District News

We are building a network of community experts to give our students real-world experiences to discover their passions and see applications for their learning in school. 

What’s your expertise? Science? Music? Cars? Landscaping? Art? Health? The possibilities are many and could bring our elementary and/or middle school students new ideas about the world and their future shaping it.

Care to share? 
Please complete this Community Expert Connections form. We will share the information you provide with our educators in the fall, and those who see a match to their learning objectives will contact you to schedule a classroom connection experience.

While fluency in more than one language has always been an admirable skill, biliteracy is increasingly important to employers in the U.S. and  around the world. This year, 87 Campbell Union School District (CUSD) eighth graders (13%) earned the Middle School Pathway Award Towards the Seal of Biliteracy awarded by the Santa Clara County Seal of Biliteracy Consortium. It is a milestone toward earning the State Seal of Biliteracy at the end of high school and a skill that brings many benefits.

“We are so proud of our student’s accomplishments through the Pathway program. This is one of the ways that we honor the rich heritage of our students linguistically, culturally and ethnically,” said District Superintendent Shelly Viramontez. “In fact, several of our students received the award for proficiency in three languages.”

“Research shows that being bilingual and biliterate fosters mental dexterity, builds cultural appreciation, and validates the rich cultural backgrounds of our students,” said Denise Kilpatrick, CUSD’s Coordinator of English Language Development. “The students undergo a rigorous process of learning and demonstrating their competency.”

The Pathway Award recognizes students who, by the end of 8th grade, have demonstrated a commitment to becoming biliterate, reaching a high degree of proficiency in both English and at least one another language, and meeting a rigorous set of criteria to qualify. Oral presentations about the benefits of understanding other cultures were one of the performance options that some of the students chose.

Francisco, pictured above delivering his Pathway to Biliteracy presentation, is among Sherman Oaks School’s first class of eighth graders advancing to high school since it became a TK-8 school in 2019.

The Santa Clara County Library District provides free library accounts to all students enrolled in Campbell Union School District schools, regardless of their address. Many of our students already have their login information through their school’s library.

That fact will make it easier for parents who sign their children up for the library’s free Summer Reading Program, Read Beyond the Beaten Path. 

The two-month event, from June 1-July 31, encourages all readers to explore the world through reading and get out into the great outdoors. Go on a new adventure in the pages of a book or take the adventure outside. 

Sign up or log into Beanstack and register for Summer Reading. Patrons can download the Beanstack app on their mobile device and start logging their progress. Participants can earn a reward for reading five books and completing one activity this summer. Completion rewards will be available starting on Monday, August 1.

At a recent Governing Board meeting, Superintendent Shelly Viramontez presented an overview of results from the April 2022 community engagement survey. It was administered to CUSD parents, students, staff, and community partners by Huron/Studer Education.  

“The survey is part of the district’s commitment of continual improvement and one of several ways that we elicit input from our community,” Viramontez said. “Feedback is very important for identifying what is working, what needs to be changed, and how to direct funds and resources to support those needs.” 

The overall themes: Stakeholders are generally satisfied with the school and district leadership and the condition of schools. They want to improve two-way communication within the organization.

Each school and district department of five employees or more received its own results which they are  examining in greater detail. The teams will identify focus areas for celebration (what is going well) and for areas for improvement. These will be incorporated into site and department goals. The Superintendent will report progress in future board meetings. 

District-wide Themes from Survey

What is going well
(Areas that received the highest number of 5’s - Strongly Agree)

Students

• My principal is a good leader.
• My teacher cares about me.
• Learning is important at my school.

Parents/Guardians

• My child has the necessary classroom supplies and equipment. 
• My family is treated with respect at this school. 
• The school is clean and well maintained.
• After-school site manager is approachable.

Employees

• My principal/supervisor demonstrates concern for me.
• My principal/supervisor acknowledges good performance.
• Would recommend CUSD to a parent for their child.
• Believe the Superintendent uses a variety of methods to promote effective communication.

What to Improve
(Area that received a lower number of 5’s - Strongly Agree) 

Improve 2-way communication to support all levels of the organization.

Next Steps

• Streamline communication methods
• Share information with Board
• Conduct some focus groups with students & families
• Determine a few actions aimed at improving outcomes
• Incorporate into our goals

The District is using some of its one-time funding to work with Huron/Studer Education to build long-term, district-wide capacity for maintaining a system of continual improvement. “Campbell is a great place to learn and a great place to work, and we want to keep it that way,” Viramontez said.

See the Board presentation about the survey here.