All of our schools are in active preparation for the start of our new school year. Summer work crews have been busy cleaning and freshening classrooms and campuses to have a fresh look for students and teachers as they return. The first day of school for kindergarten through eighth grade students is Wednesday, August 18th and for high school, grades 9 through 12, is Monday, August 23rd. You may review the full calendar for the 2004-2005 school year at our website: www.vusd.k12.ca.us.

Our brand new Foothill Oak Elementary school will be opening at the end of this month. The construction crews will complete their work ahead of their contracted date. Students will begin class on September 7th in an exciting new environment. Our Guajome Park Charter School will be opening in phases at the start of this school year as their construction project nears completion. The old portables have been moved from the campus and most of the new classrooms will be ready for the start of their school year on August 18th.

During the next year we will be seeing additional progress on our school bond projects. We hope to begin construction sometime this year on Rancho Minerva Middle School as well as construction for the new multi-purpose building addition at Washington Middle School. Construction on the Casita Center multi-purpose building is beginning this summer with a hopeful completion date by the end of the school year. Vista High School will continue its major remodeling during the next school year with completion projected next summer.

Along with the many school completions and renovations, several new principal and assistant principal assignments will take place in the coming year. Kim Tullis will be the new principal at Bobier Elementary taking the place of David Lacy who will open the new Foothill Oak Elementary School as its principal. Karen Burke will assume the position of principal at Casita Center for Math and Science leaving her role as Coordinator of Human Resources to be replaced by Chuck Cowles.

Several new faces will be seen at our middle schools. Dr. Larrie Hall will be the principal of Lincoln Middle School after leaving Roosevelt Middle School where Raif Henry will assume the position of principal. Joining Dr. Hall at Lincoln will be assistant principal Carolyn Lucia who is moving from her position at Madison and new assistant principal Steve Riehle. Also joining Mr. Henry at Roosevelt will be a new assistant principal, Beth Graham and Dennis Smith who is transferring from Lincoln. Dr. Robert Pack will be the new principal of Madison Middle School along with two new assistant principals, Shawn Wirth and Chuck Hoover.

Our high schools will also see several new administrators this year. Larry White will be the new principal at Vista High, replacing Jamie Baumann who will take the reins as principal of Alta Vista and Palomar High Schools. Joining Mr. White at Vista High will be another new assistant principal, Dr. Monica Makiewicz. Rancho Buena Vista High School will welcome two new assistant principals, Steve Hargrave and Jose Villareal.

We continue to be challenged by a fourth year of severe budget reductions and ask for patience and understanding by our community as we seek ways to maintain financial responsibility without compromising leadership in our schools and classrooms. I will make every effort to provide information in future news letters for interested readers.

Welcome to the 2004-2005 School Year, the first time in nearly 15 years where all of our students will attend a full 180 days of school!

Sincerely,
Dave Cowles, Ed.D.
Superintendent