Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
District of Civic Excellence
Reminder-we have a school board meeting this Thursday, July 9th in our Learning Center
Summer often brings more free time and increased screen use, making it a helpful time for parents and caregivers to learn more about video game addiction. This class can provide practical tools for recognizing warning signs, setting healthy limits, encouraging balance, and supporting children in building positive habits around technology. By learning more now, families can start the summer with clear expectations and strategies that support both fun and well-being.
ParentGuidance.org offers free parent coaching to help families navigate common parenting challenges and support their child’s mental health and well-being. Through confidential, one-on-one coaching sessions, parents and caregivers can receive practical tools, guidance, and encouragement from trained coaches. This resource is available to support families with topics such as communication, behavior, anxiety, stress, and building stronger family connections.
JDUSD is pleased to continue offering free online support for families in our school district through ParentGuidance.org. These courses are designed to provide helpful tools and information on topics that may be important to you and your family.
Please review the available course options, and if a topic is of interest, use the QR code to sign up.
Please review the available course options, and if a topic is of interest, use the QR code to sign up.
Achieving Balance
Importance of Balance
Balance is crucial to managing stress, achieving our goals, and maintaining overall well-being. It means distributing your time and energy across work, family, hobbies, and health. What we each need to balance varies – what a college student juggles is different from a middle-aged parent. By recognizing these differences and prioritizing balance, we build the stability needed to face life’s challenges with confidence.
Finding balance may seem overrated, however the National Alliance on Mental Health states it’s a cornerstone of well-being – helping prevent stress, which contributes to 75-90% of physician visits. While planning for balance can feel overwhelming, remember that you control how you spend your time. When balance becomes a priority, you’ll find practical ways to maintain it and support your well-being.
Prioritize and Schedule
Some things in life matter more than others – they guide us and keep us motivated to grow. Scheduling helps us achieve our goals and make the most of our time. With 168 hours in a week and about 112 spent awake, how will you use that time? Each week, list your priorities, plan for work, social activities, and “me time,” and adjust as needed to focus on what matters most. Make sure to also reduce time spent on things that aren’t as important to maintain balance.
Learning to Say No
An important skill is learning how to say no to things that are not aligned with your priorities. For example, if your friends ask you to go out before an important meeting the next day, you could say, “Thanks for the invite, but I have a big meeting tomorrow. Can we go out tomorrow night instead?” This way, you can focus on what matters while still showing your friends they’re a priority.
“BALANCE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU FIND, IT’S SOMETHING YOU CREATE.”
– JANA KINGSFORD
8 Steps to Achieving Balance
1 – Acknowledge Your Needs
Be honest with yourself and put your needs first. Only you can fully see what areas you are neglecting and what improvements you need to make. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.
2 – Determine Your Values
Identify what truly energizes and motivates you. Developing a strong sense of values will guide your life and help you maintain a clear perspective. Continually monitor these values and use them to align your goals and dreams accordingly.
3 – Prioritize Your Growth and Development
Instead of just allowing life to happen, design it. Who do you want to be physically, emotionally, and mentally? It is extremely important to keep challenging yourself and building your skills.
4 – Practice Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness each day will put you on the path to balance. It helps you to not get caught up in over analyzing or negative thoughts. This will allow you to shift toward being more engaged with life in a positive manner. ParentGuidance.org has courses that can help you learn how to better practice mindfulness.
5 – Connect with Others
Connection enriches our lives and has various mental health protective factors. Your relationships matter and they need to be nurtured and prioritized.
6- Establish Boundaries
Setting boundaries in work, personal, and social situations is key to maintaining balance and conserving emotional energy for better mental well-being.
7 – Try New Things
A balanced life is about focusing on your values and interests, letting them lead you to new experiences. Stay curious and open, but keep your goals and values as your foundation.
8 – Laugh
Life was meant to bring you joy. The point of finding balance is to have a joyful, content, and meaningful life. Don’t let the stress of all that you have to do overshadow the daily happy moments.
Learn More: Take Our No-Cost Course
Learn how to shift your mindset, challenge negative thoughts, and build lasting habits that lead to everyday happiness:
Everyday Happiness
Works Cited
29, D. D. on M., & *, N. (2022, October 26). 5 steps to achieve a Balanced Life, Day designer®. Day Designer®. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.blog.daydesigner.com/5-steps-to-achieve-a-balanced-life/
Anderson, K. (2022, June 8). 10 tips for achieving balance – simple home: Simple life. SIMPLE HOME | SIMPLE LIFE. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.simplehomesimplelife.com/blog/10-tips-for-achieving-balance
Mental health is a balancing act. NAMI. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2017/Mental-Health-is-a-Balancing-Act.
Skinner, D. K., Riemersma, J., Mills, D. V., Williams, B., Christianson, S., Parkin, P., Kennard, C., Giles, K., McConkie, T., Clark, L., Ballantyne, N., Andrus, A., Lopez-Larson, D. M., Reedy, B., LCSW, J. T., Wiard, D. T., & Hudnall, D. G. (2022, November 9). All courses. Parent Guidance. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/
Importance of Balance
Balance is crucial to managing stress, achieving our goals, and maintaining overall well-being. It means distributing your time and energy across work, family, hobbies, and health. What we each need to balance varies – what a college student juggles is different from a middle-aged parent. By recognizing these differences and prioritizing balance, we build the stability needed to face life’s challenges with confidence.
Finding balance may seem overrated, however the National Alliance on Mental Health states it’s a cornerstone of well-being – helping prevent stress, which contributes to 75-90% of physician visits. While planning for balance can feel overwhelming, remember that you control how you spend your time. When balance becomes a priority, you’ll find practical ways to maintain it and support your well-being.
Prioritize and Schedule
Some things in life matter more than others – they guide us and keep us motivated to grow. Scheduling helps us achieve our goals and make the most of our time. With 168 hours in a week and about 112 spent awake, how will you use that time? Each week, list your priorities, plan for work, social activities, and “me time,” and adjust as needed to focus on what matters most. Make sure to also reduce time spent on things that aren’t as important to maintain balance.
Learning to Say No
An important skill is learning how to say no to things that are not aligned with your priorities. For example, if your friends ask you to go out before an important meeting the next day, you could say, “Thanks for the invite, but I have a big meeting tomorrow. Can we go out tomorrow night instead?” This way, you can focus on what matters while still showing your friends they’re a priority.
“BALANCE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU FIND, IT’S SOMETHING YOU CREATE.”
– JANA KINGSFORD
8 Steps to Achieving Balance
1 – Acknowledge Your Needs
Be honest with yourself and put your needs first. Only you can fully see what areas you are neglecting and what improvements you need to make. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.
2 – Determine Your Values
Identify what truly energizes and motivates you. Developing a strong sense of values will guide your life and help you maintain a clear perspective. Continually monitor these values and use them to align your goals and dreams accordingly.
3 – Prioritize Your Growth and Development
Instead of just allowing life to happen, design it. Who do you want to be physically, emotionally, and mentally? It is extremely important to keep challenging yourself and building your skills.
4 – Practice Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness each day will put you on the path to balance. It helps you to not get caught up in over analyzing or negative thoughts. This will allow you to shift toward being more engaged with life in a positive manner. ParentGuidance.org has courses that can help you learn how to better practice mindfulness.
5 – Connect with Others
Connection enriches our lives and has various mental health protective factors. Your relationships matter and they need to be nurtured and prioritized.
6- Establish Boundaries
Setting boundaries in work, personal, and social situations is key to maintaining balance and conserving emotional energy for better mental well-being.
7 – Try New Things
A balanced life is about focusing on your values and interests, letting them lead you to new experiences. Stay curious and open, but keep your goals and values as your foundation.
8 – Laugh
Life was meant to bring you joy. The point of finding balance is to have a joyful, content, and meaningful life. Don’t let the stress of all that you have to do overshadow the daily happy moments.
Learn More: Take Our No-Cost Course
Learn how to shift your mindset, challenge negative thoughts, and build lasting habits that lead to everyday happiness:
Everyday Happiness
Works Cited
29, D. D. on M., & *, N. (2022, October 26). 5 steps to achieve a Balanced Life, Day designer®. Day Designer®. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.blog.daydesigner.com/5-steps-to-achieve-a-balanced-life/
Anderson, K. (2022, June 8). 10 tips for achieving balance – simple home: Simple life. SIMPLE HOME | SIMPLE LIFE. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.simplehomesimplelife.com/blog/10-tips-for-achieving-balance
Mental health is a balancing act. NAMI. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2017/Mental-Health-is-a-Balancing-Act.
Skinner, D. K., Riemersma, J., Mills, D. V., Williams, B., Christianson, S., Parkin, P., Kennard, C., Giles, K., McConkie, T., Clark, L., Ballantyne, N., Andrus, A., Lopez-Larson, D. M., Reedy, B., LCSW, J. T., Wiard, D. T., & Hudnall, D. G. (2022, November 9). All courses. Parent Guidance. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/
Schools out for summer and as an added send off, here's more of our cuties from preschool! #JDUSDhasHEART #JDUSDitsaboutkids
Schools out for summer and as an added send off, here's our cuties from preschool! #JDUSDhasHEART #JDUSDitsaboutkids
As JDUSD considers options for preparing our schools for the future, we welcome your input. Scan the QR code to learn more about facilities planning at JDUSD.
To ask questions, please contact Superintendent Liz Bystedt at superintendent@jdusd.org.
To ask questions, please contact Superintendent Liz Bystedt at superintendent@jdusd.org.
The facility improvements needed in our schools are far beyond the scope of the District’s maintenance budget, and District leaders are currently evaluating options for funding these major improvements. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months!
Thank you OGMS students and Ms. Dunivan for the beautiful artwork decorating the District Office. The pictures don't do it justice. Please come see them in person!
An Update from JDUSD: In 2024, the District created a Facilities Master Plan (FMP) to identify and prioritize facility needs in our schools. The District is revisiting this plan and conducting a facilities assessment to identify additional repairs and upgrades needed across our schools. Key projects include continuing with replacing leaky roofs and dry rot, modernizing classrooms and more.
I had so much fun this week talking to these kiddos and getting their insights about our schools. Great job everyone!!! #JDUSDhasHEART #JDUSDitsaboutkids
Dear JDUSD Families,
We are excited to introduce the new Jamul-Dulzura Union School District mobile app, now available for Apple and Android devices. The app provides families with a convenient way to stay connected to district and school news, events, announcements, and important updates, all in one place.
As part of our continued commitment to improving communication and family engagement, additional features will be introduced for the 2026–2027 school year, including classroom updates, assignments, and class information, as well as two-way messaging with teachers and staff.
Download the app today:
Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptegy.jamuldulzuraca
Apple App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jamul-dulzura-usd-ca/id6761068042
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students and schools.
Sincerely,
Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
We are excited to introduce the new Jamul-Dulzura Union School District mobile app, now available for Apple and Android devices. The app provides families with a convenient way to stay connected to district and school news, events, announcements, and important updates, all in one place.
As part of our continued commitment to improving communication and family engagement, additional features will be introduced for the 2026–2027 school year, including classroom updates, assignments, and class information, as well as two-way messaging with teachers and staff.
Download the app today:
Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptegy.jamuldulzuraca
Apple App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jamul-dulzura-usd-ca/id6761068042
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students and schools.
Sincerely,
Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
Thank you to all the parents who joined us for our parent meetings this week! Your input is incredibly valuable and is helping shape next year’s LCAP priorities.
We also know that many families were unable to attend, and we want to make sure every voice is heard. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey so your feedback can be included alongside the ideas shared at the in-person meetings.
Your thoughts truly make a difference, and we appreciate your time and partnership. Thank you so much for helping us support our students and schools!
Survey Link
https://voice.parseceducation.com/3VL8eWtrtlYRDKI54xksCf-PLn3FcfKzdLhafajlEKuz
We also know that many families were unable to attend, and we want to make sure every voice is heard. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey so your feedback can be included alongside the ideas shared at the in-person meetings.
Your thoughts truly make a difference, and we appreciate your time and partnership. Thank you so much for helping us support our students and schools!
Survey Link
https://voice.parseceducation.com/3VL8eWtrtlYRDKI54xksCf-PLn3FcfKzdLhafajlEKuz
Jamul Elementary School and the current Oak Grove Middle School campuses were built in the 1940s and 1990s, respectively, and while some modernization projects have been completed over the years, many classrooms and facilities are outdated and in need of repairs and updates.
The JDUSD Board of Education is exploring funding options to ensure our schools are safe and up to date for our current and future students. We will continue to update the community as we plan to address facility needs throughout the district.
The JDUSD Board of Education is exploring funding options to ensure our schools are safe and up to date for our current and future students. We will continue to update the community as we plan to address facility needs throughout the district.
We are here to support you in your Parenting Journey. Please check out this calendar to see if any of these confidential free classes are something you want to attend.
National Teacher Appreciation Week in 2026 #ThankATeacher
Friday night was one of the best nights of the year... our Teacher of the Year, Chelsea Stewart, was honored at the Excellence in Education event in Encinitas! #TeamJamul
What a wonderful few days.. Community Engagement work with Team OGMS! What a great way to wrap up the past two years of grant work. Ms. Buzby we missed you!!! #TeamJamul #JDUSDhasHEART #JDUSDitsaboutkids
It's time to register for next school year! Please help us plan for next year by registering during the month of May. This will help us with staffing and class placement. Also it gives you priority for Champions and transportation.
