Friday Letter - September 30, 2022

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 8 This issue highlights: Bike PHE's new Walk and Roll Wednesdays program, District news including Board reviews test scores and  Naloxone program ,   Community News including the Break a Sweat for Education 5k on Saturday, School News including a YVHS Education Academy leadership training and cancer fundraising campaign at Holbrook Language Academy , student social media shout-outs, staff social media shout-outs, important dates, and more! Pleasant Hill Elementary PTA launches Walk and Roll Wednesdays Pleasant Hill Elementary Principal Nicholas Rey (third from left) stands with his bike and students, teacher Robin Parks and parent Cara DeJong, outside the bike area. After about three years of planning, Pleasant Hill Elementary School's PTA has launched "Walk and Roll Wednesdays" through a new Bike.PHE Club in an effort to encourage more students to walk and bike to school. Started on Sept. 21st, the program is already growing in popularity, with 128 participants on Sept. 28th, including 64 bikes, five scooters and one skateboard. "We started the year with about 35 bikes," said parent organizer Cara DeJong, "so it's almost doubled the bike count!" So far, the club has registered 193 students, but hopes to get up to at least 300, DeJong said. The program helps cut down on traffic and air pollution, while also offering students and fun way to exercise and get their brains working before they get to school, supporters say. It's also a fun activity they can do together that helps build community. One of the key attractions for both parents and students is an app called active4me that tracks how far students travel. The PTA paid $250 for the app for one year for up to 500 students and also purchased key chains and small plastic tags with barcodes that are scanned, which track their distance and also alert parents that they have arrived at school. The app is approved as a Digital Tool  in the District, which does not collect data such as student addresses. The PTA also purchased a "Dino" logo, banners and stickers to promote the program, which has its own Instagram page. DeJong said she eventually hopes to expand the program to five days a week, as long as organizers can recruit enough volunteers to scan the tags. She also hopes to add incentives such as small charms dinosaur (the school's mascot) charms for every 10 rides and prizes for distances traveled or class participation. She also wants to educate students about bike safety and to hold a "bike swap" so students can sell or exchange bikes that are too small or too big for them. Since most students live within 1 or 2 miles of the school, they can ride together with siblings or friends. Brock Tennessen, a 4th grader, said he likes finding out how far he rode and to see many of his classmates riding to school also. Those who live farther away are encouraged to park a few blocks away from the school and walk or bike the rest of the way so they can be part of the BikePHE Club and cut down on traffic congestion at the school. Pleasant Hill Elementary 5th graders Bradley Urmson (above left) Elena Dajao (above center) and Isaac Kent (above right) ride bikes to school with their siblings . Fifth-grader Bradley Urmson, who rides to school with his 4th-grade sister and her friend everyday, said biking helps to save the environment. "I think it's more fun to ride your bike because you can bike with other people or go to their houses after school," he said. Elena Dajao, also in 5th grade, rides with her 2nd grade sister. "It's more healthy and it's more fun than riding in a car," she said. And 5th-grader Isaac Kent said he thinks it's fun riding to school with his little brother, who is in 1st grade. Principal Nicholas Rey rides his bike about 5 miles to school from his home in Concord. DeJong said kids love to see him with his bike. "It's wonderful to have him be so supportive and so involved," she said. More information is in the video below or at bikephe@gmail.com. Schools interested in hosting Walk and Bike to School days or in receiving free traffic safety assemblies can also contact Street Smarts Diablo , which presented an assembly at Wren Avenue Elementary on Sept. 20 and plans to present assemblies at Ayers, Sun Terrace, Bancroft, Meadow Homes, Westwood, Cambridge, and Silverwood elementary schools next month. Wren Avenue Elementary Principal Celeste Kitt said students really enjoyed their assembly, which stressed the importance of not being on their phones in crosswalks, as well as bike safety, including wearing helmets. "All my students were enthralled," she said. "It's a well-done presentation that meets the needs of the students." District News MDUSD Board reviews CAASPP Data, Naloxone program The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board on Wednesday reviewed preliminary 2022 CAASPP  test data ,  a presentation on the District's Naloxone program, appointed  Julie Johnson  as Vice Principal/Program Specialist at Rio Vista Elementary, reviewed  textbook sufficiency , held a school facility fee  public hearing  and approved a $1,500 hiring/retention  bonus  for CSEA members, among other items. The complete agenda is  here .   Virtual focus group meeting on disproportionate outcomes for African American youth Mt. Diablo Unified School District is inviting all community members to participate in a focus group to learn more about the disproportionate outcomes for our African American youth and the work the district has undertaken to address this. The District is creating a second Coordinated Comprehensive Early Intervening Services ( CCEIS ) Plan and needs your input to ensure the underlying causes for the disproportionate outcomes are addressed.  The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. via zoom on Thursday, Oct. 6 . We hope to see you there. (Click here for link) Two vacancies on MDUSD's Measure J Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee Measure J, passed by voters in 2018, is a $150 million bond for campus updates and safety/security needs. You can read more about Measure J here . MDUSD's Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee is an advisory body to the District on matters related to the Measure J construction bond program implementation as required by California’s  Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bond Act of 2000 , which mandates that citizen advisory panels be established to assure accountability for the use of public funds. The Committee’s three key  roles and responsibilities  are to: Inform the public on the District’s expenditures of bond proceeds. Review expenditures to assure that proceeds are being spent for projects approved and outlined within the proposition(s). Produce and present an annual report to summarize the Committee’s proceedings and activities within the prior year. Measure J has two open seats: - Parent of an MDUSD student - Parent of an MDUSD student who is involved in a school site organization, such as the PTA, PFC, School Site Council, or DELAC If you are interested in applying for one of the two seats, please use  THIS  link to the fillable application. Leadership is important and we would love to fill both of these with interested parents. MDUSD's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects cases each week and Year-to-Date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include this week's cases.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . MDUSD's Adult Education program offers parenting classes in English and Spanish The Mt. Diablo Adult Education Center offers several classes for parents in English and Spanish to help support our school communities. Upcoming classes are available to help deal with parent and teen anger issues (parent/s attend with teen/s), help families build strong relationships, and stop domestic violence (for adults). Click the flyers above or see the attached flyers for details. More information is at https://mdae.mdusd.org/parented . Growing Healthy Kids launches website, wins award, hosts garden workshop MDUSD's Growing Healthy Kids program has launched a website at www.growinghealthykidsbayarea.org with information about events, school gardens and special programs. It is proud to announce that it recently received a Leadership In Sustainability Award from Sustainable Contra Costa and that its 2nd Annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop on Sept. 24th at Riverview MS was a success! "Participants enjoyed a beautiful day," said Program Director Laney Cline King. "Staff, students and families made gazpacho, built cob bricks, and learned about the permaculture elements in the space." Click on the tweets below to see more about the event. MDUSD teachers, garden educators and CARES after school program staff are also invited to register here for the program's Life Lab Engineering in the Garden  Workshop  at 9 a.m. October 8.  Bridge Program revives car wash thanks to donation from waterless car wash Due to the drought, the Bridge Program for Adults with Disabilities recently had to shut down its successful car washing business to save water. This was very disappointing to the students, who had raised money for several years to pay for fun trips throughout the school year, said teacher Gianna Thompson.  "Instead of giving up, we looked for different options," she said. "We reached out to a local car wash company that cleans cars with no water!" The company, " No H20 ," generously offered to donate supplies and training "so our class could continue our amazing business," Thompson said. "We are so appreciative of their support and love the opportunity to partner with a local business! Our class does not let obstacles stop us from success! We have adapted and will continue our business!" District staff and community members interested in patronizing the car wash can email Thompson at Thompsong@mdusd.org to reserve a spot between 9:30-11:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center, 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord. The cost is $15 for cars, $17 for vans and SUVs, $20 for trucks and $6 for added vacuuming. Details about this and other Bridge program businesses are here . Bridge Program students use waterless products donated from "NoH20" to continue their car washing business at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center. Community Safety Training to be held Tuesday, October 11th at Concord High  MDUSD will host a Community Safety Training from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11 at Concord High, 4200 Concord Blvd., Concord. Earlier this month, District administrators attended a Concord Police Department Active Shooter training at Northgate High. The community event is expected to include some of the same information. On September 14, the School Board approved a contract with Rockeye Consulting to r eview safety plans, update safety assessments, and conduct staff safety training including active shooter prevention.  Special Education Community Advisory Committee seeks award nominations The Community Advisory Committee ( CAC ) for Special Education is seeking nominations through Oct. 26 for the “You Make a Difference" Award, to be presented on Nov. 15 to persons or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the lives of students with disabilities in MDUSD. The theme is  "Everyday Superheroes." See the attached nomination form for details. MDUSD is hiring School Nurses! MDUSD is hiring Credentialed School Nurses ( RNs). Full and Part-time positions are available. Nurses work 7 hours per day and have summers off (from early June to mid-August). For more information, please email School Nurse Liaison/Coordinator Julie Ronhaar at ronhaarj@mdusd.org.  To apply, please scan the QR Code in the attached flyer with your smartphone or tablet, or visit  https://tinyurl.com/join-mdusd-nurses . Join our team! Community News Break a Sweat for Education 5K Run and Walk/Free Kids Fun Run is Saturday  The 2022 Yours Humanly Break a Sweat for Education® 5K Run & Walk and free Kids Fun Run will be held Saturday, October 1 at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. Funds raised by this popular family-friendly event support programs of Yours Humanly, a Northern California-based global nonprofit, which is again partnering with the Mt. Diablo Education Foundation that serves students of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. " This fundraising event rewards people on so many levels, and we welcome all ages and skill levels to join us on this journey to help children achieve better, brighter futures through education ," said Sunny Singh, Yours Humanly Founder & CEO. "This is a great way to spend a Saturday morning!" Heather Farm Park is at 301 N. San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek. For event details, course map, and registration, visit www.BreakASweat.run or click on the Tweet to the right. Walnut Creek Community Service Day on October 8 includes MDUSD schools  The city of Walnut Creek invites local residents to volunteer for the citywide Community Service Day on Saturday, October 8th.  Projects include landscaping and campus clean up activities at five MDUSD schools: Bancroft Elementary school spruce up : Full. Thanks to all volunteers! Foothill MS landscaping : Full. Thanks to all volunteers! Northgate HS landscape spiff-up : Volunteers are still needed from 9 a.m. to noon to join NHS students to improve the landscape of the large campus and sports fields. Tasks may include pruning, weeding, and overall clean-up of the softball fields, tennis courts, and front of school (and more!).  All are welcome! Valle Verde Elementary school clean up : Full Thanks to all volunteers! Walnut Acres Elementary school spiff-up : Volunteers are still needed from 9 a.m. to noon to clean lunch tables and play structures, sweep, dust, wash windows, pick up trash and freshen up the landscape. There's plenty of work for everyone! (Click Tweet to the left for Principal's invitation.) COPE Parenting Classes in October The C.O.P,E. Family Support Center, which works to strengthen family relationships through Counseling Options and Parent Education, is offering several new classes in October, and November.  These include: Supporting Father Involvement , Free Triple P Parenting Seminars for Black Families , Teen Triple P for parents with teenagers ages 13-19 , Group Triple P: Parents with children ages 0-12 , and a Family Transitions co-parenting class . More  information is  here . School News Ygnacio Valley HS Education Academy builds leadership skills during training  The YVHS Education Academy held its annual Leadership Training Beach Day at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda on September 22nd. "This was a very successful event, led by Team TRI , Inc., in which students participated in leadership skills-building activities all day," said teacher Thatcher Palmer. "The activities focused on the Five Pillars of the Education Academy: Family, Integrity, Accountability, Resilience, and Academics." "The students enjoyed a day in the sun, forming bonds, building community, and strengthening their leadership skills," he added. "The students carry these leadership skills into everything they do here at school, and beyond. We were grateful for the opportunity, and we would like to thank our principal, Mr. Pike, for helping us make this event happen." Click on the Tweet (above right) to see some of their activities. Holbrook Language Academy coin drive during Childhood Cancer & Sickle Cell Awareness month   Holbrook Language Academy students carried on a very special tradition this week,  participating in a coin drive to mark Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September. Click on the tweets above to see how students and staff joined in the effort. Parent Andrea Alford explains: "In 2018, our youngest was diagnosed with cancer and the Holbrook community surrounded us with support. A few months later, two more families were impacted by pediatric cancer. Sadly, one of our beloved students passed away in 2020. In the midst of the heartbreak, a pandemic prevented a funeral, and so our community planned a caravan to the family's home to show our love and support. Since then, we have celebrated Go Gold every September during Childhood Cancer & Sickle Cell Awareness month. Today (Friday) the students are showing up in gold and it's the final day of their coin drive. The kids are raising money for Scottie's Gift , a local nonprofit that provides gift baskets to kids at the local Children’s Hospitals in honor of Emilio, our Forever Jet. It's a bright spot in MDUSD - kids being generous towards other children in our communities." Pleasant Hill's Community Service Day included several MDUSD schools Click on the Social Media posts below to see some of the volunteer projects at District schools including Sequoia, Valhalla and Gregory Gardens elementary schools, Robert Shearer Preschool and College Park HS. Thanks, volunteers! School Social Media Shout-outs! Click on the tweets below to find out about recent activities at Sequoia, Monte Gardens, Westwood and Woodside elementary schools; and at Mt. Diablo High School and its Digital Safari Academy! Student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see what middle school students at Holbrook Language Academy; leadership students at Foothill and Riverview MS; a football player at College Park HS; a football player, marching band students and cheerleaders at Concord HS; a spirited student at Northgate HS; and an Olympic HS grad have been doing recently. Staff Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to find out what principals at Monte Gardens and Gregory Gardens elementary schools; a College Now history teacher; teachers at Woodside Elementary; staff at Pine Hollow MS; and counselors at Gregory Gardens and Walnut Acres elementary schools, Foothill MS and Northgate HS have been doing recently. Important dates Oct. 1:   Break a Sweat for Education  5K Run/Walk/Kids Fun Run starting at 8 a.m. in Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek Oct. 3: MDUSD recognition of  Custodian Appreciation Day  (which is Oct. 2) Oct. 4 : Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Oct. 5:   Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 p.m. Oct. 6:  Focus Group meeting on disproportionate outcomes for African American youth at 6 p.m. via Zoom Oct . 7: End of first quarter Oct. 10:  No School - Teacher Professional Development Day Oct. 11:  Community Safety Training from 7-8 p.m. at Concord High School (See District News above) Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington Brandt. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Friday, Sep 30 2022

Friday Letter - September 23, 2022

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 7 This issue highlights Natasha Paul selected as a County Teacher of the Year, District news including big turnout for the 2nd annual Battle of the Bands,   Community News including the Pleasant Hill Community Service Day on Saturday, School News including school supply donations at two Concord schools , student/alumni social media shout-outs, staff social media shout-outs, important dates, and more! Natasha Paul is named one of two County Teachers of the Year The County awards program also honored District Teacher of the Year Katalina Gallo County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced Thursday that Natasha Paul, who taught for several years at Mt. Diablo High before moving to Concord High this year, is one of two 2022-2023 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year , along with  Chavonta Edington of Diablo Vista Middle School  in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The pair are now eligible to apply to the California State Teachers of the Year program.     The county’s 50th annual Teacher of the Year Gala at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek honored all 19 Contra Costa Teachers who were chosen as District Teachers of the Year, including Katalina Gallo of Mt. Diablo High. The county Teacher of the Year program started in 1973 to honor and recognize teachers throughout the county for the commendable work they do every day.   “ All of the honored educators deserve our thanks ,” Mackey said. “We appreciate them for their hard work but also for the guidance and relationships they have forged with students, giving them inspiration for college and careers in the future as well as the confidence to take on academic challenges they will face throughout their educational journeys.”     Natasha Paul is a 19-year teaching veteran, spending the last 16 years as a 9th – 12th grade English teacher at Mt. Diablo High School. “My greatest pride has been working with the career academies at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord,” Paul said. “The first 14 years of my career I worked with an incredible, innovative group of teachers in the Digital Safari Academy. Together, we built the program from a 2-year, 11th and 12th grade multi-media curriculum focused on project-based learning, to a 4-year, 9-12th dual pathway program, incorporating Multimedia, Computer Science, Art, English, and Social Studies.” Mt. Diablo Unified School District Instructional Coach Jeanne M. Johnson said:  “Natasha has developed as a leader who models innovative teaching strategies through reflection and dedication to improving students' well-being and overall learning outcomes. She exhibits strength in vulnerability when challenged, which is a great model for our students. Natasha works very hard to create a balance between challenging her students and making them feel safe and cared for.” Mt. Diablo HS student and MDUSD Student Board Member Anahi Nava Flores introduced Paul during the program, praising her commitment to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environment for students. In her finalist speech, Paul said she has learned humility, empathy and hope from her students. Also during the program, both Paul and Gallo spoke about the importance of equity in their teaching. You can see the program, which included a performance by the Northgate choir and a short speech from former District, County and State Teacher of the Year Rosie Reid,  here . Read more  here . District News 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands draws 2,000 people to Concord High! About 500 performers from 8 bands representing 9 high schools (DeLaSalle/Carondelet have a combined band) participated in the 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands on Sept. 17 (above), culminating with Lady Gaga's "Born this way" (below left). Click tweets to watch videos and see the band directors! When Concord High School's Instrumental Music Department and Boosters decided to host the 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands this year, they had no idea that the event would draw 2,000 people to the school's football stadium. " We did not know that many people would show up, " said Concord HS Instrumental Music Director Martin Lejano, who launched the event last year and whose voice was still hoarse on Thursday after all the excitement. "We had about 500 performers and an audience of about 1,500. I'm super proud of Concord's students and our boosters for putting on that event for the entire community. " The group rose to the occasion by presenting a three-hour show that included marching bands or "pep bands" from Concord HS, College Park HS and Northgate HS in MDUSD, as well as  from neighboring  Alhambra HS, Antioch HS,  Benicia HS, Clayton Valley Charter HS and De La Salle and Carondelet high schools (combined band). "It was a very, very special event," Lejano said, explaining that bands are used to competing against each other instead of supporting each other as they did last Saturday. The noncompetitive "Battle" did not end with winners or losers. Instead, each band took turns performing in five "rounds," with other bands and audience members cheering them on. After the first three rounds, drummers from each school gathered in a "drum circle" and musicians from each school band "section" gathered to play their instruments together, such as clarinets, trumpets, tubas, etc. "There was a lot of connecting across schools, which was really special to see," Lejano said. "Every time a band was performing, everyone else was dancing. It was really fun to watch." Sometimes, Lejano said, arts students and teachers tend to feel overshadowed by sports at high schools. But this event brought them all together under the spotlight, with support from thousands of people. "There was a lot of positive affirmation," he said. Like last year, the event culminated with all the groups collectively performing Lady Gaga's "Born this Way," which is like an anthem for arts students. Lejano, who graduated from Concord High and performed in the band, said he learned growing up that "being yourself is a really good thing to do." And that's what the band students were doing on Saturday, lifting themselves and each other up. Now that Lejano and his students and boosters know how enthusiastic the community is for the Battle of the Bands, he said they may try to expand it to 10 schools next year. This year, they invited bands from throughout the area and accepted the first eight that responded. "People loved it," he said. "I'm sure next year's event will be even better." Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance works to support seven MDUSD career pathways Mt. Diablo Unified is proud of its seven career pathways , which offer students the opportunity to earn college credits, certifications and get early exposure to job opportunities while in high school. The pathways available are: health, education, digital arts and media, culinary arts, transportation, construction/engineering and information and communications technology.   To better serve MDUSD students, the District has formed a Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance, which includes teachers, business partners and community members who meet quarterly to share best practices and resources, and discuss goals and progress. The group met Sept. 19th to review student data, establish priorities for spending the District’s Career Technical Education grant funding, develop strategies to address gaps in service, and discuss resources needed.   Dr. Heather Fontanilla, who administers MDUSD’s career pathways programs, said the number of students who have completed a sequence of Career Technical Education (CTE) classes with a C- or better has increased to over 300 since 2019, while the total number of students enrolled in CTE courses has remained steady overall at just over 2,200. The increase has been especially significant among low-income students, who make up 215 of the total CTE sequence “completers.” Those who complete CTE sequences are more likely to graduate and to satisfy A-G college prep requirements, plus they have higher GPAs than those who don’t complete the sequences, she added. Work Based Learning Coordinator Anna Ramos said the District wants to strengthen its business partnerships throughout the year, expanding on the foundation created with summer internships. She was excited to announce that the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce has invited students to participate in its monthly First Friday Coffees and After-Hours Mixers, where they will have the opportunity to network with local business professionals. After breaking into groups, meeting participants suggested several ways to improve the program.  These included recruiting 8th-graders before they start high school, ensuring that counselors inform students about career pathway options, bringing in diverse professionals who reflect the student population to speak to classes, and providing ongoing training to teachers in new technology. MDUSD recognizes National Hispanic Heritage Month through October 15th! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month through October 15! The MDUSD Governing Board has approved a resolution that states in part: Students of Hispanic or Latino origin make up 26.7% of the population of MDUSD and the State of California is home to over 2 million Hispanic students from kindergarten through grade 12; and California Education Code calls for instruction in the social sciences to include the study of contributions of Mexican Americans to the economic, political, and social development of California and the nation, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of this group in contemporary society; and we see the hope and resilience in our Hispanic and Latino students and their families in Mt. Diablo Unified School District. "Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board hereby recognizes, honors, and celebrates the many contributions, heritage, and history of Hispanics, Latinos, Latinas, and Latinx people during our annual commemoration and proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month and encourages all schools and classrooms to commemorate this occasion with appropriate instructional materials in a manner appropriate with COVID-19 regulations."   The complete Board resolution is here . Mt. Diablo Adult Education celebrates Career Technical Education program graduates!  Mt. Diablo Adult Education program students celebrated their graduations from four different Career Technical Education programs on Sept. 20: Medical Assistants (above), Dental Assistants (below left), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) (below center) and Office Professionals (below right). The Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Career Technical Education program proudly celebrated the graduations of students in four classes on September 20th, who are now prepared for careers as: Medical Assistants, Dental Assistants, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Office Professionals. Guest and student speakers from some of the programs highlighted the importance of the training they received. Karla Quintero, who graduated from the Medical Assistant program in 2008 and now works at Kaiser, told the graduates that patients will depend on them to advocate for them and lift their spirits with their smiles. "All of you have a special spot in this world and you are going to make it better," she said. "Never give up." Katy Gerard, program director for the Dental Assistant program, quoted a mug she carries in class, saying: "Teeth are your best accessories." She told the graduates that they will build trust with patients, which will impact their sense of self-esteem and purpose. The EMT program presented the "Golden Stethoscope" Award to Nayeli Duran, who graduated at the top of her class. She said she appreciated the lasting friendships she has made in the program. Medical Assistant graduate Zachary Davila praised lead instructor Brenda Washington, who works at John Muir Health, for "learning with us, laughing with us and believing in us." Calling her a "great teacher," he added, "I hope to work with you one day." Abigail Yaokumah, a graduate of the Office Professionals program, said she appreciated the support students gave each other and the skills she learned in the program. "No matter where life takes us, no matter what the future holds, Mt. Diablo Adult Education has made us what we are today and we are very proud." MDUSD seeks to fill two vacancies on the Measure J Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee Measure J, passed by voters in 2018, is a $150M bond for campus updates and safety/security needs. You can read more about Measure J on THIS page. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s (MDUSD) Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) is an advisory body to the District on matters related to the Measure J construction bond program implementation as required by California’s Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bond Act of 2000 , which mandates that citizen advisory panels be established to assure accountability for the use of public funds. The Committee’s three key roles and responsibilities are to: Inform the public on the District’s expenditures of bond proceeds. Review expenditures to assure that proceeds are being spent for projects approved and outlined within the proposition(s). Produce and present an annual report to summarize the Committee’s proceedings and activities within the prior year. Measure J has two open seats: - Parent of an MDUSD student - Parent of an MDUSD student who is involved in a school site organization, such as the PTA, PFC, School Site Council, or DELAC If you are interested in applying for one of the two seats, please use THIS link to the fillable application. Leadership is important and we would love to fill both of these with interested parents. MDUSD's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects cases reported each week and Year-to-Date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include this week's cases.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . MDUSD no longer requires school volunteers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination Governor Gavin Newsom's administration rescinded the COVID Vaccine Verification for Workers in Public Schools public health order effective September 17, 2022. The order had been in place for more than a year and required unvaccinated/decline to state employees to test each week for COVID-19 at one of our MDUSD testing sites. As this vaccine order has ended, MDUSD is no longer requiring COVID-19 vaccination for volunteers, also effective September 17, 2022. District volunteer requirements are here . 2nd annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop   at Riverview Middle School is Saturday Growing Healthy Kids (formerly the MDUSD Garden Education Program) is holding a FREE workshop and gathering from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, September 24  at the Riverview Middle School Garden, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point.  Participants can learn how to build with clay soil, make natural plant dyes, tour the new "tea" garden and taste seasonal recipes cooked by MDUSD's Chef Josh. They can also sample seasonal veggies from the garden, learn about "permaculture" sustainable gardening, and see the garden through the eyes of students with mini garden lessons. MDUSD staff will be PAID for attending. Please see the attached flyer for details. Attendees must RSVP  here .   MDUSD Board to meet Wednesday to review CAASPP Data, Naloxone program presentation The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the District Office Board Room in Concord to review 2022 CAASPP test data, a presentation on the District's Naloxone program, appoint a vice principal at Rio Vista Elementary, review textbook sufficiency, conduct a school facility fee public hearing and review an MOU with CSEA, among other items. The complete agenda is  here .   MDUSD is hiring School Nurses! MDUSD is hiring Credentialed School Nurses ( RNs). Full and Part-time positions are available. Nurses work 7 hours per day and have summers off (from early June to mid-August). For more information, please email School Nurse Liaison/Coordinator Julie Ronhaar at ronhaarj@mdusd.org.  To apply, please scan the QR Code in the attached flyer with your smartphone or tablet, or visit  https://tinyurl.com/join-mdusd-nurses . Join our team! Community News Virtual event for Youth and Young Adults on Suicide Prevention is Saturday, September 24th Out of Darkness: A Suicide Prevention Workshop The COVID-19 Youth and Young Adult Ambassador Program presents Out of Darkness: A Suicide Prevention Workshop for youth who want to: • Address the impacts of COVID-19 • Learn to identify the warning signs • Seek ways to help The workshop is at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 24th. Register here . September is Suicide Prevention Month. Additional resources are here .  Pleasant Hill Community Service Day includes 6 MDUSD school projects The Pleasant Hill Community Service Day on Saturday, Sept. 24th includes campus cleanup projects at 6 #MDUSD schools! Community Service Day is an opportunity for residents of Pleasant Hill to come together in service to the City and community.  Starting at 8:00 a.m, volunteers will meet at Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane, for a breakfast provided by the Lions Club. Afterwards they will go to their various project sites from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  Projects include campus clean ups at: College Park High School, Sequoia Elementary, Strandwood Elementary, Valhalla Elementary (and help with the Edible garden), Gregory Gardens Elementary,  Pleasant Hill Middle School; and a Facial Tissue Collection Drive at Pleasant Hill Park to help support Pleasant Hill Schools. School News G oMentum Station donates school supplies to Ygnacio Valley Elementary,  Oak Grove MS  GoMentum Station, a testing facility for connected and automated vehicle technology in Concord owned and operated by AAA Northern California, recently donated school supplies to Ygnacio Valley Elementary and Oak Grove Middle School in Concord. " We’re thrilled to be able to donate supplies to support our local schools in the backyard of GoMentum Station," said Marketing Director Matthew Randall. " Helping the people, families, and local communities we serve is central to AAA NCNU's mission." Student and Alumni Social Media Shout-outs Click on the Social Media posts below to see what MDUSD students and alumni have been doing recently Staff Social Media Shout-outs Click on the Tweets below to see what MDUSD staff members have been doing recently Important dates Sept. 24:  2 nd Annual Growing Healthy Kids  Workshop ,  10 a.m. to noon   at the Riverview Middle School Garden Sept. 27: Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism (ABAR) Advisory Committee   meeting ,  4:30-6 p.m. via Google Meet Sept. 28:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Oct. 1:   Break a Sweat for Education  5K Run/Walk/Kids Fun Run starting at 8 a.m. in Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek Oct. 4 : Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Oct. 5:   International Walk to School Day and National Bike to School Day   (Walk and Roll Day) Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington Brandt. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Sep 24 2022

Friday Letter - September 16, 2022

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 6 This issue highlights a Secret Garden greenhouse project at the Holbrook Language Academy, District news including the Battle of the Bands on Saturday,   Community News including the Teacher of the Year awards, School News including a Walk-a-thon at Mountain View Elementary , student social media spotlights, staff spotlights, important dates, and more.  Secret Garden greenhouse at Holbrook Language Academy brings community together  Girl Scouts from the Holbrook Language Academy join with community members and sponsors to add a greenhouse to the school's "Secret Garden" to improve students' outdoor learning experiences. Before COVID-19, the CARES Expanded Learning Program at Holbrook Language Academy held many outdoor classes in the school gardens throughout the week. But when COVID-19 sent students and teachers home for long periods of time, the garden beds at Holbrook started to dry up and become overgrown.  Since the opening of the Holbrook Language Academy in 2017, our goal has been to create an outdoor classroom that provides students in all grades with the opportunity to further expand their cognitive and physical skills and abilities in regards to gardening and healthy nutrition, said MDUSD Administrator Stephanie Roberts, who oversees the after-school programs with CARES Coordinator Eric Rego. Now that students and staff are back on campus, the gardens are getting some much needed love and attention. In collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Northern California, the Holbrook CARES Girl Scout Troop brainstormed ideas for the students' Higher Award and the result was the idea of building a Greenhouse that will provide a plethora of educational opportunities for the students at Holbrook.  Through research and hard work, the group of girls were able to work with and recruit other community partners to help see this project through.  The Silver and Bronze Awards are the highest honors a Girl Scout can earn in each age group of Girl Scouts at Holbrook and are awarded to girls who display leadership while engaging in projects that benefit their communities. Earning one of these Highest Awards requires badge earning and project planning and many hours of work on their Take Action Project. Take Action Projects go above and beyond basic community service to work with a community to create a long-term project that is sustainable, makes a lasting impact, and addresses the root cause of an issue in the community. Marathon Petroleum’s   Martinez Renewable Fuels facility gave a $10,000 grant to Holbrook for its Secret Garden, where students will learn how to grow fruits and vegetables by seed and host market events that will provide produce to the school and community every season. When the construction of the greenhouse was finished, students and family members had the opportunity to meet with the generous donors who made this passion project possible and to join in the celebration by painting the new greenhouse, which is expected to open in mid-November.  Thank You to Our Sponsors! Marathon, Girl Scouts of Northern California, Ceres Greenhouse Solutions, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Sares Regis Group of Northern California, Business Finance Capital, Deacon Construction, MG West and Metcon-TI. District News Concord's 2nd Annual FREE "Battle of the Bands" is Saturday at Concord High School! Concord High School's Instrumental Music Program is excited to host Concord's 2nd Annual FREE Battle of the Bands from 5-8p Sat. 9/17 in the school's football stadium, which will include marching bands from Concord HS, College Park HS and Northgate HS in MDUSD, as well as from neighboring Alhambra HS, Antioch HS,  Benicia HS, Clayton Valley Charter HS and De La Salle HS!  Dinner and dessert concessions will be available for sale to help support the participating music programs. A HUGE "thank you" to CHS's Instrumental Music Director Martin Lejano, who came up with the idea for this wonderful event last year and is keeping it going this year! A recap of last year's Battle of the Bands, including video, is here   MDUSD Governing Board appoints administrators, approves school safety contract The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board on Wednesday appointed  Courtney Peterson  as Vice Principal at El Dorado Middle School in Concord  and  Karl Davis  as Director of Facilities and Bonds. It also proclaimed Sept. 15-Oct. 15, 2022 as  Hispanic Heritage Month . In addition, the Board approved a contract with Rockeye Consulting to review safety plans, update safety assessments and conduct staff safety training including active shooter prevention; received an Annual Report by the 2018 Measure J Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) for 2021-22 and approved two committee vacancies; approved MDUSD's sunshine proposal for the 2022-23 successor contract to CSEA and CSEA's sunshine proposal to MDUSD; and approved staffing increases, renaming the Technology and Information Services Department to the Department of Information Technology, and related new and revised job descriptions, among other items. The complete agenda is here . Video highlights MDUSD's Black Family Night Extravaganza Several MDUSD Board members said Wednesday that they appreciated the District's Black Family Night Extravaganza , which was held last month.  A video highlighting the event is here . It includes clips of speeches from Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and other District and community leaders, as well as photos from the gathering. Mt. Diablo Unified and Meals on Wheels Diablo Region form culinary partnership The Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) and Meals on Wheels (MOW) Diablo Region are working together to provide Latin American-inspired home delivered meals to meet the needs of the growing Latino population served by Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. The local nonprofit has long understood the importance of providing culturally relevant services to the senior citizens it serves. Starting in August, it began the Cultural Cuisine pilot program serving 10,000 meals to vulnerable seniors in Concord and Bay Point. The organization reached out to the Mt. Diablo Unified School District to prepare the meals because of the District's extensive experience providing meals featuring Latin cuisine. MDUSD uses authentic Latin American food preparation techniques to bring out traditional flavors, drawing on the Latin American cuisine expertise of the District’s Culinary Technical Advisor, Chef Joshua Gjersand, who has worked in Michelin star restaurants. These include shredding chicken for Mexican Pollo Tinga with corn tortillas, brown rice, refried beans, carrot sauté and papaya; hand rolling cheese or chicken enchiladas; and roasting peppers and peeling their skins for a Chiles Rellenos casserole served with brown rice, roasted cauliflower, and fresh mango. MOW Diablo Region works with a registered dietician to develop the menu in collaboration with MDUSD to ensure that all meals meet national dietary standards. Meals on Wheels Diablo Region hopes to eventually expand the Cultural Cuisine pilot program to other communities and looks forward to its continued partnership with MDUSD, which recognizes the benefits of the program. "The Meals on Wheels, Diablo Region Latino Senior Project is helping the Food Nutrition Service Department grow and develop recipes that will be served to our high school students,” said Dominic Machi, the District’s Food and Nutrition Services Director. “The program pushes our creativity developing recipes and allows us to seek out the highest quality ingredients." This week, Food & Nutrition Services introduced New Daily Specials in our High School Menu, which included Hand-rolled Chicken Verde Burritos and were very successful. "Food & Nutrition Services will continue to develop scratch made recipes in our kitchens to support student academic success," Machi said. Read more here .  Mt. Diablo Adult Education Professional Development Day includes 75 longevity awards This year’s Mt. Diablo Adult Education All-Staff Annual Professional Development Day on September 9th revolved around the theme of safety, including physical and social climate factors. We distributed 75 certificates for 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years of service! The safety themed training drew about 100 Adult Education staff members and included: a trauma-informed workshop about de-escalation strategies that could be used in and out of the classroom (provided by MDUSD school psychologists) and an interactive, hands-on emergency backpack workshop to identify what’s “in the bag” and how to use the various backpack safety items in different emergency scenarios. There was a special training about opioids and opioid overdose intervention using Narcan. Staff also reviewed Mt. Diablo Adult Education’s safety drill information and practiced using recently-purchased walkie-talkies. There was great energy and high engagement of participants throughout the day’s event, with 80% reporting that it was interesting, productive and even better than anticipated!  MDUSD's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects cases reported each week and Year-to-Date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . 2nd annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop   at Riverview Middle School is Sept. 24th! Growing Healthy Kids (formerly the MDUSD Garden Education Program) is holding a FREE workshop and gathering from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, September 24  at the Riverview Middle School Garden, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point.  Participants can learn how to build with clay soil, make natural plant dyes, tour the new "tea" garden and taste seasonal recipes cooked by MDUSD's Chef Josh. They can also sample seasonal veggies from the garden, learn about "permaculture" sustainable gardening, and see the garden through the eyes of students with mini garden lessons. MDUSD staff will be PAID for attending. Please see the attached flyer for details. Attendees must RSVP  here .   MDUSD Special Education Community Advisory Committee seeks award nominations The Community Advisory Committee ( CAC ) for Special Education is seeking nominations for the “You Make a Difference" Award, to be presented on Nov. 15 to persons or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the lives of students with disabilities in MDUSD. The awards theme is  "Everyday Superheroes." Nominations are due Wednesday, Oct. 26. See the attached nomination forms for details. Being an Effective IEP Team Member Parent Workshop Series MDUSD is presenting a series of workshops for parents with students who have IEPS f rom 6-9 p.m . Wednesdays, Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and Oct. 12 at the Loma Vista Adult Education Campus, Room C-3  1266 San Carlos Ave., Concord.   Sept. 28: IEP - A User's Guide Oct. 5: IEP - Assessment, Goals and Services Oct. 12: IEP - Being an Effective IEP team member RSVP to Melody Royal, Parent Liaison at royalm@mdusd.org or (925) 682-8000 X 4297 (See attached flyers.) Community News YVHS robotics club to showcase robot at PH Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire on Sat. Some Ygnacio Valley High School robotics club members will showcase some of their robotics and engineering projects during the Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire from 12-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17th in the Pleasant Hill Park and Senior Center.  At the free  event , participants can explore science, technology, engineering, arts & mathematics (S.T.E.M.) and enjoy a variety of “hands-on” and make-and-take S.T.E.M. activities and see interactive exhibits from local makers, entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profits, and educators. To take home a fun-filled Tinker Box, register at  https://www.phtinkersandthinkers.com/ . Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Celebration is Thursday, September 22nd! The 50th-Annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year celebration is at 6 p.m.  Thursday, Sept. 22  at the  Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. Nineteen teachers from the county will be honored, including MDUSD's county finalist Natasha Paul (left) and District Teacher of the Year Katalina Gallo. Two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year will be announced from the four finalists. Tickets are $35. Details are  here . Smile, California to host Facebook Live presentations Sept. 28th and Sept. 30th Smile, California is hosting Facebook Live presentations for Medi-Cal members in two languages, one in English and one in Spanish. The English  presentation will be held on Wednesday, September 28th at 1 p.m.  The Spanish presentation will be held on Friday, September 30th at 1 p.m.  A Smile, California  Member Outreach Representative will deliver the Healthy Smiles, Bright Futures  presentation. A Provider Relations Trainer will assist with answering audience questions.  Together they will: Highlight the important role oral health plays when it comes to a child’s academic success. Discuss how to help a child maintain good dental habits. Answer questions about Medi-Cal dental benefits. Participants who stay for the entire duration of each presentation will be entered to win one of two $50 gift cards. RSVP here for the English presentation. RSVP here for the Spanish presentation. School News Mountain View Elementary students participate in Walk-a-thon to raise money for PFC! The entire student body at Mountain View Elementary participated in an annual "Walk-a-thon" on Tuesday to raise money for the school's Parent Faculty Club. Students wore paper "bibs" on their backs that were marked each time they walked a lap around the field. They sought pledges for each lap or flat donations. To add to the fun, each grade level wore a different color or a school t-shirt. Parents and grandparents volunteered to help out and cheer on the students. The class with the highest amount collected will receive a pizza party and the second highest class will receive popsicle treats. The student who collects the highest amount will receive an Amazon gift card. Nina Pate, a retired teacher who still works as a District substitute teacher, organized the event, which included a festive ballon arch that children walked under as they completed each lap. Money raised will help to purchase Chromebooks, STEAM lab supplies, and books for the library,  among other items to benefit students, she said. The deadline for turning in money is Tuesday, Sept. 20. Go, Mustangs! School Social Media Shout-outs! Click on the Tweets below to see what's been going on in MDUSD schools! Student Spotlights Congrats to Iris Khaund, MDUSD's National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalist! MDUSD extends its congratulations to Ygnacio Valley HS student Iris Khaund, the only student in the District to be recognized as a National Merit Scholarship program semifinalist! High school juniors entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. Iris is eligible to compete to become a National Merit Program Finalist. Details about the program are here .  MDUSD Student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the Social Media posts below to read about MDUSD students and alumni! Staff Spotlights Click on the Social Media posts below to see what's been going on with MDUSD staff members! Important dates Sept. 17:  Concord's 2nd Annual FREE Battle of the Bands, 5-8 p.m. in Concord HS football stadium (See District news) Sept . 22: County Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration , 6 p.m. at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek Sept. 24:  2 nd Annual Growing Healthy Kids  Workshop ,  10 a.m. to noon   at the Riverview Middle School Garden Sept. 27: Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism (ABAR) Advisory Committee   meeting ,  4:30-6 p.m. via Google Meet Sept. 28:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Oct. 4 : Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC)  meeting  at 7 p.m. via Zoom Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Sep 17 2022

Friday Letter - September 9, 2022

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 5 This issue highlights a college and career readiness program at YVHS, District news including an upcoming School Board meeting,   Community News including the Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire, School News including College Park HS in the news , student social media spotlights, and staff spotlights, important dates, and more. YVHS   students earn college credits through College and Career Access Pathway program Sophomores in the Ygnacio Valley HS College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) program take a college-level Introduction to Technical Drawing class after school on Thursdays on the high school campus (above). Freshmen in the program (below) take a College and Career Counseling class to learn the skills they will need to succeed in the program and in college and careers. All students earn college credits through Diablo Valley College (DVC). More than 75 students at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord are earning college credits while participating in the school's College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) program, on track to graduate from high school with up to 28 credits through Diablo Valley College (DVC)! The pilot program is now in its third year, with about 23 freshmen, 27 sophomores and 27 juniors enrolled in the school's engineering pathway for high school classes, while also taking one college level class each semester after school. The program sets students up for success by providing a College and Career readiness class their freshmen year, which teaches them the skills they will need to do well in college and in life. These include: effective time management, open communication, and a willingness to ask for help if they are struggling. In their sophomore year, they take a college level Introduction to Technical Drawing, then Introduction to Computer Programming as juniors, and Machining and Manufacturing at DVC in their senior years, where they will work with the college machine equipment. "It's such a great opportunity for these kids," said Erin Larkins, MDUSD's College and Career Transition Specialist, who coordinates the program with DVC and industry partners, with the hope of expanding it to Concord High in the future. Since it's funded by a grant obtained through the   California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office ,  the program is completely free to students, and can provide up to a year's worth of college credits.  Besides the rigorous curriculum, students also have the opportunity to take summer courses including a Drone flight camp, and to participate in an after-school  robotics club  and a  Femineer  Club for girls interested in STEM. Students, teachers and program coordinators say these activities help to build a feeling of community in which students collaborate with each other and care about each other, like a big family. Read more  here . District News September is Attendance, Suicide Prevention and Deaf awareness month The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is continuing its focus on Attendance , Suicide Prevention and Deaf Awareness during the month of September. MDUSD is committed to reducing chronic absenteeism to give all children an equitable opportunity to learn, grow and thrive academically, emotionally and socially. Staff regularly monitors attendance to prevent chronic absenteeism and identify students who may be struggling with attendance and academic achievement. MDUSD encourages District and community members knowing the signs for suicide, find the words to check-in with someone you may be concerned about, and reach out for resources at www.suicideispreventable.org for more information. In addition to proclaiming September as Deaf Awareness Month, MDUSD's Governing Board has also proclaimed the week of September 19-25 International Week of Deaf People and September 23rd as International Day of Sign Languages. "The purpose of Deaf Awareness Month is to increase public awareness of the issues and culture of people who are deaf, as well as to promote equal access to information and services for deaf individuals, to educate the public about the misconceptions of being deaf, and to learn about the types of educational programs, support services, and resources available to people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing," MDUSD's resolution states.   MDUSD Governing Board to meet Wednesday, September 14th The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 14th in the District Office Board Room in Concord to review and potentially appoint a Vice Principal for El Dorado MS and a Director of Facilities and Bonds, and review retiree health liabilities. In addition, the Board expects to review and potentially approve a contract with Rockeye Consulting to review safety plans, update safety assessments and conduct staff safety training including active shooter prevention; review and acknowledge receipt of an Annual Report by the 2018 Measure J Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) for 2021-22 and approve two committee vacancies; review and potentially approve MDUSD's sunshine proposal for the 2022-23 successor contract to CSEA and CSEA's sunshine proposal to MDUSD; and review and potentially approve staffing increases, renaming the Technology and Information Services Department to the Department of Information Technology, and related new and revised job descriptions, among other items. The complete agenda will be posted here by Friday evening.  MDUSD's COVID-19 Dashboard reflecting cases reported each week and Year-to-Date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Safe Return to In-Person Instruction Plan Survey Twice a year, MDUSD is required to update its Safe Return to In Person Instruction Plan. If you have any feedback for staff, please complete the following survey by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.  A copy of the March, 2022 update of the current plan can be found HERE on the MDUSD website under "Reopening Plans." 2nd annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop   at Riverview Middle School is Sept. 24th Growing Healthy Kids (formerly the MDUSD Garden Education Program) is holding a FREE workshop and gathering  from 10 a.m. to noon  Saturday, September 24  at the Riverview Middle School Garden, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point.  Participants can learn how to build with clay soil, make natural plant dyes, tour the new "tea" garden and taste seasonal recipes cooked by MDUSD's Chef Josh. They can also  sample seasonal veggies from the garden, learn about "permaculture" sustainable gardening, and see the garden through the eyes of students with mini garden lessons. MDUSD staff will be PAID for attending. Please see the attached flyer for details. Attendees must RSVP  here .    MDUSD's   10th annual College Fair is   Thursday, October 27th at Ygnacio Valley High The 10th annual MDUSD College Fair will take place from 6:30-8 pm Thursday, October 27th at Ygnacio Valley High School, 755 Oak Grove Road in Concord. MDUSD students and parents can meet more than 90 representatives from colleges and universities across the country, learn about other post-secondary options and gather resources. Students must show a student ID or proof of attending a MDUSD Adult program to enter the fair. Community News YVHS robotics club members to showcase robot at PH Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire Some of the students featured in the lead story about Ygnacio Valley High School's College and Careers Access Pathway Program (CCAP) will showcase some of their robotics and engineering projects during the Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire from 12-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17th in the Pleasant Hill Park and Senior Center.  At the free event , participants of all ages can explore science, technology, engineering, arts & mathematics (S.T.E.M.) together! and enjoy a variety of “hands-on” and make-and-take S.T.E.M. activities. Marvel at the latest mind-blowing innovations and interactive exhibits from local makers, entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profits, and educators (including those from YVHS!). If you want to take home your own fun-filled Tinker Box, you will need to register at https://www.phtinkersandthinkers.com/ . Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Celebration is September 22nd! The 50th-Annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year celebration is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. Nineteen teachers from the county will be honored, including county finalist Natasha Paul (left) and District Teacher of the Year Katalina Gallo. Two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year will be announced from the four finalists. Tickets are $35. Details are here . School News College Park High School in the News Students paint banners in a hallway of the College Park High School campus on Sept. 1 (above). Principal Kevin Honey, (below left) is photographed with senior Yousif Dajani, 17, center, and Mariah McCoy, 15, right, on Sept. 1 in Pleasant Hill. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group). With COVID restrictions behind them, teens relish high school experience Excerpt from the Mercury News : Mariah McCoy started her freshman year at Pleasant Hill’s College Park High School with webcast classes, awkward online social gatherings and not a single real-live school event to meet new friends. But as classes resume this fall on campus with no social distancing, no random COVID-19 testing and no face mask mandates, it’s the closest Mariah, now a 15-year-old junior, and just about every other California teenager have come to the traditional high school experience. And they’re embracing it. Even volleyball games are getting standing-room-only crowds. “I started high school on Zoom, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Mariah, who works in student leadership to build school spirit.... Last month, a routine volleyball game at College Park drew a full house. As much as they’re grateful to move beyond the pandemic, students and educators said the changes imposed on them weren’t all for the worse. Mariah and Yousif said the push to remote learning left them with an online class organization and communication structure that makes it much easier to keep track of assignments and reach out to teachers for help. And some changes actually proved popular. Honey, the College Park principal, said moving the Homecoming dance outdoors boosted attendance. “If 1,200 kids want to come, everyone gets to go,” Honey said. “It’s one of those found nuggets." School Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see what's happening on MDUSD campuses! Student Social Media Shoutouts Congrats to Olympic High School's first graduate of the year, Prince (far left)! And kudos to Bancroft Elementary's 4th grade Two Way Dual Immersion students, who helped throw a beautiful baby shower for Maestra Calender, (left) including a 52-page Spanish/English alphabet book for the baby!  Staff Spotlights MDUSD staff builds community in schools! "The Ygnacio Valley HS Admin Team braves the heat and sun supporting students as they show their YV Wolf gear pride!" says Principal Jonathan Pike (far right), with (l-r) Vice Principals T herron Adams and Amanda Loushin, and IB Program Specialist Carissa Weintraub (above).  Important dates Sept. 13:  Parent Advisory Council  meeting  at 5:30 p.m. at the Willow Creek Center in Concord Sept. 14 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Sept. 15:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept . 22: County Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration , 6 p.m. at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek.  Sept. 24:  2 nd annual Growing Healthy Kids  Workshop ,  10 a.m. to noon   at the Riverview Middle School Garden Sept. 28:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Sep 10 2022

Friday Letter - September 2, 2022

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 4 This issue highlights Attendance Awareness Month, no school on Monday due to Labor Day Holiday,   Community News including the County Teacher of the Year awards, School News including cross country teams join trail cleanup project , student social media and sports spotlights, and staff social media shout-outs, important dates, and more. September is Attendance Awareness Month In recognition of the importance of daily attendance, the Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has approved a  resolution  designating September as "Attendance Awareness Month." "Daily attendance is essential to student achievement and graduation, and we are committed to dedicating our attention to ensuring that all students have access to rich and supportive learning opportunities in all instructional settings," the resolution states. Specifically, the district will: "Continue to support school site staff to regularly monitor attendance to prevent chronic absenteeism and identify students who may be struggling with attendance and academic achievement. Continue to partner with the Contra Costa County Office of Education and use the resources from  Attendance Works  to develop incentive programs and strategies to reduce absenteeism and promote more student engagement. Engage families, schools, community partners, and use a variety of media to help spread the message that, “We will never forget Covid-19 and how it affected our lives and our school experiences. However, now it is time to rebound strong by attending school daily!" However, the District reminds staff and students to stay home if they are sick or test positive for Covid-19.  The Board has also adopted resolutions declaring September as  Deaf Awareness Month , and  Suicide Prevention Month . District News No school on Monday due to Labor Day Holiday, COVID testing sites closed Monday Reminder: All schools and District offices will be closed on Monday, September 5th, due to the Labor Day Holiday. Please note that the District's PCR COVID-19 testing sites will also be closed on Monday, but the Concord HS site will be open on Saturday for community testing as usual. The complete PCR COVID-19 testing schedule is here . Co ntra Costa County heat advisory, hot weather guidelines for schools and for athletic practice The Contra Costa County Health Officer has issued a  Heat Health Advisory  this weekend. The Contra Costa County Office of Education and Contra Costa Health Services have created the following hot weather guidance:  Hot Weather Guidelines for Schools and Hot Weather Guidelines for Athletic Practice (flyers attached). The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert for September 2, from 4pm to 9pm.   A list of places to cool and their hours can be found on the County Website here .   COVID-19 Dashboard reflects cases reported each week and year to date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . MDUSD's Adult Education programs are now enrolling students for Fall classes! Check out MDUSD's Adult Education Fall catalogue for information on a variety of classes that start Sept. 6th, including:   Adult Basic Education/High School Equivalency/GED ,  Career Technical Education Certified Nursing Assistant starts Sept. 6th Medical Assistant starts Sept. 6th Office Professional starts Sept. 26th Computer Applications starts Sept. 27th Emergency Medical Technician starts Sept. 27th Dental Assistant starts Nov. 7th Surgical Technologist currently selected cohort starts Sept. 6th  Next cohort starts Sept. 5, 2023 English as a Second Language /Family Literacy/Citizenship,  Lifelong Education , Parent Education ,  and a program for Adults with Disabilities .  MDUSD mourns the loss of recent and past employees The Mt. Diablo Unified School District extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of Carl "Earl" Ogden, Dr. Alan Eugene Young and Lois V. Mackey, who have recently passed away. Earl Ogden worked in the District for decades as a tech engineer, both at school sites and the District Office. His wife, Katherine, is hosting a gathering to "look at photos and share memories of a wonderful man" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 10th in the BFL Conference Center at Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Road in Pleasant Hill. No parking permit is required. Post memories or photos at https://tinyurl.com/earlogden . Dr. Young joined MDUSD in 1999 as an Associate/Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, where he spent a decade working to to serve all students. He then worked in Inglewood Unified and later directed the Cradle 2 Career Educational Reform Network for Hayward Promise Neighborhoods. Several of his former MDUSD colleagues, including past Superintendent Gary McHenry and Student Services Director Felicia Stuckey-Smith, attended his Celebration of Life on August 27th in El Sobrante. Lois Mackey lived in Concord and worked for more than 20 years in MDUSD as a baker. Her daughter, Lynn Mackey, is the Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools. Dominic Machi, MDUSD's Food and Nutrition Services Director, said he and Superintendent Mackey  "talked a lot about her mom working for the department." Lois Mackey was also very involved with the First Christian Church of Concord. Her obituary is  here .   Safe Return to In-Person Instruction Plan Survey Twice a year, MDUSD is required to update its Safe Return to In Person Instruction Plan. If you have any feedback for staff, please complete the following survey by 12 pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.  A copy of the March update of the current plan can be found HERE on the MDUSD website under Reopening Plans. 2nd annual free Growing Healthy Kids Workshop   at Riverview Middle School is September 24th MDUSD's Growing Healthy Kids program will host its 2nd annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop at the Riverview Middle School garden/ food forest  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 24th. Participants will sample seasonal veggies from the garden, learn about "permaculture" sustainable gardening, and see the garden through the eyes of our students with mini garden lessons. This event is free to the public and MDUSD staff are paid for attending. Details are here . Human Resources Department launches Social Media sites, student & staff spotlights   MDUSD's Human Resources Department continues to recruit, hire, and retain the most highly qualified individuals to serve our students. In an effort to share the amazing work of our educators and things happening in our schools, HR has created its own MDUSD Human Resources social media accounts. The sites highlight current job openings and also spotlight staff members and students in our schools. A spotlight on Riverview MS Community School Coordinator Ms. Williams is above. An HR student spotlight is below under "Student Spotlights." You can follow MDUSD on social media at: Instagram: @MDUSDHR Facebook: Mt. Diablo Unified School District- Human Resources LinkedIn: Mt. Diablo Unified School District HR Twitter: @MDUSDHR MDUSD creates a laser-like focus on instruction and continuous improvement For more than two years, MDUSD has been working with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) and the Contra Costa County Office of Education to improve instruction and educational outcomes for students, especially for historically underserved student groups.  Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and Chief of Educational  Services Jennifer Sachs recently explained this work in a CCEE Connection newsletter  article   (third item from the top) . To help build coherence and alignment with these goals districtwide, an instructional framework was created to highlight key elements. These include increasing instructional equity, improving relationships with families and community partners, and providing a rigorous education with an emphasis on college and career readiness. "The work with CCEE has helped strengthen outreach and collaboration, address inequities across our system – specifically for African American students, students experiencing homelessness, and foster youth – and has built the capacity of district educators at all levels to improve student outcomes," the article says. MDUSD's   10th annual College Fair is   Thursday, October 27th at Ygnacio Valley High School The 10th annual MDUSD College Fair will take place from 6:30-8 pm Thursday, October 27th at Ygnacio Valley High School, 755 Oak Grove Road in Concord. MDUSD students and parents can meet more than 90 representatives from colleges and universities across California and the country, learn about other post-secondary options and gather resources, and get answers to questions. The event is ideal for students in their junior and senior year. .Students must show a student ID or proof of attending a MDUSD Adult program to enter the fair. Community News Tickets on sale for  Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Celebration on September 22nd! Tickets for the 50th-Annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year celebration at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 are on sale on the Lesher Center website . Nineteen teachers from the county will be honored at the first in-person celebration since 2019, including county finalist Natasha Paul (far left) and District Teacher of the Year Katalina Gallo (left.) At the end of the program, two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year will be announced from four finalists. Tickets cost $25 each and prices go up to $35 after Labor Day. In addition to celebrating the teachers, the evening will also highlight the best of what public education in the county has to offer with student performances from Northgate High School in MDUSD, Antioch High School, Monte Vista High School, El Cerrito High School, and Pittsburg High School.  Pass2Class Free Bus Passes for Students Contra Costa students can get FREE bus rides on County Connection through September for up to two students per family through the Pass2Class program, which encourages the use of bus transportation to and from school. Learn more and apply at www.pass2class.org . SchoolPool encourages carpooling to and from schools in Contra Costa County SchoolPool is a youth carpool promotion for Contra Costa residents to encourage shared rides to and from school and after-school activities. Carpooling with riders from two or more separate households reduces the number of cars in school zones. It improves air quality in classrooms, reduces traffic congestion in neighborhoods, saves fuel, and provides some fun social time for students. As an added incentive, families can enter to win a $250 Back-to-School Shopping Spree at Target!  10 Winners will be selected on Oct. 17.   One application per family. Must live or attend school in Contra Costa County and carpool at least one day a week. School News Northgate and Ygnacio Valley HS cross country teams join others in trail cleanup project Over 200 student athletes and their parents from 13 schools joined forces to clean up the trails at Hidden Valley Park in Martinez on Aug. 27th (above), including Northgate HS (below left) and Ygnacio Valley HS (below right) Cross Country teams! School and Garden Social Media Shout-outs! Student Social Media and Sports Spotlights Staff Social Media Shout-outs! From maintaining HVAC systems to driving buses to moderating the Lesher Speaker Series, MDUSD staffers are making a positive difference in the community! Important dates Sept. 5:  Labor Day Holiday - no school Sept. 6:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office or via Zoom. Sept. 14 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Sept. 15:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept . 22: County Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration , 6 p.m. at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek.  Sept. 24:  2 nd annual Growing Healthy Kids  Workshop , 10 a.m. to noon   at the Riverview Middle School Garden Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Sep 03 2022

Friday Letter - August 26, 2022

AUGUST 26, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 3 This issue highlights the recent successful Black Family Night Extravaganza, a pilot program connecting MDHS grads to Adult Ed Medical Assistant training,   Community News including a free immunization clinic Saturday, School News including a library upgrade at Highlands Elementary and the YVHS Ed Academy orientation builds community , student spotlights and staff social media shout-outs, important dates, and more. Black Family Night Extravaganza highlights support for Black students, families Black educators and District staff members pose for a photo during MDUSD's Black Family Night Extravaganza on Aug. 25 at MDHS.   Mt. Diablo Unified is working to make the District equitable for all students and families. The District hosted a Black Family Night Extravaganza event on Thursday at Mt. Diablo HS to explain its targeted outreach to African American families in an effort to improve Black student supports and outcomes. It plans to create a Black Family Resource Center later this fall at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point and to form an African American Advisory Council that will hold its first meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20th at Riverview MS in Room 416. The District will concentrate its support at the six schools with the highest percentages of Black students: Bel Air, Delta View, Fair Oaks and Rio Vista elementary schools, Riverview MS and Mt. Diablo HS, said Dr. Lamont Francies, MDUSD's African American Student Achievement Family and Community Coordinator. "We're going to build community around our kids," he said. Dr. Francies also introduced members of the My Other Brother program at Riverview MS, which he said "teaches morals, mentorship and a sense of belonging." The program plans to expand to Mt. Diablo HS in the future. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark said he is excited to partner with parents to ensure that their students achieve their goals. Trustee Keisha Nzewi and keynote speaker Holly Tillman, an NHS parent and Clayton Vice Mayor, urged parents to advocate for their children to get involved in their schools, if possible. Newly hired MDHS Principal Dr. Markell McCain said he is focusing on improving student attendance and holding all students to high expectations. "We can't teach them if they're not in class," he said. "We're going to be a community here. That's what I preach everyday....I look forward to working with our families. My door is always open." Keya Lipscomb-Nesbeth, a Riverview MS Vice Principal and Treasurer of the Mt. Diablo Black Educators Association, asked all Black educators in attendance to come to the front of the room for a photo "so that our students know that they are represented in education." She invited those interested to attend the next Black Educators Association meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 at Riverview MS in Room 415. "I'm really honored and proud that all of you turned out to support our students," she told the crowd. More information about the District's focus on African American student achievement is here . Click on the tweets below to see highlights from the event. District News  Pilot program connects MDHS career pathway grads to Adult Ed Medical Assistant training Mt. Diablo HS grads (l-r above) Jackie Gutierrez and Camilla Gutierrez stand with Medical Assistant instructor Brenda Washington (center) and MDHS grads Ariannah Marin and Angel Santana on the last day of their pilot program Aug. 25. Below, they practice giving injections to each other and MDUSD staff.  When Mt. Diablo High students take classes in the school’s Medical and Biotech Academy ( MBTA ), they learn about careers in the medical field. But after graduation, some still aren’t sure what career paths they want to follow. This summer, the District piloted a new program to help interested recent grads transition to Mt. Diablo Adult Education’s Medical Assistant training , which starts Sept. 6th. Four alumni decided to enter the one-year program after hearing they could participate in a six-week pilot transition course that would build on what they learned at Mt. Diablo High and give them a head start when they join their adult ed classmates next month. “We anticipate you will be very successful,” Vittoria Abbate, Director, College & Career and Adult Education, told the students on the last day of the pilot transition program on Thursday, adding that the Medical Assistant certification they will earn can also lead to other career options in the healthcare field. “We hope this will accelerate your learning and your opportunities.” The students collaborated on a presentation in which they acted out the flow of blood through the heart as if they were passengers on a train moving from atriums through valves to ventricles, arteries and veins. Abbate praised the presentation, saying it was very creative and was a good example of learning through movement, which could help them to remember the different parts of the heart later on. The students also practiced giving each other and some District staff members injections (after first learning on simulators) and talked about why they chose to participate in the pilot. Ariannah Marin, who graduated from MDHS in June, said she has always wanted to go into the medical field, but didn’t want to spend years studying to be a doctor. When she heard about the pilot, she said “it felt like it was a message from the universe to continue in the medical field.” Angel Santana, who graduated in 2021, said he was working and trying to save money for college when he heard about the pilot, which he decided to pursue to learn new skills. Read more  here . MDUSD Board appoints administrators, moves forward with divestiture of KVHS Radio The Mt. Diablo Unified School District's Governing Board on Wednesday agreed to proceed with negotiations for the divestiture of the District's KVHS Radio License as a previously approved budget reduction. Several community members expressed interest in helping to facilitate the transfer of the license to a local nonprofit group. Board members said they would not support the sale of the license to KLOVE, which has submitted an offer, because its policies do not adhere to the District's commitment to equity and inclusiveness.  The Board also ratified the appointments of   General Counsel and Cesar Alvarado and Transportation Director Cristian Lepe,   and appointed   Shawn Carman as a Special Education Program Specialist, and Amanda Loushin as a vice principal for Ygnacio Valley High. And the Board approved resolutions declaring September as Attendance Awareness Month , Deaf Awareness Month , and Suicide Prevention Month. The complete meeting agenda is  here . MDUSD's Adult Ed Bridge Program students are selling coffee, Shave  Ice, popcorn & more! The goal of the BRIDGE program, located at the Loma Vista Adult Center at 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord, is to provide individuals  18-22 with disabilities  with the knowledge and skills they need in order to make a successful transition to adult life , said  Dr. Candace Ng, the new Principal of the program . One way that students work on developing some of these skills is through running class businesses , which include The Friends Cafe on Tuesdays, The Dragon Shop on Thursdays and The Pop(corn) Shop on Fridays. Community members are invited to visit the businesses and purchase items listed below on school days. "We would love for you to come and show your support for our students," Ng said. "Our students are all very excited to share their businesses with you." The students' car wash, which ran on Wednesdays last year, is no longer being offered due to the drought. "We look forward to serving you," Ng said. Friends Cafe: Open Tuesdays from 9-2 p.m. in the C1 Courtyard. The Friends Cafe sells coffee, lattes, specialty drinks, fresh cookies, and more! You can check them out on Yelp and leave a review when you come.  Dragon Shop : Open Thursdays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:45-2:15 p.m. in front of the D1 Classroom. The Dragon Shop specializes in shaved ice and other snacks, as well as bracelets created by one of the students.  The Pop Shop:  Open Fridays from 1:30-2:15 p.m . in Room E4. The Pop Shop specializes in butter or cheese-flavored popcorn for $1 per bag and also offers a "flavor of the month" on the first Friday of each month for $2 per bag. Frequent visitors can purchase a $9 punch card for 10 butter or cheese-flavored bags. "Party" pricing for l arge orders of up to 30 bags  is also available for the above flavors, as well as ranch, kettle corn and birthday cake, when ordered one week in advance.   MDUSD is hiring School Nurses! MDUSD is hiring Credentialed School Nurses ( RNs). Full and Part-time positions are available. Nurses work 7 hours per day and have summers off (from early June to mid-August). For more information, please email School Nurse Liaison/Coordinator Julie Ronhaar at ronhaarj@mdusd.org. To apply, please scan the QR Code in the attached flyer with your smartphone or tablet, or visit  https://tinyurl.com/join-mdusd-nurses . Join our team!  COVID-19 Dashboard now reflects cases reported each week and year to date To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District has revised its COVID-19 Dashboard to reflect all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday. We have also added Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Community News Free childhood immunizations Saturday, August 27th! Free childhood immunizations will be available through Contra Costa County Health Services from 10a-2p Saturday, August 27 at WIC Contra Costa, 2355 Stanwell Cir., Concord. Babies, kids & families are welcome. No appointment is needed. All vaccines are available for children ages 4 & older; the COVID-19 vaccine is available for everyone 6 months & older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or adult caretaker.   TDAP vaccines are also available at regular county COVID-19 vaccine sites including two in Concord. More information is here: https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated . Contra Costa County K-12 Monkeypox Recommendations Contra Costa Health Services has released K-12 School Recommendations for Monkeypox, noting that MPX spreads through close, personal, usually skin-to-skin contact. Spread through casual contact is less likely. Unlike COVID, the MPX virus does not spread through the air over long distances. The recommendations are here . Deadline is Sunday to apply for youth seats on 3 Walnut Creek commissions The City of Walnut Creek has adopted a 1-year pilot to test the inclusion of youth members on City commissions. This pilot, dubbed "A Seat at the Table" and proposed by the Walnut Creek Youth Leadership Commission, will appoint a youth seat to the Arts, Park Recreation and Open Space (PROS), and Transportation commissions. Commissioners will be selected in an at-large recruitment and will serve through August 2023. Apply by   10 pm Sunday,  August 28, 2022 at  https://www.walnut-creek.org/government/commissions-committees . School News Highlands Elementary gets a library upgrade with PTA Read-a-thon Funding Highlands Elementary in Concord celebrated its library upgrades on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting event followed by parents, students and staff streaming into the library to see comfy new colorful couches, attractive book displays and inviting signs encouraging reading. Principal Kelly De Torres praised the PTA and school parents for raising funds through a Read-a-thon that motivated students to read. Parent Michelle Lutz called the feat a "community effort" that brought new books, shelves and other amenities to the library. Lutz, who is a PTA member and yard duty at the school, said after the ribbon-cutting that parents far exceeded their original goal of $20,000 by raising $46,000, which paid for fresh paint, carpeting, furniture, and reading materials for both the library and classrooms. Still to come, she said, is a book vending machine that will dispense books when students insert tokens that they can earn by following school rules such as being safe, respectful and responsible. Read on! Ygnacio Valley HS Education Academy builds community with students  Ygnacio Valley High's Education Academy held its Orientation Day on Thursday, bringing together sophomores new to the program, along with returning juniors and seniors at the beginning of the year in an effort to welcome the new class and provide a bonding day with leadership activities for juniors and seniors, said teacher Thatcher Palmer. "We focus on having our seniors teach our sophomores about our Ed. Academy's Five Pillars: Family, Integrity, Accountability, Resilience and Academics," Palmer said. "We also put the students into cohorts with a few sophomores, a few juniors, and a few seniors, for SEL/icebreaker games and activities. The students will stay in these cohorts for various events and activities throughout the year, and they can lean on each other for support (and to hold each other accountable, when necessary!)" The orientation also featured two guest speakers: Mrs. Kipnis, a former Ed. Academy English teacher who is now a Teacher On Special Assignment in the District, and 2019 graduate Alexzander Snadoval . "Both provided excellent wisdom and advice for our current Ed. students," Palmer said. "This year's 2022 Annual Education Academy Orientation Day was an excellent demonstration of student leadership, community-building, and a focus on the values that will help our students to be successful now and into the future." Click on the tweets below for more information on the orientation! School Social Media Shout-outs! Click on the tweets below to see what's going on at local schools! Student Spotlights High School Football Standouts in the News Click on the tweets below to read about three MDUSD football standouts heading into the fall season! Staff Social Media Shout-outs! Click on the tweets to see how School and District staff members are collaborating and having fun this fall! Important dates Aug . 26:  Free immunizations from 10a-2p at WIC, 2355 Stanwell Circle, Concord. (See Community News above.) Aug. 31 : Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 p.m. Sept. 5:  Labor Day Holiday - no school Sept. 14 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Sept. 15:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24:  2 nd annual Growing Healthy Kids Workshop 10 a.m. to noon   at the Riverview Middle School Garden Sept . 28:   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Aug 27 2022

Friday Letter - August 19, 2022

AUGUST 19, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 2 This issue highlights the recent successful Parent Conference, MDUSD's Black Family Night Extravaganza, District mourns loss of Valley View MS student and honors her memory,   New Student School Board member is sworn in,  Food and Nutrition Services staffers attend culinary training in Napa , Ygnacio Valley High students get free backpacks, important dates, and more. MDUSD's Parent Conference helps to engage families with their schools Dr. Lamont Francies, MDUSD's F amily Involvement and Community Engagement Programs Coordinator,  delivers the keynote address (above). Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark welcomes parents (below left), English Learner Support Teacher Amy Fritz outlines a pathway to graduation for English Learners (below center), and parents pick up free books, backpacks and other community resources (below right). After taking a hiatus for two years during the pandemic, MDUSD’s Parent Conference welcomed about 200 families back to school last Saturday with introductory remarks by Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, a keynote address focused on family engagement by Dr. Lamont Francies, the District’s Family Involvement and Community Engagement Programs Coordinator for African-American Achievement, and more than two dozen workshops aimed at helping parents prepare their students for success in 2022-23. The event was coordinated by MDUSD’s K-12 and Adult Ed Parent Ed Conference Team, led by Paige Endo, a vice principal in the Adult Education program, which provides parent education classes year-round.   “For a return to an in-person event after more than two years of COVID-19 impacts to all our MDUSD operations and events, we had a very good turn-out,” said Vittoria Abbate, Director of College & Career and Adult Education. “Most importantly, it was a very engaging event for our community members and District families participating. It was evident to me in talking to many of our families attending, that they were enjoying the event and very engaged and grateful for what they were learning from the workshops and in the conversations that they were having with District staff, representatives of our community resources and with each other.” The organizers collected 570 donated backpacks and distributed 474, Abbate said. MDUSD Governing Board members and staff who attended the conference also said it was a wonderful event, with important information shared to benefit District families. District Social Worker Monie Bohnsack said she was impressed by the array of workshops available, which ranged from early childhood education to K-12 issues, including student behavior, English learner needs and students with special needs. "It was really beneficial to families," she said. "There was a wide range of information available." Click on the tweets below to see more.   District News   First Annual Black Family Night Extravaganza  is Thursday, August 25th! We are excited to invite students and families to the  First Annual Black Family Night Extravaganza f rom 6-8 p.m Thursday, August 25th in the Romaine Hall/Cafeteria at Mt. Diablo High School, 2450 Grant Street in Concord. The event will be hosted by Mt. Diablo Unified School District's African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC), MDUSD Black Educators Association (BEA) and the Black Parent Student Union (BPSU). Get ready to interact with MDUSD African American staff, students, parents, community members and alumni. This evening, you will learn about our many District resources and interventions geared to bring about equitable outcomes for African American students. We will provide professionally catered mouth-watering BBQ, delicious sides and refreshing drinks. Come out in a show of solidarity as we groove to the soundtrack of culturally responsive turntables.  We are looking forward to an ‘Ebony Experience’  of information and inspiration. See you on August 25th @ 6PM (Mt. Diablo High School). If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lamont A. Francies, Family & Community Engagement Coordinator for African American Student Achievement in the Equity & Disproportionality Department at franciesl@mdusd.org . District mourns loss of Valley View MS student,  "moment of applause" in her memory  The Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Valley View Middle School in Pleasant Hill are mourning the loss of student  Michelle Ochoa , who has passed away. Principal Aurelia Buscemi sent the following message to her school community on Wednesday, August 16th: "It is with a heavy heart that I need to inform you that one of our 8th grade students, Michelle Ochoa, passed away. Michelle courageously battled a long-term illness, but unfortunately was not able to attend school this year. Michelle has touched the hearts of many of us, so her loss may have a profound effect on students and the community at large. It is important for us all to recognize that we may need help as we grieve, so our staff will keep an eye out for any students who may be in need of support. We will have counselors and additional staff on campus tomorrow (August 17) for students who need support. On behalf of Valley View Middle School,  I want to extend our sincere condolences to Michelle's family on this heartbreaking loss." At Back-to-School Night, the school held a "moment of applause" in celebration of Michelle, at her mother's request. MDHS Student Anahi Nava Flores is sworn in as MDUSD's new Student Board Member Mt. Diablo HS student  Anahi Nava Flores takes her seat on the Governing Board dias (left) and is sworn in by Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark (right). MDUSD's more than 27,000 students have a new Student Board Member representing them on the District's Governing Board - Anahi Nava Flores, who attends Mt. Diablo High School. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark swore Anahi in during the August 17th Board meeting, where they voted alongside elected Board members on a variety of issues affecting staff and students. "As the Student Board Member, my goal this year is to prioritize students’ health and safety, all while protecting and promoting opportunities for student success and support," said Anahi, who uses the pronouns they and them. "I will do my best to be the voice for my community, to advocate for others and to provide a safe space to speak up and to be heard." Also during the meeting, the Board ratified the appointments of several school and District administrators, received a hiring update regarding more than 200 new employees in the District, and approved 1.5% salary increases for several bargaining units and a revised Supplemental Secondary Reading Materials list , among other items. In addition, Dr. Clark presented his Superintendent's Report , highlighting the District's goals and commitment to data-driven decision-making related to better serving students experiencing homelessness, foster youth, African American students, emerging bilingual students, and students with unique needs. "I'm looking forward to this year," he said. "It's going to be a very challenging year, but a very rewarding year. If we stay aligned to our goals, we will get there." The draft meeting from the meeting are here . MDUSD Board to consider divestiture of KVHS Radio License next Wednesday The Mt. Diablo Unified School District's Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 24th in the District Office Board Room to consider proceeding with negotiations for the divestiture of its KVHS Radio License as a previously approved budget reduction; and appoint a vice principal for Ygnacio Valley High, a special education program specialists and to ratify the appointments of General Counsel and Cesar Alvarado and Transportation Director Cristian Lepe, among other items. The complete meeting agenda is here . Food and Nutrition staffers attend Culinary Institute of America Copia training in Napa Food & Nutrition Services Leadworkers (l-r above) Carrie Austen of College Park HS, Shelley Carmichael of Northgate HS, Tonya Cruz of Oak Grove MS and Elizabeth Eufracio of Holbrook Language Academy at the Culinary Institute of America's Copia campus in Napa. Before school started earlier this month, an MDUSD Food & Nutrition team of four school Leadworkers headed to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America's Copia campus in Napa to increase their knowledge in Culinary Arts along with school food service colleagues from five other districts that are all cooking from scratch, like MDUSD. Carrie Austen from College Park HS, Shelly Carmichael from Northgate HS, Tonya Cruz from Oak Grove MS and Elizabeth Eufracio from the Holbrook Language Academy took part in the professional development August 4-5th, which was organized by Food and Nutrition Services Director Dominic Machi.  Mt. Diablo Unified provides 60% scratch made meals in the elementary school, 70% in middle schools, and 75-80% in high schools, Machi said. "Scratch made food is real food and is better nutritionally and provides a higher quality of food to students," he explained. "The purpose of the training was to provide staff an experience in the Culinary Arts. Food is Culinary Art when done correctly." Austen said the exciting event helped Food Service Professionals to build confidence and "evolve as cooks, enhance their basic fundamentals in a kitchen, and bring back tools that can be shared with staff to best serve our students." Her biggest takeaway, she said, "was that growth is very important in our industry. The enthusiasm from networking with other school districts in our profession enhanced my desire to want to be better for our kids." Overall, she said the culinary training "has allowed me to face new challenges with an open mind and I am excited to advance our school meals."  Carmichael said she appreciated the opportunity to "be one of the first to experience this training," which sharpened her culinary skills. "Being able to get together with five other school districts and see what skills they brought was great," she said. "We made a variety of Mediterranean and Asian dishes and hope to be able to use some of them in our school meals."  Some of the foods they prepared included eggplant dip with pita bread, falafels, different types of salads, beef or chicken satay, lemon grass tofu with Asian salad or grilled veggies, and more.  "It was an amazing time," Carmichael said, adding that she expects to bring back what she learned to her Northgate kitchen with " a great attitude towards changing to better our school meals... I am excited for what's in store for us this coming year and years to come." MDUSD is one of several school districts that is embracing the " Farm to School " concept, which encourages school districts to purchase local foods. “Because of supply chain issues, this is driving directors to produce more food in-house, so they have the food ready to feed their students,” Machi says. MDUSD is hiring School Nurses! MDUSD is hiring Credentialed School Nurses ( RNs) and  Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). Full and Part-time positions are available. Nurses work 7 hours per day and have summers off (from early June to mid-August). For more information, please email School Nurse Liaison/Coordinator Julie Ronhaar at ronhaarj@mdusd.org. To apply, please scan the QR in the attached flyer with your smartphone or tablet, or visit  https://tinyurl.com/join-mdusd-nurses . Join our team!  COVID-19 Dashboard now reflects cases reported each week by school staff/students  To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District has revised its COVID-19 Dashboard to reflect all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday. You can find this week's Dashboard here , and on the District's website home page and COVID-19 Response page . Community News Free childhood immunizations August 20th and August 27th! Free childhood immunizations will be available through Contra Costa County Health Services from 10a-2p August 20 & August 27 at WIC Contra Costa, 2355 Stanwell Cir., Concord. Babies, kids & families are welcome. No appointment is needed. All vaccines are available for children ages 4 & older; the COVID-19 vaccine is available for everyone 6 months & older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or adult caretaker.  TDAP vaccines are also available at regular county COVID-19 vaccine sites including two in Concord. More information is here:  https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated . Walnut Creek recruiting for youth seats on three city commissions The City of Walnut Creek has adopted a one-year pilot program that will test the inclusion of youth members on City commissions. This pilot, dubbed "A Seat at the Table" and proposed by the Walnut Creek Youth Leadership Commission, will appoint a youth seat to the Arts, Park Recreation and Open Space (PROS), and Transportation commissions. Commissioners will be selected in an at-large recruitment and will serve through August 2023. Apply by  10pm  August 28, 2022 at https://www.walnut-creek.org/government/commissions-committees . COPE Parenting Classes in August and September The C.O.P,E. Family Support Center, which MDUSD works with during Truancy Court and with the Contra Costa County Office of Education, offers a variety of parenting classes in August and September. More information is here and in the attached flyer. School News Ygnacio Valley HS students get free backpacks through program promoted by NBC Ygnacio Valley HS students stand with an NBC crew in front of backpacks donated through a Bay Area Backpack drive promoted by NBC. Ygnacio Valley High School students were excited on Friday to receive free backpacks filled with school supplies through a Bay Area Backpack drive organized by the Family Giving Tree. And students were especially excited when an NBC news crew visited the school's Wellness Center to promote the event. You can watch the NBC news broadcast here , which includes an interview with student Emily Mutchie talking about how important the donations are to the school, which includes a high percentage of low-income students. Ygnacio Valley HS was one 150 Bay Area schools to benefit from the program, which provided 26,000 backpacks to students in the region. Important dates Aug. 20:  Free immunizations from 10a-2p at WIC, 2355 Stanwell Circle, Concord. (See Community News above.) Aug. 24:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Aug . 26:  Free immunizations from 10a-2p at WIC, 2355 Stanwell Circle, Concord. (See Community News above.) Aug. 31 : Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 p.m. Sept. 5:  Labor Day Holiday - no school Sept. 14 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Sept. 15:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click  here  or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also  archived for reference  on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Aug 20 2022

Friday Letter - August 12, 2022

AUGUST 12, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 1 This issue highlights Superintendent's Welcome Back message, summer internships, a free Parent Conference on Saturday, District mourns loss of Diablo View MS student and classmates honor his memory,   Summer Graduation, School Board meeting next Wednesday, School Spotlights, Staff Social Media Shout-outs; important dates, and more. Welcome back! MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark (left) helps Valhalla Elementary Principal Theodora Pappas (right) welcome families back on the first day of school. Welcome to the 2022-2023 academic year! MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and principals (such as Valhalla Elementary Principal Theodora Pappas, above) are thrilled to welcome students and staff back to our campuses! "We are so fortunate to have the responsibility of educating your students this year," Dr. Clark wrote to families in his " First Day Message " on Thursday. He acknowledged that some students or staff members may be shifted to different classrooms as the District balances its classrooms, but said the majority of students will not be affected by these changes. He also referred parents to the District's COVID-19 guidelines and website , where you can find a wealth of information and resources. "I wish you all the best as we embark on this exciting new year," Dr. Clark said. His complete message, along with the COVID-19 guidelines, is here . We would also like to remind you that you can find information about what is going on in the District by following us on our Twitter , Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn social media accounts. Your school may also have social media accounts or groups that you can follow or join. You can see how many schools welcomed students and staff back to campuses in the school, staff and student spotlights below.   MDUSD students earn college credit, get work experience through Summer Internships MDUSD Summer Interns visit Cal State East Bay to learn more about higher education options after high school graduation (above). Interns Orquidea Nunez and Ruben Cruz stand with Internship employer Rande Ross, Ambrose Teen Center Supervisor  (below left); intern Amanda Silva holds her Certificate of Completion (below, center), and intern Adriana Bedolla talks with Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and his executive assistant Laura Juranek (below, right). While most District students were enjoying time off during the summer, 52 MDUSD students worked in internships through the district's Career Pathways program or the Diamante Scholars program at Diablo Valley College and earned college credit as they learned life skills and career skills. The interns worked at several sites, including the Superintendent's Office and the Ambrose Teen Center in Bay Point. And some were able to speak to professionals in a variety of medical fields through a partnership between Junior Achievement and John Muir Medical Center. Eight interns also received additional mentoring from District administrators including Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. This was the sixth year the District has offered summer internships, which include four days of work each week and one day of workshops or trips to places such as Cal State East Bay, to learn about their education and career options after graduating from high school. The program held a celebration Aug. 3, where interns and employers received certificates and some shared their experiences with the group. Dr. Clark said the District's goal is to prepare students for college and careers. Although he said he doesn't often get to spend a significant amount of time with students, he was very impressed with the interns with whom he worked over the summer - Mt. Diablo High graduate Ruben Cruz, whom he mentored, and Ygnacio Valley High graduate Adriana Bedolla, who worked in his office helping to digitize documents, create PowerPoint slides and photo collages, and create a Social Media spreadsheet for the District. "Ruben and Adriana have represented the students in this district extremely well," he said, praising their self-motivation, professionalism, and "can do" attitudes. He wished all the interns success as they move onto "bigger and better things" after graduation. Ruben and other interns said they learned a lot over the summer. "It was really inspiring," he said, explaining that he valued both the one-on-one mentoring he received from Dr. Clark via Zoom and the in-person experience he got at the Ambrose Teen Center from his supervisor Rande Ross. "This internship has been a really big game-changer for me."  District News Free Parent Conference on Saturday will include workshops, backpack giveaway and more! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District will host a free 2022-23 Parent Conference for families of students in grades TK through high school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Loma Vista Adult Center, 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord. Keynote speaker Dr. Lamont Francies will discuss: "Families, schools and communities working together for student success." This keynote will focus on equity and shared vision, setting students up for an amazing and rewarding 2022-23 school year. The conference will also include: More two dozen workshops on topics will be offered in including Early Childhood; Primary, Middle and High School; Special Education; General Parenting; English Learners; and Afghani-focused issues. Some Spanish and Dari workshops will be available, and some English workshops will be translated. Click here for more information, including a list of workshop titles. Free Lunch provided by the District's Food and Nutrition Services Department (likely boxed lunches) Free On-site childcare for children ages 3-10 (no diapers, please) Backpack and school supplies giveaway Resources including: District and Community organizations Workshops will be offered in English, Spanish and Dari, with translation offered for some workshops into Spanish and Dari. For questions, please contact: Mt. Diablo Adult Education Parent Education Office Phone: (925) 685-7340 ext. 6720 Email: parented@mdusd.org District mourns loss of Diablo View MS student,  students wear baby blue in his memory  Diablo View MS students wear baby blue shirts on the first day of school in memory of student Braden Fahey, who died Aug. 7. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Diablo View Middle School in Clayton are mourning the loss of student Braden Fahey, who died August 7th. On the first day of school, many students wore baby blue t-shirts to honor his memory. "We had a great first day at DVMS," said Principal Peter Fong. "There was a very large turnout of students wearing baby blue on campus. There was also an incredible turnout of support on our campus. We had psychologists and counselors from around the District who showed up on campus to support our students. I had at least five additional mental health staff members who came to provide grief counseling services." "As an ongoing tribute, Braden’s family and friends are encouraging people to wear sports jerseys on Mondays as a way of remembering him and paying tribute to his love of sports and our local teams," Fong said, in a message to the school community. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark also offered "our sincerest condolences to the Fahey family." KTVU interviewed Fong in this report about the Braden's death and the community's outpouring of support for his family. MDUSD Board to ratify administrative appointments, swear in Student Member Over the summer, the District promoted or hired many new administrators while the Governing Board was on its July break. At its first meeting of the 2022-23 school year on Wednesday, the Board expects to ratify these appointments.  Principals are: Jeffrey Miles at El Monte Elementary, Silvia Orellana at Holbrook Language Academy (pictured left), Elizabeth "Bess" Inzeo at Monte Gardens Elementary, Rebecca Vichiquis at Sequoia Elementary, Gilbert Armenta at Ygnacio Valley Elementary, Megan Gemma at El Dorado MS, Julene MacKinnon at Concord HS and Kristi Kaufenberg at Crossroads HS. Vice principals are: Jennifer Tosi at Hidden Valley Elementary, Dawn Edward as a Districtwide elementary vice principal, Diane Fitzpatrick at Oak Grove MS, Josie Kirkland and Ryan Murrow at Mt. Diablo HS, Therron Adams and Bernard Brown II at Ygnacio Valley HS, and Maureen Campbell at the Loma Vista Adult Center. The new Director of Special Education  is Amy Sudria. In addition, the Board will swear in Mt. Diablo HS student Anahi Nava Flores as its Student Member. The complete agenda is here . August Ceremony Celebrates Class of 2022 grads completing requirements over Summer  Class of 2022 seniors from seven District high schools graduated during a summer commencement ceremony at Concord High on Aug. 8 (above) . Olympic High grads Fabian Zarate Garibay (below left), Akia Jones (below center) and Anthony Gutierrez (below right) celebrate with their families and friends. Thirty-nine students in the Class of 2022 who completed their graduation requirements during the summer were honored in a special graduation ceremony on August 8th at Concord High. Dressed in the caps and gowns from their seven schools, the graduates walked into the courtyard together and received their diplomas at a ceremony where they were recognized for their accomplishment by Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Governing Board President Debra Mason and Board Member Linda Mayo, Northgate High Principal Kelly Cooper and other school administrators, as well as their families friends and others who have helped them reach their goals, such as social workers. "This is a big deal," Dr. Clark told the graduates. "This is a milestone."  He urged them to continue to seek out educational opportunities through community colleges, four-year colleges, or certificate programs such as those offered through the District's Adult Education's Career Technical Education Center . "The more education you receive, the more opportunities you are going to have," he said. After the brief ceremony, proud graduates posed for photos with their families and friends. Olympic High grads Fabian Zarate Garibay and Anthony Gutierrez said they haven't yet decided whether to pursue higher education, while Akita Jones said she plans to join the Navy. Fabian's mother encouraged him to enroll in community college. Anthony, who gave a shout-out to his former College Park High Principal Kevin Honey during the ceremony, said: "Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life, so we'll see where the wind takes me." Although he said he respected Mr. Honey's leadership at College Park, Anthony said he appreciated the smaller class sizes at Olympic High, which helped students get to know teachers and staff members and to receive the help they needed. District resumes PCR COVID-19 testing at school sites starting Monday, August 15th Starting on Monday, August 15th, we will resume PCR COVID-19 testing at school and District sites six days a week, with Monday-Friday for students and staff only, and community testing available on Saturdays. The new schedule is: Mondays : 10a-5p Willow Creek Center, 2:30-6p College Park HS, and 3-6p Northgate HS, Riverview MS and Ygnacio Valley HS Tuesdays : 2:30-6p College Park HS, 3:30-6p Mt. Diablo HS Wednesdays: 10a-5p Willow Creek Center, 2-6p Concord HS, 3-6p Mt. Diablo HS, 7-8a Northgate HS, and 2:30-6p Ygnacio Valley HS Thursdays:  3-6p Riverview MS Fridays:  3-5p Northgate HS Saturdays:  8a-2p Concord HS More information about the testing and locations is here .  The District is also again updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly as of Fridays at 3 p.m. You can find this week's Dashboard here . You can also find it on the left-hand side of the District's website home page and on our COVID-19 Response web page. Back to School Spotlights College Park HS welcomes students back with a new Wellness Center and pool upgrades The new Wellness Center at College Park HS includes comfy chairs (above left) and a "calming corner" (above center). The school's pool was also refurbished.  College Park HS students can take advantage of a new Wellness Center on their campus if they need to unwind and enjoy a newly refurbished pool if they participate in after-school water polo or swimming, as well as swimming in PE. The upgrades were highlighted in KRON's Back to School news coverage , which featured video of the Wellness Center and pool. Charisse Segee (left), Social Work Specialist and Wellness Center Coordinator, said the center offers a "calming space when students need to step away from the chaos." She said the District offers short-term counseling to students for 4-6 weeks and also works with college interns who are pursuing Masters in Social Work to help provide services to students who need Social and Emotional support. They will also work on family engagement to ensure parents are involved in their students' well-being, and can help connect them to outside community resources for long-term counseling or trauma-related issues. She said some students have already said they appreciate the welcoming environment. Counselor Mitzi Chacon helped decorate the center with plants, artwork, a tabletop fountain and posters with positive messages, such as: "Your Voice Matters." Chacon said each of the school's counselors is responsible for 550 students, focusing on ensuring they complete their graduation requirements and A-G college entrance requirements. But when they are in crisis, it's very hard to focus on academics, she said. Many students need social and emotional support for anxiety-related issues and the Wellness Center will help provide that, Chacon said. Principal Kevin Honey said he advocated for the new Wellness Center to meet students' mental health needs after seeing a rise in the number of student referrals after the pandemic due to "kids in crisis." The Parent Teacher Student Association ( PTSA ) and site council helped fund the center. "This could be a game-changer," Honey said. The pool upgrades were made possible by taxpayer-funded construction bond measures, which Honey said he also appreciates. Water polo coach John DeLuca said the pool surface had been deteriorating, especially in the shallow end. The team held its summer training camp at Pleasant Hill Middle School and returned to the College Park pool after it was refilled about two weeks ago. "Being able to come back after the summer is a great reinvigoration of everyone's expectations for the season," he said. "Everybody's happy to be back."  School Social Media Spotlights Click on the tweets below to see details! Staff Social Media Spotlights C lick on the tweets for details! Important dates Aug. 13: MDUSD Free Back to School Parent Conference 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Loma Vista Adult Center Aug. 17: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Aug. 18:  Measure J Committee meeting at 5 p.m.; Measure C Committee meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 24:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Aug. 31 : Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 5 p.m. Sept. 5: Labor Day Holiday - no school Sept. 14 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click here or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also archived for reference on the District's website. The Friday Letter is written and compiled by MDUSD's Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington. Reach her at harringtont@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Aug 13 2022

MDUSD 2021-22 School Year in Review: Highlights from...

MDUSD 2021-22 Year in Review Featuring Highlights from the July 29, 2022 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Parents/Guardians, Families and Friends, As we look forward to welcoming students and staff back to our campuses on August 11th, we would like to take a look back at some of the exciting news that was featured in our Friday Letters throughout the 2021-22 School Year. We are proud that MDUSD’s Friday Letter has received a Publications and Digital Media Award of Merit for distinguished achievement from the National School Public Relations Association. The entire MDUSD Team is thankful that we were able to provide excellent educational experiences for students, as well as meaningful professional development opportunities for our staff, including those featured in this Year in Review. The Friday Letter excerpts below highlight numerous accomplishments of our students, staff, and alumni, as well as some of MDUSD's signature programs. Thank you to all those who support the students and employees of MDUSD.   Sincerely, Dr. Adam Clark, Superintendent August, 2021 August 6, 2021 : Career Pathways students gain valuable experience during 5th annual  summer internship program Over the summer, 72 MDUSD students worked in internships through the district's Career Pathways program, the Diamante Scholars program at Diablo Valley College, or the Youth Employment Services  program for out-of-school youth. The interns worked at 16 sites, including in four district departments: technology information services, food services, maintenance and operations, and transportation. They earned 3 college credits through DVC, while learning valuable job skills! The district offers Career Pathways in 7 industry sectors :   health science, engineering and building trades, transportation, education, computer science/information communication technology, culinary and hospitality, and digital media. Students in the program said they learned many important job skills, as well as life skills, through their four-day-a-week internships and one-day-a-week workshops with teachers and adult professionals who gave them insights into the world of work. Read more here . August 13, 2021 : Meadow Homes Elementary students receive backpacks filled with supplies and "All-Star Teacher" is surprised with extra donations! Meadow Homes Elementary students received a wonderful surprise when Office Depot distributed nearly 1,000 brand new backpacks to them as part of the company's "Start Proud" program. The students also received school supplies and a $20 gift card to Office Depot OfficeMax to purchase additional supplies. The event also included the selection of 1st grade teacher Kory Rieboldt as an "All-Star Teacher" in recognition of her dedication to her students and the school. She received a Lenovo laptop, a leather executive chair and additional supplies, all together valued at nearly $2,000. "This school is very lucky to have her," said Principal Kathryn Fireman. "All of her students are so fortunate to have her." August 20,2021 : Mt. Diablo High School's garden and food and nutrition program lauded during Congressmen's visit When Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) hosted Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) on a tour of Bay Area organizations that are going above and beyond to help fight hunger in the community, Mt. Diablo High was high on his list of places to visit. "We had the opportunity to speak with students and educators about their efforts to promote sustainability, nutrition, and food security to see examples of the solutions to the hunger crisis that are working in the Bay Area,” DeSaulnier said. The campus tour was part of a series of Congressional Rules Committee events highlighting the nation’s food insecurity crisis and exploring steps Congress can take to equitably combat it. Read more here . September, 2021 September 3, 2021 : 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist Melissa Seidemann inspires Water Polo teams at alma mater College Park High It's not often that high school athletes get a chance to ask for pointers from an Olympic Gold Medal winner. But at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, athletes on the school's Men's and Women's Water Polo team recently gathered around Melissa Seidemann , a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist on the U.S. Women's Water Polo Team, to try on her medals, get her autograph, pose for photos, and get first-hand advice from a champion who got her start as one of them. Melissa's prowess on the school's water polo team helped to earn her admission to Stanford after she graduated in 2008, where she joined the university team before garnering a spot on the Olympic team. She went onto win Gold Medals in 2012 in London, 2016 in Rio, and this past summer in Tokyo (which was considered the 2020 Olympics, delayed a year due to COVID-19). "What I learned here at College Park High was hard work," said Melissa, after chatting with dozens of students about what it takes to go for the gold. "I think it's cool for them to see that and to see someone come out of College Park" achieve that. In a videotaped message to the MDUSD community (above), Melissa thanked her supporters and said "this was a great place to grow up!" Read more here . September 24, 2021 : First-ever "Battle of the Bands" hosted by Concord High was a success! After the city of Walnut Creek canceled its popular Twilight Parade this year – which normally includes marching bands from Mt. Diablo Unified and surrounding districts – Concord High School’s Director of Instrumental Music Martin Lejano reached out to several local schools to suggest a fun alternative – a “Battle of the Bands!” Lejano got the idea from UC Davis’ Battle of the Bands event held each year as part of the university’s “Picnic Day” – an invitational event that includes Pep Bands from universities throughout the state including UC San Diego Lejano was thrilled when bands from Northgate High and College Park High in Mt. Diablo Unified, as well as Deer Valley High in Antioch and Alhambra High in Martinez agreed to participate. The event held at Dave Brubeck Park next to Concord High drew about 350 musicians and hundreds more spectators, with many contributing donations to the band while buying food and drinks from concession stands. “I think people kind of needed it,” Lejano said, noting that students had spent 18 months isolated at home during distance learning and hadn’t been able to perform with each other in front of their friends and community. “There was an overwhelming feeling of happiness and being together.” Read more here . 2021-22 District Teachers of the Year honored at County celebration Mt. Diablo Unified School District's two 2021-22 Teachers of the Year were honored along with Teachers of the Year from other districts in Contra Costa County during the county's virtual celebration on September 23rd.   Elizabeth "Libby" McDonagh, who teaches English to students in grades 10-12 at Prospect High, has been an educator for eight years. "Libby motivates students to be more engaged in their learning," said Melissa Brennan, Principal of Prospect High. "She demonstrates her care for her students and makes accommodations based on their needs."   Chelsea Ridenour is a 6th grade math teacher at Diablo View Middle School with 15 years of experience. "Chelsea is professional, hardworking, passionate about doing right by our students and dedicated to her craft," said Peter Fong, Principal of Diablo View Middle School. Congrats to both! October, 2021 October 1, 2021 : MDUSD Growing Healthy Kids Garden Education Program kicks off 2021-22 The MDUSD " Growing Healthy Kids " education program held a workshop for District staff at Riverview Middle School's newly renovated After School CARES garden that brought teachers, food service workers, after school program staff, maintenance and operations and other program partners and supporters together to "build community and cross-pollinate ideas," said science educator Tamara Helfer, The program uses the District's outdoor spaces as a 3D curriculum to promote student wellness and teach them about farmers and scientists of color, as well as about Farm to Table food. The program is active in the Bancroft, El Monte, Fair Oaks, Gregory Gardens, Mt. Diablo, Pleasant Hill, Rio Vista, Sun Terrace and Wren Avenue elementary schools, as well as Riverview Middle School. It is also exploring expanding to the Holbrook Language Academy. The garden educators plan to host more community workshops throughout the year. More information is in this PowerPoint presented to the School Board on Sept. 8th. October 8, 2021 : F amilies throughout the District participated in Walk and Roll to School Day  Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark joined families at Holbrook Language Academy for "Walk and Roll to School Day" on Oct. 8th, while Street Smarts Diablo checked out the action at Westwood Elementary . Students at Gregory Gardens and Bancroft elementary schools also walked, biked and scooted to school. At Holbrook, Concord police officers on motorcycles helped escort families to school and Officer Justin Wilson even let some kids sit on his motorcycle! He said he thinks it's safe for students to walk and bike to school if they wear a helmet, look both ways before crossing streets, and use crosswalks and bike lanes. Principal Aya Rubio said the event was a great way to strengthen the sense of community in the neighborhood. October 15, 2021 : MDUSD students get hands-on STEM experience with Marathon Petroleum  grant In September, Marathon Petroleum donated a total of $105,000 in grants to support STEM education in the District. This included a $60,000 grant for MDUSD's Marathon Middle School After-school STEM Clubs and $45,000 to support the FIRST® Robotics teams at three high schools. The middle school program, which is now in its seventh year, serves approximately 250 students at nine middle school campuses. The high school grant helps fund robotics competition activities, training and teacher support.   “Our students are benefiting from the additional exposure, opportunities and experience of STEM education," said Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. "By learning STEM concepts, they’re better prepared for college and careers of the future. It’s exciting to see the students’ progress through the years.”  Read more here . October 22, 2022 : International Baccalaureate Programme at YVHS a unique college prep experience The International Baccalaureate Programme at Ygnacio Valley High in Concord – also called “IB” – gives Mt. Diablo Unified School District students a unique opportunity to experience a wide range of college level courses based on international standards in a close-knit school community. Known as “a world-class education at the local level," the academic program prepares high school juniors and seniors for college with advanced courses that are recognized by universities for their rigor and focus on critical thinking. The program at Ygnacio Valley High School officially launched in 2017-18, with the first class graduating in 2019. After the pandemic hit in late 2020, thrusting students into distance learning in 2020-21, the program is now picking up steam as word spreads about its benefits. Anyone who applies to the program is accepted and those who live outside the Ygnacio Valley High boundary area can transfer to the school via an Intradistrict Transfer request . Although the courses don’t begin until the 11th grade, program coordinators recommend that students transfer into the school in 9th grade to fill out an interest form and make sure they are on track to join in 11th grade. Read more here . Career Fair hosted by  Concord High and MDUSD's Career Pathways programs introduces students to numerous career possibilities Congrats to Concord High School and the MDUSD Career Pathways Program for hosting a successful MDUSD Career Fair on October 20th that introduced about 1,600 high school students from throughout the District to 42 local employers and educators! Organizations & businesses that participated included the Carpenters Training Committee for Northern CA - which offers an apprenticeship program and is actively recruiting women; Mt. Diablo Adult Education , which touted its Surgical Tech program; the Concord Police Department and many others! Erin Larkins, the District's work-based learning coordinator, said the turnout was phenomenal. "The kids are loving it," she said, noting that this was the first year the event was held during the school day with students from other schools bused to Concord High. A group of students from Northgate High said they appreciated the opportunity to find out about so many career choices available after graduation. Grace Feldman, a junior, said she appreciated the hands-on experiences she was exposed to, such as welding. Andrew Shaw, a senior, said he was most interested in finding out about careers in electronics and about building contractors. And Eddy Guo, also a senior, said he liked seeing the tools and instruments used by surveyors and inspectors. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark toured the event with Concord High Principal Rianne Pfaltzgraff ,  who donned a tool belt and climbed an Ironworkers pole! October 29, 2021 : Ygnacio Valley High School launches after school Femineer STEM program for girls Ygnacio Valley High School's Engineering Pathway is partnering with Cal Poly Pomona to bring the university's   Femineer Program to the campus as an after school club for girls interested in developing their creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills through high-quality hands-on experiences.  The Concord school launched the Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s first Femineer™ Program on October 20 with support from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and Stantec, a global architecture, engineering, and design firm with an office in Walnut Creek. Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Engineering created the Femineer™ program in 2013 to inspire female students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in their education and careers. The program provides female students with project-based learning through engagement with engineering mentors. Read more here . November, 2021 November 5, 2022 : MDUSD Education Foundation contribution from fun run to benefit three schools The Yours Humanly nonprofit organization that partnered with the MDUSD Education Foundation on the Break a Sweat for Education 5K Fun Run recently delivered a check in the amount of $10,500 to the foundation at the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Office in Concord. This contribution included proceeds from the runners who participated on behalf of the foundation, along with an additional gift from Yours Humanly. It will be used to fund a one-day outdoor education tide pool experience for three MDUSD Title 1 elementary schools this year. More information about the MDUSD Education Foundation can be found at www.mdedf.org . Three MDUSD students   e arned rare perfect scores on Advanced Placement exams Northgate and College Park high schools and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District are proud to announce that student Northgate students Jennifer Huang and Evan Leach, as well as College Park student Asher Alacar, have each earned perfect scores on college-level Advanced Placement® (AP®) Computer Science Exams in spring 2021.   Huang (above left) was one of only 335 students in the world to earn every point possible on the AP Computer Science Principles Exam. Leach (above center) and Alacar (above left) were two of only 356 of students in the world to earn every point possible on the AP Computer Science A Exam. Huang has a 4.33 GPA and is active in Northgate's student leadership program. Leach has a GPA of 4.40 and is an accomplished cross country runner, serving as Northgate's team captain this year. Alacar has a GPA of 4.25 and has been active in Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble at College Park. Read more about Huang and Leach here and about Alacar here .  November 12, 2021 : Staff profile:  YVHS Principal, who is an Army veteran and CA National Guard member, reflects on Veterans Day, community service and leadership Ygnacio Valley High Principal Jonathan Pike is not only a school administrator. He also serves our Nation, State, and local community as a Lieutenant Colonel in the CA Army National Guard. As a member of the military, Jonathan said he appreciates Veterans Day as a national holiday "where we celebrate people from all walks of life who choose to serve not only their country, but their communities." The Army's emphasis on leadership and service to the community, he said, "are very dear to me" and translate to his role as principal. For example, he said it has been challenging for many school leaders, teachers and students returning from the pandemic this year to connect socially, start a community again, and for some students - to just be in a class for six hours a day. "I have to create relationships and to provide leadership as I walk around campus, so everyone feels we're moving forward," he said. "That's our motto this year." Read more here . November 19, 2022 : Ygnacio Valley High engineering educator named 49ers "Teacher of the Game!"     Big congrats to Ygnacio Valley HS engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico, who was named " Teacher of the Game " by the San Francisco 49ers Foundation and Chevron (which helps fund some of his educational programs) on Nov. 15! Each 49er home game honors a local teacher in an in-game, on-field ceremony to recognize their hard work and impact on our students’ lives. Joseph heads up the Project Lead the Way Engineering pathway at YVHS and started the Project 212 Robotics after school program. In 2020-2021, he helped implement the College and Career Access Pathway in STEM, known as CCAP , which provides students opportunities to take Diablo Valley College classes as well as the Engineering courses and to earn more than 20 college credits by the time they graduate from high school. This year, he started the after-school " Femineer " STEM club for girls. He is also the advisor for the school's Interact youth Rotary Club, a certified Google Educator and Adobe Education Trainer .  "Joseph goes above and beyond to provide valuable experiences to YVHS students," said Heather Fontanilla, the District's Linked Learning Career Pathways administrator. "We are so lucky to have him." Read more here . Ygnacio Valley High alum and husband are world leaders in science research Nobel Prize winner David Julius and his wife Holly Ingraham are Walnut Creek residents and UCSF leaders in scientific research. Ingraham is an Ygnacio Valley HS alum whose scientific inspiration came from a microscope given to her at age 10 by her great-grandfather, as well as the biology and chemistry classes she took in high school, which she ways were "instrumental in getting me into science." In biology, she learned about DNA and was so fascinated that she went to the local library to research the topic further, sparking her interest in molecular biology. In chemistry, she aced organic lab work and impressed her teacher so much that he helped her get an internship at Dow Chemical, which was located in Walnut Creek at the time. She went onto earn Bachelors Degrees in Biology and Psychology with high honors from UC San Diego, then a Doctorate Degree in Physiology and Pharmacology from UC San Diego before becoming a faculty member and researcher at UCSF. In April, Ingraham was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors for an American scientist. She and Julius are both interested in helping under-represented students in the field develop a love of science and would be interested in speaking at Ygnacio Valley High about their own scientific journeys, she said. Read more here . December, 2021 December 3, 2021: MDUSD receives "Golden Bell" Award for its Holbrook Language Academy Two-Way Dual Immersion program The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is proud to receive the California School Boards Association's Golden Bell Award in the "English Learners/Multi-literacy" category for our Holbrook Language Academy Two-Way Dual Immersion Program in English and Spanish! The CSBA Golden Bell Awards® promote excellence in education and school board governance by recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices of school boards throughout California.  The program started in 2017 provides students in grades TK-8 from throughout the District with the opportunity to become fluent in both Spanish and English and provides instruction in both. The school celebrated its first cohort of TK-8 graduates in May 2022. The program promotes bilingualism, biliteracy and grade level academic achievement, as well as positive cross-cultural attitudes. Read more here . December 10, 2021 : California's First Partner and Secretary of CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture visit MDUSD's School Garden and Nutrition programs! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District was proud to host California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Secretary of the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross and her staff at Gregory Gardens Elementary in Pleasant Hill on Dec. 9, where they visited the Growing Healthy Kids school garden education program and discussed its collaboration with Food & Nutrition Services. Newsom enjoyed a District lunch at the school and later visited the new Food & Nutrition Services Warehouse state of the art facility for centralized food storage and distribution. As an advocate for overall student health and wellness, Newsom is a supporter of the Farm to School program administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture , in which MDUSD participates. Read more here . December 17, 2021 : 11 MDUSD teachers received grants from the CA Retired Teachers Association's local chapter to benefit District students The California Retired Teachers Association, Diablo Vista Division , recently awarded grants of $150 each to 11 MDUSD teachers as part of its annual grant program to help fund projects or activities to benefit students in Central and East Contra Costa County. Five teachers in other local districts also received the grants. Lorraine Osborn, Vice President of the local division and a retired College Park HS science teacher, said the group rated each application based on clear goals to benefit students, the teachers’ enthusiasm for the project, and creativity. This year’s MDUSD awards included yoga mats for mindfulness, manipulatives for math, power tools for an engineering club and multicultural novels for an English class. Details about the award-winners are here . January, 2022 January 7, 2022 : Concord High Career Technical Education educator named 49ers "Teacher of the Game!" Big congrats to Concord High School Building Trades and Engineering teacher Tom Trowbridge, who was named " Teacher of the Game " by the San Francisco 49ers Foundation and Chevron (which helps fund some of his educational programs) on Dec. 19! Each 49er home game honors a local teacher during an in-game, on-field ceremony to recognize their hard work and impact on our students’ lives. Tom teaches Woodworking, Construction Technology, Engineering Essentials and Honors Computer Integrated Manufacturing. He brought the Project Lead the Way engineering program to Concord High in 2011, began teaching Robotics in 2015 and started the school's First Robotics Competition team in 2017. He was named an MDUSD Teacher of the Year in 2017, when he was also a finalist in the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year competition. "Mr Trowbridge is irreplaceable," said Rianne Pfaltzgraff, Principal of Concord High. "He holds high expectations for students, while caring for them at the same time. He is willing to be creative and flexible for students to feel included and safe. I don't know what we would do without Mr. Trowbridge at CHS." Read more here . January 21, 2022 : Ygnacio Valley HS senior is Contra Costa County's  2022 MLK Student Humanitarian! During a virtual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony on January 18, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored Ygnacio Valley High School senior Kaia Morgan with the Student Humanitarian of the Year Award for demonstrating determination, perseverance, and strength in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to advocate to change her school mascot from "The Warriors" to "The Wolves." (The MDUSD School Board later approved the new mascot.) You can see her acceptance speech during the virtual ceremony here . You can read more about Kaia in a Pioneer article here .  January 28, 2022 : MDUSD's College Now program for 11th and 12th-graders at Diablo Valley College offers students a unique dual-enrollment experience! MDUSD's College Now program at Diablo Valley College (DVC) allows students to earn college credits while also taking high school courses on the college campus. The program recruits students from all five of the District’s comprehensive high schools who will have earned 110 credits by the end of 10th grade. Started in 2016-17, the program is targeted toward students who are self-motivated, independent learners seeking more academic rigor in a supportive community of teachers, counselors and tutors. This includes students who may feel disconnected from their regular high school, who are able to do college-level work and are looking for something different. Read more here . February, 2022 February 4, 2022 : The Tree Planting Day at Rio Vista Elementary was a huge success!  #RocketPride! With the help of 130 MDUSD staff and volunteers including Rio Vista Elementary students and families, 28 trees were planted at the Bay Point school on January 29th! “Never in all of my time at MDUSD have I seen such an inspiring collaboration to benefit the well being of our students and our schools,” said Laney Cline King, Co-Director of the MDUSD Growing Healthy Kids program, which coordinated the project. The trees included valley, blue and cork oaks, which Cline King said will grow up to 50 feet wide and help cool the campus and provide a vital windbreak. Beautiful flowering trees like Chitalpa, Jacaranda and Japanese Silk Tree were also planted. These large trees help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Rio Vista students and teachers are adopting trees, which they will observe and care for as they grow. Read more here . February 11, 2022 : Contra Costa County Schools Superintendent, a former teen mom, inspires Crossroads High School students during visit Crossroads High School students and staff were honored to welcome Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey as a guest speaker on February 9th. Ms. Mackey, who was a teenage mother herself, shared her experiences with students at the small necessary high school that serves pregnant and parenting teens and their children. "Students were inspired by Ms. Mackey's personal story of perseverance and success, and felt a close connection to her experience as a teen parent," said Christina Filios Yiannakopoulos, school administrator. "Ms. Mackey encouraged students to pursue their goals, stating, 'You can absolutely do anything you want to do...you can do whatever your wildest dreams are.' We thank Ms. Mackey for her visit and her inspiration!" Read more here .  Inclusivity Club at Hidden Valley Elementary is named a winner in Us vs. Hate contest! Congratulations to the recently formed Inclusivity Club at Hidden Valley Elementary in Martinez, which was chosen as one of the winners of the Us. vs. Hate contest! With the support of Counselors Missy Gilbarg, seven 5th graders at the school submitted a video entry to the contest called Us vs. Hate, which stresses that all people are equally valuable and asks students to to successfully communicate a message of inclusion and justice for all to a group of peers. The students include Alana, Matthew, Lindsay, Charlotte and three students who have chosen to remain anonymous. They discussed the contest theme, planned their artwork, created pictures, wrote a song and music for the flute and planned out their video, which you can watch below.  February 18, 2022: Mother-daughter culinary arts teachers at Mt. Diablo High launch healthy cooking show Chef Cindy Gershen (above right) and her daughter Rose Stein (above, left) love teaching students at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord how to cook healthy foods so much that they are expanding their educational reach to the community with a pilot TV show called “ Farm to Taste .” The pair initially produced five programs that have been airing on Contra Costa Television Educational ( EDTV ). This month, they launched the first program in a new series, along with a Farm to Taste You Tube Channel . The chef-owner of Sunrise Bistro in Walnut Creek, Gershen became a teacher so she could reach teens before they graduate from high school, in the hopes of changing unhealthy eating habits as they enter adulthood. Her daughter Stein focuses on nutrition and biology to help students understand how food affects their health. Their program is not a typical cooking show. Although they highlight healthy recipes, they also have wide-ranging discussions with each other and guest experts about topics including nutrition, composting, organic gardening, and careers related to food and health, including culinary arts, agricultural and medical occupations. Read more here . February 25, 2022 : HBCU College Fair attracts students from throughout MDUSD! MDUSD's 3rd Annual Historically Black College & University (HBCU) College Fair held at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill on February 24th attracted about 460 students from all five comprehensive high schools in the District, as well as from the College Now program at Diablo Valley College, Olympic Continuation High and Pine Hollow and Riverview middle schools. Armed with their high school transcripts, MDUSD students discussed their interests and career goals with recruiters from 22 different HBCUs. Although HBCUs were originally created to provide college access to African American students, they are open to all students and often serve underrepresented student groups, said CPHS College and Career Advisor David Walters, who helped organize the event with other college and career advisors and the District's Equity Department. "Many colleges are making admissions and scholarship offers on the spot," he said. Read more here . MDUSD works to convert school bus fleet to electric vehicles Mt. Diablo Unified is proud of its bus service, which transports students in Special Education, as well as those who live in Bay Point to and from Mt. Diablo High. But as the aging fleet of mostly diesel buses comes to the end of its lifespan, Transportation Coordinator Cristian Lepe has been working to convert it to more energy-efficient buses, including electric vehicles. Through a $3.4 million Carl Moyer Program grant , the District has so far acquired 16 electric buses from Blue Bird Corporation dealer, A-Z Bus Sales. Along with the buses, the district initially received six electric chargers that helped keep the buses going until the District acquired 16 new electric Nuvve PowerPort charging stations in August, 2021. Read more here . . March, 2022 March 4, 2022 : Concord High students host Leadership Conference for 5th-graders and "signature" High School "Leadership Exchange" Concord High School's Leadership students recently hosted two different leadership events designed to build community among students from different schools in MDUSD and Concord, and to strengthen their leadership skills. The 5th-grade conference, held February 23rd, included up to 10 5th-graders who were considered to be leaders on campus from five schools to play games involving teamwork to complete tasks, said Concord High Leadership Teacher Leah Darby. The "Leadership Exchange" held on February 25th included 200 students from high schools including Mt. Diablo High, Clayton Valley Charter High, College Park High, and Ygnacio Valley High, which tweeted "Students are so happy to be back!" This was the 14th annual Leadership Exchange, which Darby called a "signature event" for the school. "There's nothing else like this in the state," she said, adding that teachers from other schools view it as a model program they would like to bring to their campuses. The Concord High students lead participants in team-building games, and host workshops on topics such as character education and stress management. Read more here . March 11, 2022: Congrats to MDUSD's 2022-23 Teachers of the Year and Finalists! MDHS Multimedia teacher Katalina Gallo (above, left) and English/ELD teacher Natasha Paul (above, center) are MDUSD's 2022-23 Teachers of the Year! Natasha was also named a County Teacher of the Year finalist (above, right)! College Park HS teacher Laima Haider (above left with her dog Leia), Pine Hollow MS teacher Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan (above center) and Bancroft Elementary teacher Maria Sajjad (above right) are the three other District Teacher of the Year finalists. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce that Mt. Diablo High School teachers Katalina Gallo and Natasha Paul have been selected as the two District Teachers of the Year for 2022-23 out of five finalists that also included College Park HS teacher Laima Haider, Pine Hollow MS teacher Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan and Bancroft Elementary teacher Maria Sajjad. The finalists were selected from the more than 100 outstanding educators from Transitional Kindergarten through grade 12 and adult education who were nominated and who were offered the opportunity to submit a brief questionnaire. The questionnaires were scored by members of the MDUSD Teacher of the Year Selection Committee and the top scoring individuals were interviewed. Gallo and Paul said they were honored to be chosen to represent the District and their school, which they both graduated from themselves (Gallo in 2007 and Paul in 1991). In fact, Gallo was Paul’s student in the Digital Safari Academy that she now leads teaching multimedia to students in grades 10-12. Paul teaches 9th grade English in the school’s Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering (ACME) Academy, as well as English Language Development to students not yet fluent in English. Paul was later named a County Teacher of the Year Finalist. Read more about Gallo and Paul here . Read more about Haider, Ortega Dolan and Sajjad here . 23rd Annual "BEST Day" for Teachers is a Professional Development Day Highlight Dozens of District high school teachers participated in the 23rd Annual BEST Day (Business and Education Shadowing for Tomorrow) on March 7, which started and ended at Mt. Diablo High School’s student-run Serendipity Restaurant . About 15 local industry partners hosted the teachers, who work in Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways teaching a variety of subjects including hospitality, photography, art, engineering, math, construction, and sciences. Teachers got the opportunity to tour business facilities to gain insights into career opportunities for their students. Later, teachers shared their experiences and what they planned to tell students. Several stressed the importance of “soft skills” such as being able to collaborate, show up on time, be enthusiastic, communicate well, meet deadlines, think creatively and problem-solve. Read more here . March 18, 2022 : MDUSD Education Foundation raises more than $20,000 for STEAM programs! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the MDUSD Education Foundation's 2022 Annual "Give 10" campaign, helping the foundation to exceed its $18,000 fundraising goal to provide STEAM enrichment programs to our students! Ultimately, the campaign raised $20,834 for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math programs and supplies. Donations can still be made here . March 25, 2022 : M DUSD reaches tentative agreement with MDEA teachers' union, Board approves mediated agreement with Teamsters' union The District and MDEA teachers' union announced early on March 19 that they had reached a tentative agreement that will include a 10.5% salary increase over the three-year term of the contract through June 30, 2024. This includes a 4% increase retroactive to July 1, 2021; 4% effective July 1, 2022; and 2.5% effective July 1, 2023. The agreement was later ratified by the union membership and School Board. Retroactive payments were distributed within 60 days of Board approval. On March 23rd, the Board approved a mediated agreement with the Teamsters union. April, 2022 April 1, 2022 : Congratulations to MDUSD's 2022 Classified Employees of the Year MDUSD now is proud to announce its two 2022 Classified Employees of the Year: Special Education Assistant Ashleigh Kenny (left) and District Lead Buyer Laura Warner (right)! Kenny works at Concord High with special education students and Warner works in the District's Purchasing and Warehouse Department, where she purchases items for schools and District offices. The awards are based on demonstrated excellence in work performance, school and community involvement, leadership and commitment, and local support from coworkers who speak to their exemplary work. Read more here . MDUSD Superintendent and Chief Business Officer selected as Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) award winners Congratulations to MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and Chief Business Officer Dr. Lisa Gonzales , who are both Association of California (ACSA) award winners! Dr. Clark has been named Superintendent of the Year and Dr. Gonzales has been named Business Services Administrator of the Year by Association of California School Administrators Region 6. They were also finalists in their categories for state ACSA Administrators of the Year and Dr. Gonzales was named the State Business Services Administrator of the Year on March 28th. " The winners are education leaders in Alameda and Contra Costa counties who have helped lead public schools during the many phases of the COVID-19 pandemic," the ACSA Region 6 announcement says. The complete list of ACSA Region 6 nominees and winners for 21 administrator awards is here . Three MDUSD Students receive County Youth Hall of Fame Awards The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored three Mt. Diablo Unified School District students with Youth Hall of Fame Awards during its Cesar Chavez Commemorative Celebration on March 29, along with award winners from other school districts. The MDUSD award winners are:   Perseverance: Mark Rainier Catapusan, Ygnacio Valley High School Leadership and Civic Engagement: Seena Farhadi, Northgate High School Leadership and Civic Engagement Rising Star: Krish Veluthakkal, Sequoia Middle School The Perseverance Award is presented to a student who has worked hard to overcome obstacles and achieve success, while the Leadership and Civic Engagement Award is presented to students who are natural leaders who inspire others and work to make a difference in their school and community. Click on the photos above to see the students' acceptance speeches. The full awards ceremony can be viewed here . Facilities Manager and her retired Navy veteran Dad launch District flag retirement process Soon after Debbie Robertson started her position as an Area Facilities Manager in the District last July, she noticed that many flags flying over schools and District offices were torn, frayed or badly faded. As the proud daughter of a U.S. Navy Veteran, she immediately began collecting the old flags and ordering new flags to replace them. Her father Walter Robertson decided to lend a helping hand. "He said, 'Bring 'em over and I'll show you how to properly fold them," Debbie said. She brought 26 American flags and 13 California flags to her parents' home, where her father carefully folded them into small triangles. Then, he took them to the local Veterans Hall, where they were burned according to proper flag etiquette. Melanie Koslow, MDUSD's Director of Maintenance & Operations, is excited about the initiative Debbie has taken to create a District flag retirement process. Koslow is getting the word out to schools to turn in their worn out flags and request new ones. Read more here . April 15, 2022 : Riverview MS students explore "Wonder of the Wetlands" at Bay Point Regional Shoreline A group of 7th and 8th-graders from Riverview Middle School enjoyed a unique opportunity to learn about their local ecosystem at the Bay Point Regional Shoreline on April 15th through a partnership with PG&E and Sacramento State University wetlands students and their professor, Dr. Michelle Stevens. The "Wonder of the Wetlands" event included a hike guided by Steven's students, who educated the middle schoolers about plant and animal life in the area, including birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. One of the goals of the program is to interest students in future science careers and in wetlands protection. Read more here . Unified Sports is a "game-changer" at Ygnacio Valley High School! Ygnacio Valley High School is proud of its special education " Unified Sports " program, which is affiliated with Special Olympics and includes athletes with and without disabilities playing together and competing with students in unified sports programs from other schools. The school launched its Unified Sports Team in the spring of 2019 - the First Unified Team in MDUSD, said YVHS Education Specialist Kelly Perkins. "We helped get Concord High School's team started in fall of 2020," she added. "We play our matches against other high schools in the Bay Area that have Unified Sports Teams. We are hoping to get College Park, Northgate and Mt. Diablo started with their Unified teams. The students that have participated have said that it was one of the best things they were involved in during high school." Unified Sports are in more than 4500 elementary, middle and high schools in the United States. "In a nutshell," Perkins said, "Unified Sports is a game-changer for all who participate!" Read more here . April 22, 2022 : Ride in memory of Mt. Diablo HS student who died in bike accident draws over 60 bicyclists More than 60 bicyclists rode the streets of downtown Concord on April 16th in a memorial bike ride for Jose Castillo, a Mt. Diablo HS student who died in a recent bike accident, to remember Jose and to promote bike safety in Concord. "We rode from Bike Concord's bike shed to Mt. Diablo High School where Jose was a student," said Eric Robertson, an English Learner Support Teacher at Bancroft Elementary and Bel Air elementary who bicycles to work each day and participated in the ride. "His English Language teacher Dr. Mary Snyder spoke and presented a poster card from his classmates." They rode back to the site on Clayton Road near Galindo Street where a memorial had been set up. "We laid flowers next to the memorial bike," Robertson said. "It's really a tragic loss for everyone, but this bike ride for Jose brought so many people together." Read more here . April 29, 2022 : MDUSD's "Allied Health Fair" shows High School students career options More than 150 students in health career pathways at three District high schools got hands-on experience exploring a variety of health-related occupations during Mt. Diablo Unified’s first “Allied Health Fair” on April 28 at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center in Concord. Students from College Park High School’s Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences Pathway , Mt. Diablo High School’s Medical and Biotechology Academy , and Ygnacio Valley High School’s Health Academy  visited four health-career programs offered at the Adult Education Center and also heard presentations regarding Public Health careers and Professionalism in Health Care, including the importance of internships. Read more here . MDUSD's "Battle of the Bots" Robotics Showcase was a Success! The "Battle of the Bots" Robotics Showcase held April 23rd at Diablo View MS in Clayton enjoyed a nice turnout of families with students interested in learning about robotics programs in the District, said Valley View MS technology teacher and Robotics Club advisor Shauna Hawes. Students from Ygnacio Valley (left) College Park (center) and Concord (right) high schools brought their team robots and discussed their successes and challenges of the year, Hawes said. Students from Diablo View, Foothill, Oak Grove, and Valley View middle schools also participated in instruction and interactive opportunities. Read more here . May, 2022 May 6, 2022 : Olympic High principal, teacher and head custodian earn CA Continuation Education Association Awards The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is proud of the work being done by staff at Olympic Continuation HIgh School  in Concord, which is being recognized by the California Continuation Education Association! Principal Lynsie Castellano (left) is being honored as the organization's State Administrator of the Year, leadership and P.E. teacher Danya Townsend  is receiving the Teacher of the Year award, and Head Custodian Jorge Iniguez  has been named the State Classified Employee of the Year by the organization, which presented the awards during a May 7 luncheon . All three award-winners said they were honored to be chosen to represent the District and their school, where they work together with staff to support students in a caring, family-oriented environment. Read more here . May 13, 2022 : Mt. Diablo Adult Education Director and Teacher win state awards! Mt. Diablo Unified is happy to announce that the California Council for Adult Education ( CCAE ) has selected MDUSD's Director of College & Career and Adult Education, Vittoria Abbate, to receive its prestigious Robert W. Rupert Award and Special Education teacher Karen Lingenfelter-Carman to receive an "Excellence in Teaching" Award at the 2022 CCAE Conference on May 6th. The Robert W. Rupert Award honors an individual whose impact on adult education is widely acknowledged. The Excellence in Teaching award recognizes "master teachers" with 5 or more years of experience who understand that learning is lifelong and give their expertise to anyone with a thirst for knowledge. Read more here . May 20, 2022 : High School construction students get hands on experience with Habitat for Humanity Two construction classes from Mt. Diablo High and Concord High worked with Habitat for Humanity this month on a project in Walnut Creek through a partnership with Marathon Petroleum, which contributed $5,000 each to the school's construction programs. The volunteer work helped give students a better idea of what it's like to work in construction, while also offering them an opportunity to give back in their community. Read more here . May 27, 2022 : Mt. Diablo HS grants retroactive diplomas to families of former Japanese American students incarcerated in WW II Relocation Centers The Mt. Diablo High School Class of 2022 made history on May 24th, when it invited the families of about 40 former Japanese American students to receive honorary diplomas 80 years after the students were incarcerated in World War II Relocation Centers. This came about due to the tireless work of Class of 1958 alumna Kimiyo Tahira Dowell and Ethnic Studies teacher Laura Valdez and her students, who lobbied the Mt. Diablo Unified School Board, which unanimously approved the idea in March. Read more here . Sequoia Elementary designated International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme! Sequoia Elementary has worked nearly four years to have the campus authorized as an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme World School .   The work paid off in early May, when the staff learned they had received the official authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization . Read more here . June, 2022 June 3, 2022 : MDUSD recognizes LGBTQ+ Pride Month and flies Progress Pride flag MDUSD is proud to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and to fly the Progress Pride Flag above the District Office and at our schools! On June 1st, District officials were joined by representatives from the Rainbow Community Center and PFLAG of Clayton-Concord  as Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark raised the District's first Progress Pride Flag. The School Board adopted a Resolution last month recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, which includes an explanation of the symbolism of the Pride Progress flag. Read more here . Adult education program offers English language instruction and Early Childhood Ed training! Through a partnership with Diablo Valley College, a Mt. Diablo Adult Education program is helping immigrants learn English and prepare for careers in Early Childhood Education! Called " Project ACCESS " the program offers English as a Second Language courses that help adults become preschool teachers. Adult students learn early childhood content in language courses as they prepare to transition to the Early Childhood Education Program at DVC. Read more .  Congratulations to MDUSD’s Graduating Class of 2022! MDUSD celebrated the graduations of hundreds of students from its comprehensive and alternative high school programs in May and June.  Concord TV and the City of Walnut Creek posted recordings of most graduations on YouTube. Concord created an MDUSD Commencements playlist here , which includes most graduations that took place at the Concord Pavilion.  Walnut Creek posted Northgate High School’s graduation here . Photojournalist Sarahbeth Maney looks back at alma mater CPHS, offers advice to Class of 2022! As the Class of 2022 graduates from MDUSD, some may wonder how their education will prepare them for the next steps in their lives and how they should decide what paths to take. Sarahbeth Maney, who graduated from College Park High in 2014, has some words of advice. She is a successful photography fellow for the New York Times who gained national attention after a photo she took of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and her daughter went viral during the confirmation hearings. In a poignant essay for "Today," Sarahbeth wrote about her photo , as well as her own experiences as one of few Black female photojournalists. Read more here .

Friday, Jul 29 2022

Friday Letter - June 3, 2022

JUNE 3, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 4 NO. 40 NOTE: This is the last Friday Letter of the 2021-22 School Year. We will resume Friday Letters in August for the 2022-23 School year. In this issue:  MDUSD recognizes LGBTQ+ Pride Month and flies Progress Pride flag; Adult Education program   offers English language instruction and Early Childhood Ed training ;   Congrats to the MDUSD Class of 2022 and to District 5th-graders and 8th-graders celebrating promotions; District news including School Board to meet on Wednesday; Community news; School spotlight on Mt. Diablo Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team; Student Spotlight on Adult Education students' blood drive; Staff Social Media Shout-outs; Alumni spotlight on CPHS grad Sarahbeth Maney looking back at high school and offering advice to this year's Class of 2022; important dates, and more! MDUSD recognizes LGBTQ+ Pride Month and flies Progress Pride flag Rainbow Community Center Executive Director Kiku Johnson (l-r) joins Senior Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Laura Juranek, Board President Debra Mason, PFLAG of Clayton-Concord President Kathleen Krentz, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Board Member Cherise Khaund and Chief of Educational Services Jennifer Sachs for the Progress Pride Flag raising on June 1st outside the District Office.  MDUSD is proud to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and to fly the Progress Pride Flag above the District Office and at our schools! On June 1st, District officials were joined by representatives from the Rainbow Community Center and PFLAG of Clayton-Concord  as Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark raised the District's first Progress Pride Flag. The School Board adopted a Resolution last month recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, which includes an explanation of the symbolism of the Pride Progress flag. It was adapted from the original rainbow Pride flag, with the addition of black and brown lines to "represent marginalized people of color within the queer community, while the pink, blue and white arrow shape represents the transgender community." Kathleen Krentz, President of PFLAG of Clayton Concord, said her organization was pleased to help organize the first Pride Prom in Contra Costa County at Concord High School earlier this year, which she expects to be held on that campus again next year on April 22, 2023. After Covid shut down schools last year, she said her organization is working to re-establish Genders and Sexualities Alliances, or GSA clubs on campuses, which are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities, according to the national website. Dr Clark said he encouraged schools to raise Progress Pride flags on their campuses to show that they are safe places for all students. Kiku Johnson, Executive Director of the Rainbow Community Center said it matters to see the flag flying above the District office and at schools because it shows that we are all working in partnership to make LGBTQ+ students, staff and community members feel welcome and included. He and others at the flag raising also noted that local cities including Concord, Clayton and Pleasant Hill are also flying the Pride flag in recognition of LGBTQ+ Pride Month and that Clayton will host its first-ever Pride Parade on June 25th. Below, Claycord PFLAG tweeted a video of the flag raising  (left), Gregory Gardens Elementary flies its Pride flag proudly everyday (center), and Northgate HS raised a Progress Pride Flag  for #Pride month (right), with Principal Kelly Cooper tweeting : "We stand with our LGBTQIA+ teens, and celebrate the diversity on our campus!" Adult education program offers English language instruction and Early Childhood Ed training! Mt. Diablo Adult Education Project ACCESS Award Winner Tanu Tiwari (left) speaks at the Class of 2022 Celebration of Achievement, along with Juvail Lalas (center). Shaimaa Eldesouky (right) displays her Associate Teacher Certificate and Special Congressional Recognition certificate from Rep. Mark DeSaulnier. Through a partnership with Diablo Valley College (DVC), a Mt. Diablo Adult Education program is helping immigrants to learn English and prepare for careers in Early Childhood Education! Called " Project ACCESS " the program offers English as a Second Language courses that help adults become preschool teachers. Adult students learn early childhood content in their language courses as they prepare to transition to the Early Childhood Education Program at DVC.  The program held its 13th annual Celebration of Achievement for the Class of 2022 on Thursday, recognizing about 13 students who earned Associate Teacher Certificates and 18 students who completed the Early Childhood Education/English as a Second Language "Bridge" program. All of the students were immigrants from countries including Afghanistan, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Mexico, the Philippines, and Syria. Tanu Tiwari, who is from India, was awarded the Clara Sernaque "Unstoppable" Award in recognition of her perseverance, commitment and leadership by a vote of her classmates in the Associate Teacher program. Tiwari said the best part of the program was the study group, which included other women who all "lifted each other up" and helped each other succeed. "This is the best thing that has happened to me," she said, adding that she was happy to realize that her dream was achievable with the support of her program teachers and classmates through the pandemic.   Tiffany Angulo, who completed the ECE/ESL program, noted that many of the women students were mothers with young children. "For all the children here," she said, "congratulate your Moms and look at them and follow their examples. We can do the things we want with effort and commitment."  Meena Voluspal, who was pregnant when she fled Afghanistan with her family before starting the ECE/ESL program, said she was grateful for the opportunities it has given her. "This class has been a light that has brightened my life," she said. Similarly, Juvail Lalas said the ESL/ECE program will help her to achieve her childhood dream to be preschool teacher. "I dedicate this to my children so I can teach them better," she said. For more information about the program, call 925-685-7340 ext. 6754 or email lenahane@mdusd.org. Congrats to the MDUSD Graduating Class of 2022! Below is a roundup of Social Media posts highlighting MDUSD graduations that took place this week: The Bridge Program at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center, Concord and Summit High Schools, Northgate High and Ygnacio Valley High ! Click on the photos to see the Social Media posts. You can watch the Concord HS graduation here . You can see the Northgate HS graduation here . The Ygnacio Valley HS graduation is here . Concord TV has created an MDUSD Graduations Playlist on its YouTube channel here , which includes all graduations that took place at the Concord Pavilion last week. It is also broadcasting most MDUSD graduations live, as well as rebroadcasting them later, on Concord Government Access Cable TV Comcast Ch 28, Astound/Wave Ch 29 and U-verse Ch 99. The complete TV schedule is here . Links to Concord's TV and YouTube channels are here . Thank you to the City of Concord for providing this service! And thanks to the City of Walnut Creek for providing a YouTube livestream and recording of the Northgate HS graduation! And congrats to 8th-graders and 5th-graders celebrating promotions to High School and Middle School! End of the year events at middle and elementary schools included celebrations and other activities for 5th-graders being promoted to middle schools and 8th-graders moving onto high schools. Below is a sampling of some of the ways these students were recognized and honored. Rio Vista Elementary 5th-graders enjoyed a Dodgeball challenge with staff (left), Gregory Gardens Elementary 5th-graders enjoyed a pool party (center), and Ygnacio Valley Elementary 5th-graders were honored in a promotion ceremony. Cambridge Elementary 5th-graders also enjoyed a promotion ceremony (below, left), Bel Air Elementary 5th graders got a send-off from their teachers and a welcome from their new Principal at Riverview MS (center), and Meadow Homes Elementary ELD teacher Simon Sosa tweeted a poignant message about some of his 5th-grade Afghan students, who have overcome hardships, but are adjusting to life in the U.S., including two who were reclassified as English-fluent this year. Holbrook Language Academy 8th-graders were recognized for earning Pathways to Biliteracy awards (bottom left), Diablo View MS  thanked parent volunteers for making the 8th-grade celebration "incredibly fun" (bottom, center), and Oak Grove MS honored parents and past parent coordinator Martha Hernandez at its 8th grade promotion ceremony! Kudos to all! District News MDUSD Board Member Linda Mayo receives 2022 "Friend of Adult Education" Award Mt. Diablo Unified Governing Board Member Linda Mayo received the Mt. Diablo Adult Education 2022 California Council for Adult Education Contra Costa Chapter "Friend of Adult Education" Award during the group's annual awards event last week. Vittoria Abbate, MDUSD's Director of College & Career and Adult Education, nominated Mayo on behalf of the Mt. Diablo Adult Education program. While serving on the School Board since 1997, Mayo "has become one of the leading advocates of the role of K-12 Adult Education through her state-level work in the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and Parent Teachers' Association (PTA), ensuring that in state-level discussions related to K-12 school districts, the importance and value of K-12 Adult Education programs are included," Abbate said. Mayo regularly attends adult education events including graduations, she added. "This visible sign of support does much to encourage staff about the value of their work and models the importance of building a strong relationship between K-12 Adult Education and K-12 district programs, services, and staff."  Middle School Girls are invited to apply for a free one-week STEM camp June 6-10 Marathon is sponsoring a free weeklong Summer Stem Camp for girls who are currently in middle school. It will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6-10 at Valley View MS in Pleasant Hill. The Boys STEM Camp is full. The purpose of the camp is to: build a community of local girls and women interested in STEM provide role models and strengthen leadership skills develop programming/robotics/STEM thinking with 60 girls from the nine MDUSD middle schools, neighboring public schools, and private/home schools. Apply here . Send questions to teacher Shauna Hawes at hawess@mdusd.org. More information about robotics programs in MDUSD is here .  Teacher Hiring Event June 7th, Classified Hiring Event June 14th, and we are hiring nurses! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is hosting a Middle School, High School, and Special Education Teacher Hiring Event from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 7th at the District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. It is also hosting a Classified Hiring Event from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 14th at Riverview MS, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point for Maintenance & Operations , Food Service , Special Education , Transportation and Instructional Assistants. Please apply ahead of time at https://rebrand.ly/MDUSDHIRINGFAIR . For the teacher fair, you can sign up for interview slots at https://rebrand.ly/InterviewSignUp . More information is here . MDUSD is also hiring Credentialed School Nurses ( RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses. For more information, please email School Nurse Liaison/Coordinator Hilary Weiss Garcia at garciah@mdusd.org. Apply at https://tinyurl.com/join-mdusd-nurses . Join our team! MDUSD School Board to meet Wednesday, June 8th The Mt. Diablo Unified School District's Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 8th in the District Office Board Room at 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord to review and potentially approve a resolution opposing a reorganization of the Northgate area on appeal to the State Board of Education, seven personnel appointments, receive a wellness assessment presentation and review budget documents, including the Local Control and Accountability Plan , SELPA Annual Services and Budget Plan , and proposed 2022-23 budget , among other items. The agenda is here . District seeks feedback on Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) by June 14th The Mt. Diablo Unified School District will hold a public hearing at the June 8, 2022 School Board meeting to solicit public comments on the District's Local Control and Accountability Plan, known as the LCAP .  The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room at 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. The plan will be brought back for approval by the Board of Education on June 22, 2022.  Surveys in English and Spanish are available to provide input and feedback on the plan. The deadline to submit comments is June 14, 2022. COVID testing moves to the District Office (Dent Center) three days a week starting Monday During the summer break, the District will discontinue COVID PCR testing at all locations except for the District Office (Dent Center) at 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord.    Starting Monday, June 6th, COVID PCR testing will only be offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the District Office in the back parking lot. Testing will be available to students, staff, families and community members.   The testing schedule is here . Free Summer Meals at 11 MDUSD School Campuses MDUSD will offer free summer meals to all children ages 18 and younger at 11 school campuses weekdays from June 8 through July 1. No identification is required. The free meals will be offered from 10:45-11:15 a.m. at Mt. Diablo HS in Concord; and from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. at Bel Air Elementary and Rio Vista Elementary in Bay Point; and at Cambridge Elementary, El Monte Elementary, Meadow Homes Elementary, Sun Terrace Elementary, and Wren Avenu Elementary in Concord. From 12:30 to 1 p.m. weekdays, the free meals will be offered at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point, and at Oak Grove MS and Concord HS in Concord. Each free meal will include seasonal produce and unflavored non-fat or low-fat milk, along with breakfast and lunch items. More information is here . Community News Application deadline extended to June 15th for Free Virtual Academy for Student Leaders The deadline has been extended to June 15th for California students ages 13 and over to apply to the free virtual online summer conference " Ed100 Academy for Student Leaders, " to be held June 20-22. The theme is "Students and Civic Engagement." Students will learn from speakers, connect with peers and organizations, and earn a certificate for participating. Faculty advisors are also invited. More information is here . The program guide is here . Children’s Mobile Dental Clinic at John Muir Medical Center in Concord staring June 16th A Children's Mobile Dental Clinic will offer services from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays starting June 16th at John Muir Medical Center, 2410 High School Ave., in Concord. Schedule appointments by calling 925-246-4860. See the attached flyer for a map of the location. This service is made possible through a partnership between La Clinica and John Muir Health. Rainbow Community Center’s Camp F.I.E.R.C.E. Summer Experiences For LGBTQI+ Youth The Rainbow Community Center is offering an immersive and affirming Camp F.I.E.R.C.E. (Freedom of Identity and Expression through Rainbow Community Empowerment) Summer Day Camp for rising 3rd-9th graders, led by Rainbow Community Center Youth Program Staff and LGBTQI+ counselors in Pleasant Hill. The  Rising 3rd-6th Grade camp is June 18-22 and the Rising 6th-9th Grade camp is June 25-29.  Details are here . A discount application is here . School Spotlight Mt Diablo Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team places 3rd in national competition! Mt. Diablo Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team (top row, l-r) Coach Renee Culp, and 5th-graders Carly Grover and Charlotte King stand with the Odyssey of the Mind mascot and 4th-grader Hannah Laverick and 5th-grader Emma Forrester, along with (bottom row, l-r) 5th-graders Avica Bennett and Bailey McNeel-Caird, and 4th-grader Keira Caldwell with the team's 3rd place trophy.  Congratulations to the Mt Diablo Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team, which is back from Iowa State University after placing 3rd in the national competition in their category! "There were 59 teams in their problem division from all over the country, as well as Switzerland and South Korea," said parent Laney Cline King, who called their feat "a major accomplishment!" She added that Mt. Diablo Elementary "was one of only a handful of California teams that won the top three in all problems." Kudos to all! Student Spotlight Mt. Diablo Adult Education  Surgical Tech Students host a successful Red Cross Blood Drive! Congrats to students in the Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Surgical Technologist Program, who hosted a successful Red Cross Blood Drive last week! "The students chose a blood drive for their class community service project because they wanted to address the need for blood due to the severe shortage across the U.S.," said Dorann Zotigh, program director. The event attracted about 40 blood donors from all over the East Bay with more than half donating a pint of whole blood each. "Staff and students of MDAE made up the majority of donors and a few, like Officer Paul, stopped by to donate during a work break," she said. "For some, it was their first time donating while others were regular donors, including our own Dental Assistant Instructor, Stephanie who was working toward her goal to be in the Red Cross 3 Gallon Club! One MDAE staff member shared that it made her feel like she 'could actually do something, even though it was a small act' after the recent shootings in Buffalo and Texas. Others shared that they donated because they just wanted to help or because their families were helped by a blood donation and they wanted to return the favor." "It was a day filled with joy and service," Zotigh said. "We're so proud of the students for planning the event, thankful to the Red Cross for their lifesaving work, and grateful for all the donors' acts of kindness." To find a future Blood Drive, visit redcrossblood.org to help save a life. Staff Social Media Shout-outs! As the school year ends, some staff members were honored as they retired, moved onto other positions, or marked milestones in their careers. Others gave each other shout-outs for jobs well-done! Alumni Spotlight  Photojournalist Sarahbeth Maney looks back at CPHS and offers advice to the Class of 2022! Self portrait by Sarahbeth Maney as a photography student at College Park High. She graduated in 2014 and is now a New York Times photography fellow.  As the Class of 2022 graduates from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, some may wonder how their education will prepare them for the next steps in their lives and how they should decide what paths to take. Sarahbeth Maney, who graduated from College Park High in 2014, has some words of advice to share. She is an up-and-coming successful photography fellow for the New York Times who has gained national attention for her work (as detailed in an April 1, 2022 Friday Letter Alumni Spotlight ). Starting July 1, she will begin working as a staff photojournalist for the Detroit Free Press. At CPHS, Sarahbeth studied photography with teacher Jen Kennedy, who still heads up the Photography Career Pathway at the school. "I think Jen's class definitely impacted my decision to pursue photojournalism as a career," Sarahbeth said. "Having the opportunity to take photography class in high school and explore shooting with film, developing my own work and experimenting with studio lighting deepened my interest in photography. It taught me early on how I could use different formats of photography to tell stories. Recently, my mom actually dug up some of my earliest work (from Jen's class) that she held onto. I don't remember what the exact assignment was, but I remember telling my parents that I wanted to do portraits of people in San Francisco so they came with me. That was my first time approaching random strangers on the street and asking to take their photo. Now I do that (approach strangers) every day for work -- so little did I know that assignment would be formative to my development as a journalist. Another thing that was really memorable was being able to display and sell my photography work for the first time. There were multiple exhibits that Jen had pulled together for the photography students and I remember making my first business cards to hand out to people. It was a really exciting moment for me." Below are some of the photos Sarahbeth's mom dug up from her high school years. Kennedy said Sarahbeth was always a tremendously talented student and she's not surprised by her success. These photos demonstrate that early talent. Photos (above and below) by Sarahbeth Maney as a photography student at College Park HS. Sarahbeth said her high school counselor, Sheila Walsh, had a great impact on her decision to pursue higher education after graduation. "I'm a first generation college student, so the thought of college didn't even cross my mind until my senior year in high school," she said. "When I realized I had the grades to apply for colleges, I applied for any California State school that offered photography. My parents didn't see how it would be possible for me to afford college but the college counselor told us (students) 'don't let money be the reason you don't go to college.' Being told that in high school truly changed my life because as a young person, you think money is not a situation you have any control over. After talking with the counselor, she gave me a flyer to invite my parents to her classes about financial resources and the prerequisites I needed to be admitted to college. In the end, I was able to graduate college debt free with the help of FASFA, Cal Grant and scholarships." Sarahbeth received a bachelor's degree in photojournalism from San Francisco State University in 2019, where she also served as The National Press Photographers Association chapter president. She worked as an intern at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Flint Journal  in Michigan and the San Francisco Examiner, before landing her fellowship at the New York Times. To seniors in the class of 2022, Sarahbeth offers this advice about sticking to your goals and not giving up: "My words of advice would be for people to ask themselves what they care about the most," she said. "Whether it's storytelling, disability, policy, science – it's important to find that thing. I've found purpose by pursuing a career that makes me want to keep going no matter how hard it can be sometimes. I keep going because I care deeply about understanding, learning about others and sharing their stories. Journalism has forced me to be comfortable being uncomfortable, but it also taught me how to grow through rejection. I always knew I wanted to be a New York Times fellow so I didn't give up on that dream. I applied three times to the fellowship program, but instead of feeling like I failed each time I faced rejection – I used it as an opportunity to ask myself, 'what can I do better? How can I make my portfolio stronger?' I think being raised by my mother and grandmother had a huge impact on me as a young person because it taught me how to work hard for what I want in life and accept the sacrifices that come along with that. I watched my mom work three jobs growing up, so that always motivated me to keep going." Before leaving her New York Times Fellowship, Sarahbeth was excited to meet Leila Jackson, and proudly displayed a photo of both of them holding her framed photo in a tweet . Thank you to Sarahbeth for taking the time to share your wisdom and career trajectory with today's graduates and students. You are an inspiration! Important dates June 3: Northgate HS graduation at 11 a.m. at the Concord Pavilion; Ygnacio Valley HS graduation at 7 p.m. at the Concord Pavilion June 4: Mt. Diablo Adult Education High School Diploma Graduation and High School Equivalency Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. in the Multi-Use room June 6-10: Girls' Summer STEM Camp at Valley View MS in Pleasant Hill (see District News above) June 7: MDUSD Teacher Hiring Event 5-8 p.m. at District Office; Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. June 8: Summer School begins; Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room June 14:  Classified staff hiring event 5-8 p.m. at Riverview MS, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point (See District News above) June 22 : Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Weekly Organizational Update Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark publishes detailed District operations reports in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board. Click here or on the image below to view this week’s update from department leaders, which is also archived for reference on the District's website.

Saturday, Jun 04 2022