Dear CVUSD Community:

This Wednesday, August 24th, the Conejo Valley Unified School District welcomes our scholars back for the first day of the 2022-2023 school year. We look forward to another year of providing exceptional academic experiences in caring learning environments that support the success and well-being of ALL students. 

It is an exciting time to be a part of the CVUSD as we continue to adapt and innovate to best serve and support our community of learners. To prepare for the school year ahead, below is important information to review, along with exciting details about what’s new in the CVUSD this school year.

COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
In alignment with the most current guidance from the California Department of Public Health, the CVUSD has updated its CVUSD COVID-19 Safety Plan and compiled this 2022-2023 School Year Frequently Asked Questions document regarding the COVID-19 health and safety protocols for our CVUSD campuses. This FAQ also includes other important information related to the new school year. Families are encouraged to review this information prior to the first day of school. These documents, along with other resources, are available on the 2022-2023 School Year CVUSD Forward webpage.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFE AND WELCOMING SCHOOL CAMPUSES

The CVUSD is committed to providing a safe and caring learning environment for all students. In alignment with this commitment, this school year, we will be launching an enhanced partnership with WeTip. WeTip can be used to report crimes, unsafe conduct, or concerns about people who may harm themselves or others. Through WeTip members of our CVUSD community can easily and confidentially submit reports through an online form (available via QR code), via text message or phone call. Reports received will be investigated with school officials and in partnership with local law enforcement, as appropriate. More information about how the CVUSD community can access this new service will be available soon.

FREE MEALS FOR ALL STUDENTS
School meals for the 2022-2023 school year will be available to all students at no charge. Although all students will receive free meals through the duration of this school year, we request for all families to complete this Online Free / Reduced Meal Eligibility for School Year 2022-2023 form, as this form affects a variety of areas unrelated to school meals, including school funding, college application fees, SAT fees, bus passes and more. Even if your child does not plan to eat school lunches, it is important to fill out this form to help ensure our schools and families receive the available resources.

NEW FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

• Strategic Arts Education Plan: 

This school year, the CVUSD begins the first year of its Strategic Arts Education Plan 2022-2027, which aims to provide equitable access to the arts for all students by reducing barriers, creating pathways for the continuance of arts studies, and more. The CVUSD is currently the only school district in Ventura County to have such a plan, which displays true commitment to all of our students having free access to the arts throughout their TK-12 educational careers.

• Spanish-English Dual Language Immersion Program:

This school year, we are excited to welcome our inaugural classes of transitional kindergarten and kindergarten Dual Language Immersion learners with the launch of our brand new Spanish-English Dual Language Immersion Program at Conejo Elementary School. These scholars will begin their journey of becoming bilingual, biliterate and bicultural. More about this first of its kind program for the Conejo Valley is available at: www.conejousd.org/DLI.  

• Career Pathways Programs:

Importantly, we will continue to prepare students for achieving the future career of their dreams. Our secondary schools offer a variety of Career Pathways Programs from Culinary Arts to Information & Communication Technologies, to Entrepreneurship, to Arts, Media & Entertainment and much more, all of which afford students the opportunity to study areas of interest to them prior to graduation day. These programs guide students as they form essential career connections and can act as a gateway to employment. Families are encouraged to explore the unique course offerings and opportunities available at our schools by visiting: www.conejocte.org. 

• Measure I:

This school year, our school campuses will continue to be upgraded thanks to the voter-approved school facilities bond, Measure I. New additions ahead for our schools include new, ADA accessible play areas at elementary school sites and the completion of building modernizations at several sites, including Los Cerritos Middle School and Sequoia Middle School. These projects will be invaluable additions to our campuses, support our students on their educational journeys, and boost the pride our whole community feels when they see and step foot on our beautiful campuses. 

• Communication & New Websites:

Lastly, communication remains key to our success in the CVUSD. Please review this How CVUSD Communicates With You document for ways to get connected and stay informed on all District and school happenings. I am excited to share that this fall we will be launching brand new websites for all of our CVUSD schools and the District. We will also be continuing with our weekly, districtwide, Communication Snapshot message, with the first edition to launch on Monday, August 29th. 

The future is bright for the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Thank you for being a shareholder of this community, the foundation of which would not be possible without our dedicated teachers, school site administrators, school site staff, and the entire CVUSD team. I am so grateful for each and every one of our CVUSD team members who make a positive impact in the lives of the students we serve each and every day. It’s together that we will continue to advance #CVUSDForward.

Sincerely,
Dr. Mark McLaughlin
Proud Superintendent of CVUSD Schools