Poway Unified announces four community forums

The Poway Unified School District has announced four forums where community members are invited to discuss five topics related to the district’s preparation of its second Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

The first session will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 at Bernardo Heights Middle School, 12990 Paseo Lucido in Rancho Bernardo.

Other sessions, each also running from 6 to 8 p.m., are planned for Monday, March 16 at Meadowbrook Middle School in Poway, Thursday, March 19 at Deer Canyon Elementary School in Rancho Penasquitos and Wednesday, April 1 at Oak Valley Middle School in 4S Ranch.

Now in its second year, the LCAP is part of a significant change in the way the state allocates funding to local school districts. Under the new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), state funding for schools is designed to be more flexible, allowing for more local control over academic spending priorities.

This year, district officials are asking for community comments on what it calls “Five Critical Questions.” These include:

• Safety: How do we ensure our schools are safe and secure, while maintaining a positive learning environment and a welcoming atmosphere?

• Learning Experiences: What type of learning environments and opportunities are needed to ensure that all students reach their potential and are prepared to be successful in life?

• Measures of Success: How do we define and measure student success in order to ensure that each student has a successful personalized learning experience?

• Fiscal Responsibility: How do we ensure equitable, effective and transparent use of district resources to support student success and build public trust?

• Communication: What strategies and methods for communication will effectively engage all stakeholders and build public trust?

As part of the process, comments will be collected from parents, students, community service groups, businesses, school principals, district employees, the District English Language Advisory Commitee and the District Advisory Committee.

Those planning to attend any of the community forums are asked to RSVP through the district’s web site, www.powayusd.com.