Greetings! I am thrilled to share how busy our SHUSD students and staff are with high quality learning experiences as we roll into October! This week is Homecoming Week at St. Helena High School, so the campus has been buzzing with additional activities each evening as students build their floats. I have been awed by their creativity, school spirit, and collaboration to bring these designs to fruition. Students in TK-8 seem equally excited to view the parade festivities tomorrow. If you are available, please plan to join for our annual parade on Main St. from 2:00 – 2:30 pm. Then our Homecoming football game against Middletown will begin at 5pm. This is an exciting week and event in St. Helena and we hope to see everyone there to support our Saints!

Hearing directly from students is an important component of our feedback process in SHUSD and I am privileged to converse with students of all ages daily. In addition to seeking these opportunities to inquire about their experiences and learning while I am on campuses, we also survey students annually; have created on-campus opportunities to regularly check-in with each student; frequently solicit feedback from student leaders and clubs; utilize apps for one-way reporting; and more. Something new this year, as a result of the hard work of our Student Experiences Committee, has additional staff interviewing students one-on-one, meeting with student and staff focus groups, and touring campuses to observe student experiences first-hand. We are excited to expand this work to hear more student ‘voices’ and will share findings in subsequent newsletters.

I could go on and on about the amazing things that are happening daily on our school sites. Our staff is truly remarkable in facilitating high-interest, rigorous activities for students every day that are consistent across grade levels and departments. From our high schoolers creating their parade floats and comparing significant historical topics, to kindergarteners making slime, middle schoolers learning science in the garden, and elementary students expanding their writing skills to include specific details … students are busy actively making sense of new information and content.

Thank you for playing such a valuable role and partnering with us to ensure each student’s success!

Warmly,

Jodi McClay, Ed.D.

Superintendent

"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." — Helen Keller

St. Helena Primary has kicked off the after-school music enrichment program, St. Helena Music Academy. Mr. Binder is offering several classes before and after school for students to explore music and develop new skills. He shared: "It's been a joy to watch our students discover the magic of music in our five engaging classes. As you can see from these wonderful photos, children are having a blast learning new musical skills, exploring instruments, and building confidence in a fun and supportive environment."

SHES Student Council launched their first community outreach project of the year—Socktober—a school-wide drive to collect socks in support of our unhoused community.

Each class recognized students who demonstrated outstanding self-control this month. Congratulations to all honorees! (Below: our 4th grade recipients.)

In partnership with Chef Gibbon and Mrs. Morrison, School Resource Officer Massella joined us to teach our students how to prepare and cook fried rice. The students did an amazing job, and Mr. Scinto was the self-appointed taste-tester, sharing it was absolutely delicious!

Favorite snack: pretzels

First job: Local jean store, called E Street Denim. My jean collection peaked in high school!

Quote you live by: When I was in high school, in a fit of classic moody teenage behavior, I pinned a note on my bedroom bulletin board that said, "Life is %$#@!" (you can probably guess the expletive). My mom didn't remove it. Instead, she added her own note right next to it: "Life is a journey, enjoy it." It helped me then and it still helps me today when I'm going through rough moments.

Something about me: I'm colorblind, so even though I never wanted to be a pilot, I was told early on that it wasn't in the cards for me.

Favorite snack: Milk Chocolate 

First job: I worked at Silverado Orchards (retirement home in St. Helena) as a waiter. 

Quote you live by: "Keep moving forward."

Something about you: I lived in Mexico until the age of 11 and attended both RLS Middle School and St. Helena High School.

Favorite Snack: Oranges

First job: Ice cream scooper at Baskin- Robbins

Quote you live by: Work hard. Be kind.

Something about you: I was born in West Berlin, Germany.

Favorite Snack: Red Grapes

First Job: Taco Shop

Quote you live by: I haven’t thought about a quote since I setup my Myspace account in 2003.

Something about me: I am the first person in my extended family to get a college degree.

Call or Text 855-600-WARM (9276) to speak with a counselor 24/7 ​

Services: Immediate response for mental health crises, available 24/7.

Contact: 707-253-4711

More Info: Napa County Mental Health Crisis Services

Services: Bilingual, affordable mental health services for all ages and income levels.

Contact: 707-255-0966

More Info: Mentis Napa

Services: Provides crisis stabilization for children, adolescents, and adults experiencing a mental health crisis.

Contact: 707-253-5070

More Info: Crestwood Napa CSS

​Community Action of Napa Valley (CANV) Food Bank

Services: Provides nutritious food to low-income individuals, families, and seniors throughout Napa County.

Contact: 707-253-6100

More Info: CANV Food Bank

Services: Nutrition assistance program providing funds to purchase food.

Contact: 707-253-4511

More Info: Napa County Food Assistance

Services: Supports safety net food programs in Napa County.

More Info: Hands Across The Valley

As the Community Liaison Director, I’m here to support families with resources, connections, and questions about the district. Please feel free to reach out anytime.

Community Liaison Director

C: 707-227-0874 | P: 707-967-2708, Ext. 5011

srobledo@sthelenaunified.org