The Tustin Unified School District and the Tustin Public Schools Foundation held their fifth annual State of the Schools Breakfast this week, drawing more than 320 administrators, staff, parents, city officials, business and community members to the Beckman High School Gymnasium.
With Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin presenting the keynote address, the Sept. 26 event celebrated TUSD’s accomplishments, touched on some of its challenges and demonstrated how Tustin is preparing students for college and career success.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Franklin said. “Our accomplishments and successes couldn’t happen without the dedicated work of the teachers, administrators and staff, and great support from the school board, parents and the community.”
Dr. Franklin was joined by several TUSD principals and district administrators to cover such topics as career pathways, specialized engineering and robotics programs, Heritage Elementary STEAM Magnet School, the Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program, one-to-one technology for students in grades five through 12, the state’s Next Generation Science Standards and results from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.
More than once, Dr. Franklin proudly emphasized TUSD’s impressive 98 percent graduation rate, which eclipses both state and county averages.
Other speakers included TUSD Director of Elementary Education Maggie Villegas, who spoke about the elementary music program; Beckman Principal Dr. Donnie Rafter, who discussed the CubeSat miniature satellite project; Heritage Principal Beth Rabel Blackman, who talked about her STEAM magnet school; Marjorie Veeh Elementary School Principal Rafael Plascenia, who gave an update on the dual language immersion program; and Foothill High School engineering and technology teacher Jeff Farr, who talked about the UCI Energy Invitational.
The district also presented a new video, “Preparing Students to Thrive Now and in the Future,” which you can find here on YouTube.