AT A GLANCE: 

~EUSD Vision~

Ignite the Limitless Potential of All Learners.

 

Dear EUSD Community,

I hope each of you have had a wonderful start to the school year. I have enjoyed being at school sites these first two weeks as our students, staff and families have settled into the routines of the school year. For some of our students, this is like riding a bike and it is easy and exciting. For some students, breaks and transitions can be extremely challenging. Please know we are here to support each and every student with having the best year, so reach out if there is something we can do to help ease your child into this school year.

On the first day of school, I was reminded how quickly the time goes for our children in elementary school. As I begin my seventh year as Superintendent in EUSD, the students I greeted on the first day of kindergarten as Superintendent are starting this year as sixth graders! I am so deeply honored to know so many families that have allowed me alongside their children as they progressed through school. I am sharing a photo below! A then and now! I was honored to see these two sixth graders walk through the gates on their first day of 6th grade while enjoying reminiscing with their mom how it seems like just yesterday they were the little ones posing with the Mission Estancia Wildcat! The same morning, I met some beautiful new families just starting their journey with kindergarteners. I also met some families with children of different ages just moving to EUSD. I always assure them that they have landed in a great place! 

All of that is to say, every moment in elementary school is a precious one and the time goes by too quickly. Enjoy every chance you have to be involved, to be present and to share the experience with your child. Take the photos! Save the work samples! Ask the questions at dinner time or in the car about their day! These are the memories that you will all cherish!

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I look forward to the best year yet for EUSD!

Warmly,

Andrée Grey, Ed.D.
Superintendent

 

We want to clarify many of the headlines you may have read about over the summer related to school districts across the country. I know many people reached out with concerns or questions. 

Immigration Supports

As I mentioned in my letter earlier this week, we were all deeply concerned by the ICE incident near Park Dale Lane Elementary and the fear it caused. No child should experience such fear and trauma on their way to school. EUSD is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environment where all students are treated with respect and dignity, regardless of immigration status. In light of recent local events, we understand that some families may feel uncertain. We want to reassure you that EUSD will not solicit or collect information about the citizenship or immigration status of students or their families, nor will it assist with immigration enforcement at school sites, except as required by state or federal law. Our priority is to protect the confidentiality, safety, and well-being of all members of our community. For more information and resources, please go to the Immigration Supports page on the district website, or reach out to your school office. 

Opt-Out Information

Based on the June 27 Supreme Court opinion on Mahmoud v. Taylor, parents will be provided notifications and given an opportunity to opt out of material specifically identified by parents as substantially interfering with the religious development, belief, and/ or practice of their child/children. For example, Mahmoud specifically dealt with LGBTQ+ content. Your child’s teacher will provide advance notice of any materials with potential religious-based impact that will be used in class. Parents will have the opportunity to opt their child out of the specific content they identify as substantially interfering with their specific religious belief, custom and/or practice. Any child opted out will be provided an alternative assignment in a different location during the lesson without negative ramifications.

Classroom & School Libraries

Each classroom has its own library where students are encouraged to self-select books that interest them to read at their own discretion. Families are welcome to review the classroom libraries. While these books are not part of the formal curriculum, we encourage you to talk with your child about their reading choices and discuss what types of books you would or would not like them to select. Children may also bring their own books from home to read during independent reading.

All EUSD families are welcome to view all books available in the school library. On each iPad or on our website, there is an app called Follett Destiny. That is our library card catalog. When you click on the Destiny app you are able to select your school. From the new screen, you can select “Catalog” at the top (next to Home). That will open up a search feature where you can search for any book title. If there are books that you do not want your child to check out, you may send an email to your school Library Media Assistant with the titles. Checking out books from the library is considered optional for children.

 

You may be aware last school year EUSD received a charter petition from North Star Waldorf Academy Charter School. Charter schools can request a local education agency for authorization to operate a school within the jurisdictional boundaries of the authorizing agency. If authorization is granted by the District’s Board of Trustees, North Star Waldorf will operate as a separate legal entity, but the District will have oversight responsibilities for the charter school.

The District reviewed the petition for legal compliance as well as conducted a detailed review and analysis in all areas such as curriculum and education, business and finance, liability and risk management, as well as student rights and special education. The information gathered is to determine the soundness and workability of the proposed school. The results of the review were posted publicly on August 4, 2025 and are available on our district website. On August 19, 2025 at their regularly scheduled meeting the EUSD Board of Trustees voted to accept the staff’s factual findings and deny the charter petition. The petitioners may choose to appeal this decision with the San Diego County Office of Education Board of Education. We will continue to keep the community informed of the progress of the petition on our website.

 

We love EUSD! In preparation for the first day of school, our entire EUSD family gathered for the annual Back-To-School Welcome Breakfast. The morning was filled with connection, joy, and inspiration, and included the introduction of this year's district theme: I ❤️ (love) EUSD! 

Staff also had the opportunity to hear from guest speaker and artist Stephen Fishwick, who shared his story of growing up with dyslexia and ADHD and the life-changing impact several teachers had on him. Our dedicated educators and support staff exemplify that same commitment to helping every child in EUSD ignite their limitless potential.

Here’s to another year of passion, creativity, and making a difference for every student, every day. We look forward to seeing our students, staff, and families embrace this year's theme as we celebrate all the reasons we love being part of this remarkable community. 

 

The updates listed below were presented at the EUSD board meeting held on August 19, 2025:

Eric Smith, Director of Facilities and Safety, presented an update to the board with an overview of facilities projects completed during the summer. Thanks to Bond Measure Z, projects included new roofing at several schools, painting, removal of portables, asphalt work, and the start of playground replacements at Park Dale Lane and Flora Vista. 

Joseph Dougherty, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, presented an update on Bond Measure Z, including plans and adjustments for projects in phases II and III.

Ronnie Kraft and Erin Lain, Program Specialists in Student Support Services, gave an overview of the Extended School Year Program, which served 73 students this summer. ESY is designed to support students who benefit from continued instruction to maintain progress and ensure a smooth transition into the new school year. 

Leslie Wright, Coordinator of Enrichment and Intervention, and Jennifer Bond, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability, presented a detailed overview of the Summer Language Academy (SLA) program. SLA served 135 students, developing their English and Spanish skills in a fun, camp-themed setting. 

 

New Number:
As part of EUSD’s communication efforts, parents, and staff occasionally receive text messages or automated voice calls from their school sites or the district. This helps us connect with everyone quickly and efficiently, especially in cases of emergency. 

The phone number these messages come from has been updated to a 10-digit standard phone number, rather than the short form number previously used. 

The new number is: 760-903-2335

We highly encourage you to save this number in your contacts to ensure your attention when messages or automated calls come to you from the district or your school. 

Please Note:
- This phone number will be the same for both district-wide messages, and messages from your school or principal. You only need to save this one number!
- Every text message, regardless of if it’s from the district or your school, will start with “EUSD:” followed by the message.
- This number is for one-way communication from the district or your school to parents and staff. If you need to talk to someone at the school or district, please call their office line as shown on district and school websites, or send an email. 

Re-Subscribing To District & School Communications:
We highly recommend that you do not unsubscribe from receiving texts or emails from the district. Please note that if you have unsubscribed from district communications, in addition to not receiving district messages, you will also not receive texts, automated calls, or emails from your school or principal. These channels are an important means of communication for both the district and each school site to notify you of important updates and information. 

If you have already unsubscribed from receiving emails or text communications from the district or your child's school, you can re-subscribe by sending an email request to your school office manager or school service secretary. 

 

Don't forget to fill out a back-to-school packet for each of your students. Click here to get started. Please complete the required readings first, then login to your Parent Portal to fill out the forms.

If you do not have access to the internet, you can visit your school site or any public library to complete the packet. If you need assistance, please contact your school office.

*You're emergency information form will show as pending when submitted. Those forms have to be reviewed by your school site's office staff. Once approved, it will no longer show as pending.*

 

We are pleased to share that all enrolled students in the Encinitas Union School District will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch during the 2025–2026 school year at all nine school sites. Our Child Nutrition Services team prioritizes scratch-made entrées prepared with locally sourced produce and responsibly raised proteins, many of which are grown on our own certified organic Farm Lab. 

No paperwork or meal application is required for your child to receive free meals. However, we encourage families to complete a free/reduced-price meal application, as qualifying may provide access to additional benefits through other district and community programs. Please visit the Meal Applications section on the district website for more information.

 

‘School in a garden’: Encinitas district unveils design for Paul Ecke Central School

San Diego Tribune 

The initial design for the new Paul Ecke Central School has embraced a “school in a garden” concept, fitting for a school named for a legendary local who perfected the poinsettia plant. The rebuild of Encinitas Union School District’s oldest 100-year-old school will include classrooms filled with natural light opening up into outdoor learning and collaboration spaces.

Encinitas Union School District hosts 26th Annual Summer Olympics for Students

North Coast Current

The Encinitas Union School District celebrated its 26th annual Extended School Year Summer Olympics. The event brought together students from across the district for a morning filled with energy, excitement and inclusive fun. 

 

Farm Lab needs metal cans and empty single use water bottles for student engineering projects. Let's reuse our recyclables! Donation bins can be located by your school front office from August 25 to September 12. Please make sure containers are clean and dry before donating. Thank you! 

 

JOIN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO SHARE IN OUR STUDENT AND STAFF STORIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS!

   ENCINITAS UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT  |  101 S. RANCHO SANTA FE ROAD, ENCINITAS, CA  92024