District News

If Leela, Mason, Jacob and Emily have their way, parents will have a much easier time one day when bringing students to and from school. Their original idea—a hover bus—took a significant upward turn as they brainstormed about transportation 100 years from now.

“It’s a flying car that takes you to a floating school,” says Emily. Her team took their experience and what they learned in fourth grade about green transportation solutions and applied it to their futuristic idea: a self-flying, affordable (just $500), solar powered “car” that carries them to a school in the sky. Since the vehicle can collapse to the size of a Rubik's Cube, parking would not be a problem either. 

They are among hundreds of TK-8 students participating in Campbell Union School District’s Centennial Celebration Design Challenge, according to Julie Goo, the district’s Coordinator of Innovation, Teaching, and Learning.  

“Students are using the engineering and design thinking process to create real-world solutions and ideas for our community,” she says. First they look at a problem someone is having, brainstorm ideas and possible solutions, then create prototypes to see how the idea might actually work. 

Student teams with the best digital or physical prototypes will be selected as part of a special exhibit in the Campbell Historical Museum’s Carriage House. The exhibit opening and Centennial Celebration is scheduled for the afternoon of April 30th. Details online at www.campbellusd.org/centennial.

A message from Dr. Shelly Viramontez, Superintendent
March 18, 2022

Dear Families and Caregivers,

Through this academic year, your student has been receiving COVID-19 testing on campus at the school site.  We learned late yesterday that Grapefruit testing will be concluding their on-site testing at our schools today, March 18.  Because we knew that Grapefruit had been working with Predicine to conduct the sample collection and test processing, I reached out to Predicine to continue to keep our testing program in place.  

Predicine will be assuming Grapefruit’s role as the direct contractor overseeing and implementing on-site COVID testing as of Monday, March 21.  This transition will be seamless, meaning there will be no interruption or change in testing procedures or personnel at your student's school site.

By continuing to provide your student’s COVID-19 test samples on campus, you agree to Predicine’s providing your student’s sample collection, testing, results reporting and third-party billing services as a testing contractor.  Your student will continue to be tested with no out of pocket cost to you. 

We are pleased to be able to continue to provide these testing services and wish you and your student a happy and healthy conclusion to this school year.

Please note that the Grapefruit community testing pod located at the Monroe Middle School parking lot will no longer be operational.

“Education is going to change forever,” says sixth grader Tesfay when talking about his team’s project that looks at schools of the future. He and his partner, Aaron, envision a completely new reality for where and how students will learn one day. The two Monroe Middle School students are among hundreds participating in Campbell Union School District’s Centennial Celebration Design Challenge. 

“Student Design Challenge teams are creating exhibits for the Campbell Historical Museum that will celebrate the past, present, and future of our students and schools,” says Julie Goo, the district’s Coordinator of Innovation, Teaching, and Learning. Using the engineering and design thinking process, the students are designing exhibits that explore and amplify the stories of teaching and learning in the community. Some, like Tesfay and Aaron, create a vision for what education may be like for students a 100 years from now.

“There will be plenty of money for schools,” Tesfay says. “The facilities will be great and have everything students need for learning.” Holographic teachers, artificial intelligence, virtual reality devices, and 3-D printers will be as standard as laptops, pencils and projectors are today, says Aaron. In their vision, students will have much more real-life and virtual learning experiences that take place anywhere in the world. And while students will be more self-directed, they will still need live teachers to bond with students and guide them in learning.

“We are giving our students more opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and problem solve through a focus on our Profile of a Graduate competencies,” says District Superintendent Shelly Viramontez. “It is encouraging to hear the ways in which they envision school in the future.“

Coming in April: Student teams are presenting their digital and physical prototypes for selection in a special exhibit in the Campbell Historical Museum’s Carriage House. The exhibit opening and Centennial Celebration is scheduled for the afternoon of April 30th. Details online at www.campbellusd.org/centennial

On Tue., March 22, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., parents and community members are able to preview, ask questions, and provide feedback on the curricula being proposed for Science in grades TK-5.

The proposed new curricula—Twig Science and STEMScopes—will be available for in-person viewing and feedback in the Hamilton Room at the District Administration Office, 155 N. 3rd Street, Campbell. 

Educators and the publishers advise viewing the materials in person in order to see how the hands-on lessons are intended to be used, ask questions of the district instructional staff, and be able to view the student and teacher’s editions of the curricula.

The public also may direct questions about the proposed curricula by calling the District’s Teaching and Learning Department, 408-364-4200, extension, 6245.