Dear community member,
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! Students are now back in class across each of Santa Cruz County’s 10 school districts, as well as here at the COE in our Alternative Education and Special Education programs.
Our schools are more than centers of learning. They are communities where we strive to ensure every student feels a sense of belonging.
When students feel they belong, they are more likely to participate in class, build positive connections with peers, and navigate academic and social challenges with confidence and resilience. This sense of inclusion is crucial, especially in a time where the wider world can feel fragmented and uncertain. It is our duty to eliminate barriers, advance equity and ensure that all students and their families feel a sense of belonging in all spaces – from schools and universities, to communities and careers.
The importance of fostering a sense of belonging at school may sound abstract. But it is supported by a long standing and growing body of research. A 2019 meta-analysis, for instance, found that students’ sense of belonging positively correlates with academic achievement, motivation, and behavioral outcomes, and negatively correlates with absence and dropout rates.
Belonging is a central thread that weaves through our partnerships with school districts and the services and support we provide to families. And it’s a concept that we’ve been talking about quite a lot here at the COE as we work on an update to our strategic plan, the roadmap that will guide our work over the next five years – which we expect to release by the end of 2024 (you can view our current strategic plan here).
Whatever your identity or background, know that we welcome you, celebrate you, and that you belong in Santa Cruz County’s school community.
Yours in education and equity,
Dr. Faris Sabbah
County Superintendent of Schools