Greetings TMES Families,

Please take a moment to review the message from Dr. Escobedo. and an update on COVID testing.

Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff:

It is with joy and sadness that I announce to you that the time has come for my retirement. My last day as superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) will be August 31, after 30 years in education and more than 10 years as leader of this amazing learning community.

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the excellent support that you have provided to me, but especially your support of the students of our District. All of us working together resulted in our status as a high-quality, positive outlier, and “exemplary” school district. The past decade as superintendent has been the greatest journey of my career. It was a journey filled with thrills, joy—even tears.

As I approach the finish line, my heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to the Board of Education, teachers, support staff, administrators, students, parents, and community members. Each of you are why we received so many accolades from state and local elected officials; education experts; and local, state, and national education organizations.

While I am retiring from CVESD, I will continue to work in strengthening educational systems throughout our country. I have accepted the position of Executive Director at the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). Their mission is to help urban school districts transform schools into places where all students achieve academic proficiency, evidence a love of learning, and graduate well prepared to succeed in post-secondary education, the workplace, and their communities. I am excited to begin this new journey, while humbled by the great privilege and sacred trust I held so dearly in leading CVESD.

The process for the selection of a new superintendent will be overseen by the Board of Education. More information about the selection process will be forthcoming.

Please accept my best wishes for enduring success and well-being. May CVESD’s core belief that “Each Child is an Individual of Great Worth” continue to drive decision-making in this great District of ours.

Warmest regards,

Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Important CVESD Communication Regarding COVID Testing

Communication to all CVESD families was sent to you on Friday, April 16, 2021, around 11:15 AM with a link to register for your student to be tested.  You will not need to make an appointment for testing at our school sites, you can walk in at anytime between 8:00 a.m.  – 3:30 p.m..  Our schools will provide on-demand testing, which means that we are accepting “walk-ins”—no appointments are necessary. Here is important information on the CVESD COVID-19 Testing Program:

• Testing will occur at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School campus on the following days: April 28, May 12, May 26 and June 9.
• On these days, testing will occur from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM, with no testing from 12:45 p.m. -1:15 p.m. due to staff lunchtimes.
• If your student is experiencing symptoms, we highly recommend getting a PCR test at a free County facility or with a medical provider, and not reporting to the school for the antigen test. Unfortunately, the antigen tests used by CVESD cannot be used for return to work or school, per the County’s Symptom Decision Tree. The antigen testing program is for surveillance purposes, in order to quickly determine if individuals are positive and remove such individuals and their close contacts from campus as soon as possible. Contact our school health office for more information or discuss your child’s symptoms.
• At this time, we can only test staff and CVESD students. No family members are able test at this time.
• You do not need to be with your child in order for your child to test under our program; however, if your child walks up to the testing location, we will not be able to test them unless you have signed the on-line consent form at the link you are provided. We highly recommend that you accompany your child to the testing location.
• Links that are sent to you are personalized for your specific student and shouldn’t be shared with others.
• If you have trouble registering/providing consent for your child through the link, please call the district office at (619) 425-9600 and speak to Sherry Stone at ext. 1327 or Theresa Fletcher at ext. 1027 or visit the testing staff on-site at our school and they will be able to help register and test your child during your visit.
• Because we are not taking appointments, we know there will be long lines before and after school. Please take this into account when planning the time have your child tested.   Please be patient with the testing team and listen carefully to their instructions.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus on our campus.