Community Relations Department

• Overview
• Programs & Services
• Events
• Resources & Materials
• Contact Information

Overview
The primary functions of the Community Relations Department are to:

Manage the district’s Partnerships in Education, Volunteer, and Service Learning programs. Recruit business and community partners, as well as volunteers. Provide outreach training, support and program materials. Provide training to facilitate Business/Community Advisory Boards (BCAB). Assist district programs and schools with marketing and community engagement efforts. Organize district recognition events. Promote awareness of district reform efforts. Build capacity and provide support for school foundations K-12. Facilitate community involvement in naming new schools and school facilities. Support schools and students to increase the high school graduation rate and focus community resources on targeted incentives and interventions towards this goal.

Professional Associations
The SDUSD Community Relations Department belongs to a variety of professional associations, including:

• California Consortium of Educational Foundations
• California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
• Youth Service California

Community Partners

• Volunteer San Diego
• California Coast Credit Union
• STAR/PAL (Sports Training Academics Recreation/Police Athletic League)
• University of San Diego Office of Community Service Learning
• OASIS San Diego

Programs & Services

• Partnerships in Education Program
• Volunteer Programs
• LEARN & SERVE San Diego (Service Learning)

Events

• Partnerships in Education Annual End-of-Year Community Recognition
• Salute to Excellence
• Principal for a Day
• National and Local Conference presentations to showcase SDUSD achievements, student accomplishments.

>> Complete events calendar

Partnerships in Education Annual End-of-Year Community Recognition
This event, sponsored by SeaWorld San Diego and California Coast Credit Union, recognizes and thanks more than 1,400 business/community partners and 26,000 school volunteers who support our district with donations of human, financial and in-kind goods and services. Students are showcased through student entertainment. Over 100 door prizes are donated by local and national merchants and awarded at the event. Although this event is not intended to supplant individual recognition events held at school sites, it does provide an opportunity for schools and their partners to enjoy district recognition together.
>> Door Prize Donation Agreement 
Salute to Excellence
This event honors and recognizes the students ranking in the top one percent of their graduating class. School valedictorians are also recognized. Each student honored and his or her parents/guardians receive invitations to attend. Principals and head counselors are also invited, as well as local elected officials.



Principal for a Day
Sponsored by Merrill Lynch and coordinated by the Community Relations Department. Offers school principals the opportunity to invite business and civic leaders into the classroom to view the teaching and learning that is occurring in the San Diego Unified School District. Participants gain an enhanced understanding of public education and in turn, provide an outside perspective to their host principals. A debriefing luncheon offers participants the opportunity to share their experiences.