From left are Associate Vice President of National University Matthew Bruce, San Juan Unified School District Superintendent Melissa Bassanelli and Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick at the ACCESS Citrus Heights Luncheon on June 17.

 

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Local business professionals eager to connect with key leaders and decision-makers attended the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce’s latest ACCESS Citrus Heights Luncheon at the Citrus Heights Event Center on June 17.

The event ran from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 17 and featured a presentation from Melissa Bassanelli, San Juan Unified School District Superintendent.

The luncheon was sponsored by National University, a private, nonprofit institution founded by veterans and serving a diverse student body. Matthew Bruce, associate vice president of National University, spoke about the unique challenges and strengths of their student population.

“The average age of our students is about 33 to 37,” Bruce said. “Our students are what we call “anders,” students that are juggling all their and’s in their lives. They are students and parents. They are students and their care providers. They’re students and active-duty military students and teachers or coaches while they're going back to school to better their lives or to advance in their career.” 

Chamber ambassadors present new chamber members with certificates at the ACCESS Citrus Heights Luncheon on June 17.

Bassanelli reflected on her commitment to fostering partnerships for student success and her nearly three decades of experience in the district as both an employee and a mother of three grown children who graduated from San Juan Unified School District schools.

“One of my core values is that we do better together,” said Bassanelli. “Being among communities such as events like this really underscore the power of partnerships and relationships.”

Bassanelli highlighted some of the significant strides made by San Juan Unified District, particularly in Citrus Heights, where the district operates nine elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools.

“Last year, our school board adopted our strategic plan, which included a mission and vision statements focused on inspiring students to make a positive impact as well as key directions,” said Bassanelli. “Some key aspects of this are the belief that every child has a unique identity that it is important for us to uplift. We identified four strategic directions that serve as north stars for us, including student academic success, equity and inclusion, employee supports, and engagement and partnership.”

Bassanelli’s presentation also focused on innovative projects such as the WoodsideK-8 Innovative School which aims to foster a sense of belonging, experience and connection for students.

“We have a formative assessment measure that we use throughout the year that helps us measure academics and we saw growth in our fall to winter scores,” Bassanelli said. “It grew about 15%. For students that are in grades K through three, they reached 54% for efficiency and in our math scores, we also saw double the gains growing to 24%.”

Bassanelli also expressed gratitude for the community’s support in passing Measure P, a bond designed to fund ongoing facility improvements across the district. Examples of current and future projects include Sylvan Middle School, repurposing of its multi-purpose room and parking lot, Mesa Verde and San Juan High Fields, science labs at San Juan High and modernization of Woodside K to 8.

A notable success story shared at the luncheon was that of Anthony Voe, a San Juan High School alumnus who benefited from the district’s state-of-the-art Career Technical Education pathway. Voe, who went on to become a chef and appear on Hell’s Kitchen, credited the program for helping him achieve his dream.

Attendees at the ACCESS Citrus Heights Luncheon can connect with fellow business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Another success story is the Budget Cents program, brought to students as part of a partnership between Mesa Verde High and SAFE Credit Union, where students learn to manage a monthly budget based off of randomly assigned occupations, marital status and children.

In a nod to ongoing community engagement, Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick announced a partnership between the chamber and the San Juan Unified School District.

“We’re excited to be collaborating with the district on an upcoming program at Mesa Verde High School called Kids Commerce,” Merrick said. “It will focus on teaching entrepreneurship and preparing students for the business world.”

Attendees were treated to lunch from Caravan Uzbek Cuisine, a restaurant that recently opened a new location in the area, located at 7084 Auburn Blvd.

Looking ahead, the next ACCESS Citrus Heights Luncheon will be on July 15, featuring Chief Deputy District Attorney Bret Wasley as the guest speaker. The event will again be held at the Citrus Heights Event Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In other news, Dr. Gabrielle Rasi previewed the upcoming Best of Citrus Heights event, scheduled for Aug. 21, which will feature a “denim and bling” theme.

“It’s going to be a hoedown, so wear your cowboy hat and your denim, and get ready for some fun,” Rasi said.

Voting for nominees will start on July 1 and end on July 31, with the results being announced at the Aug. 21 event.