Press Releases

Press release

VOLUNTEERS’ WORK PAYS OFF – $18,000 OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND DENTAL KITS DISTRIBUTED TO SACRAMENTO KIDS

What:            
In partnership with Target and others, the nonprofit organization K to College will distribute $65 packages of school and dental supplies to all 270 students at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School in Sacramento. These kits are part of more than 10,000 that were assembled by more than 500 volunteers at the Memorial Auditorium in December. K to College is a nonprofit with the mission of addressing the unmet material needs of homeless and other impoverished children, and adults working towards self-sufficiency.

Press release

School named for Dr. King plans march for kindness, justice
Event will kick off Kindness Week at Martin Luther King Jr. K-8 School

January 13, 2015 (Sacramento):  A school named for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will hold a march for kindness and justice on Thursday (January 15) – the late civil rights activist’s birthday.

The march around the Martin Luther King Jr. K-8 School campus in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood will kick off a Kindness Week in which students will be challenged to perform acts of kindness to honor Dr. King’s legacy, said Principal Denise Lee.

Press release

Famed polar explorer to visit Sacramento school
Robert Swan was the first to walk unsupported to both poles

January 7, 2015 (Sacramento):  Famed polar explorer and motivational speaker Robert Swan will make a presentation about Antarctica and environmentalism to students at Leonardo da Vinci K-8 School from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday (January 9).

Swan holds the distinction of being the first person ever to walk unsupported – meaning without GPS, food drops or radio communications – to both the North and South Poles. His observations of the environment during these treks led him to found 2041, an organization dedicated to educating future leaders about environmental issues.

Press release

SCUSD Superintendent José Banda Expresses Support for Worldwide ‘Hour of Code’ Initiative
Event focused on bridging digital divide, promoting computer sciences

Superintendent Jose Banda called on all teachers in the Sacramento Unified School District to be leaders in teaching computer science to their students by joining the worldwide “Hour of Code” movement.

Tens of millions of students of all ages and backgrounds have already tried an Hour of Code, a one-hour introduction designed to demystify computer science and show that anybody can learn the basics. This year, Banda, along with other leaders in the education and tech fields such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, are hoping to reach 100 million students.

Press release

SCUSD teens picked for color guard duty at 49ers-Raiders game
Hiram Johnson JROTC will serve at ‘Battle of the Bay’ on Saturday

December 2, 2014 (Sacramento):  Teens from Hiram Johnson High School’s Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) will serve color guard duty before thousands of football fans at the December 7 “Battle of the Bay” between the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.

Sunday is also on the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which brought America into World War II. Pearl Harbor survivors will participate with JROTC cadets in a commemorative ceremony before the playing of the National Anthem.

Press release

Next week is Thanksgiving break: Help keep schools safe
Metal thieves, vandals prey on schools during the holidays

November 20, 2014 (Sacramento):  The holidays are a busy time of year – especially for vandals, thieves and arsonists looking to take advantage of empty school campuses.

SCUSD is asking the community to help keep our schools safe and secure over the Thanksgiving Break (November 24-28) by reporting suspicious activity on any of our 75 campuses.

“Most of our schools are surrounded by homes, and we need those neighbors to join us in protecting these valuable and sometimes vulnerable community centers,” said Sacramento Safe School Office Manager Nina Delgadillo.

Press release

Farm to school: 4-H to bring animals to SCUSD campus

November 4, 2014 (Sacramento):  John Sloat Elementary School students will get a glimpse of rural life when farm animals visit the campus on Wednesday for Farm Day, an annual event sponsored by Sacramento County 4-H Clubs.

Club members will exhibit their animals – which may include cows, pigs, goats, sheep or chickens – and demonstrate how they care for their livestock.

The 4-H Farm Day has been a tradition in SCUSD since 1987.

WHAT: 4-H Farm Day

Press release

Kids to get free eye exams, glasses from Vision To Learn

October 23, 2014 (Sacramento):  Students at John Cabrillo Elementary School who have been identified with possible vision problems will be given a free eye examination and fitted for free glasses on Friday from the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Vision To Learn.

Vision To Learn’s mobile clinic will be at the school (1141 Seamas Ave., Sacramento, CA 95822) beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Friday (October 24).

Approximately 32 Cabrillo students are eligible for the service.

Press release

SCUSD celebrates Walk to School Day on October 8
International event promotes wellness, pedestrian safety

October 6, 2014 (Sacramento):  Sacramento City Unified School District schools will observe International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 8, with a celebration at Hubert H. Bancroft Elementary School.

The event is aimed at raising awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and pedestrian safety on busy city streets. Staff from SCUSD’s Safe Schools Office will be on hand to discuss safe routes to school and other tips. Superintendent José L. Banda will be among those greeting parents and students at Bancroft.

Press release

JFK High’s new $5.9 million stadium opens this Friday
State-of-the-art sports complex funded by Measure R bonds

September 3, 2014 (Sacramento):  SCUSD will cut the ribbon on a new $5.9 million athletic stadium at John F. Kennedy High School with a ceremony and pre-football game pep rally at 3:30 p.m. on Friday (September 5).

The stadium features an artificial turf field, recycled rubber track, new bleachers, a new concession stand building with restrooms and new landscaping. It replaces a weedy grass field that was peppered with gopher holes, difficult to play on and hard to maintain.

Press release

REMINDER: SCUSD, local law enforcement to stage mock school bus crash
Multi-agency training exercise at McClellan aimed at training school bus drivers and emergency responders on actions in the event of a crisis

RELEASE DATE: August 26, 2014 (Sacramento):  Sacramento City Unified School District is joining forces with local law enforcement and other agencies to stage a mock school bus accident at McClellan Park on Thursday, August 28.

WHAT: Multi-Agency Mock School Bus Accident Training Exercise
WHERE: Northern California Regional Public Safety Training Authority, 2409 Dean St., McClellan Park
WHEN: 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 28

Press release

SCUSD, local law enforcement to stage mock school bus crash
Multi-agency training exercise at McClellan aimed at training school bus drivers and emergency responders on actions in the event of a crisis

RELEASE DATE: August 21, 2014 (Sacramento):  Sacramento City Unified School District is joining forces with local law enforcement and other agencies to stage a mock school bus accident at McClellan Park on August 28.

WHAT: Multi-Agency Mock School Bus Accident Training Exercise
WHERE: Northern California Regional Public Safety Training Authority, 2409 Dean St., McClellan Park
WHEN: 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 28

Press release

Board appoints Seattle superintendent to lead SCUSD

(Sacramento):  The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education voted tonight to appoint Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José L. Banda to the top post in Sacramento.

Mr. Banda’s first press conference in Sacramento is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, July 18) at the Serna Center, 5735 47th Ave., in the upstairs rotunda.

Press release

SCUSD Board expected to vote on next superintendent on Thursday

July 16, 2014 (Sacramento):  The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education is expected to vote on SCUSD’s next superintendent at its meeting on Thursday (July 17).

The finalist candidate is not expected to attend the meeting on Thursday. A press conference with the new superintendent and SCUSD Board President Patrick Kennedy has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, July 18, at the Serna Center (5735 47th Ave.)

Press release

Group celebrates campaign for arson-damaged playgrounds

May 19, 2014 (Sacramento):  Sacramento Unified Education Foundation – SCUSD’s official nonprofit organization – will celebrate the success of its fund-raising campaign for two arson-damaged playgrounds on Wednesday at John Sloat Elementary School.

Last summer, playground structures at John Sloat and Caroline Wenzel elementary schools were set ablaze. Damage was extensive and both structures were removed for safety reasons. Although SCUSD moved swiftly to replace the structures, the schools opened in the fall without them.

Press release

Ribbon-cutting for Rosemont’s new track and field on Wednesday
High-tech, $1.97 million project funded by Measure R bonds

May 12, 2014 (Sacramento):  SCUSD will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday to open Rosemont High School’s new $1.97 million track and field, a project funded by Measure R.

Made in the USA with recycled rubber, the sandwich-style track surface is free of harmful heavy metals and durable enough for world-class performance training and competition. The equivalent of 7,000 passenger tires was kept from landfills through the recycling process.