Crawford High School threw a grand kick off ceremony Monday morning for it's first day back to school.
Cheerleaders lined up to welcome their classmates back, the Junior ROTC led a morning ceremony with the pledge of allegiance, and school leaders gave speeches to set a positive tone for the new year.
Principal Dr. Reashon Villery and senior student leaders discussed new opportunities for students to make the most of the year ahead.
Jannelle Garcia, a senior and president of the student government, as well as captain of the cheer team, said she and her team were planning many new events for the school's social calendar over the summer.
"We haven't had a couple of Spring Fling dances in a couple of years, so we really want to push that because we also wanted to one last year," Garcia said.
Garcia said she's aiming to end her last year at Crawford High School on a high note, and she hopes her class doesn't let "senioritis" take over.
Dr. Villery also shared some exciting, new programs at Crawford High.
"One of the first programs we would like students to participate in is our PE Swim program. As a result of a tragedy a couple years ago, one of our students drowned, and we wanted to turn that tragedy into triumph," Villery said.
Villery said the PE Swim program will teach water safety and lifeguard skills, so students can go on and try to attain Junior Lifeguard jobs in the future.
Additionally, Villery announced the introduction of an EMT program. "We found that a lot of our male students expressed an interest in becoming a paramedic after high school," she said.
There will also be more opportunities for students who want to pursue a career as an attorney one day. Villery said the school is continuing its law program where the students can learn about the legal system in a classroom-courtroom setting.
"Our goal is to merge what the students are learning in law with our restorative justice practices, and how to help students resolve conflicts," Villery said.
Superintendent Lamont Jackson addressed cell phone use with students Monday morning.
In light of the Los Angeles Unified School District's recent ban on cellphones, Jackson said there are no plans for San Diego Unified to follow in their footsteps, as long as the students adhere to the policies of their teachers and their schools.
He also encouraged students to be mindful of their mental wellness and to use their phones in moderation.
Across the district, San Diego Unified said it is also extending its PrimeTime after-school program, which is now being offered at every elementary school. The program partners with community groups to offer activities for TK through 8th-grade students
The district is also growing its middle school sports program, and its Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) program which provides play-based learning for four-year-olds.
"We are continuing to grow our TK program. San Diego Unified has really led the state in making TK available for all four-year-olds, irrespective of your birthday. This year we're expecting close to 5,000 TK students," said Shana Hazen, president of the San Diego Unified School Board.
Hazen said there are still opening left for the UTK and encouraged parents interested in enrolling their four-year-olds to contact their local school for more information.
