Message from Superintendent Jerry Jennex - November 12, 2026

November 12, 2026

Dear TJUSD Students, Staff, Families, and Friends,

I just wanted to take a minute of your time to update you about the many exciting things happening here at TJUSD. The list of items is quite extensive and I hope you will take a minute to “catch up” on the latest happenings of interest at TJUSD. Outstanding School Site Leader Award Winner – Our recently retired Trona High School Principal, Ms. Lauretta Eldridge was name an Outstanding School Site Leader by the Watson College of Education at California State University San Bernardino. She will be receiving that award on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 during their lunch program from 12:00 to 1:30 PM at the CSUSB Santos Manuel Student Union North in San Bernardino.

Freedom Writers – We have made arrangements for continued engagement with Freedom Writers here in our schools. Their first assemblies with our students will take place on Tuesday, December 8, 2026. We will be planning for 2 more sessions with Freedom Writers in the winter/spring semester. We will also be planning another community-wide event with Freedom Writers (including a dinner).

Solar Project Update – I attended a virtual meeting on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 with the California Department of School Architecture and our Site Logiq project team. The design is at a 30% completion status. I will keep you updated as progress is made toward completion of design, etc.

High School Athletic Overflow/Elementary Playground – The project to replace the old asphalt play area between the elementary school and the new high school is almost complete. Elementary Principal Nicole Yeager-Johnson and Elementary ASB Advisor Kandace May are working together to have the TES ASB plan and deliver a short “Grand Opening” program on Friday, November 20, 2026 at 9:00 AM. This program will be short and sweet but all involved agreed that it will be a good thing for our elementary students to recognize the efforts and support of the board, administration, and community in trying to provide new and improved
opportunities for our students.

Special Meeting, November 19, 2026 – There will be a special meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM. I will keep you informed as to whether a closed session will be needed prior to that meeting.

Board Vacancy Appointment – As of this writing the district has only received one application to fill the two-year vacancy created by Jessica Price’s resignation. The published deadline for applying is tomorrow, Friday, November 13, 2025. The district office is open until 3:30 PM. The board will interview candidates and make an appointment at the previously mentioned special meeting on November 19, 2026.

TJUSD/Head Start Partnership – The partnership agreement with the San Bernardino County Supervisors was approved in October. We will be funded up to $320k per year for three years in this agreement. We will be working closely with San Bernardino County Head Start to implement facility improvements and make all needed and necessary programming adjustments in light of this agreement. This is a major step in replacing school district funding of the program with Head Start/County funding. Thanks to the TJUSD staff (Amy McCurdy, Tabitha Valdez, Nicole Yeager-Johnson, Darik McCullar, Rebecca Workman, Angie Ball) and especially Dr. Emily Shaw from SBCSS for working together to achieve this important step in improving preschool programming here in Trona while preserving local
funding resources.

Thank you to the entire TJUSD community for continuing to support the positive progress here
in our schools. We count on you to help us as we attempt to live up to our motto to “Educate,
Empower, and Engage” our students and community.

Go Tornadoes,
Jerry Jennex, Superintendent