By David Berlin
San Diego Union Tribune
September 4, 2008
The Sweetwater Union High School District has won the traveling trophy for having high parent participation.
Sweetwater had 29 parents, staff members and administrators attend the second annual Title I Parent Advisory conference held in May at the Hilton Harbor Island. The three-day training offered seminars on topics such as how to be a more effective parent at home and at school, classroom management for teachers and following federal funding guidelines for school administrators.
“Parents have been and always will be our students' first teachers,” school board President Pearl Quińones said. “We are delighted that so many of our parents have taken the time to learn new ways of helping their children succeed in school.”
The district snatched the traveling trophy from the San Diego Unified School District because the number of Sweetwater attendees represented 20 percent of the total number attending the conference, said Diane Haney, conference organizer and association president.
In addition to the traveling trophy, nine Sweetwater district principals received the Front Line Principals award because of their family-friendly campuses. Schools were judged on the ease of navigation for their school Web site and the friendliness of their front-office staff members.
Schools given the recognition were: Hilltop High, Montgomery Middle, National City Middle, Otay Ranch High, Palomar High, Southwest Middle, Sweetwater High, Alternative Education and Chula Vista Adult School.
“Sweetwater really stepped up and took every award we had,” Haney said.
The San Diego County Title I Parent Association formed in 2007 to bring together hard-to-reach parents. Its formula for parent participation is now a model for the state.
Year established: 1920
Enrollment: 42,662
Grades: seventh through 12th
Superintendent: Jesus M. Gandara
Address: 1130 Fifth Ave., Chula Vista
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