Today is AVID Day, a nationwide celebration of the educators, students and communities working together to advance opportunity and student success.

AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a program that helps students succeed in school today while preparing for college, careers and life after graduation. Harvard CUSD 50 is a proud AVID District, using instructional strategies from pre-K through 12th grade to build the systems and culture that support every student's success in all of our schools.

Thank you to our educators, students and families for making this success possible — happy AVID Day!
3 days ago, D50 Communications Director
Teachers smiling with AVID Day signs.
Staff with AVID Day sign in classroom.
Staff with AVID Day sign in classroom.
Students in hallway with AVID sign.
Students in hallway with AVID sign.
September 18 is National AVID Day! 🎓 Schools across the nation are taking a moment to celebrate the impact of AVID and its mission to “close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.”

At Jefferson, we are proud to be part of that mission. We are dedicated to helping our staff and students reach their limitless potential, build confidence, and prepare for success both in and beyond the classroom. 💪📚✨

Happy National AVID Day! Let’s celebrate the difference AVID makes in our school community! 🐝

¡El 18 de septiembre es el Día Nacional de AVID! En Jefferson, celebramos el impacto de AVID y nuestro compromiso de ayudar a todos nuestros estudiantes y al personal a alcanzar su máximo potencial.

#JeffersonJourney🐝
3 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
avid why
avid why
avid why
avid why
avid why
avid why
avid why
avid why
As part of their Benchmark Unit on cultivating resources, Mrs. Lindberg’s class dissected corn to explore and learn about its different parts! 🌽
Como parte de su unidad de Benchmark sobre el cultivo de recursos, la clase de la Sra. Lindberg disecó maíz para explorar y aprender sobre sus diferentes partes.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
4 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
dissecting corn
dissecting corn
dissecting corn
dissecting corn
dissecting corn
Dr. Lamprea and Ms. Brodzik's students celebrated Mexican Independence Day with fun activities that gave them the opportunity to learn about and celebrate Mexican culture and history. ¡Viva México! ❤️💚
¡Los estudiantes del Dr. Lamprea y la Srta. Brodzik celebraron el Día de la Independencia de México con actividades divertidas para aprender y celebrar la cultura y la historia de México!
#JeffersonJourney🐝
5 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
Mexican Independence Day
Mexican Independence Day
Mexican Independence Day
In Music, Ms. Gavers' students enjoyed singing and listening to music while working on identifying musical cognates! 🎶🎤🎧
En la clase de música, los estudiantes de la Srta. Gavers disfrutaron cantar y escuchar música mientras trabajaban en identificar cognados musicales.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
6 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
musical cognates
musical cognates
musical cognates
SMILE! 😁 It’s Picture Day! 🐝📸✨
¡Sonríe! ¡Hoy es el Día de Fotos!
#JeffersonJourney🐝
10 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
picture day
picture day
picture day
This morning, we were honored to have an amazing Harvard High School junior volunteer to help place flags along Harrison Street in remembrance of 9/11. We are grateful for his time and willingness to help our community remember and honor those we lost.❤️🤍💙
Esta mañana, tuvimos el honor de contar con un estudiante de 11.º grado de Harvard High School que se ofreció como voluntario para ayudar a colocar banderas a lo largo de Harrison Street en recuerdo del 11 de septiembre. Agradecemos mucho su tiempo y su disposición para ayudar a nuestra comunidad a recordar y honrar a quienes perdimos.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
10 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
flags for 9/11
Today marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Harvard CUSD 50 joins our community in remembering the lives lost and honoring the first responders and service members who answered the call that day. Take a moment to reflect and remember. 🇺🇸
10 days ago, D50 Communications Director
Never Forget. Remembering 9/11 25 Years Later with Flag and City Photo
Never Forget. Remembering 9/11 25 Years Later with Flag and City Photo
Mrs. Kruckenberg’s class is getting ready to add and subtract decimals by estimating to determine whether their answers are reasonable! 🔢✏️📚
La clase de la Sra. Kruckenberg se está preparando para sumar y restar decimales usando estimaciones para determinar si sus respuestas son razonables.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
11 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
estimating in math
Congratulations to our Cross Country team on a successful first meet! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🎉 The boys took 1st place, while the girls finished in 2nd! 🥇🥈 We are so proud of all our student-athletes and Coach Westphal! 👏🐝💛
¡Felicitaciones a nuestro equipo de Cross Country por un excelente primer encuentro! Los niños obtuvieron el primer lugar y las niñas quedaron en segundo lugar. ¡Estamos muy orgullosos de todos nuestros estudiantes y de la entrenadora Westphal!
#JeffersonJourney🐝
12 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
first cross country meet
first cross country meet
Students in Mrs. Fusillo’s class have been working hard to develop their oracy and literacy skills through engaging math games and content-based activities. 🧠🧠🧠
Los estudiantes de la clase de la Sra. Fusillo han estado trabajando arduamente para desarrollar sus habilidades de expresión oral y lectoescritura a través de juegos de matemáticas y actividades basadas en el contenido.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
19 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
engaging games
engaging games
engaging games
engaging games
engaging games
engaging games
engaging games
In STEM with Ms. Susnis, 4th graders are exploring how the internal structures of a plant stem allow water to travel up to the leaves! 🌱💧
En STEM con la Sra. Susnis, los estudiantes de 4.º grado están estudiando cómo las estructuras internas del tallo permiten que el agua llegue a las hojas.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
21 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
plant structure
Ms. Brodzik’s class focused on teamwork as they tried different strategies to save Fred! 🪱🤝
La clase de la Srta. Brodzik se enfocó en trabajar en equipo mientras intentaban diferentes estrategias para salvar a Fred.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
24 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
saving fred
saving fred
saving fred
saving fred
Mrs. Witt’s fifth graders did a great job exploring the internal and external structures of plants and animals using microscopes in STEM with Ms. Susnis! 🔬🌱🐾
Los estudiantes de 5to grado de la Sra. Witt hicieron un excelente trabajo explorando las estructuras internas y externas de plantas y animales usando microscopios en la clase de STEM con la Sra. Susnis.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
26 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
microscopes in stem
microscopes in stem
microscopes in stem
As a team-building activity, Ms. Reisenbuchler’s students worked in small groups to design the best drop for a ping pong ball! 🏓🛠️ They had to collaborate, problem-solve, and get creative to see whose design could protect the ping pong ball. What a fun way to build teamwork and critical-thinking skills! 🤝💡
La clase de la Sra. Reisenbuchler trabajó en grupos pequeños para diseñar la mejor forma de dejar caer una pelota de ping pong. Trabajaron juntos, resolvieron problemas y usaron su creatividad.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
28 days ago, Sharon Velazquez
teamwork activity
teamwork activity
teamwork activity
teamwork activity

Harvard CUSD 50 will administer district-wide benchmark assessments from Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Sept. 11.

These assessments give teachers and families a clear picture of each student's academic growth throughout the year, helping educators tailor instruction to meet every child's needs.

Students will complete assessments on their Chromebooks based on their grade level:

Kindergarten - 1st Grade: MAP Reading Fluency and MAP Math Growth
2nd Grade - 5th Grade: MAP Reading Growth and MAP Math Growth
6th Grade - 8th Grade: NWEA MAP Reading Growth and i-Ready Inform Mathematics

Please note that students will not be testing every day during this time. Schools will schedule specific days and times for students to complete assessments within the Aug. 24-Sept. 11 window.

Families will receive letters with more details about each assessment and what results mean for their student's learning. Find those letters below:

K-5 NWEA MAP Parent Letter - https://aptg.co/gnRXPm
6-8 NWEA MAP/iReady Parent Letter - https://aptg.co/XRph9D

Questions about benchmark testing? Contact your child's school office.

28 days ago, D50 Communications Director
Collaborative learning in action! Mrs. Kruckenberg's class strengthened their reading comprehension with an engaging AVID article. 📖💡
La clase de la Sra. Kruckenberg fortaleció su comprensión lectora con un artículo de AVID.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
about 1 month ago, Sharon Velazquez
avid article
avid article
avid article
avid article
🎨 Mrs. Lindberg’s class designed their very own “All About Me” trucker hats! 🧢
La clase de la Sra. Lindberg diseñó sus propios gorras de camionero “Todo Sobre Mí”.
#JeffersonJourney🐝
about 1 month ago, Sharon Velazquez
trucker hats
trucker hats
trucker hats
trucker hats
trucker hats
trucker hats
Today, our students participated in a bus evacuation drill! 🚍🚨 A big thank-you to our amazing bus drivers for teaching our students that safety is always the top priority!
Hoy, nuestros estudiantes participaron en un simulacro de evacuación de autobús. ¡Gracias a nuestros conductores por enseñarles que la seguridad siempre es lo primero!
#JeffersonJourney🐝
about 1 month ago, Sharon Velazquez
bus evacuation drill
bus evacuation drill
bus evacuation drill
Here’s to a wonderful year of learning, growing, and working together! It’s going to be a great year! 🐝✨
¡Será un gran año de aprendizaje, crecimiento y trabajo en equipo!
#JeffersonJourney🐝
about 1 month ago, Sharon Velazquez
2026-2027 staff