Dear SVUSD Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! We hope you and your family had a joyful and restful summer break. As we prepare to welcome our students back to campus, we are excited to begin a new year filled with learning, growth, and opportunity.
Our staff has been working diligently over the summer to ensure a smooth and successful start to the year. From curriculum planning and classroom preparation to facility updates and professional development, our team is ready to provide a supportive and engaging environment for our students.
This year, we will continue to focus on academic excellence, student well-being, and inclusive practices that foster a strong sense of community. We are also placing a renewed emphasis on attendance, social-emotional learning, and positive behavior expectations, all of which contribute to a safe and successful school experience.
As we begin the new school year, here are a few important reminders to keep in mind.
The first day of school for students is Thursday, August 7. Individual school sites will be reaching out to families with specific information about daily schedules and other site-based details. To ensure you stay informed throughout the year, please confirm that your contact information is up to date. Accurate phone numbers and email addresses are essential for receiving important updates and communication from your child’s school and the District.
As a reminder, the elementary schools and middle school have different modified short days for professional development this year, with the change to Thursdays instead of Wednesdays. Please be sure to check the schedule for your child's school.
As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing cybersecurity and protecting student information, we will update all student usernames and passwords at the beginning of the new school year. This proactive initiative reflects current best practices in data protection and is an important step in ensuring the digital safety of our entire school community.
Beginning Thursday, August 7, 2025, all students will be issued new, more secure login credentials. Teachers and staff will support students in accessing their accounts using these updated usernames and passwords during the first days of school.
Please note:
Students will continue to receive emails sent to their previous email addresses.
All existing files, data, and school-related information will be fully retained.
Students will only be able to log in using their new credentials.
We ask that you encourage your student to keep their new login information private and secure to help prevent unauthorized access and support safe online practices.
We appreciate your partnership in keeping our school environment digitally safe, and thank you for your ongoing support as we implement this important security enhancement.
District Highlights and Updates:
District-Wide Math Initiative
SVUSD is continuing its participation in the TK-12 Santa Cruz County Math Initiative, which focuses on fostering equitable and engaging math instruction and building students’ confidence and problem-solving skills. This year includes professional learning and collaboration focused on effective practices, to establish a strong foundation for math success district-wide.
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
SVUSD is committed to supporting every student every day through a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), which addresses academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. The districtwide process includes high-quality classroom instruction, targeted interventions, and collaborative problem-solving through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to ensure all students receive the support they need to succeed.
This year, each school will have the added benefit of an on-site MTSS specialist. These specialists will work closely with students, teachers, counselors, and administrators to provide focused support. We’re excited about this new layer of assistance and remain committed to building a strong foundation that supports the success of all students.
CAASPP State Testing
The State of California released individual student scores for the 2025 administration of the CAASPP State testing, which was completed in April and May of this year. Students in 3rd-8th and 11th grades participated in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in English Language Arts & math. Students in 5th, 8th, and 11th grades also participated in science.
Families can access their child’s report through the Synergy Parent Portal. Once you log in as a parent, you can choose the “Test History” button in the left column. The State has also redesigned the student report to show a student’s growth over time. Below, you will find the website, which explains the new student report and provides additional information about the testing, as well as resources for you to review. If you have questions about your child’s scores, please contact your child’s principal. https://ca.startingsmarter.org/
The California Assessment of Academic Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is just one measure of student achievement and progress toward proficiency. These tests can be combined with other measures, such as report card grades, classwork, and teacher observations, to provide families and teachers with a more comprehensive picture of each child’s learning. The District will analyze this data and make programmatic support available to students.
Long-Term Hybrid Independent Study Program
SVUSD will continue to provide independent study options for families who need a different learning model. Our K-8 hybrid program provides students with opportunities to participate in both remote learning and in-person instruction on a weekly basis. The high school will continue to offer full-time independent instruction, as well as part-time options for students who prefer to participate in on-campus activities, such as sports, electives, clubs, and social events, while still requiring remote learning instruction. If you are interested in learning more about this program, you can visit our website or contact kpetersen@scottsvalleyusd.org.
Before and After School Care
SVUSD is committed to offering before and after-school care for our students in Transitional Kindergarten through fifth grade. To support families and enhance student learning, SVUSD partners with Champions to provide on-site before and after-school care at our elementary schools. Champions also offers Extended Learning Opportunities for Transitional Kindergarten students, ensuring our youngest learners have access to developmentally appropriate enrichment and care beyond the regular school day. For more information, visit the district website at https://www.scottsvalleyusd.org/.
MagicSchool AI Tools for Students
This year, students in grades 4-12 will have access to MagicSchool AI, a generative AI platform built for schools that will help them learn to use the technology safely and responsibly.
With tools like ChatGPT and others being used in the professional world, it’s important that students learn how to use the technology safely. By using MagicSchool in our classes, your student will be prepared for the future of technology in the workforce.
While students use MagicSchool tools for purposes such as receiving real-time feedback, getting their questions answered, generating images, and in other exciting ways, teachers will have access to their chats to ensure that it’s used appropriately. Rest assured, MagicSchool does not collect or train on student data.
Be sure to ask your child about how they’re using AI in the classroom and take a look at the engaging ways they’ve utilized the MagicSchool tools to enhance their learning!
For more information, go to www.magicschool.ai or reach out directly with questions.
Supporting Student Wellness and Attendance
At SVUSD, we believe that social-emotional learning (SEL) is just as important as academic success. Our schools continue to integrate SEL into everyday classroom experiences through class discussions, writing activities, art projects, or guided lessons using the RethinkEd curriculum. SEL helps students build key life skills, guided by the five core competencies from CASEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Most importantly, SEL supports your child’s overall wellness and helps them develop tools to navigate school and life with confidence.
To learn more about these five SEL areas, visit casel.org. For additional mental health and wellness resources, please explore our Student Services page at scottsvalleyusd.org/page/student-services.
Attendance Matters!
You'll also find helpful attendance resources on our website. Regular attendance plays a big role in a student’s success academically, socially, and emotionally. Students who attend school consistently are more likely to feel connected, do better in class, and build strong relationships. Even missing just 9 days over the school year can make it harder for students to keep up and feel engaged.
If your child is sick and needs to stay home, please remember to inform the school office. Together, we can support every child’s growth and success!
Staffing Update
Coming back to school, you can expect to see familiar faces on your school campus as sites are reporting the fewest number of staff coming and going in several years. We will have three new teachers at each of our schools this year. They will be filling vacancies primarily created by retirements and people moving out of the area. We have a great deal of confidence in these new additions and are certain that they will be strong contributors to our exceptional educational team.
We are excited to welcome Nichole Salles-Cunha to our Scotts Valley team as our new Special Education Program Specialist! Nichole brings over 20 years of experience in education, along with a strong commitment to supporting students, families, and school staff. She will be working with all of our special education programs across the District, as well as supporting Scotts Valley students who attend programs throughout Santa Cruz County. Nichole is kind, knowledgeable, and passionate about helping every student succeed. If you see her on campus, please take a moment to say hello and give her a warm welcome!
We're looking for caring and dependable individuals to join our team as Special Education Instructional Aides and 1:1 Support Aides. These rewarding positions support our most vulnerable students and make a meaningful difference every day. If you’re interested in a fun, school-day schedule and helping students thrive, we’d love to hear from you! Please visit the following website for more information and to apply: https://www.edjoin.org/scottsvalley
We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential to student success. Our community support comes from many individuals and groups. To start this year, we would like to acknowledge the substantial contributions that our elementary parent organizations have made toward supporting our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support program, as well as to the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation (SVEF) for their contributions to our counseling services. We encourage you to stay involved, stay informed, and reach out if you have questions or need support. Together, we can make this school year an outstanding one for your child.
Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Warmly,
Tanya Krause, superintendent, and the District Office Team
Scotts Valley Unified School District 2025-2026 Student Calendar
Please visit school websites for important dates and events
Brook Knoll Elementary Website
Scotts Valley Middle School Website