The mission of the Salida Union School District is to prepare students to enter high school with the academic, social and interpersonal skills necessary to be successful. This preparation encompasses all aspects of the curriculum, including fine arts and athletics. Salida is one of the oldest communities in Stanislaus County and during the past decade webve seen tremendous change. New neighborhoods welcome new families. New commercial properties welcome new business. It is growth unlike Salida has ever experienced and all aspects of our community have been impacted, including schools. The Salida Union School District is striving to meet the educational needs of our youngest residents. Our district continues to experience incredible increases in student enrollment. In 1985 we had just 759 students. Our current enrollment has now exceeds 3,400 students. By helping our teachers to be successful in the classroom, we are helping our students succeed as well. We have initiated professional development courses and specialized programs to enhance the skills of beginning and veteran teachers. From new ways to create lesson plans to understanding effective methods of assessment, ongoing development is key to achieving the districtbs mission.