Superintendent's Update

Dear Families and Staff,

As we approach the close of another school year, I want to take a moment to recognize just a few of the many incredible community partnerships that help make Vallecito Union School District such a special place for students to learn and grow.

Building strong school-community connections is one of our key district goals, outlined in our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)—and we are grateful for every organization, group, and individual who contributes their time, expertise, and resources to support our schools.

Here are a few of our partners we appreciate:

 

• First 5, our partner in offering free evening parenting classes
• Bear Valley, who continues to make our ski program for grades 4–8 possible
• Friends of the Library, who we’ll be partnering with this summer for a reading program
• Parent volunteers who’ve led EdVenture sessions on topics like nutrition, choir, and more
• Murphys Creek Theatre, currently providing performing arts instruction at our elementary sites
• The Arnold Lions and Angels, who generously donate funds in support of student needs
• Our local Emergency Responders, who regularly visit as guest speakers and event participants
• Our dedicated Master Gardeners, volunteering time to care for and teach in our school gardens

 

And of course, our amazing Parent Clubs, who fundraise tirelessly, support field trips, and bring countless enriching experiences to our campuses.

 

As we wrap up the year, we invite everyone to celebrate and support our schools by attending two exciting end-of-year Parent Club events:

🎉 Friday, May 2nd - Mustang Bingo at Hazel Fischer Elementary

https://hfpc.square.site/mustang-bingo

 

🍗 Saturday, June 7th - Chicken in a Barrel at Albert Michelson Elementary https://www.chickeninabarrelfundraiser.com/

 

Looking ahead, the AMS Parent Club is planning to kick off the 2025-26 school year with a special fundraiser in coordination with Hawks Roundup—a great way to get involved and show your support from day one!

Learn more about AMS Parent's Club at https://avery-parents-club.square.site/

 

Thank you for being part of our VUSD community. We are stronger together, and we’re so proud of everything we’ve accomplished this year with your support.

 

Sincerely,

Tom Hoskins, Superintendent

On April 17th, Calaveras County Office of Education and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) honored outstanding Calaveras County classified school employees. Employees Making a Difference awardees are nominated and recognized for going above and beyond their job duties.

This year VUSD honored Melanie Whited, custodian at Hazel Fischer Elementary, Natasha Tudbury, special education paraeducator at Michelson Elementary and Tara Hungerford, librarian at Avery Middle School.

HFE Melanie Whited – Principal Copp shares “Melanie is an integral part of the Hazel Fischer school community, often working behind the scenes to ensure that the environment is clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. Melanie's dedication goes far beyond sweeping floors and emptying trash—she helps create a space where students can learn and thrive. Melanie approaches every task with a smile and a positive attitude and her interactions with our students are positive, kind and supportive. “

AME Natasha Tudbury – Principal O’Geen notes, “Natasha, a special education para and our leadership advisor, has made an incredible impact on students through her ability to build impactful positive relationships with each child she encounters. Her dedication to a positive, caring and kind culture at AME not only supports students' academic growth but also builds upon their social and emotional development, making her the embodiment of what it means to truly make a difference in education. “

AMS Tara Hungerford – Principal Nicotero says, “Since coming aboard the AMS team nearly 8 years ago, Tara Hungerford has effectively helped sail our ship through the rough middle school waters and enabled a myriad of students to successfully navigate an ocean of learning potential as a Library-Media Specialist. It is fair to say that our school would be lost if not for the time, energy, and effort she puts forth above and beyond the call of duty.”

 

Congratulations to these outstanding individuals who truly make a difference for the students of Vallecito Union School District.

At the April 16th meeting, the VUSD Governing Board approved an updated school calendar for the 2025-26 school year.

 

📅 CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE APPROVED CALENDAR FOR 2025-26

 

While the start date of August 13 and the end date of June 5 remain the same, along with all major holiday breaks, there are a few important updates to note—especially for families and staff who like to plan ahead.

The updated calendar reflects recent agreements made through the collective bargaining process between Vallecito Union School District and the Vallecito Teachers Association. These changes are designed to better support both student learning and teacher workload throughout the year.

Here’s what’s new

Fewer Minimum Days: Regular minimum day collaboration time has been removed, meaning fewer minimum days during the school year.

Trimester Work Days for Teachers: Two professional development days have been replaced with three teacher work days, one at the end of each trimester, to allow time for report card preparation.

Reduced Inclement Weather Days: The number of built-in make-up days for weather-related closures has been reduced from five to four.

 

We hope these updates provide more consistency for families and support the important work our educators do every day. Thank you for your continued partnership as we plan ahead for a successful 2025-26 school year!

You can have access to our school calendars anytime by visiting our school website. CLICK HERE FOR SCHOOL CALENDARS

We’re excited to share that Vallecito Union School District has officially approved a plan for how we will implement Proposition 28 – The Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

 

📘 CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE APPROVED PROP 28 PLAN

 

Each year, VUSD receives approximately $82,000 through Prop 28 to expand access to arts and music education for students. A key requirement of the funding is that at least 85% must be used for staffing dedicated to arts instruction. While the funding is not enough to support a full-time certificated teacher, VUSD’s plan outlines a creative and sustainable approach that begins with serving students in grades K-5 and lays the groundwork for future expansion.

 

Here’s what’s included in the plan

🎨 Hiring a Part-Time STEAM Teacher – A dedicated educator will provide 126 days of instruction, shared between our two elementary schools, designed to spark curiosity and creativity through a dynamic blend of music, visual arts, creative technology, and engineering.

🏫 Designated STEAM Learning Labs – Each elementary site will host a dedicated space for creative exploration and hands-on learning.

🎵 New Music Curriculum (Quaver Music) – A high-quality, engaging program that supports musical instruction in the elementary grades.

🎼 Music Consultant Partnership – A contracted consultant will support the development of a districtwide scope and sequence for music education.

💡 Site-Based Arts Opportunities – Each school (AME, AMS, and HFE) will receive $5,000 to support individualized arts and music enrichment, including the option to contract with local artists and musicians.

 

This first year of implementation will focus on building a strong foundation at the elementary level. As the program is reviewed, VUSD will explore ways to expand offerings to serve grades 6-8 in future years.

We are grateful for the opportunity to grow the arts in our district and look forward to bringing more creativity, expression, and inspiration into our classrooms!

Planning ahead just got a little easier! Vallecito Union School District’s Governing Board has approved school calendars for the 2026-27, 2027-28, and 2028-29 school years.

📅 CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 3-YEAR FUTURE CALENDARS

These new calendars reflect input from our school community and were developed collaboratively with Bret Harte Union High School District and Mark Twain Union Elementary School District to better align schedules across districts. Key priorities such as maintaining consistent start and end dates, coordinating breaks for families with students in multiple districts, and preserving instructional time helped guide the process.

Here are some highlights of the new calendar cycle:
👩‍🏫 Parent-Teacher Conferences in October will now span four days instead of five
🍁 Mini Fall Break added with Friday and Monday off immediately after conferences
🦃 Thanksgiving Break extended to a full week (Monday–Friday)
📘 President’s Day and Lincoln’s Birthday will now be observed as a Friday/Monday long weekend, rather than two separate Mondays
❄️ Winter Break, Spring Break, and the Frog Jump Holiday will continue with no changes

 

These calendars were designed to support student learning with a focus on maintaining full instructional weeks and reducing frequent early dismissals. At the same time, we aimed to include meaningful breaks—like long weekends—that allow families time to travel, recharge, and schedule appointments, which we hope will also support improved student attendance.

Thank you for partnering with us to build a calendar that supports both learning and life beyond the classroom!