-teaching classroom where the class is made up of half general education students and half special education students led by a general education and special education teacher.

Many might know that we are taking steps to be designated as a Unified Champion School District where inclusion is incorporated district-wide both in the classroom and extracurricular activities. One main reason for this combination class is to support a smoother transition of mainstreaming our special education students with the end goal of having every one of our students completing our graduation requirements.

The last visit that I want to talk about is Unsworth’s Family PlayWorks Play Date. The Unsworth staff has combined eating lunch AND organized play with a family visit. Brilliant!

I was able to talk to a few families that were there and gained some insightful feedback. I had a great conversation with a first grader where I asked her what she liked best about school. Her immediate answer, without hesitation, was learning. I was very impressed with the maturity of her answer.

I also met a father who was dressed in his military fatigues and was there with his son and niece. His son was a little shy, so I took the opportunity to talk to his dad. They recently moved to the area and he shared that they were very happy with the support and welcoming by Unsworth’s staff.

We also talked a little about the role of a Board member, the size of the district and how each member is elected. When we were done, I thanked him for his service (something I think we all should remember to do) and let them get back to the event to eat and play in peace.

I also met an Unsworth family who learned from last year’s event and brought their own canopy. They have three students at Unsworth and one who transitioned to Doty last year. Mom shared with me how the responsibility of being a PlayWorks coach helped her son be more outgoing.

This goes to show that learning doesn’t always come out of a book, it happens outside of the classroom and is part of everyday life.

There is so much more I could talk about but in closing, I’d like to reflect on the spirit of Downey Unified. Tragedy strikes in all of our lives at one point or another, and recently there was a tragic loss of a spouse of one of our Downey Unified family members. The entire Downey Unified family took immediate action and rallied around all those involved to make sure everyone had the support they needed, both physically and emotionally.

As support continues to be provided to those affected, I just want to express that this was all done without hesitation and it was all done out of love. A family member contacted me later and let me know how much she appreciated the quick response of support from so many people. THIS is a side of Downey Unified that many people don’t get to see, THIS is what family does for each other, THIS is why I feel so honored to be serving as a board member, and THIS is why I will always believe that we are the BEST school district around!

Nancy A. Swenson
President, Downey Unified Board of Education