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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SUPERINT...
Superintendent Spotlight April 10, 2026 Dear Moraga Community, I hope that all our Moraga families had a wonderful and restful spring break. This time of year always feels like it starts to fly by! Spring break marks the “almost there” point, but there is still so much to do! And, there is so much to celebrate! Upon coming back from Break I was greeted with the announcement that Ana Moon is the 2026 Moraga Citizen of the Year! Ana Moon has been invaluable to the Moraga School District, in PTA, in MEF, and in various parcel tax and bond campaigns! She is a true advocate for our schools and now lends her immense talent as the MEF Co-Executive Director. We are very fortunate to benefit from Ana’s commitment to excellent schools in Moraga. Please join me in congratulating her on this distinction. Here are some announcements of interest: Surveys and More Surveys I want to thank our families who took time to fill out surveys from Panorama on school climate and from me on the Local Control and Accountability Plan. This is the time of year where we really want to hear from you, but we know how busy everyone is with the day-to-day. Please know that your feedback matters and we look forward to continuous improvement and growth! In our Panorama Survey we had a very high response rate - about 32%. This is higher than typical and it gives us very helpful information about parent perceptions in three main domains: school safety, school climate, and learning behaviors. This week, I would like to focus on the School Safety domain, where our feedback placed us in the 80th percentile as compared to other schools in this nationwide survey. This was our strongest domain, with particular strengths in the following two questions: To what extent are drugs a problem at your child’s school? (97% reported drugs are only a little bit or a problem or not a problem at all) Overall, how unsafe does your child feel at school? (92% reported positively) We have some work to do in the area of online bullying, where we had 23% of respondents indicate that online bullying was “somewhat” to “extremely” likely to happen. This feedback will help us to develop plans for cybersafety and digital citizenship lessons in the future. In the Local Control and Accountability Survey, we asked questions about keeping families informed. We are receiving positive results and will continue to strive to bring information to our families that is relevant, timely, and keeps our community engaged! Here is a summary of the responses: Communication & Information Access: Strengths include good district communication, the ability to communicate well with parents/families, and board meetings being well-run with agenda items published in advance. Engagement Opportunities: The district provides many opportunities for the community to learn and offer feedback, along with holding events. Community Involvement: The district benefits from a very involved community. CAASPP Is Coming At the end of this month, students in grades 3–8 will participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). These assessments help us measure your child’s progress toward proficiency in the Common Core State Standard. What is the CAASPP? The CAASPP system consists of computer-based tests that adapt to each student's ability level. For most students, the assessment includes: Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments: Focused on English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. California Science Test (CAST): Required for students in grades 5 and 8 (as well as once in high school). Testing Schedule Your site principal and child’s teacher will be communicating more details about the testing schedule in the next week. How You Can Help We want our students to feel confident and ready to do their best. You can support your child by: Preparation: Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast on testing days. Attendance: Please try to avoid scheduling appointments or absences during your child’s testing window. Encouragement: Remind your child that these tests are just one tool to help us see how much they’ve learned and where they might need more support. They are not used to determine report card grades. Practice: You can explore practice tests with your child at the CAASPP Practice Test Portal. Results Individual Student Score Reports (SSRs) will be available digitally through our Parent Portal in early summer 2026. These results provide valuable information about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s academic success. If you have any questions regarding the testing process or specific accommodations for your child, please contact their teacher or the school office. April Board Meeting We have a rather light April 14th board meeting. Some highlights include: Spanish Textbook Adoption Technology Report Appointments of New Coordinator of Nutrition and Food Service and New Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Feature: JM After School Sports Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School is proud to offer a variety of after-school sports that give students the opportunity to stay active, build teamwork skills, and represent our school community. Under the direction of our Athletic Director, Sekai Greer, our current sports offerings include boys and girls volleyball, cross country, boys and girls basketball, co-ed soccer, ultimate frisbee, and track and field, with programs designed for a range of interests and skill levels. While we’ve seen great enthusiasm in some programs, participation in a few of our sports has been lower than expected. We strongly encourage all students to consider getting involved because after-school sports are a great way to make friends, stay healthy, and build confidence. It’s also a great opportunity for students to try new sports in a supportive environment, regardless of experience level. We’d also like to recognize some standout performances from our student-athletes. A special shout out to our 8th grade girls volleyball team for winning the tournament championship. What an outstanding accomplishment! We also want to recognize our boys basketball teams for making impressive runs deep into the end-of-season tournament. Our cross country team also had a strong showing at the end of the season, demonstrating excellent effort and perseverance. Our teams continue to compete hard and represent JM with pride, showing great effort, sportsmanship, and growth throughout the season. We welcome all students to join and be part of the JM community. Come out, get involved, and give it a try! Sincerely, Julie Parks, Superintendent
Friday, Apr 10 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SUPERINT...
Superintendent Spotlight March 13, 2026 Dear Moraga Community, It is Women’s History Month and we are proud in Moraga to show gratitude and appreciation for all the amazing women in our community who work to ensure that Moraga and Moraga schools continue a tradition of excellence. It was because of a group of dedicated women that the Moraga Education Foundation was founded in 1981 as a response to critical budget cuts to our schools. This legacy of community dedication and support continues because of the labor of these amazing women. We hope to continue to make them proud! Here are some announcements of interest: Local Control and Accountability Plan It is time to review our Moraga School District Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). The LCAP is the strategic plan for the district and it is built around five goals: Each year, we revisit our plan and make updates to share at our June Governing Board meeting to adopt alongside our budget. To help us, please take a few moments to fill out this SURVEY. Measure D Updates Our Governing Board received an update on Measure D this week. We are in the very long process of waiting for approval - but our architect and contractor are getting things ready to go so we can break ground this summer. HERE is a copy of the presentation to keep you updated. As we get to the summer we will be pivoting into real work at our first two school sites, Rheem and JM, and beginning to get plans ready for Los Perales and Camino Pablo for work in summer 2027! Budget Cuts In the March 10th board meeting final budget cuts were approved for 2026-2027 and for 2027-2028. Without changes to our revenue, we will continue to need to make cuts in order to keep up. The District has already made two years of cuts and continued reductions are not sustainable. The chart below shows cuts over the last three years and upcoming expected cuts. The Second Interim report was also given. HERE is a link to the report. Feature: Elementary Science We are very proud to have an excellent elementary science program run by two veteran and highly qualified science teachers on special assignment (TOSAs), Millie Tang and Virginia Drury. In the Moraga science program, elementary teachers partner with our science TOSAs to deliver comprehensive Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Thanks to MEF donors, we have been able to set up dedicated lab spaces on all three elementary campuses that let our students really dig into the investigations and experiments that make science engaging and meaningful. Our two TOSAs work hard to gather materials, set up the space, and plan a sequence of learning activities that ensures that, in Moraga, rich science curriculum is a priority. Millie Tang recently shared this “snip” of the science experience for our students: As part of our Life Science Unit, our 5th graders were able to explore the question: “How do animals get the nutrients they need to survive?” through two engaging lab investigations. Students dove into hands-on scientific exploration by studying, dissecting, and comparing the organ systems of two fascinating organisms—the worms and the squid. Through these investigations, students closely observe how each organism’s body systems work together to process nutrients and support survival. They then will extend their learning by comparing these systems to the human body, making meaningful connections between animal and human biology. Sincerely, Julie Parks, Superintendent
Saturday, Mar 14 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - REGULAR ...
GOVERNING BOARD NOTICE REGULAR MEETING JOAQUIN MORAGA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY 1010 CAMINO PABLO TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026 6:00 PM 5:00 PM Closed Session 6:00 PM Open Session Items of interest to the public include: Second Interim Report Rotary Character Award Recipients Measure D Bond Update The meeting agenda is available here MEETING GUIDELINES Members of the public may attend this meeting in person or watch via the Zoom Webinar. Public comments will only be allowed in person. To Watch the Open Session Meeting via Zoom There are two options members of the public can use to watch the open session meeting via Zoom: Option 1: Join Zoom Webinar using a computer and enter https://zoom.us/j/98834748675?pwd=bmd1UkpQbno2Q3p6b3FESFpwMzhJUT09 Option 2: Call in using a telephone; dial 1 669 900 6833 US; Webinar ID: 988 3474 8675 To Participate in Public Comment To participate in public comment, you must attend the meeting in person and fill out a comment card before the Board introduces the agenda item. The Board will not receive public comments through the Zoom webinar. The raise your hand and chat functions will not be used during the meeting. Regular Board meeting agendas provide an opportunity for public comment on items on and not on the agenda. Special meetings provide an opportunity for public comments on agenda items only. Individuals are asked to limit their comments for any item to not more than three minutes. If several people share the same issue, please choose one as your representative, and that person may be given additional time. The Board shall limit the total time of Public Comment to 20 minutes for each agenda item. Agenda items will be discussed in the order in which they appear on the agenda. Once the discussion of an agenda item has been completed, the Board will not reopen the discussion on that topic later. AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT NOTICE In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for those requiring special assistance to access the board meeting, access written documents being discussed at the board meeting, or otherwise participate at board meetings, please contact the Superintendent’s Office by sending an email to jbaier@moraga.k12.ca.us . Notification at least 48 hours before the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the board meeting. Dr. Julie C. Parks, Ed. D., Superintendent Moraga School District 925-376-5943 jparks@moraga.k12.ca.us
Saturday, Mar 07 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SUPERINT...
Superintendent Spotlight March 2, 2026 Dear Moraga Community, Happy Year of the Fire Horse! Here are some announcements of interest: Parcel Tax Action Last Tuesday night, our Moraga School District Governing Board approved a Resolution to place a $295 parcel tax on the ballot for the June 2nd General Election. This parcel tax would, if approved by a ⅔ vote of Moraga voters, generate approximately $1.7 million annually for a duration of seven years. Additionally, this ballot initiative would include a senior exemption and annual inflation adjustments. Moraga School District is ranked 902nd out of 905 school districts in the state of California in per pupil funding. This critical funding would help Moraga School District to maintain programming at risk of being cut next year and in future years, while ensuring that we can continue to recruit and retain the best teachers and staff to support our kids. Staff of the Year Congratulations to our Staff Members of the Year! Christina Mignano, Los Perales 5th grade teacher, is our Teacher of the Year. Ms. Mignano is innovative, creative, and engaging. She has been a leader in many facets of the Moraga School District and we are proud to name her as our 2026 Teacher of the Year. Alisa Oliver, JM Administrative Assistant, is one half of our highly functioning office team at JM. Anyone who goes to JM is greeted by Ms. Olliver’s warm smile and willingness to step in and support any need. Thank you for your work in Moraga, Ms. Oliver! Measure D Updates Great news! We are deep in planning on Measure D work for our Donald Rheem and JM campus this summer. Measure D was passed by our voters in 2024. It is a facilities bond and can only be spent on improvements to our Moraga school buildings and grounds. This summer, we will begin replacement of windows and roofs at Donald Rheem and JM. We are also making important plans for field upgrades - a much needed improvement! The final scope of summer work will be determined this spring so stay tuned for more updates. Feature: JM Electives At JM we are proud to offer a wide range of electives in visual and performing arts, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), the humanities, and PE/nutrition. Starting in 6th grade, students can pursue their interest in instrumental music or chorus. Or they take our exploratory wheel, which introduces topics like creative writing, computers, earth stewardship, and world languages. In 7th and 8th grade, they have two elective options each year, and students get to take classes that articulate with their 6th grade experience, from Mandarin to robotics, from drama to debate, from orchestra to leadership, and many other classes. JM students get to discover new ideas and pursue their passions. Sincerely, Julie Parks, Superintendent
Tuesday, Mar 03 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SPECIAL ...
SPECIAL GOVERNING BOARD MEETING NOTICE JOAQUIN MORAGA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY 1010 CAMINO PABLO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026 6:00 PM 5:30 PM Closed Session 6:00 PM Open Session Items of interest to the public include: Public Hearing for a Parcel Tax Election Comprehensive Safety Plan Board Policy Updates The meeting agenda is available here . MEETING GUIDELINES To Watch the Open Session Meeting via Zoom There are two options members of the public can use to watch the open session meeting via Zoom: Option 1: Join Zoom Webinar using a computer and enter https://zoom.us/j/98834748675?pwd=bmd1UkpQbno2Q3p6b3FESFpwMzhJUT09 Option 2: Call in using a telephone; dial 1 669 900 6833 US; Webinar ID: 988 3474 8675 To Participate in Public Comment To participate in public comment, you must attend the meeting in person and fill out a comment card before the Board introduces the agenda item. The Board will not receive public comments through the Zoom webinar. The raise your hand and chat functions will not be used during the meeting. Special meetings provide an opportunity for public comments on agenda items only . Individuals are asked to limit their comments on any item to no more than three minutes. If several people share the same issue, please choose one as your representative, and that person may be given additional time. The Board shall limit the total time of Public Comment to 20 minutes for each agenda item. Agenda items will be discussed in the order in which they appear on the agenda. Once the discussion of an agenda item has been completed, the Board will not reopen the discussion on that topic later. AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT NOTICE In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for those requiring special assistance to access the board meeting, access written documents being discussed at the board meeting, or otherwise participate at board meetings, please contact the Superintendent’s Office by sending an email to jbaier@moraga.k12.ca.us . Notification at least 48 hours before the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the board meeting. Dr. Julie C. Parks Ed. D., Superintendent Moraga School District 925-376-5943 jparks@moraga.k12.ca.us
Saturday, Feb 21 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SUPERINT...
Superintendent Spotlight February 10, 2026 Dear Moraga Community, This month we celebrate Black Excellence Month. This is a time for us to reflect on and honor the contributions of African American and black leaders, artists, musicians, teachers, and citizens who have made contributions to our country and to our community. Here are some announcements of interest: Town Hall Recap Last night, over 100 people gathered in person or virtually to hear our Town Hall on Budget for the Moraga School District. This was a testimony of the commitment and engagement of our community around our most precious resource: our children. I want to thank Meghan Donnelly Hetke and Jessica Gorelik, our parent facilitators, for organizing this event and ensuring the community was notified. I would also like to thank our MEF Executive Directors, Heather Davis and Ana Moon, for supporting our Moraga schools and for assisting in explaining the complex nuances of school budgeting. HERE is a presentation that includes various slides shared last night. In Moraga we are facing a funding crisis that is jeopardizing our ability to continue to sustain the core programming that makes our schools amongst the top in the state. Local support is key to continuing our tradition of excellence. February Board Meeting Our February meetings had a full agenda. Here are some topics of interest: Budget Update: Includes a discussion of the Governor’s Budget Proposal and a debrief of the work from our Budget Advisory Committee. Parcel Tax Discussion: Includes a draft resolution for a parcel tax to be discussed by the Governing Board. Draft Reductions: A preview of potential reductions to be finalized in March. Comprehensive Safety Plan Annually, the Moraga School District updates its Comprehensive Safety Plan. This year, the Safety and Wellness Committee are recommending the following goals and actions: The Moraga School District will utilize best practices for securing the physical safety of students and staff. Implement annual staff and student training on the Standard Response Protocol. Engage staff in staff preparedness training. Maintain a locked door system at each school site and develop an inspection checklist. Conduct safety drills on all campuses, including reunification, evacuation, lock-down, and shelter-in-place. Safety drill information will be communicated to families. Make CPR and First Aid training accessible to all staff. Train staff and educate students on opioid danger. Train staff on administration of naloxone. Partner with the Town of Moraga and Moraga Police Department to address crossings and traffic safety. Communicate with families best practices for safety. Implement facilities upgrades in the Facilities Master Plan related to safety (communication systems, windows upgrades, traffic flow improvements, fencing). Review best cybersecurity practices and improve cybersecurity infrastructure. Work with MOFD to ensure linked communication devices and to develop more comprehensive wildfire safety plans. Install choking devices in school cafeterias. The Moraga School District will continue to prioritize mental health and wellness practices for social-emotional safety. This includes ensuring inclusive campuses for all students. Continue social emotional learning program, Second Step. Maintain counseling and wellness services on all school campuses. Communicate resources for mental health and support will be communicated to all students and families. Provide training for middle school students and staff on suicide prevention. Continue the Too Good for Drugs program in elementary school. Implement lessons for students on digital citizenship and cybersafety. Continue parent education for best practices with technology. Implement and communicate district policies for technology on campus. Support LGBTQ+ students through on-campus clubs. The Moraga School District will institute restorative practices to assist in positive behavior intervention systems (PBIS) and student discipline. Continue PBIS teams at each school site and collect data on behaviors and interventions. Communicate PBIS and school policy to parents through school and district messages. Implement the Sandy Hook Promise Anonymous Reporting System to identify behaviors of concern and ensure all JM students have access. Train all administrative staff and counseling staff in threat assessment. Train staff on Title IX practices and explicitly teach students about sexual and gender based harassment. Feature: Art and Music Moraga School District is proud to be a place where art and music programming have been a priority for over 40 years. MEF was started in 1981 by a group of dedicated parents determined to ensure that art and music education continued to be a part of the Moraga School District. Now, years later, we continue this tradition with five phenomenal teachers throughout our Moraga Schools: music teachers Michael Mares, Chris Chegia, and Laura Arvidan and art teachers Larysa Larson and Katie Morris. So, what is happening in the arts? Our middle school art students are creating “Peace Pickets” as part of a community art collaboration sponsored by the Moraga Rotary Club. Each student is designing and painting a wooden picket that will be displayed publicly in our community, giving them an authentic audience and a meaningful way to share messages of peace, kindness, unity, and hope. The project begins with a planning and sketching phase that emphasizes thoughtful design and strong visual communication. Students create detailed sketches for both the front and back of their pickets, including imagery, words or phrases, and color choices, before moving into painting. We focus on bold, bright colors, clear lettering that can be read from a distance, and recognizable symbols of peace such as doves, peace signs, rainbows, hearts, and hands reaching out in friendship and support. In elementary music, second grade is learning a song with choreography called "Be Kind" and third grade is singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem and learning the recorder. Grades 4 and 5 are preparing for the MSD Spring Sing - learning new songs, several with choreography. There will be about 150 kids singing and dancing on the floor of the JM Gym this spring, along with our staff choir, with 5 teachers and 2 principals participating! Middle school choral music students are working on their art music unit. Highlights include Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, Copland's Ching-a-Ring Chaw, and the African American Spiritual Keep Your Lamps. Additionally, La Nell Martin from the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir is going to come do a clinic with our students. JM Choir also partnered with the Town of Moraga and sang at the Tree Lighting Festival (photo attached) last December.
Wednesday, Feb 11 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - REGULAR ...
GOVERNING BOARD NOTICE REGULAR MEETING JOAQUIN MORAGA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY 1010 CAMINO PABLO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2026 6:00 PM 5:30 PM Closed Session 6:00 PM Open Session Items of interest to the public include: Budget Update Draft Parcel Tax Resolution Potential Service Reductions for 2026-2027 The meeting agenda is available here MEETING GUIDELINES Members of the public may attend this meeting in person or watch via the Zoom Webinar. Public comments will only be allowed in person. To Watch the Open Session Meeting via Zoom There are two options members of the public can use to watch the open session meeting via Zoom: Option 1: Join Zoom Webinar using a computer and enter https://zoom.us/j/98834748675?pwd=bmd1UkpQbno2Q3p6b3FESFpwMzhJUT09 Option 2: Call in using a telephone; dial 1 669 900 6833 US; Webinar ID: 988 3474 8675 To Participate in Public Comment To participate in public comment, you must attend the meeting in person and fill out a comment card before the Board introduces the agenda item. The Board will not receive public comments through the Zoom webinar. The raise your hand and chat functions will not be used during the meeting. Regular Board meeting agendas provide an opportunity for public comment on items on and not on the agenda. Special meetings provide an opportunity for public comments on agenda items only. Individuals are asked to limit their comments for any item to not more than three minutes. If several people share the same issue, please choose one as your representative, and that person may be given additional time. The Board shall limit the total time of Public Comment to 20 minutes for each agenda item. Agenda items will be discussed in the order in which they appear on the agenda. Once the discussion of an agenda item has been completed, the Board will not reopen the discussion on that topic later. AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT NOTICE In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for those requiring special assistance to access the board meeting, access written documents being discussed at the board meeting, or otherwise participate at board meetings, please contact the Superintendent’s Office by sending an email to jbaier@moraga.k12.ca.us . Notification at least 48 hours before the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the board meeting. Dr. Julie C. Parks, Ed. D., Superintendent Moraga School District 925-376-5943 jparks@moraga.k12.ca.us
Saturday, Feb 07 2026
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POSSIBLE QUORUM OF THE GOVERNING BOARD - SCHOOL FUND...
GOVERNING BOARD NOTICE Notice of Possible Quorum of the Governing Board MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2026 7:00 - 8:30 PM SCHOOL FUNDING TOWN HALL Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School Library 1010 Camino Pablo, Moraga, CA 94556 or Zoom [Tuesday, May 11 at 10:10 AM]
Saturday, Feb 07 2026
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MORAGA SCHOOL DISTRICT - SCHOOL F...
JOIN US TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET CRISIS AND PROPOSED PARCEL TAX MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2026 7:00 PM JM LIBRARY OR BY ZOOM https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7183711093 SUBMIT QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE TO: meghanmdonnelly@gmail.com OR jessica.d.gorelik@gmail.com
Tuesday, Feb 03 2026