News & Events
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Dear Sweetwater Community,
We stand in solidarity with our neighbors, public agencies, elected officials, and community organizations in response to the unacceptable treatment of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla by federal agents in Los Angeles. This incident does not reflect the values we hold as Americans, and we unequivocally denounce it.
We recognize the growing concern about immigration enforcement in our South Bay community. The Sweetwater Union High School District remains committed to supporting and respecting our Latino and immigrant communities. With a student population that is 70% Latino and 10% Filipino, we take pride in our binational identity and the richness it brings to our schools.
Sweetwater does not collect or maintain immigration status information. Our board policies and administrative regulations ensure staff are equipped to handle these matters with care. Our top priority is to maintain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every student.
Living along the border gives us a unique understanding: we can uphold law and order while also demanding empathy in enforcement. Every person deserves dignity, and we call on all who enforce the law to do so with compassion.
To those who choose to protest, we urge peaceful assembly, inspired by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez, who showed that nonviolence leads to lasting change.
Let us continue to build a community rooted in unity, diversity, and our shared commitment to justice. Together, we can rise to the challenge and uphold the democratic values that define us.
In solidarity,
Moises G. Aguirre, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Sweetwater Union High School District
Estimada Comunidad de Sweetwater,
Nos solidarizamos con nuestros vecinos, agencias públicas, funcionarios electos y organizaciones comunitarias en respuesta al trato inaceptable recibido por el Senador de los Estados Unidos, Alex Padilla, por parte de agentes federales en Los Ángeles. Este incidente no refleja los valores que sostenemos como estadounidenses, y lo condenamos de manera inequívoca.
Reconocemos la creciente preocupación sobre la aplicación de leyes migratorias en nuestra comunidad del South Bay. El Distrito Escolar Sweetwater Union High reafirma su compromiso de apoyar y respetar a nuestras comunidades latinas e inmigrantes. Con una población estudiantil compuesta en un 70% por estudiantes latinos y un 10% por estudiantes filipinos, nos enorgullece nuestra identidad binacional y la riqueza que aporta a nuestras escuelas.
Sweetwater no recopila ni mantiene información sobre el estatus migratorio. Nuestras políticas de la mesa directiva y reglamentos administrativos aseguran que el personal esté preparado para manejar estos asuntos con sensibilidad. Nuestra máxima prioridad es mantener un entorno seguro, acogedor e inclusivo para cada estudiante.
Vivir en la frontera nos brinda una comprensión única: podemos mantener el orden y la ley mientras exigimos empatía en su aplicación. Toda persona merece dignidad, y hacemos un llamado a todos quienes hacen cumplir la ley a que lo hagan con compasión.
A quienes eligen manifestarse, les pedimos que lo hagan de manera pacífica, inspirados en líderes como Martin Luther King Jr. y César Chávez, quienes demostraron que la no violencia conduce a un cambio duradero.
Sigamos construyendo una comunidad basada en la unidad, la diversidad y nuestro compromiso compartido con la justicia. Juntos, podemos enfrentar este desafío y defender los valores democráticos que nos definen.
Con solidaridad,
Moises G. Aguirre, Ed.D.
Superintendente
Distrito Escolar Sweetwater Union High -
Dear Sweetwater Community,
As a district that proudly serves a diverse student population, we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments for every student—regardless of immigration status.
In light of recent national developments, we want to reassure our community that our district policies strictly prohibit immigration enforcement on school campuses without a valid judicial warrant. We are also committed to protecting the confidentiality of student and family information in accordance with the law.
All school staff have been reminded of the proper procedures to follow should immigration or law enforcement officials come to a school site. Additionally, schools have access to resources such as “Know Your Rights” materials and legal support contacts to help guide and protect families. Each school will also receive “Red Cards” in English and Spanish, provided by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, which outline Constitutional rights in an easy-to-understand format. These cards are also available in multiple languages online. For immigration resources click here.
Thank you for your trust and partnership as we continue to uphold our values of equity, safety, and respect for all. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your school principal or district office.
Best regards,
The Sweetwater Union High School District
Estimada Comunidad de Sweetwater:
En nuestro distrito, estamos orgullosos de servir a una población estudiantil muy diversa. Por eso, seguimos comprometidos en crear ambientes seguros, acogedores e inclusivos para todos nuestros estudiantes, sin importar su estatus migratorio.
Ante los eventos recientes a nivel nacional, queremos asegurarles que nuestras reglas no permiten que oficiales de inmigración entren a las escuelas sin una orden judicial válida. También cuidamos mucho la privacidad de la información de nuestros estudiantes y sus familias, como lo exige la ley.
El personal escolar ya recibió recordatorios sobre los pasos correctos a seguir si un oficial de inmigración o la policía llega a una escuela. Además, las escuelas tienen acceso a recursos como materiales de “Conozca sus Derechos” y contactos legales para ayudar a las familias. También entregaremos a cada escuela “Tarjetas Rojas” en inglés y español, proporcionadas por el Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Estas tarjetas explican los derechos constitucionales de forma sencilla, y también están disponibles en línea en varios idiomas. Para ver estos recursos, haga clic aquí: click here.
Gracias por su confianza y apoyo continuo. Si tiene preguntas o inquietudes, por favor comuníquese con la directora o el director de su escuela, o con la oficina del distrito.
Atentamente,
El Distrito Escolar Sweetwater Union High School
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THE SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT REVISED 2019-2020 BUDGET
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Sweetwater Union High School District at its Regular Meeting to be held on October 8, 2019, will conduct a Public Hearing to take action on revisions to the 2019-2020 budget.
The Public Hearing of the District will be held on October 8, 2019, and will begin at 6:00PM or as soon thereafter as practicable, in the Board Room at the district office located at 1130 5th Avenue, Chula Vista, California. This matter will be considered at such time as the agenda item is considered by the Board of Trustees of the District.
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Starting pay $21.14 per hour
Application Process:
- If you’re ready to apply, go to https://www.edjoin.org/Home/DistrictJobPosting/1210375
Or log into www.edjoin.org and type “Sweetwater Union” in the search box.
If you have any questions, call Human Resources at 619-691-5535
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Over the past few days, there has been some discussion in the media about a loan of $12 million that is being offered to the Sweetwater Union High School District by the San Diego County Office of Education. We’d like to take a few moments and share some additional information with our community about this matter.
As most of the community is aware, the 2018-2019 school year was a challenging one for the Sweetwater District. However, with the hard work of all of our stakeholders and the implementation of ongoing budget solutions, our Board of Trustees passed a balanced budget for the 2019-2020 school year.
During the development of our district budget for the 2019-20 school year, several aspects of the district finances were shared, including the district’s practice of temporary borrowing from other funds within the district, specifically the Community Facilities District Fund (Fund 49 – also known as the Mello-Roos Fund).
Since the Sweetwater Union High School District does not receive enough funding from the State to cover payroll expenses in the months of July and August, it is necessary to borrow money to pay our staff.
California Education Code 42603 permits school districts to temporarily borrow from other district funds to address the timing of cash received with certain conditions. Any and all dollars borrowed by the district’s General Fund must be repaid with interest to the fund that was borrowed, thereby increasing the total dollars in the fund upon repayment. Sweetwater has typically borrowed upwards of $70 million from Fund 49 and then repaid it, with interest, once State revenue is received during the school year.
Beginning early in 2019, during presentations to the Board of Trustees, the district shared publicly there would be a balance of between $8 to 14 million still owed to Fund 49 at the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2019). The final amount owed to Fund 49 as of June 30, 2019 was $12 million.
The fiscal stabilization plan created by the Sweetwater District accounted for this balance. Per the 2019/20 budgeted cash projections the balance is projected to be at $0 by June 30, 2020.
On July 10, 2019, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) emailed the Sweetwater District with an offer to immediately pay the $12 million back to Fund 49 and Sweetwater would have until June 30, 2020 to pay back the $12 million, plus interest to the SDCOE – approximately $200,000-300,000. The SDCOE Board approved this offer on July 24, 2019 at their regularly scheduled Board Meeting.
Because the Sweetwater District had a balance as of June 30, 2019 there is a finding that will be mentioned in a future financial audit of the district (per California Education Code 42603). Although Sweetwater very much appreciates the willingness of the SDCOE to support our efforts, a loan any time after June 30, 2019 does not change the audit finding.
The next step is for the Sweetwater Board of Trustees to consider the offer made by the SDCOE at a future board meeting, determining if it is in the best interest of the district to borrow these funds. While there are several considerations to take into account, a major factor is repayment of interest. As mentioned earlier, when the district borrows from its own funds and makes repayments with interest, those funds stay within the district. A loan from SDCOE would also have to be repaid with interest, and those funds would go to the SDCOE.
We will continue to update the community as we are able, and we thank you for your continued support of the Sweetwater Union High School District.