District News

For over 400 families eager for Campbell USD’s Campbell Care program placement, the wait is finally over. An innovative process, inspired by feedback and continuous improvement science, has addressed placements, outpacing initial expectations.

The start of the 2023-24 school year posed a challenge for the Campbell Care program: high demand for child care, new laws altering student sign-up priorities, and a scarcity of qualified staff across the industry.

Applying the principles of continuous improvement, the District’s Expanded Learning Department quickly identified hiring and retention strategies that led to a remarkable change. In just 10 weeks, the program accommodated 77% more students from the interest list. With around 1,000 students enrolled, the program is on track to surpass pre-pandemic levels.

Like many after school programs nationwide, the district's staff mostly comprises part-time employees balancing college attendance and work schedules.

"To attract and retain the best employees, the feedback and data told us that we needed to fast track the hiring process, provide information to candidates prior to interviews, along with cultivating a supportive workplace culture,” said Martha de Ojeda, Director of the Expanded Learning Department. “We created ways to offer part-time employees more hours, better pay, and we increased our investment in their training and support." Additionally, the program increased its employee retention rate and built a substitute pool of Campbell Care employees whose current schedule prevents them working a consistent schedule.

“Feedback from employees and families makes a difference,” said District Superintendent Shelly Viramontez.  “Our district is committed to continuous improvement and educating students to their highest potential. By leveraging the principles and tools of continuous improvement science, we strategically harness multiple data sources and feedback to innovate, solve problems, remove hassles and enhance systems for our students and staff.”

Creating. Inspiring. Exploring. These are the daily experiences for Campbell Union School District teachers, substitutes, early childhood educators, and counselors in speech, health, and others who support our students and schools. 

In the classroom or out, there are many ways to help our students reach their highest potential. Check our job listings at www.campbellusd.org/jobs.

Also, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing has a new Roadmap to Teaching, with a suite of digital tools and a new staff of career counselors to provide individualized guidance. Interactive online resources lead users through their personal options to discover how their talents can benefit students of all ages.

“I enjoy getting to know my students, finding out what motivates them, and figuring out how to help them get excited about learning and gaining the confidence to act,” says Josh Pizzica, Monroe and Campbell Union School District's Teacher of the Year. His ability to build relationships and inspire learning is one of many reasons he was celebrated at the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s annual Teacher Recognition event.

Pizzica teaches one of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes at Monroe Middle School, and he is avid about helping students see their potential. As the school’s AVID site coordinator, Pizzica has advanced the in-school academic support program further by sharing the techniques with colleagues and expanding use of key strategies throughout classrooms within the school.

Teachers using AVID’s strategies teach critical thinking, inquiry, and self-advocacy, and empower students to own their learning—which aligns with the district’s values and goals. With 40 years of proven success, AVID has shown that, regardless of their life circumstances, AVID students overcome obstacles and achieve success. They graduate and attend college at higher rates, but more importantly, they can think critically, collaborate, and set high expectations to confidently conquer the challenges that await them.

“Josh’s leadership has re-ignited the AVID work at Monroe Middle School, and our students are seeing the benefits,” said Principal Ruth Stephens Radle. “Our teachers are incorporating the techniques into their lessons, and more students are engaging in goal setting and connecting to  real-life topics and ideas.”

To learn more about AVID, visit AVID.org. 

Student and staff safety is our top priority. As part of our participation in California’s Great Shake Out, Campbell Union School District will conduct a TEST of our emergency notification system at 3pm, on Thursday afternoon, October 19, 2023.

The TEST ALERT message will go out to phone numbers and email addresses of the parents, guardians, and emergency contacts listed on each student's official record.

Our school safety plans include drills and training in the Incident Command System (ICS) used by emergency responders. We conduct drills every month and update our plans every year. To see the plan for your child's school, check with the school office staff.

For more about our emergency procedures, visit our Emergency Information page or check with your child's school office.

Our schools use ParentSquare to send notices to families and staff. A fast, free and easy way to receive notices is through the ParentSquare app. To register, use the same email and phone number that is on file with your child’s school.