San Bernardino City Unified School District’s annual Principal for a Day event kicked off with a brief breakfast and orientation recently before more than 70 guest principals traveled to school sites across San Bernardino and Highland.

The event is designed to allow community members from all walks of life and all corners of the District’s boundaries to engage with students, staff and administrators while learning about the daily challenges and triumphs of leading a school. Guests shadowed school leaders as they toured the school campus, visited classrooms, interacted with office staff and more.

Among the guest principals were Consul of Guatemala Raquel Donado, City of Highland Mayor Penny Lilburn, Highland District 2 Councilmember Jimmy Saldana, San Bernardino Sixth Ward Councilmember Mario Flores, San Bernardino Seventh Ward Councilmember Dr. Treasure Ortiz, San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Joe Baca, Jr., Making Hope Happen Foundation Chief Executive Officer Niki Dettman and Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE) Executive Director Pastor Samuel Casey.

“You’re talking to someone who’s often been critical of this District at school board meetings and in meetings with some of the leadership, but to go and see that there is a different day, a different feel,” said Pastor Casey, who shadowed Rio Vista Elementary School Principal Dr. Mitzi Moreland with Dettman. “So you are to be applauded, Dr. Moreland. You and your team are to be applauded. And be encouraged, principals. You sometimes don’t see the seeds that you’re planting, but it’s happening. So, congratulations. Kudos to this entire School District.”

Pastor Casey was not the only participant who had praise for the District after completing their day as a guest principal. SBCUSD parent Daisy Morales, who toured Hillside University Demonstration Elementary School with Principal Becky Quesada, felt SBCUSD was a step up for her children from their previous school district.

“We moved from Los Angeles about two years ago, and I just want to say thank you to everyone from the San Bernardino School District because you can see the difference. They’re not doing what San Bernardino’s doing,” Morales said. “You guys are really making a difference, taking care of our kids the way we’re taking care of them at home, if not better. So I want to thank you for this experience because you hope that you made the right choice where you’re sending your kids, you do the research, but getting to see behind the scenes, it was incredible.”

“I really appreciate the comments being made that you are seeing and feeling that sense of belonging and you’re feeling that climate,” Superintendent Mauricio Arellano said before recounting his own experiences from when he was a student at Riley Elementary School and how a caring teacher not only helped him succeed in school but also made him feel seen and heard.

“This school District has given me so much,” Arellano continued. “And it changed my trajectory of my life, and so my passion is to make sure that we are changing the trajectory of the lives of all of our kids in this District.”