Weekly Superintendent Update 10.9.26

Dear Sierra Unified Community,

Fall sports are such a great time to see our students in action. Our students are working hard, competing, supporting one another, and representing Sierra High with pride. Friday, October 9, is Football Senior Night, and I encourage our community to come out and celebrate our seniors and all they have contributed to Sierra High.

There are so many opportunities to support our students this fall. Whether you are cheering on our boys or girls water polo teams, girls volleyball, tennis, girls golf, or cross country, there is always a place to show up and support our students. Being part of a small school community means that we have the opportunity to know our students, celebrate their accomplishments, and be present for the moments that matter. I hope you will find a game, match, meet, or event to attend and cheer on our Chieftains!

A special thank you to our Sierra High Band for performing the National Anthem at the Sierra Foundation Polo Fest. It was wonderful to see our students represent Sierra High at such a great community event. We are looking forward to amazing things from the Sierra High Band this year and are excited to see them continue to grow, perform, and share their talents with our community.

A Prime Time for Learning

While fall activities keep our campuses busy, this is also a prime time for learning in our classrooms. District-level assessments will begin at some of our schools next week. These assessments provide an important opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned and show the progress they are making.

Assessment results are also an important tool for our teachers. Teachers use this information to identify what students have mastered and, just as importantly, where additional instruction or support may be needed. The goal is not simply to give an assessment—it is to use what we learn to inform instruction, revisit material that has not yet been mastered, and continue moving every student forward.

I want to encourage our students to take these assessments seriously, do their best, and be proud of what they have learned. I also want to thank our teachers for the intentional work they do every day to meet students where they are and help them continue to grow. Every Student Reaching Their Potential—Every Day means using every opportunity we have to help our students learn, grow, and succeed.

Measure U Update

We continue to make progress on our Measure U projects. Mark Wilson Construction (MWC) is working closely with the mechanical contractor and our DSA inspector to complete the remaining punch-list items that have been identified.

Sierra Unified, in collaboration with MWC, will present the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) to the Board of Trustees at the October 12 Board meeting. This is an important milestone as we move forward with the next phase of our modernization work.

We are also continuing to refine the timeline for Phase 3 construction, which is currently showing a projected construction start date of November 2, 2026. As with any large construction project, schedules may continue to be adjusted as we work through the remaining details, but we are excited to see this work continue to move forward.

Measure U represents an important investment in our schools and in the future of our students. We remain committed to being thoughtful and responsible stewards of these local funds while making the greatest possible impact on our facilities. We will continue to keep our community informed as we move through each stage of the projects.

There is a lot happening across Sierra Unified right now—in our classrooms, on our fields and courts, and throughout our community. What makes our district special is the way our students, staff, families, and community come together to support one another.

Thank you for continuing to show up for our students. Whether you are sitting in the stands, encouraging a student in the classroom, volunteering at an event, or simply reminding a child that you believe in them, you are part of what makes Sierra Unified Mountain Strong.

Have a wonderful week, and I hope to see you out supporting our students!

Dr. Lori Grace

Superintendent, Sierra Unified School District