Simi Valley Unified School District

10/21/2026

Every year, the District Office at SVUSD welcomes a contingent of student leaders from each of our high schools and middle schools to participate in the Student Advisory Committee. As part of our LCAP process (Local Control Accountability Plan), we survey parents, students and staff each year about issues impacting their experiences in our schools Beyond the written survey given to our secondary students, we ask our student leaders to come and share more deeply about their concerns and challenges and how we might solve the problems they cite. On Wednesday, we welcomed the high school students. Dr. Jerry Block, Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Programs, set the stage for the morning's conversation. "It's all about you," he said, referring to what the schools are about. "How better do we find out about the problems if we don't ask you?" In past years, student input has led to increases in school counselors and mental health services, for one example. Tomorrow we will welcome our middle schoolers to our office for more conversation.

10/21/2026

It's Unity Day here at the District Office, and we show our support for kindness, acceptance and inclusion by wearing orange. Unity Day was established by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center in 2011. The PACER Center's mission "improves educational opportunities and enhances the quality of life for children and young adults with disabilities and their families." Orange makes us happy!

10/21/2026

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Michael Fienberg as our new interim Assistant Principal for Simi Valley High School!
As an educator who started in the classroom teaching high school math, Dr. Fienberg comes to us from his graduate and doctoral programs at the University of Southern California (USC).
Dr. Fienberg holds two Bachelor’s degrees (Film-Screenwriting and Communications) from the University of Michigan, a Master’s degree in Education from Pepperdine University, a Master’s degree in Public Policy Data Science from USC and a Doctorate in Education from USC., along with a math credential and administrative credential.
He served as the chair of the Math Department at Calabasas High School, where he taught for five years until starting his second Master’s program in 2020.
“I got into teaching to help guide and shape the next generation of students,” he said.
After obtaining his most recent degrees in 2024, Dr. Fienberg worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office where he researched K-12 issues for the U.S. Congress.
He said he wanted to come to SVUSD to contribute to “a campus community where students feel supported, challenged, and engaged.”
“I am drawn to Simi Valley Unified because of its strong reputation for supporting students through high expectations, meaningful programs, and a well-rounded school experience,” he said.
Dr. Fienberg will serve as the interim Assistant Principal at Simi Valley High School for the remainder of this school year, filling the vacancy left by Allison McMartin, who is currently serving as the interim Principal of White Oak Elementary School.

10/16/2026

IMPORTANT: Due to power outages affecting Simi Valley, the following Simi Valley High School Homecoming events have been rescheduled:

Varsity Football vs. Newbury Park
New Date: Saturday, October 17
Game Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: SVHS Stadium
Gates Open: 2:30 p.m.
Standard security screening and bag checks will be in effect.

Homecoming Dance
New Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Location: SVHS Stadium

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing everyone at these events!

10/16/2026

2026 Youth Summit: Expanding Your Horizons is taking place today. This annual event brings students together from across our school district and surrounding area. Topics for discussion include cancel culture, climate change, artificial intelligence, and loneliness. THANK YOU to The Simi Valley Youth Council for making this opportunity a reality for our students, our schools, and our community.

10/14/2026

A REMINDER FROM SIMI VALLEY SCHOOLS: Southern California Edison has announced possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in the coming days which may impact our schools. We wish to remind our families that as of January 2025, we no longer close our schools because of power outages, assuming that there are no other safety concerns involved. Should any of our schools be impacted by a PSPS, we will communicate with those families involved and our school(s) will remain open to continue serving our students.

This is an abbreviated message to accommodate social media needs. A longer message with more detailed information has been sent to our families and staff this evening. Thank you.

10/07/2026

The first Wednesday in October is always National Walk and Bike to School Day! Created to promote physical health, pedestrian safety and active commuting, our Simi Valley schools bring together parents, students, staff, police, fire and community leaders to celebrate the joys of walking to school. Today, Arroyo Elementary School and White Oak Elementary School held their events. Last Friday, Katherine Elementary School held its event. Other schools schedule their events around their specific calendars. Regardless of when the school held or will hold its event, it's clear that our Simi Valley Schools students love walking to school!

10/06/2026

The SVUSD 4-day Classified Employee Fall Institute offered multiple professional development sessions for employees to learn, connect, and grow!

A variety of topics were offered including supporting students, understanding behavior, building relationships, navigating difficult conversations, professionalism, technology, and more.

Thank you to our presenters and participants for making the week a success!

Additional professional development opportunities will be offered throughout the year. Stay tuned for information regarding October 30!

Every employee makes an IMPACT!

10/02/2026

CONGRATULATIONS to Lisa Greenlinger from Garden Grove Elementary School for being named the Simi Valley Education Foundation's Teacher of the Month!

We are proud to announce our 2026 October Teacher of the Month (TOTM) Lisa Greenlinger from Garden Grove Elementary.

Lisa consistently demonstrates an outstanding dedication to her 4th grade students through her innovative instructional practices, strong relationships with families, and unwavering commitment to student success. Lisa creates a classroom environment where all students are valued, challenged, and supported. She provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency and mastery of concepts, recognizing that students learn in different ways and at different paces. Through differentiated instruction and ongoing assessment, she ensures that every student has access to meaningful learning experiences and opportunities to succeed. Beyond her daily classroom responsibilities, Lisa willingly embraces new challenges that enrich the educational experience for her students.

The Teacher of the Month Program highlights educators across the Simi Valley Unified School District who demonstrate outstanding performance and make meaningful contributions to their students and schools.

Each month, honorees are celebrated with tokens of appreciation from generous community partners, including Grand Canyon University, Harley’s Bowl, Iverson Construction, Kleintob Supercuts, Logix Federal Credit Union, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Simi Valley YMCA, Eric Little with State Farm Insurance, Ventura County Credit Union, and the Walt Fuller Foundation. Local dignitaries also present personalized certificates of recognition, reinforcing the strong bond between schools and the broader community.

“Together, we send a clear message that the business community supports and values the dedication of our teachers,” said Ryan Fowler, Board President of the Simi Valley Education Foundation.

Since its founding in 1989, the Simi Valley Education Foundation has invested more than $2.5 million into Simi Valley public schools through innovative classroom grants, school-wide projects, department enhancements, and scholarships for graduating seniors.

For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Cindy Jacoby at (877) SIMI-KID or visit svef.org.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Pictured from the left at Garden Grove Elementary from the left are: Nicholas Gutierrez, from the YMCA; Dr. Hani Youssef, SVUSD Superintendent; Eric Little, State Farm Insurance; Dawn Smollen, SVUSD Board President; Tarja Little, SVEF Board Member; Lisa Greenlinger; Principal Tim Bednar; Ryan Fowler, SVEF Board President; Michael Flores, Logix Federal Credit Union; Lori Neiman; SVUSD Director of Elementary Education; Sue Roth, SVEF Board Member; Vidhya Ganesh, SVEF Board Member; and Mike Kort, Representative for Supervisor Janice Parvin.

09/29/2026

Congratulations to Santa Susana High School teacher Julia Pinhey, who was recognized last week by the Creative Educators Network with the Mitchell McClung Award for her work as the Visual and Performing Arts Director and Technical Theatre instructor.

“This year's winner embodies the service and commitment to the field that the Mitchell McClung Award celebrates,” said Ashley Adams, Executive Director of Creative Educators Network. “Julia Pinhey's rigorous, industry-connected Technical Theatre program at Santa Susana prepares students to turn their passion into careers, with many going on to work professionally across Los Angeles.”

We are so proud of Ms Pinhey and all of our staff who work so hard to help our students become the best versions of themselves.

The Creative Educators Network (formerly the AME Institute) envisions a world where all students, and particularly those furthest from opportunity, have the access and preparation needed to succeed in the creative workforce of today and tomorrow. They provide educators with the tools and training they need to empower the next generation of the creative workforce.