Blackford Bulletin

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Upcoming Events

Bright Spots in CUSD

Highlights of exciting news within the Campbell Union School District.

Castlemont teacher, Hailey Robinson, and the Navy pilot she flew with in the F-18 (pictured behind them).

Students and staff are living our values of learning, collaborating, and community building. Students at Village have been learning about local waterways and in January helped the South Bay Clean Creek Coalition remove 2,680 pounds of trash from Guadalupe Creek. In addition to helping make the waterway and accompanying trail more inviting with the trash removal, the students’ work also helped the salmon thrive. Students will continue their studies about the local waterway and its inhabitants throughout the remaining school year and are planning another day of service with the South Bay Clean Creek Coalition.

At Castlemont Elementary, third grade teacher, Hailey Robinson, was the recipient of the Key Influencer Award, As part of the recognition, Hailey was scheduled to fly with the Navy’s Blue Angels during Fleet Week which was cancelled due to the government shutdown at the time. In February, Ms. Robinson was given the opportunity to fly with the Navy in a FA-18 Super Hornet. Congratulations, Hailey!

Santa Clara County Supervisor, Susan Ellenberg, honored Campbell Union School District and Youth Art Month at the Arts, Innovation, and Music (AIM) Showcase with a Proclamation. Additionally, ten student (grades K-5) projects were selected for display at the County Building, 70 W. Hedding Street, 10th floor, San Jose. Visitors may view the student pieces during regular business hours. Congratulations to:

School 

Student

Grade

Project

Blackford

Delilah Velasquez Espino

5

Grand Canyon

Oil Pastel

CSI

Shiori Doi

5

Rainbow Weaving

Recycled Weaving

Capri

Aivy Troung

4

Treasure Island Map (Innovation project)

Castlemont

Freddie Marmarou

K

Arctic Hare

(Art project)

Forest Hill

Julian Chiu

5

Tempra paint value with chalk pastel Northern Lights

Lynhaven

Noor Ahmed 

5

Grand Canyon

Oil Pastel

Marshall Lane

Henrietta “Etta” Makepeace

4

Mehndi art on watercolor (India)

Rosemary

Emily Nicolle Jimenez Salcedo

2

Bald Eagle (Art Project)

Sherman Oaks

Ximena Cruz

5

Guitar

Village

Cole Pearring

4

A "Cheesy" Success: Student Chefs at Rolling Hills Secure Second Consecutive Cook-off Title

Rolling Hills Middle School wins second Expanded Learning Lunchroom Cook-off student cooking competition.

The winning team from Rolling Hills Middle School pose with their awards and Expanded Learning staff.

And the winner is…..Cheesy Pasta (a paccheri pasta dish) from the Rolling Hills Middle School team composed of Amy, Liya, and Serena.

Student culinary teams from the Expanded Learning programs at Campbell School of Innovation (CSI), Monroe Middle School, Rolling Hills Middle School, and Sherman Oaks Dual Language Immersion School competed April 1, 2026 in the fifth annual Campbell Union School District (CUSD) Lunchroom Cook-off. 

Not only did the team from Rolling Hills Middle School earn a trophy and bragging rights as the defending champion, but their winning recipe will be added to the school lunch menu.

Leading up to the competition, students representing their school and Expanded Learning program learned about nutrition, food handling and safety, and basic culinary techniques. Additionally, they spent time putting together presentations and practicing their public speaking and presentation skills. The competition was judged by Superintendent, Dr. Viramontez; Board President, William Slade; former Le Cordon Bleu instructor, The International Culinary Center Coordinator, and season three Chopped winner, Chef Marc Pavlovic; and student representatives from Monroe, Sherman Oaks and CSI.

Past winners have included:

2022 - Spicy Chicken Ramen - Monroe Middle School

2023 - Tortas de Asada - Sherman Oaks

2024 - Enchiladas Verdes - Sherman Oaks

2025 - Pesto Pasta - Rolling Hills Middle School

The paccheri pasta dish included all five main food groups: dairy (cheese and heavy whipping cream), protein (Italian sausage), fruits (tomatoes), vegetables (onion, garlic, and fennel), and grains (paccheri pasta). The students also had to ensure the recipes met the required nutritional guidelines and limitations on sodium and fats. When asked how the team decided on a name for their dish, with a giggle they told the story of how one iteration of the dish ended up with more cheese than the recipe originally called for, “it was an accident and that became really popular, so we kept it”, noted the young chefs.

The livestream from the Lunchroom Cook-off may be viewed at https://youtu.be/KTXeGjOhu_M 

Campbell Union's Next Top Chef

Students from the middle grades of the Expanded Learning programs are prepping to compete in the 2026 cooking competition.

Students preparing their dishes for the 2025 cooking competition.

Student culinary teams from the Expanded Learning programs at Campbell School of Innovation (CSI), Monroe Middle School, Rolling Hills Middle School, and Sherman Oaks Dual Language Immersion School will be competing April 1, 2026 for Campbell Union School District (CUSD) “Top Chef” honors. Middle grade students have been competing in the Top Chef style competition since 2022; not only for bragging rights, but for the opportunity to have their winning recipe added to the school lunch menu.

Leading up to the competition, students representing their school and Expanded Learning program learned about nutrition, food handling and safety, and basic culinary techniques. Additionally, they spent time putting together presentations and practicing their public speaking. The competition will be judged by Superintendent, Dr. Viramontez; Board President, William Slade; former Le Cordon Bleu instructor, The International Culinary Center Coordinator, and season three Chopped winner, Chef Marc Pavlovic; and a student representative from each competing school.

Past winners have included:

2022 - Spicy Chicken Ramen - Monroe Middle School

2023 - Tortas de Asada - Sherman Oaks

2024 - Enchiladas Verdes - Sherman Oaks

2025 - Pesto Pasta - Rolling Hills Middle School

This year’s competition will be available on live stream. Students begin cooking at 3:00 p.m.

View the Stream

Meet CUSD's Newest Trustee

Get to know Campbell Union School District's newest trustee, Sam Krow-Lucal.

Area 5 trustee Sam Krow-Lucal is taking the oath of office. The oath is presented by Superintendent Viramontez and fellow board members are looking on.

Meet Trustree, Area 5, Sam Krow-Lucal. Krow-Lucal, a proud Capri parent and longtime Campbell resident, took the oath of office on March 12, 2026. Running for the Campbell Union School Board had been something Krow-Lucal had been considering for a long time and with the encouragement of his friends decided to take action upon the retirement of seasoned trustee Danielle M.S. Cohen.

When asked what he viewed as Campbell Union School District’s greatest strength, Krow-Lucal had no hesitation in his response - stability. “People are proud of what we (CUSD) are doing,” Krow-Lucal commented. “Having a superintendent who has been in the role for ten years and having board members that stay for multiple terms speaks to the culture of the district.”

He specifically named the continuous improvement work that the district is engaged in as an additional district strength. “Having feedback loops and being conscious of how we can move the district forward is something that sets us up for success long term. Having that culture of evaluation and introspection is very important. We have it. I think it is going to continue to benefit us.”

When asked how he would define student success, Krow-Lucal was quick to note that student success is more than a test score, “It’s that growth from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. It is also enjoying that growth and wanting to continue it.”

Fun facts about Trustee Krow-Lucal

  • He is an avid sports fan. He played soccer in college and for a semi-pro team upon graduation.
  • Pablo Torre Finds Out is his favorite podcast.
  • His favorite school lunch was hamburgers.
  • Favorite teacher was his fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Porter.
  • His favorite subjects in school were history and math. He has a degree in history.
  • The one word he uses to describe his leadership style - supportive.

Join us for the 2026 Art, Innovation, and Music Showcase

The 2026 Art, Innovation, and Music (AIM) Showcase is Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at Monroe Middle School.

Family exploring projects at last year's AIM Showcase.

The 2026 Art, Innovation, and Music (AIM) Showcase is Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The showcase features student projects and performances. This year, Santa Clara County Supervisor, District Four, Susan Ellenberg will be presenting Campbell Union School District with a Proclamation honoring March as Art Education and Youth Art Month. Additionally, ten student pieces have been selected by D4 Arts 4 All for display at the County Building (70 W. Hedding) and will be recognized at the showcase. All families are welcome!

When: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Time: 4:00-6:00p.m.

Where: Monroe Middle School

1055 S. Monroe St. San Jose, CA 95128