Friday Letter - January 27, 2023

JANUARY 27, 2023 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 21 This issue highlights:  MDUSD's College Now program at DVC is accepting applications for 2023-24 District news including School Board to meet Wednesday;  Community News including county health switches to appointment-based immunization clinics School news including some campuses participate in The Great Kindness Challenge and celebrate the First 100 Days of School Staff news featuring Occupational Therapist Marissa Haggard creates videos for preschool parents important dates, and more! MDUSD's "College Now" program at DVC  is accepting applications for 2023-24! College Now juniors including Cameron Crow, above center, work on an assignment in their U.S. History class on the DVC campus. MDUSD's College Now program at Diablo Valley College (DVC) is now accepting applications from students who will be entering 11th or 12th grade in 2023-24. College Now is an alternative high school program for juniors and seniors, where students take college classes that earn both high school and college credit. Students attend school at Diablo Valley College, where they will take three MDUSD classes. The rest of their classes are college classes. It allows students an opportunity to start college while still in high school. The goal is that students will graduate from high school with one year of college credits. College Now is holding three Parent Information nights: Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. : Mt. Diablo High School Library Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. : Ygnacio Valley High School Library Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. : Virtual ( Zoom ). Applications are due Feb. 16th (no late applications will be accepted). If your student is looking for a different high school experience, please consider College Now and come to one of the parent information nights. The program is recruiting students from all five of the District’s comprehensive high schools who will have earned 110 credits by the end of 10th grade.  For more information, please see the attached flyer. Started in 2016-17, College Now 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. It can serve up to 60 students, with 30 juniors and 30 seniors. Although it is intended to be a two-year program, there may be a few openings in next year’s senior class. Students can take up to 15 units of college courses each semester, but most take 6-9 college units per semester.  Teachers  Erica Shaw  and Meranda Broder said the program gives students the opportunity to think about their futures and learn how to be successful in college while still in high school.  Juniors Cameron Crow (above) and Jacob Vado (below left), along with seniors Norma Carerra and Jessica Fernandez (below center),  highly recommend the program to students who want to challenge themselves and start earning college credits before high school graduation. MDUSD Board meets Wednesday to make appointments, approve union agreement The MDUSD School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 1st to appoint a Chief Accountant, and a Vice Principal for Shore Acres Elementary; review reports on enrollment projections and the Governor's Proposed Budget for 2023-24; and review and potentially approve a Teamsters Side Letter regarding Landscape Department jobs, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week. You can find this week's Dashboard  here ,  on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Centralized Enrollment for TK/Kindergarten students in 2023-24 continues Registration for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten students in 2023-24 includes a preliminary online registration application followed by in-person registration at the District's Centralized  Enrollment Center  at the Willow Creek Center,  1026 Mohr Lane in Concord,  Room A2.   TK is open to students born between September 2, 2018 - April 2, 2019. Kindergarten registration is available to students born between Sept. 2, 2018 – Sept. 1, 2018. In-person registration continues next week from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. according to the calendar  here . Drop-in dates are available for students whose registration dates have passed. TK/Kinder registration packets are available at the Enrollment Center and at each school. T o better serve Pittsburg/Bay Point families, we will host registration at Gateway HS, 235 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point on Feb. 1 for Delta View Elementary students and March 8-9 for  Rio Vista and Shore Acres elementary students.  Bancroft Elementary will host a virtual Two-Way Dual Immersion program information night from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, January 31st on Zoom. To apply for the Two Way Dual Immersion Program at Bancroft, you must first register your kindergartner at your home school, then apply for an Intradistrict transfer into the Program by submitting the form online from February 10 - April 1, 2023 (even if Bancroft is your homeschool). More information is here . The Holbrook Language Academy will host a Two-Way Dual Immersion TK and K Informational Night from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9th  at Willow Creek Center in Concord. More information about the program is here . MDUSD’s 4th Annual HBCU Fair is February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS MDUSD’s 4th annual HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS. The fair is open to ALL 11th and 12th grade students. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from more than 22 HBCUs, get application fees waived, get accepted and be offered scholarships on the spot.  The list of participating HBCUs is here . Students should bring 10 or more copies of their high school transcript to share with HBCU recruiters.  At last year’s fair, MDUSD students received 167 acceptances to various HBCUs and were awarded more than $4.5 million in scholarships. This year’s goal is to have over $5 million in scholarships awarded at the HBCU Recruitment Fair. MDUSD students can register  here  or by scanning the QR code on the attached  flyer . More information about last year's fair is  here MDUSD's African American Focal Scholar Night was a success! MDUSD was pleased to present its first annual African American Focal Scholar Night on Jan. 26th at Delta View Elementary, "celebrating the success of our amazing scholars working towards academic excellence!" said Jennifer Sachs, Chief of Educational Services in a tweet . Carolyn Hull, principal of Fair Oaks Elementary, tweeted that she was "one proud principal," honoring her students at the event. More information about MDUSD's support for African American Student Achievement is here . Prom Dress, Tux and Formal Wear Drive for Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley high schools MDUSD's C.A.R.E.S. after-school program is collecting gently used prom, Sweet 16, or formal dresses, accessories, purses and shoes - as well as tuxes and other formal wear - to donate to MDUSD students for their upcoming proms. Donations can be dropped off at Ygnacio Valley HS in Room 702, 755 Oak Grove Road in Concord, through May 12th. The Mt. Diablo HS prom will be held April 22nd and the Ygnacio Valley HS prom will be held May 20th. Details are in the tweet to the right. MDUSD's Farm to School School Meal efforts in the news MDUSD is proud that the efforts of our Food and Nutrition Services Department to improve the quality of school meals was recently featured in an Associated Press news story and video highlighting local, fresh foods as part of a "farm-to-school" movement. "The food served at the suburban San Francisco school system, Mt. Diablo Unified, reflects a trend away from mass-produced, reheated meals. Its lunch menus are filled with California-grown fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats and recipes that defy the stereotype of inedible school food," the story says. Read more . And we were also pleased to learn that the AP photographer covering the story, Godofredo Vasquez, was a 2007 graduate of Mt. Diablo HS! #MDUSDProud! Nominations sought for MDEA Awards of Excellence through Feb. 28th On Thursday, May 11th, the MDUSD Community will gather at Centre Concord for the MDEA   Awards of Excellence . This annual event celebrates the inspiring and important work of many people in our MDUSD community, and tickets will be available soon. The MDEA Awards of Excellence   (formerly the MDEA Academy Awards) is put on by the Mt. Diablo Education Association and is open to all community members! We are seeking nominations in the following categories:   Awards for Teachers  Leadership & Courage  Creative Curriculum  Most Inspirational  Community Involvement  Lifetime Achievement   Awards for  Staff Members, Stakeholders, and Community Members  Outstanding Classified Employee  Outstanding Administrator  Outstanding Parent Volunteer  Outstanding Volunteer Organization  Outstanding Collaborating Team  Social Justice (individual or small team acting to improve equity, racial justice, diversity, and inclusion in our MDUSD schools) Please nominate outstanding colleagues, stakeholders, and groups who provide excellent service to our students and school communities! Nominations are due Tuesday, February 28 and should be submitted here . Interested in sponsoring the event or helping plan the festivities? Please connect with Meg Honey at honeym@mdusd.org . 'Stay Interviews' Provide Insights into Why Business Services Staff Stay with MDUSD MDUSD Transportation Director Cris Lepe (above and center) asks school bus drivers for feedback (above right) on their jobs during "Stay Interviews." MDUSD's Business Services team, under the direction of Chief Business Officer Lisa Gonzales, has been increasing outreach and tapping into employee voice as part of its Equity Initiative. Although many people are familiar with "Exit Interviews" that take place when employees decide to leave their jobs, MDUSD's Business Services Team is instead conducting "Stay Interviews" to find out what employees like about their jobs and working in the District and what suggestions they have for improvement. The first employee 'stay interviews' were held this week with over two dozen bus drivers at the District's "Gasoline Alley" building, co-facilitated by Transportation Director Cris Lepe. Using anonymous sharing through post-its around the room, bus drivers weighed in on a number of questions in the hour-long session, including: What do you love about your job? When you think back to your “onboarding,” is there anything that could have been different to improve the transition onto our Business Services team? What is one thing your leaders are doing really well to make you feel welcomed, appreciated and valued? If there was something you could change about your job, what would it be? Why do you stay in this position / District? If you identify as part of an "under-represented group" (person of color, LGBTQ+), do you feel welcome in MDUSD? Follow up: What could MDUSD do to better recruit people from under-represented groups and/or make them feel more welcome? An interesting bit of feedback was given by Doug Van Ripper, who stated: "The District should market the bus driver positions as inflation proof: drivers will always be needed, so layoffs are not a concern" when fluctuations happen with the economy. Other drivers noted they appreciate the flexible hours, wonderful colleagues, supportive and caring leaders, and most importantly - stressed their love for students and sincere desire to help families in MDUSD.   Going a little deeper, drivers who see themselves as members of any self-identified under-represented groups were asked if they feel welcomed and supported. The follow-up delved deeper into their suggestions about how MDUSD can recruit more staff of color and other underrepresented groups. Of the nine employees who responded on this prompt, all agreed they feel safe and supported, which is a testament to the collegiality in transportation and the culture and climate established by its leaders. Marquita Wesley shared, "I personally feel safe and valued at our job, but would love to see more people that look like me." The drivers were overwhelmingly complimentary of the stay interviews. Scott Duncan noted, "It was a really positive outcome...and we should have them more often." Wesley added, "I feel the meeting was very effective in a positive way with positive vibes and the questions asked were why we love our jobs and not just negative. I personally love that higher management came down to talk to us and get our personal opinions." Cindy Gilmore is looking forward to the next steps that are already in the planning phase: "Let's actually discuss issues that we want resolved. Some won't happen overnight. I think we genuinely want to work and help our students and their families."   Director Cris Lepe couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome. He shared: "It was great to connect with my drivers and get positive feedback on their experiences with our District, as well as where we can find additional opportunities to go from good to great!" MDUSD bus drivers give feedback on post-it notes in response to questions asked during a recent "Stay Interview." Measure C video shows how MDUSD is using taxpayer dollars to improve facilities A number of MDUSD videos are in production to update the community on District projects, including those funded through Measures C and J. The Measure C video above was created in this month to update the community how the District is spending the $348 million approved by voters within the District in 2010 through a General Obligation (GO) bond measure to provide for improved science labs, career and technical education facilities, classroom instructional technology, and needed repair, replacement, and modernization of school facilities throughout MDUSD. Measure C also provides for improved energy efficiency with solar panels and upgraded heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, improved public safety and accessibility. Community News Contra Costa Immunization Clinics move to an appointment based system Students who do not have health insurance, or who have MediCal or CCHP, are eligible to visit one of Contra Costa’s Immunization Clinics. Please use  this link to see the current clinic schedule. These clinics recently moved to an appointment-based system. To schedule an appointment, go to   vax.cchealth.org or call 925-608-5350. Walk-ins will still be seen, but appointments have priority and walk-in spaces may be limited. More information is in the attached flyer .  School News Some MDUSD schools participate in "The Great Kindness Challenge" Click on the tweets below to see how some Walnut Acres Elementary, the Holbrook Language Academy and Ygnacio Valley HS participated in and promoted "The Great Kindness Challenge" this week! MDUSD students celebrate the First 100 Days of School Click on the Social Media posts below to see how some MDUSD students celebrated the First 100 Days of School. Staff News MDUSD Occupational Therapist Marissa Haggard creates videos for preschool parents Marissa Haggard is an Occupational Therapist (OT) in MDUSD. She has been working as a pediatric occupational therapist for almost 5 years, but this is her first school year with the District. The role of an Occupational Therapist (OT) is to use meaningful activities to help people maximize their independence and participate in everyday occupations. OTs can work with people of all ages (birth to adult) in a variety of settings (hospitals, schools, clinics, homes, etc.). You don’t typically think of children having “occupations” but it is a child’s job to play, socialize, and learn. OTs can work with children to help them to develop their fine motor skills, visual motor skills, sensory processing skills, and more. In the school setting, OTs analyze the demands of classroom activities and how they may be impacting the student’s ability to benefit from their education. An OT can provide intervention by using therapeutic activities to work on the student’s skills and build on their strengths, as well as provide consultation with teachers, caregivers, and other educational providers to help them be successful. Throughout her time as a school-based OT, Marissa found that families want to help their children develop the skills they need but are sometimes unsure of how to work on them. Students are learning new things everyday and in order to master these skills, they need many opportunities to practice at school and at home. She was inspired to create brief videos as a resource to empower families with knowledge and provide activities they can try at home. The videos were initially created for families of preschoolers who wanted tips on how to work on foundational fine motor and visual motor skills. However, Marissa plans to continue to create videos about other topics, such as scissor skills, sensory strategies, and handwriting. Caregivers can watch these videos and comment any questions or other topics that they would like to know more about.  Important dates Feb. 1:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Feb. 2:   HBCU Fair  10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Mt. Diablo HS Feb . 7 :  Special Ed. Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom re Legislative Day priorities Feb. 13:   Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance (MDBEA) meeting at 4 p.m. at Ygnacio Valley HS Feb. 16:  End of Trimester 2 Feb. 17:  School Recess (No classes; District Offices open);   Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 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 Brandt. Reach her at brandtt@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Jan 28 2023

Friday Letter - January 20, 2023

JANUARY 20, 2023 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 20 This issue highlights:  Food and Nutrition Services team gets  student feedback on  meals District news including School Board makes four appointments;  Community News including a nonprofit Bay Area Bike Project e-bike raffle School news featuring the Holbrook Language Academy, Sequoia Elementary and MDUSD's Adult Education program Student News featuring a Concord HS Pioneer Athlete Spotlight important dates, and more! MDUSD's Food and Nutrition Services team gets student feedback on meals MDUSD Food and Nutrition Services Director Dominic Machi (right) and Culinary Manager Josh Gjersand (left) listen to Mt. Diablo HS juniors Anahi Nava Flores and Diana Ramos giving feedback on proposed new school meals. Mt. Diablo Unified is upping its game when it comes to school meals. Food and Nutrition Services Director Dominc Machi and Culinary Manager Josh Gjersand are testing out new recipes made with high-quality, local foods and going straight to students for their honest feedback. They have visited Mt. Diablo HS twice, serving up delicacies including whole wheat pollo verde flautas made with fresh chicken thighs and salsa verde, Wisoman whole wheat tortillas and Sierra Nevada cheddar cheese made with milk from grass-fed cows. Students raved about the food they were served, which also included a gourmet sandwich made with Robert's Top Round Pastrami and melted Sierra Nevada cheddar cheese on Bonami Bakery whole wheat sourdough bread with fresh arugula and pesto aioli. Anahi Nava Flores, who is MDUSD's Student Board member, said the chicken tasted "authentic" and that the meals were "restaurant quality." Alaina Noguera said these tasty foods would make students want to eat more. Precious Harris called the food "classy," and added: "We're bougie now." Kahlani Cravanas agreed, saying, "This is something you can brag to other schools about." Machi and Gjersand have been gradually  introducing new foods each month and students are noticing a big difference. "We've leveled up," Anahi said, referring to a delicious teriyaki chicken school lunch they recently ate. One of the new meal additions Gjersand is most proud of is a sandwich made with fresh fish from Pier 45 in San Francisco. With an emphasis on fresh, local, organic food, the District is hoping to be the first in the state to earn a "Gold" ranking from the Eat Real nonprofit organization. The District has already earned the Eat Real " Green " certification for its food service programs and has "worked extremely hard to remove over 10 pounds of added sugar per student per year, increased sustainable ingredient sourcing, and increased the quality of ingredients (including removing harmful ingredients) across all of their regular menus." The goal is to serve food that will help students feel healthy and ready to learn, and to give athletes the nutrition they will need for after-school practices and games, Machi and Gjersand said. The MDHS students said they are succeeding. And they added another benefit they felt when they were asked for their feedback - they said they felt cared for. Gjersand said the Food and Nutrition Services Department is taking the time to season food so it tastes better, preparing it with "love." The School Board has approved new job descriptions and pay increases for Food and Nutrition Services assistants, cooks and bakers - in recognition of the important roles they play in serving MDUSD students. The District's commitment to elevating the quality of its school meals has caught the attention of Associated Press, which plans to publish a story featuring the District next week. Read more about the Business Services Department's efforts to seek student input on its services in District News below. District News  Board approves appointments, union agreements & hears accountability report The MDUSD School Board on Wednesday appointed  Robert Humphrey  as the Administrator for Expanded Learning Programs,  Ryan Hughes  as a Concord HS vice principal,  Nancy Chen  as Executive Director of Fiscal Services, and  Erin Vallejo   as an  Educational Technology Coordinator .  It also approved resolutions recognizing  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day  on Jan. 16th, recognizing January as   National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month  and recognizing February as  Black and African American History Month .  The Board received a detailed  MDUSD Accountability Repor t  based on   2022 California Dashboard  data for students' Academic Performance, Chronic Absenteeism, English Learner Progress, Graduation Rate, and Suspension Rate.  In addition, the Board approved a  Tentative Agreement  with the California School Employees Association (CSEA), a  side letter   with Teamsters regarding Food and Nutrition job descriptions and salary schedule,  restructuring   the DMA principal, management and confidential unit salary schedules; and a five-year  contract  with Finalsite for a District Website Content Management System, among other items.  To provide a new level of transparency regarding Board actions, the District has begun posting Board Questions and Responses related to agenda items on the Board Meeting Information Website Page. Questions and responses for the January 18, 2023 meeting are  here . The complete agenda is  here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard here , on the District's website home page and on the COVID-19 Response page . MDUSD to host Teacher Recruitment Fair for 2023-2024 school year on Wednesday Mt. Diablo Unified School District is hosting a Teacher Recruitment Fair for the 2023-2024 school year  from 5-8 p.m.  Wednesday, January 25th at the District Office,  1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. District Administrators will conduct interviews and offer employment for the 2023-2024 school year at the event. $5,000-$10,000 hiring bonuses are available for teachers in the areas of Math, Science, BCLAD, and Special Education! A $5,000 hiring bonus is also available to graduates from MDUSD high schools! To sign up for an interview time, please visit: https://rebrand.ly/TeacherHiringEvent23 . To apply for a position, visit Rebrand.ly/CERTHiring . More information is at mdusd.org/teammdusd . We hope to see you there and have you join our amazing team! African American Focal Scholar Night is Thursday at Delta View Elementary MDUSD invites all African American families from Bel Air, Delta View, Fair Oaks and Rio Vista elementary schools, Riverview MS and Mt. Diablo HS to an African American Focal Scholar Night from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, January 26th at Delta View Elementary, 2916 Rio Verde Circle in Pittsburg. This event will include free food, music, family fun, prizes and recognition of African American students and families from all sites for achievements throughout the school year. It will also feature information on educational interventions, the Black Family Resource Center, and the District’s Focal Scholar Plan, which addresses inequities in educational outcomes for Black/African American students. Scan the QR code in the flyer to RSVP or contact Dr. Lamont Francies, African American Family and Community Coordinator at FranciesL@mdusd.org for more information. MDUSD’s 4th Annual HBCU Fair is February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS MDUSD’s 4th annual HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS. The fair is open to ALL 11th and 12th grade students. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from more than 22 HBCUs, get application fees waived, get accepted and offered scholarships on the spot. The list of participating HBCUs is here . Students should bring 10 or more copies of their high school transcript to share with HBCU recruiters. At last year’s fair, MDUSD students received 167 acceptances to various HBCUs and were awarded more than $4.5 million in scholarships. This year’s goal is to have over $5 million in scholarships awarded at the HBCU Recruitment Fair Caravan. MDUSD students can register  here  or by scanning the QR code on the attached  flyer . More information about last year's fair is  here . Business Services Department heads listen to students’ voices at Rio Vista Elementary Leaders from the MDUSD Business Services team visited with students at Rio Vista Elementary in their "Road Show" to tap into student voice and choice. Student voice is important for empowering and engaging students, and is a priority of our business leaders. Students need support to learn how to use their voice, whether to advocate for themselves, express their opinions, or stand up for a friend. Besides the impact on students to empower student voice, adults can also learn a lot about students when student voice is prioritized in our schools. Opening up school district practices to empower and amplify student voices is an incredibly effective way for our business leaders to get to know and better understand what students think about transportation, technology, food services and school grounds . This is at the forefront of the Business Services Department’s Equity Initiative and the Department’s desire to authentically engage with students to ensure they feel accepted and valued.   The lunch event with the Rio Vista students was very enlightening for Transportation Director Cris Lepe, Director of Food & Nutrition Dominic Machi, and Chief Business Officer Lisa Gonzales. Student Leilani shared that the “cheese and garlic pasta was as good as the Olive Garden.” Elena requested lunch options like squash mac and cheese, which is offered in the CARES after school program. Students overwhelmingly supported a new organic yogurt with oats purchased from a local supplier in Willows, CA. But more teriyaki sauce was requested on the rice in the Arroz con pollo dish to make it a little less dry.   Director Dominic Machi listened intently to the request for ‘orange’ rice (Spanish rice) and his team created a version that is already in the taste-testing phase with students. Edward’s idea of a “suggestion box” in the cafeteria will be added soon. Rio Vista cook Teresa Rego also attended the student voice session and was very interested in what students had to share. “I love the idea of having so many adults talking to students about what they want," she said. "We don’t do enough of this.”   Student Elena had a lot to share about our one-to-one Chromebook program and how it helps her learn outside of school, adding that the “protection cases are great investments because I’m a bit clumsy and sometimes drop my device, but its well protected.” Marwa focused on field trips on MDUSD buses and admitted that “drivers don’t get as much respect as they should.” As the students debriefed their participation in the Business Services listening session, Leilani summed it up best, saying: “It was a great opportunity to listen to others and share, and I believe what we suggested will happen!" Community News Nonprofit Bay Area Bike Project aims to get more kids and families on bikes The nonprofit Bay Area Bike Project is committed to getting more kids on bikes, bike education and advocating for safe biking communities. "Our main goal is getting more kids on bikes via various donations and events," said Cara DeJong, a Pleasant Hill Elementary parent who coordinates the school's bike program and is also a member of the Bay Area Bike Project .  The nonprofit is holding a raffle on Saturday, January 21st for a family electric bike, which a parent drives, with a kid riding in back. The Xtracycle bike company also donated an extra regular electric bike for the raffle.  The link to the raffle is here .  More information about the Pleasant Hill Elementary Bike.PHE program is here .  School News Holbrook language academy successful serving students in both English and Spanish Kudos to the Holbrook Language Academy , which was featured in the Pioneer News for the excellent job it is doing teaching TK-8 students in both English and Spanish in a bilingual/biliterate educational environment that also includes a top-notch after-school outdoor garden education program! Holbrook is the District's only TK-8 dual immersion school. It was opened in 2017 as one of three magnet schools open to students throughout the District (the others are Wren Avenue Elementary School of the Arts and Sun Terrace Elementary STEM Magnet School ). Last year, the school won a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association for its dual immersion program. Details are in the Dec. 3, 2021 Friday Letter . The school's greenhouse project was spearheaded three years ago by CARES Expanded Learning Coordinator Jeremy Macahilig and then-principal Marga Marshall.  Macahilig took the lead in bringing the major collaborators, partners and funders (Girl Scouts, Marathon and crew) together for this project. He also coordinated with the District's Maintenance and Operations Department on the project.  Macahilig and his team maintained the school's "Secret Garden" throughout the COVID school closure, as the entire CARES program staff worked on site and provided various levels of programming during that time. More information about the Secret Garden Greenhouse is in the  Sept. 16 Friday Letter . Sequoia Elementary opens Wellness Center with a Ribbon Cutting This past Tuesday morning, Elementary Education Director Marji Calbeck, Sequoia Elementary Principal Becky Vichqiuis, Ms. Margot Kuhre-Lipkin, Parent Donors and the Sequoia Student Council opened the Wellness Center on campus with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. "This space, called 'The Nest,' is a calm indoor space on campus where students can go during morning and lunch recess to engage in quiet activity," Principal Vichiquis said. "It will also be used by our counselors during the rest of the day to meet with students individually and in groups. Thank you to everyone who donated items to furnish the space and a HUGE thank you to Ms. Margot Kuhre-Lipkin who coordinated this effort!" Mt. Diablo Adult Education receives surgical microscope from John Muir Hospital The Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County touted Mt. Diablo Adult Education's programs in a Facebook post (above left). The Adult Education program also recently received a surgical microscope donated by John Muir Medical Center (above right). The Mt. Diablo Adult Education Center continues to build community partnerships that benefit its students throughout Contra Costa County. Last week, the center's Career Technical Education (CTEC) Surgical Technologist program received a donated surgical microscope previously used in the John Muir operating room after the District's Maintenance and Operations Department transported the 6' high and 5' wide heavy equipment to the campus. "This is an amazing addition to our CTEC Surgical Technologist equipment for training our students soon to be working in hospital operating rooms throughout Contra Costa County," said Vittoria Abbate, MDUSD's Director of College & Career and Adult Education. Assistant Director Tricia Ouellette added: "Our students will learn the proper way to drape the microscope to maintain a sterile field during surgery as well as learn how to safely hand surgical instruments to surgeons who are looking through the microscope while they are performing surgery. Mt. Diablo Adult Education is very grateful for John Muir's support of this program and for their generous donation." The Adult Education Center has established a strong reputation in the region as a premier provider of career training, as well as high school graduation and GED programs for adults. The Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County helped to spread the word about MDUSD's excellent adult education programs in a recent Facebook post . Student News Pio neer Athlete Spotlight on Joey Kremin, Concord High Congrats to Concord High girls soccer goalkeeper Joey Kremin, who was featured in a recent Pioneer Athlete Spotlight ! A three-year scholar athlete for the varsity squad, her coach Coach Jose Soltero  says, “Joey has the heart of a defender and is a hard worker both on and off the field.” After energizing the squad as a defensive midfielder the past two seasons she assumed the role of starting goalkeeper this winter. She is “a stellar asset for the team,” Soltero adds. Away from school Kremin plays for Concord AYSO Alliance. She shows her same drive in the classroom maintaining a high GPA while taking honors and AP classes in order to earn college admission for the fall to major in creative writing. Important dates Jan . 24 : Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 p.m. Jan. 25:  Teacher Recruitment Fair from 5-8 p.m. Jan . 26:   African American Focal Scholar  Night  from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 1:  Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Feb. 2:   HBCU Fair  10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Mt. Diablo HS Feb . 7 :  Special Ed. Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom re Legislative Day priorities 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 brandtt@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Jan 21 2023

Friday Letter - January 13, 2023

JANUARY 13, 2023 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 19 This issue highlights 3 District schools named CA Distinguished Schools; two College Park HS alumni working to help underserved populations through legislation and advocacy;   District news including mourning the loss of two beloved elementary school teachers; Community News including nominations sought for 2023 Contra Costa County Youth Hall of Fame Awards;  Staff news including elementary music teacher wins award;  School News including adult ed partnership expands to East County;  Student News including athletic honors; important dates, and more! Three MDUSD elementary schools named California Distinguished Schools! MDUSD is proud that three District Schools have been named 2023 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education (CDE): Bancroft and Walnut Acres elementary schools in Walnut Creek and Sequoia Elementary in Pleasant Hill! "Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students," according to the CDE news release . The CDE identified 356 elementary schools statewide for this honor, based on their performance on state indicators on the 2022 California School Dashboard including assessment results, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates, and socioeconomic data. Dashboard data for Bancroft is here . Sequoia's Dashboard is here . And the Walnut Acres Dashboard is here . Principals at all three schools are thrilled about the awards and credit their staffs, students and families for the recognition. "I am so excited that Bancroft Elementary School has been honored as a 2023 California Distinguished School," said Principal Cindy Dunn. "Bancroft is not only a fabulous neighborhood school, but also houses a wonderful Two-Way Dual Immersion Spanish program. I am very proud of the entire Bancroft Bobcat community; staff, students, and parents. Their attention to growth mindset, always doing their best, and reaching for the stars is exemplified in the receiving of this prestigious award. Bancroft Bobcats continue to shine in words and actions." Sequoia Elementary is a District  School of Choice  open to students who live in MDUSD boundaries. " I am so pleased that Sequoia Elementary has once again been honored with a Distinguished School award from the  California Department of Education," Principal  Becky Vichiquis said . "As an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program , we strive to nurture not only our students' outstanding academic achievements and personal wellness, but also confidence in themselves as changemakers and global citizens. We do this through a rigorous, sequential, academic curriculum infused with explicit curricular-based opportunities to explore and celebrate our students' unique cultural identities. We truly appreciate this recognition of our staff and students' shared vision and diligent work to bring about a bright future for our world and everyone in it!" Walnut Acres Elementary Principal Lauren Ashton said: "This award/recognition is a result of the collective tireless work done by WAES teachers, staff, and parent community to provide our students with a rigorous, supportive, dynamic and nurturing learning environment! These results don’t just happen; they are hard-earned by our teachers in the classroom, parents in the home, and the incredible staff each and every day. Thank you to our teachers and school community who together, with hard work and optimism, support our students to move mountains! Together we get to celebrate our students' academic growth and inclusive school environments that drove our student success! I congratulate everyone at Walnut Acres for their dedication to the students, teachers and school communities and thank them for their work to help lead our children on a path to a brighter future!" College Park HS alumna newly elected to Congress opens office in Washington DC, where fellow alum and friend helps lead education data organization Andrea Salinas (above left), who graduated from CPHS in 1987, was recently elected to Congress. She has remained close to fellow CPHS alum Paige Kemmitt (now Kowalski) (graduation photo above center), who is Executive Vice President of the Data Quality Campaign (above right). Although the two College Park HS alumni have followed different career paths, they are both working to help underserved populations through legislation and advocacy After graduating from College Park HS together more than 35 years ago, two former classmates from the Class of 1987 who have remained lifelong friends are both in Washington DC, where they are each making an impact on national policies in different ways.   Andrea Salinas, who got her start in high school government at College Park, was elected to U.S. Congress in November to represent a newly formed district in Oregon, where she lives with her husband and daughter, a high school senior. Her longtime friend Paige (Kemmitt) Kowalski, who met Andrea at Valley View MS, which they attended together before CPHS, is Executive Vice President of the Data Quality Campaign , a nonprofit education data advocacy organization in Washington DC.   The two women have remained close over the years – participating in each other’s weddings and baby showers – and keeping in touch from afar. They were reunited once again earlier this month, when Andrea flew to Washington DC to settle into her new apartment in anticipation of being sworn in as a Congresswoman.   Both share the goal of helping underserved people achieve their dreams by ensuring they have equitable opportunities in education and the workforce. Andrea is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant father, Roberto Salinas (left), who started working in fields picking cotton and tomatoes as a child before later becoming a San Francisco Police Officer and raising Andrea in Pleasant Hill.  As a Latina who was the first to graduate from college on both sides of her family, Andrea believes that true change can be accomplished in a generation through hard work and a commitment to breaking down barriers for those with limited access to higher education. Paige, a first-generation college graduate, said most students at College Park in the 1980s came from blue collar families whose parents didn’t graduate from college and who didn’t understand how to navigate the college system. Her later realization that she and her family didn’t have access to the same information as students whose parents were college-educated helped shape her passion for leveling the playing field by sharing education data widely, with everyone from students, to parents, to principals to policy-makers. This includes data about the advantages of taking rigorous high school courses, and how low-income students can pursue higher education at four-year universities with the help of financial aid and targeted programs. A Democrat, Andrea has already been named to the Hispanic Caucus’ leadership team as its Freshman Representative . When votes were still being counted throughout the country two months ago, some – including Paige – thought Andrea’s victory might help Democrats narrowly keep their lead over Republicans in the House.  Paige tagged MDUSD’s Public Information Office in a November tweet , saying: “Did you know that one of the outstanding Congressional races is OR-06 (Oregon, District 6) and a College Park HS grad (’87) is in the lead and predicted by NYT to win? House control may come down to a born and raised PHill girl!”   Although Democrats did not end up keeping their majority in the House, that has not diminished Andrea’s resolve to get things done for the people she serves, a desire she traces back to her high school student government experience. From her sophomore through senior years, Andrea held various offices including junior class treasurer and student body vice president. She took pride in helping to fundraise for activities that brought her class together, such as the senior picnic, travel, proms, and homecoming. She also loved participating in the College Park HS Mock Congress, playing flute in the band and cheerleading. Read more here .  Andrea was a cheerleader at CPHS, as well as a member of student government and the band (above left). Paige and Andrea (above center in high school and above right on Jan. 3, 2023) have been friends for 40 years. District News No School or COVID tests on Monday due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday All MDUSD schools and District offices will be closed Monday, January 16th in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Schools and offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 17th. In addition, all District COVID testing sites will be closed on Monday, January 16th and will reopen on Tuesday, January 17th. The complete testing schedule is here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard here , on the District's website home page and on the COVID-19 Response page . Parent Advisory Committee, African American Parent Advisory Council meet Tues. MDUSD's Parent Advisory Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord to discuss how sites are addressing bullying. MDUSD's African American Parent Advisory Council will hold an MLK Family Night honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Riverview MS, 205 Pacifica Ave., Room 415, in Bay Point.   MDUSD Board meets Wednesday to make appointments, approve union agreements The MDUSD School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18th to appoint an Administrator for Expanded Learning Programs, a Concord HS vice principal, an executive director of Fiscal Services and an Educational Technology Coordinator . It will also review and potentially approve a Tentative Agreement with the California School Employees Association (CSEA) and two side letters with Teamsters, among other items. The complete agenda is here . MDUSD mourns the loss of two beloved elementary teachers Cambridge Elementary teacher Humiera Bargzie (above left and center) and Strandwood Elementary teacher Laura Thorsen (above right) recently passed away. Both schools are mourning the loss of these beloved staff members.  The Mt. Diablo Unified School District extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of elementary teachers  Humiera Bargzie and Laura Thorsen , who have recently passed away. "It is with a heavy heart that I communicate to you that Mrs. Bargzie passed away on Saturday morning due to complications with her health," Cambridge Elementary Principal Lourdes Beleche said in a message to school families on December 28th. "She was a great teacher and graced us with her presence for nearly 25 years. We will miss her. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family." District Bilingual Elementary coach Monica Navarro-Kirby said in a tweet : "She was an inspiring, dedicated teacher and advocate for her students and community." Strandwood Elementary Principal Cheri Scripter remembered Laura Thorsen as "one of MDUSD's finest," who lost her battle with cancer on December 23rd and was a  beloved colleague at both Ygnacio Valley and Strandwood elementary schools. " She was a brilliant and beloved teacher and a wonder-filled soul," Principal Scripter said in a message to Strandwood families on January 11th. "She lit up classrooms and staff meetings with her genuine love for teaching and her keen and straight-from-the-heart dedication towards each and every student under her care."  The Thorsen Family has invited anyone who wishes, to attend to her services  on Sunday, February 5th from 3-6 p.m.  at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 399 Wiget Lane in Walnut Creek. Nominate 2023-24  MDUSD District Teachers of the Year through Wednesday MDUSD is accepting nominations for 2023-24 District Teachers of the Year, who will go on to compete for Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year (TOY) 2023-2024, through Wednesday, Jan. 18. District staff, parents/guardians, students and community members are encouraged to nominate classroom teachers who have demonstrated a passion for teaching, an ability to differentiate instruction to meet students' needs, and teachers who connect with and support their school community.  Submit a Teacher of the Year Nomination Form here in English or here in Spanish. Centralized Enrollment for TK/Kindergarten students in 2023-24 begins this month Registration for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten students in 2023-24 begins this month. The two-step process includes a preliminary online registration application followed by in-person registration at the District's new Centralized Enrollment Center at the Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord,  Room A2.    Transitional Kindergarten will be open to students with birthdates   between September 2, 2018 - April 2, 2019. Kindergarten registration is available to students born between Sept. 2, 2018 – Sept. 1, 2018. In-person registration begins Jan. 18 for students eligible to attend Sequoia or Monte Gardens elementary schools. Registration at all other District elementary schools will take place in alphabetical order according to the calendar here . Drop in dates will be available for students after their registration dates have passed. TK/Kinder registration packets will be available at the Enrollment Center and at each school site. MDUSD to host Teacher Recruitment Fair for 2023-2024 school year on January 25 Mt. Diablo Unified School District is hosting a Teacher Recruitment Fair for the 2023-2024 school year on Wednesday, January 25th from 5-8 p.m. at the District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. District Administrators will conduct interviews and offer employment for the 2023-2024 school year at the event. $5,000-$10,000 hiring bonuses are available for teachers in the areas of Math, Science, BCLAD, and Special Education! A $5,000 hiring bonus is also available to graduates from MDUSD high schools! To sign up for an interview time, please visit: https://rebrand.ly/TeacherHiringEvent23 . To apply for a position, visit Rebrand.ly/CERTHiring . More information is at mdusd.org/teammdusd . We hope to see you there and have you join our amazing team supporting all students of MDUSD. Loma Vista Adult Ed.  hosts Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano food distribution Mt. Diablo Adult Education is proud to partner with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano to host the organization's drive-through food distribution in the Loma Vista Adult Center Cowell Road parking lot from 2-3 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month. “Having a location that is both convenient and safe for all parties involved is a much- appreciated resource,” said Geo Dinoso, Program Coordinator for the food bank’s Mobile Distribution Sites. In 2022, the Mt. Diablo Adult Education Center site served 3,738 Households, including 12,771 Individuals. Each family took home an average of 44 pounds of food, with a total annual distribution of 163,699 pounds of food, including 28,690 pounds of fresh produce.  Photo: Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano “Our collaboration, begun in 2021, has provided an integral support service not only for our MDUSD adult students but for our community members as well during this time of increased food insecurity for so many,” said Vittoria Abbate, Director of College & Career and Adult Education. “Mt. Diablo Adult Education is committed to and also looks forward to continuing our collaboration again in the New Year 2023 and beyond.” New MDUSD Adult Education Lifelong Learning Winter classes starting this month Have you made New Year’s resolutions? MDUSD Adult Education's Lifelong Learning program has classes to support you! Declutter your home. Find a new workout. Make a career change. Make healthier meals. Learn something new. The complete listing of new January classes is here . More information about the Mt. Diablo Adult Education program - which also includes Career Technical Education, Parenting, Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language courses - is here . . MDUSD’s 4th Annual HBCU Fair is February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS MDUSD’s 4th annual HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, February 2nd at Mt. Diablo HS. The fair is open to ALL 11th and 12th grade students. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from more than 22 HBCUs, get application fees waived, get accepted and offered scholarships on the spot. The list of participating HBCUs is here . Students should bring 10 or more copies of their high school transcript to share with HBCU recruiters. At last year’s fair, MDUSD students received 167 acceptances to various HBCUs and were awarded more than $4.5 million in scholarships. This year’s goal is to have over $5 million in scholarships awarded at the HBCU Recruitment Fair Caravan. MDUSD students can register here or by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer . More information about last year's fair is here . Community News 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 starting in January.  These include: Supporting Father Involvement ,  Free Group Triple P: Parents with children ages 0-5 , Triple P Stepping-Stones: For Parents with Children ages 2-5 (with a physical or cognitive disability and moderate to severe behavior problems), Teen Triple P for parents with teenagers ages 13-19 , and a Family Transitions co-parenting class . More  information is  here . Contra Costa County seeks  Youth Hall of Fame  nominations The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is accepting nominations through Feb. 17 for the 2023 Contra Costa County Youth Hall of Fame Awards. These awards are presented annually to outstanding Contra Costa County residents between 12 and 18 years old. The students will be recognized at the 29th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Martinez. Community members can also watch the event live on Contra Costa TV or the County’s website . Nominees should demonstrate exemplary behavior in one of five categories: • Good Samaritan : Goes out of their way to help others without seeking recognition • Volunteerism : Lends a helping hand for the good of the community; Gives time and energy to a worthy cause or organization • Teamwork : Works unselfishly for the good of the team • Leadership and Civic Engagement : A natural leader who inspires others and works to make a difference in school and the community • Perseverance : Has worked hard to overcome obstacles and achieve success  For more information and the application form to nominate youth in our community, visit the county website . Staff news "Mr. Kenn" named CMEA Bay Section Outstanding Elementary Music Educator Congratulations to Kenn Hutchinson-Surette, who teaches elementary music (K-5) at Sequoia and Sun Terrace elementary schools, who was honored on Jan. 6 with the CMEA (CA Music Educators Assoc.) Bay Section's Outstanding Elementary Music Educator Award! (Pictured left with Sequoia Elementary Principal Becky Vichiquis at the award ceremony at the CMEA Annual Conference.) "Please join me in congratulating Mr. Kenn on this prestigious achievement!," Principal Vichiquis said in a school announcement . Mr. Kenn's work covers a number of areas within the field of music education. He has taught for non-profit organizations, private schools, and in public school districts. “A good teacher is a good student," he says. "We must always keep a teachable spirit, learning as much as we can in the process about ourselves and the world in which we share. Life is a school and we never stop learning."  Read more here . Hori zons Independent Study teacher named Campolindo HS baseball coach MDUSD MS Horizons Independent Study teacher Julian Fiammengo, who who played football and baseball for CPHS before graduating in 2009, and baseball for DVC before graduating from San Francisco State University, has been named the Campolindo HS baseball coach. Working both as an MDUSD teacher and as a coach allows Fiammengo to use similar skills with each group. "It's refreshing for me because I get to work with two really different kinds of kids," Fiammengo told the Lamorinda Weekly news . "There's a wide spectrum of kids that come through our independent study program and then there's also a wide spectrum of kids that come through our baseball programs." Concord HS football coach receives honorable mention in Coach of Year recognition Congrats to Concord HS Football Coach Paul Reynaud, who received an Honorable Mention in Bay Area News Group's Prep Football Coach of the Year recognition . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark presents at ACSA Conference MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark gave two presentations at the  Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) '"Every Child Counts Symposium" this week. "As you can see, I have no problem getting hyped to speak..." he said in a tweet and LinkedIn post using the hashtags #leadership   #studentsuccess . The two sessions were: Leadership for Equity: Our Children Need you More Than Ever and Leading for Student Success . In the first presentation, Dr. Clark discussed the importance of District leadership in addressing disparities in educational experiences and outcomes for students based on race and ethnicity, special needs, language acquisition and socio-economic status. In the second, he discussed strategies for establishing equitable learning experiences for all students.   School News Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Healthcare Pathways Partnership expands The Mt. Diablo Adult Education "Healthcare Pathways Partnership" - which includes the John Muir Community Health Foundation, Opportunity Junction and Empowered Aging - was recently highlighted in The Press , in East Contra Costa County. The partnership launched in 2017-18 to train low-income adults in Contra Costa County for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) licensing and employment in the county, said Vittoria Abbate, MDUSD's Director, College & Career and Adult Education. With Opportunity Junction , the program has expanded to East County. Details are here .  Student News MDUSD Student Athletes shine! Click on the Social Media posts below to see how MDUSD athletes have been recognized recently. More student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see other ways that MDUSD students are standing out! Important dates Jan. 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday ; Schools and District Offices closed Jan. 17:  Parent Advisory Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m.   to discuss bullying; African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC)  meeting  at 6 p.m. to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. legacy  Jan. 18: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room; MDUSD Teacher of the Year nomination  deadline Jan. 19 : District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting  at 5:30 p.m. Jan . 24 : Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)  meeting  at 5 p.m. Feb. 1:  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 Brandt. Reach her at brandtt@mdusd.org. .

Saturday, Jan 14 2023

Friday Letter - December 16, 2022

DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 18 NOTE: There will be no Friday Letters or Organizational Updates Dec. 23 through Jan. 6 due to the Winter Break. This issue highlights State Superintendent visits MDUSD;  District news including Dr. Clark named a "Superintendent to Watch" by national organization;  School News at Walnut Acres and Pine Hollow MS;  Student News about MDUSD and YVHS students; important dates, and more! State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visits MDUSD and families of chronically absent students State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visits with MDUSD District Office staff and talks to an MDUSD Child Welfare & Attendance worker, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and a county agency representative about issues facing the families of chronically absent students as they make home visits. MDUSD and Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark were pleased to host State Superintendent Tony Thurmond in our District on Wednesday morning, as they visited with families of chronically absent students. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10 percent of the instructional days that a student is enrolled in school. Thurmond is scheduling school visits around the state to volunteer directly with outreach efforts. He has made reducing chronic absenteeism a priority of his administration and is using these visits to gain first-hand knowledge of what barriers students and families are facing so the California Department of Education (CDE) can actively provide targeted support and make sure they receive the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. "At the end of the day, I get my best ideas being in the community and talking to people," said Thurmond, who worked with at-risk youth early in his career. Dr. Clark said after the visit: "I want to acknowledge the MDUSD Student Services Department for their commitment to serving our families! State Superintendent Thurmond was impressed with the team!" More information about MDUSD's efforts to improve student attendance is here . District News MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark named a “2022 Superintendent to Watch” We are pleased to announce that Mt. Diablo Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark has been selected as a “2022 Superintendent to Watch” by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Dr. Clark joins just 24 other superintendents nationwide who were selected for the honor in recognition of their dynamic leadership and strong communications skills. “Communication is a high priority,” said Dr. Clark, who assumed leadership of the Contra Costa County school district in September, 2020. “I’ve been committed to improving communications and highlighting all the wonderful things happening in our District.” The recognition highlights innovative and effective use of technology to engage and inform the school community, and to expand two-way communication and outreach efforts. Read more here . Today (Friday) is contribution deadline for Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE) TODAY (Friday) is the deadline to contribute to MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ), which is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50 with the amounts clearly marked, or monetary contributions, for our approximately 311 homeless students and 56 foster youth students. Click  here  or see the attached flyers for details.  See the tweet above to learn about one homeless family in the District. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo  @MDUSDHOPE . Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or  hope@mdusd.org . Thank you to all who have already donated, including the MDEA teachers' union and CST (Clerical, Secretarial & Technical) union! African American Parent Advisory Council to host Kwanzaa Celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 20th The next AAPAC (African American Parent Advisory Council) meeting will be held at 6 p.m. December 20th in Room 415 at Riverview MS, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point. It will include a celebration focusing on the seven principles of Kwanzaa:  Umoja = Unity  Kujichagulia = Self-Determination  Ujima = Collective Work and Responsibility  Ujamaa = Cooperative Economics  Nia = Purpose Kuumba = Creativity Imani = Faith  Click on the flyer for details. Parent input sought for new MDUSD website by Wednesday, Dec. 21st MDUSD is in the process of selecting a new website vendor and platform for the District, with a plan to transition prior to the start of the 2023-2024 school year. As a part of this process we want to get input from parents and guardians in our schools who are familiar with our current District and school websites and may have suggestions for changes or improvements.   Our goals for the new website: A reliable, accessible and easy-to-update platform for schools and District Departments. Compelling but clean design. A platform that allows for easy access and straight-forward navigation of the site, both on desktop and mobile devices. User-friendly, relevant content for all users. Cutting-edge tools and features that can easily integrate with other existing forms of communication like ParentSquare and social media. A central tool to provide clear communication in an engaging way for all website users Please complete the survey  here  by 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 21st. This information will provide data to our Website Review Team. We appreciate your interest in helping us improve our offerings to our school community. For questions about this survey, please contact Chief Business Officer Lisa Gonzales at gonzaleslm@mdusd.org. R e-elected  School Board members sworn in , new leaders elected, budget report approved County Supervisor Federal Glover swears in re-elected Board Member Debra Mason (above left), Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark swears in Linda Mayo, who ran unopposed in the November election (above center), and re-elected Board Member Cherise Khaund is sworn in by her campaign manager Aasim Yahya (above right). MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark stands with (l-r) student Board Member Anahi Nava Flores, Board Member Cherise Khaund, Board President Keisha Nzewi, Board Vice President Erin McFerrin, and Board Members Debra Mason and Linda Mayo. At its December 14th meeting, re-elected Board members Cherise Khaund and Debra Mason were sworn in for four-year terms, along with Board Member Linda Mayo, who ran unopposed in the November election. Board members elected Keisha Nzewi as their President, Erin McFerrin as their Vice President and Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark as Board Secretary. Also at the meeting, the Board appointed Bridget Hopkins as a Data Integration Manager, Scott Metz as a Warehouse Supervisor, and Estella Estrada as a Social Work Specialist. In addition, the Board approved the District's First Interim Budget Report for 2022-23, among other items. The complete agenda is here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: Cases reported on Thursday and Friday of last week are included in next week's totals. The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard here , on the District's website home page and on the COVID-19 Response page . Winter Break is December 22 - January 6, schools and COVID testing sites closed MDUSD schools will be closed Thursday, December 22 through Friday, January 6 due to the Winter Break . Classes will resume Monday, January 9. District Offices will be closed December 26 and January 2 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.  District COVID testing sites will also be closed December 22 through January 8, resuming on Jan. 9th. Special Education Assistant hiring fair is Monday, January 9th! Mt. Diablo Unified School District is hosting a Special Education Assistant Hiring Event January 9th from 5-8 p.m. at the District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord.  District Administrators will be conducting interviews and offering employment at the event.  To apply for a position, please visit https://rebrand.ly/classifiedjobs . To sign up for an interview, please visit: https://rebrand.ly/MDUSDHiringEvent Please note that MDUSD and the California School Employees Association (CSEA), the union that includes Special Education Assistants, recently reached a Tentative Agreement that will significantly increase salaries over the next three years, pending approval by CSEA members and the School Board.  MDUSD is hiring substitute teachers at increased daily rates! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District's Board has approved a substitute teacher daily rate of $250 and a $300 daily rate for:  Title 1 schools,  Special Education classes, special circumstances, and  Certificated Retiree Assignments.  The new rate goes into effect on January 9th. To join our team, visit https://rebrand.ly/MDUSDSubs . Adult Education Computer Applications and Office Professional programs enrolling students MDUSD's Adult Education Career Technical Education Center ( CTEC ) is now enrolling students in its Computer Applications program and its Office Professional program, with classes starting next month at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center in Concord.  Office Professional classes start Jan. 23rd and Computer Applications classes start Jan. 24th.  Register at 925-685-7340 or  https://mdae.mdusd.org/register . See attached flyers for more information. . Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Lifelong Education Open House and Craft Fair attracted many visitors The Mt. Diablo Adult Education Open House and Craft Fair included handmade wooden toys (above left), jewelry (above center) and quilts (above right). Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Lifelong Education Annual Open House and Art & Craft Sale, held on December 3rd, was a huge success! In spite of the torrential rain, visitors flocked to the event to purchase unique handmade crafts and lovely art works. They enjoyed visiting open classrooms, chatting with instructors and appreciated the talent and workmanship represented at the event. Instructors whose classes will debut in the winter session were on hand to answer questions and share information about their upcoming classes. If you are not on the distribution list to receive our Lifelong Education Newsletter, please email lifelonged@mdusd.org to ensure you find out about new classes and happenings. Winter registration starts Dec. 21st at mdae.mdusd.org for classes starting Jan. 9th. "Cafecito con los consejeras" was a success! Four Latina counselors held a successful “Cafecito con los consejeras” or “Coffee with the Counselors” event on Dec. 10th intended to increase parent engagement in District schools, especially for those who speak Spanish. “Our parents laughed, asked crucial questions, shared ideas, expressed topics of future interest and connected with us and each other,” said counselor Angela Ordaz, who hosted the event along with counselors Marcie Torres, Leidi Arias and Yaretzie Amaya. “We look forward to hosting and serving them again in Spring 2023.” To get to know each other, they asked parents to participate in a “Raices~Roots: Making Connections Ice breaker,” which Ordas said  “ was a way to get our families comfortable and connected with us.” They started by showing families a slide with a map of Mexico that pinpoints where each of person traced their our roots (raices) in Mexico. After each school counselor shared their roots, they tossed a spool of thread to another school counselor. “Once the four of us went, it was tossed to our families to share their roots,” Ordaz said. “The beautiful thing is that we discovered some families have the same roots as us and hail from the same places in Mexico as us (connection). We were also intentional to say that we'd like to hear about roots beyond Mexico as Latin America encompasses many countries. We learned we also had multiple families from El Salvador represented.” California releases "Dashboard" showing metrics in a variety of areas for Districts and schools The 2022 California School Dashboard , restarted for the first time since 2019 and made publicly available Thursday, shows that California’s four- and five-year high school graduation rates hit all-time highs in 2021–22, while the state’s chronic absenteeism rate mirrored national trends. The Dashboard is a key component of the state’s school accountability system, which includes the latest data on graduation rates, suspension rates, test scores, English Learner progress, chronic absenteeism, and local indicators. MDUSD’s Dashboard is here . Dashboards for all MDUSD schools in alphabetical order are here . Superintendent in CDE webinar explains how District is accelerating learning for students in math MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark participated as a panelist in the California Department of Education’s Educator Excellence and Equity Learning Acceleration Webinar Series with a focus on supporting student learning in the area of mathematics. Dr. Clark highlighted the learning acceleration strategies currently being used in the District to help students achieve at grade level. You can watch his presentation here (from 37:00-56:27). Community News Mt. Diablo Education Foundation seeks end of year donations to help benefit MDUSD students  The Mt. Diablo Education Foundation is seeking end-of-the-year tax deductible donations to help benefit MDUSD student programs. To find out more about the programs the foundation supports, please see the attached flyer or visit their website at https://www.mdedf.org/ . For its annual giving campaign, the foundation is asking community members to “Give 100” for MDUSD kids  — "because we know your students deserve nothing less than 100% effort." The foundation is suggesting a gift of $100 per family, which is $10 for each of the 10 months of school . School News Walnut Acres Elementary 1st graders build Gingerbread Cities First-graders at Walnut Acres Elementary learned about city planning when they created their Gingerbread Cities and also wrote and illustrated creative stories about how they would disguise themselves if they were made of gingerbread so they wouldn't get eaten. At Walnut Acres Elementary, first-grade teachers decided to combine several different areas of the curriculum to create a fun and educational project that even included a ribbon-cutting from the Mayor of Walnut Creek! While many children make gingerbread houses, these students incorporated what they were learning in social studies about what types of buildings are included in cities to build entire cities of gingerbread! Teacher Autumn Ayllon said children had a planning meeting and decided what buildings should be included - such as a school, stores, houses and other facilities - then designed and built them and figured out where they should be placed in the city. They also read many different versions of stories with gingerbread characters, discussed the differences between them, and completed a creative writing and art project that required them to imagine how they would disguise themselves if they were made of gingerbread so they wouldn't be eaten, such as Ninjas, Santas and other characters. Parents also came to see the cities, while enjoying refreshments that included gingerbread cookies! Click on the tweets below to see some of the activities the classes participated in. Pine Hollow Middle School students get inspiration from former boxer Cam F. Awesome Motivational speaker Cam F. Awesome got Pine Hollow Middle School students pumped up during 6th, 7th and 8th grade assemblies as he shared his successes and failures as a boxer and explained that his failures helped him to develop resilience. The three lessons he learned were the importance of hard work, paying attention to details and resilience - which is the strength to keep going even if you fail or get discouraged. When he became discouraged after failing to be able to participate in the Olympics, he legally changed his last name to "Awesome." When one student asked why he did that, another student yelled out: "Because he's awesome!" Believing in yourself is the first step to success, Cam said. After his presentation, Cam signed autographs and posed for selfies with the students, hoping they would remember his message. Student News Mt. Diablo HS Digital Safari Academy students shine in Innovation Fair  On Thursday, night the Mt. Diablo HS Digital Safari Academy held its 16th Innovation Fair at Centre Concord in partnership with the City of Concord, the Concord Chamber of Commerce, and a few of its nonprofit business partners - the Pat & Shirley Campbell Foundation and the Praxis Group. “It was our first one since the pandemic,” said multimedia teacher Katalina Gallo. "Student groups started the night by setting up booths. All visitors - including business partners, family, friends, and MDUSD staff - were be given fake checks to ‘invest’ in their favorite companies. The event was made possible by a combination of teacher collaboration and partnership with the community.” The fair was a culmination of work from Ms. Gallo, Economics teacher Ms. Ennis, English teachers Ms. Saverio and Mr. Gray, and computer science teacher Ms. Verharen. “Scholarship money was generously donated by business partners Pat & Shirley Campbell and produced by Mark Westwind, of the Praxis Group,” Gallo said. The final judges were MDUSD work based learning coordinator Anna Ramos, Concord Chamber of Commerce CEO Melissa Rea, and Concord Historical Society member John Ferrante. After tabulating student scores, the event ended with a finals competition for scholarship money, with a one-point difference between 1st and 2nd place. The top 3 finishers, pictured above with teachers, were: 1st Place: “Therma Road” by  Matheus Pedroza, Isaac Jovel, Kevin Tran and Tre Jasmin 2nd Place: “Migraniac” by Amaya Lawanson, Jasira Gay and Litzy De Paz Gutierrez 3rd place: “Better Education,” by Ashley Alcala and Gabriela Leon Plasencia. Congrats to all! Ygnacio Valley HS students create mural in partnership with artist and the CARES Program Ygnacio Valley HS students who worked on the mural pose with certificates they received in recognition of their work (above). Muralist Eric Rosales, who worked with students, stands in front of the mural (below) Working with local muralist Eric Rosales, about 25 students at Ygnacio Valley HS completed a mural at the school in collaboration with the MDUSD CARES Expanded Learning Program. The brightly colored blue and yellow mural - the school's colors - depicts the new mascot the wolf, along with multicultural symbols and a peace sign. Students who worked on it signed it, along with Rosales. "It means a lot," said junior Giovanni Gomez, who participated in the project. "It symbolizes the diversity of our school and shows people we all belong." Rosales said the mural represents unity by including different symbols from different cultures, as well as a peace sign. It shows that "we welcome everybody and this is a welcoming community," he said. Eric Rego, the CARES Coordinator of After School Programs, said: "T he MDUSD CARES Expanded Learning Program is always striving to connect with students and hear about the recreational and enrichment activities they are interested in doing and implement them into our programs. This mural project is a great example." Students who created the mural were: Yanira Lopez, Stephanie Becerra, Elizabeth Martinez, Mariela Rios, Marcela Ramos, Jasmine Nunez, Blandwin Hernandez, Joe Magallon, Kaylee Perez, Frederick Fine, Efrain Coca, Paulina Juarez, Emily Garcia, Diasy Fajardo, Jennifer Jacobo, Diego Alvarado, Evelyn Yanez, Jazmin Mejia, Shivam Sehdev, Adriel Malapotel, Justin Latorre, Angelina Monroy, and Amanda Silva. Important dates Dec. 20:  African American Parent Advisory Council ( AAPAC ) meeting/Kwanzaa Celebration at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS in Bay Point. Dec. 21: End of 2nd Quarter; End of First Semester Dec. 22-Jan. 6 : School Recess (Schools closed; District Offices closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 for Christmas and New Years holidays) Jan . 9 : School resumes; Special Education Assistant Hiring Event from 5-8 p.m. at the District Office (See District News above) Jan. 10:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Jan. 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday ; Schools and District Offices closed 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 brandtt@mdusd.org. 

Saturday, Dec 17 2022

Friday Letter - December 9, 2022

DECEMBER 9, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 17 This issue highlights scholarships earned by MDHS students ; District news including parents invited to Coffee with Counselors on Saturday;  School News about Holbrook's Secret Garden Greenhouse unveiled;  Student News about Key Clubs giving back to the community; Alumni News about a CHS grad coaching baseball; Staff News about recent award nominations; important dates, and more! 14 Mt. Diablo HS Medical Biotechnology Academy students earn John Muir Health Scholarships! Mt. Diablo HS "I Belong" Scholarship winners in the school's Medical Biotechnology Academy stand with teachers David Pintado (left) and Spencer Smith (top left) and Work Based Learning Coordinator Anna Ramos (right) at John Muir Health in Concord. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is proud to announce that 14 seniors in Mt. Diablo High School's Medical Biotechnology Academy ( MBTA ) have earned "I Belong" Scholarships from John Muir Health based on applications that demonstrated their knowledge and passion for pursuing careers in healthcare, volunteer work and extracurricular activities including internships. Teacher David Pintado noted that more than 50% of the total 19 scholarships awarded went to MDHS students, including many who are also members of the HOSA health occupation student association for future healthcare professionals. This was the first year John Muir Health awarded the scholarships, which ranged from $500 to $1,000 each, in an effort to increase diversity in the healthcare industry, said Jamie Elmasu, Director of John Muir Health’s Community Health Improvement Department, who is Arab and represents Middle Eastern employees in the health system's diversity and inclusion task force. They targeted Mt. Diablo High in MDUSD, Dozier-Libbey Medical HS and Antioch HS in Antioch USD, and Richmond HS in West Contra Costa USD for the scholarships because of their diverse student populations "to show students who come from the community that there is a place for them" in local healthcare organizations. The MDHS students who earned the scholarships are: Nilab Rezaee, Fatima Moreno, LizSandra Gallegos, Ayana Platero, Stephanie Lopez Jauregui, Vanessa Chavez, Yuliana Martinez De Dios, Alejandra Garcia Barazza, Citlali Garcia, Fatima Yusi Shakour, Grecia Reyes, Mariela Dominguez De la Cruz, and Eric Jomnaap Sen. Nilab (below right), whose application earned the highest score, received $1,000 scholarship and the other students received $500 awards. She plans to attend Diablo Valley College then transfer to UC Davis to become a general surgeon. Eric (below left( said he has applied to several California State Universities and plans to pursue a career as an orthodontist. He said he appreciates the academies that Mt. Diablo HS offers because they give students a chance to explore a variety of career options such as computer science, engineering, food and hospitality, and healthcare. He is learning micropipetting, which is used in molecular biology labs. Alejandra (below, second from left) said she has applied to several universities including UCLA, UC Davis, Stanford and Harvard, which the goal of becoming a cosmetic surgeon. "I feel very grateful," she said, adding that the MBTA academy has given her opportunities to learn about occupations in the healthcare field. "I'm determined and I just won't give up," she said. Fatima (below second from right) has applied to six UCs - in Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Davis and Santa Cruz - with the goal of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon. A first-generation Filipino whose family members have sought medical help for cardiovascular issues, Fatima said she wants to assist people in the community and those from Third World countries who may not be able to afford expensive healthcare facilities. She said she appreciated the scholarship and the MBTA program because they offered her opportunities she might not otherwise be exposed to. She has learned the parts of the body and how they function, which is preparing her for courses she will take in college. Although she said she knows of many Filipino nurses, she does not know of many Filipino doctors, and she is happy that John Muir Health wants to increase diversity so that Filipino residents can feel comfortable getting medical help from professionals who understand their culture and speak their language. Fatima said she speaks Tagalog, English, Arabic, French and another Filipino dialect. Mt. Diablo HS Medical and Biotechnology Academy (MBTA) seniors (left to right) Eric Sen, Alejandra Garcia Barazza, Fatima Yusi Shakour and  Nilab Rezaee pose in front of a "photo booth" background after receiving their "I Belong" scholarships at John Muir Health in Concord. District News Parents are invited to "Coffee with the Counselors" on Saturday at Mt. Diablo HS! Latina Counselors (left to right below)  Angela Ordaz,  Marcie Torres, Leidi Arias and  Yaretzie Amaya. Four Latina counselors in MDUSD will host "Coffee with the Counselors" from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10th in the library at Mt. Diablo HS for parents who want to get familiar with school feeder patterns, learn about the school system, talk about future topics, and more! Hablamos Español! For details and to RSVP, please click on the above flyers in English and Spanish.    School Board meets Wednesday to swear in re-elected members, elect leaders, review budget The MDUSD School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 14 in the District Office Board Room to swear in re-elected members Cherise Khaund, Linda Mayo and Debra Mason; elect a new Board President and Vice President, and review and potentially approve the District's First Interim Budget Report for 2022-23, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Wednesday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: Cases reported on Thursday and Friday of this week will be included in next week's totals. The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)  seeks holiday donations through Friday MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ) is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50 with the amounts clearly marked, or monetary contributions, through Friday, Dec. 16th for our approximately 331 homeless students and 56 foster youth students at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio Street, Room 24, Concord, CA 94519. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo  @MDUSDHOPE . Click  here  or see the attached flyers for details. Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or  hope@mdusd.org . Adult Education EMT, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant programs enrolling students MDUSD's Adult Education Career Technical Education Center ( CTEC ) is now enrolling students in its 5-month Emergency Medical Technician ( EMT ) program, 3-month Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program and 7-month Medical Assistant program. The final EMT orientation is Monday, Dec. 12th at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center in Concord. CNA classes start Jan. 17th and Medical Assistant classes start Feb. 13th. Register at 925-685-7340 or  https://mdae.mdusd.org/register . See attached flyers for more information. African American Parent Advisory Council to host Kwanzaa Celebration on December 20th The next AAPAC (African American Parent Advisory Council) meeting will be held at 6 p.m. December 20th in Room 415 at Riverview MS, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point. It will include a celebration focusing on the seven principles of Kwanzaa:  1) Umoja = Unity  2)Kujichagulia = Self-Determination  3) Ujima = Collective Work and Responsibility  4) Ujamaa = Cooperative Economics  5) Nia = Purpose 6) Kuumba= Creativity  7) Imani = Faith  Click on the flyer below for details. Click on the video below to see excerpts from last month's AAPAC meeting, which focused on preparing students for college. Parent input sought for new MDUSD website MDUSD is in process of selecting a new website vendor and platform for the District, with a plan to transition prior to the start of the 2023-2024 school year. As a part of this process we want to get input from parents and guardians in our schools who are familiar with our current District and school websites and may have suggestions for changes or improvements.  Our goals for the new website: A reliable, accessible and easy-to-update platform for schools and District Departments. Compelling but clean design. A platform that allows for easy access and straight-forward navigation of the site, both on desktop and mobile devices. User-friendly, relevant content for all users. Cutting-edge tools and features that can easily integrate with other existing forms of communication like ParentSquare and social media. A central tool to provide clear communication in an engaging way for all website users. Please complete the survey here by Wednesday, December 21st at 5 p.m. This information will provide data to our Website Review Team. We appreciate your interest in helping us improve our offerings to our school community. For questions about this survey, please contact Chief Business Officer Lisa Gonzales at gonzaleslm@mdusd.org. Tentative Agreement reached between CSEA and MDUSD We are pleased to announce that after five bargaining sessions, the California School Employees Association (CSEA) and the District came to a tentative agreement on Dec. 6th to completely resolve the 2022-2025 successor contract negotiations with agreements on proposed changes to Articles 5 (Grievance Procedure), 6 (Hours of Work), 7 (Overtime), 8/E (Vacation), 19 (Personal Necessity Leave), 21 (Sick Leave), 22 (Inservice), 23 (Salary Administration), 24 (Salary), 25 (Benefits), 30 (Discipline), 32 (Layoff Procedures), 33 (Promotion), 36 (Transfer), 39 (Term), 41 (Summer School), and Appendices C (Summer School) and A (Salary Schedule). While this agreement still needs to be reviewed by CSEA members and the MDUSD Board of Education, we would like to jointly thank everyone for the tremendous amount of work that went into coming to an agreement. We are pleased that this agreement, once ratified and approved, will significantly enhance the compensation for CSEA unit members and strengthen the continued collaboration between the District and the union.   Sincerely, The CSEA and MDUSD Bargaining Teams MDUSD Career Pathways students participate in Mock Interviews with industry partners Over the last several weeks, students from Mt. Diablo HS (MDHS) and Ygnacio Valley HS (YVHS) participated in mock interviews with local industry partners. The participating MDHS students were Engineering and MBTA students who participated in a 6-week long Work Readiness training, with interviews capping off the training. Martinez Refinery served as the interviewers and provided valuable feedback to the students, who were eager to learn about what they needed to work on to improve. During the weekly workshops, students learned about the importance of professionalism and first impressions, but it was great seeing them put these concepts into action and learning through this real life experience, said Heather Fontanilla, Career Pathways Administrator. "MDUSD was fortunate to have access to Office Evolution, a work space at the Veranda shopping center. It made the experience more immersive. Five students successfully completed the training, including the mock interviews, and received their Work Readiness Certificate," she added.  Seventeen students from YVHS's College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) STEM Engineering program participated in mock interviews with industry partners from 12 different engineering firms from around the Bay Area. The partners were from GHD Engineering, PG&E, Chevron, Bishop Wisecarver, TRB+Associates, Eichleay, Corteva, ENGEO, Harris and Associates, Marathon, Calitho, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and Jacobs. Students were able to showcase their professional skills and professional portfolios and received feedback. "It is our hope that some of these industry partners will be interested in hosting these same students as summer interns," Fontanilla said.     In both sets of interviews, employers stated that as students grew more comfortable, their interview skills improved. Some of the employers reported being “Wowed” by the students, Fontanilla added.  In addition to providing feedback to students, the employers also provided some insight to the work-based learning teaching team about how they can better prepare students for interviews. "We appreciate our industry partners’ support," Fontanilla said. "Through their collaboration with the work based learning team, we are increasing the work readiness of MDUSD students." Bridge Program students donate to Toys for Tots Several students in MDUSD’s Bridge Program recently donated toys to a local Toys for Tots drive. The students “are lovely civic-minded people,” said teacher Darien Rule. “We went shopping and each of us chose a toy - or two -  to put in the Toys for Tots bin from our Bridge Leadership students.” Mt. Diablo HS JROTC 8th  Brigade '22  is seeking contributions through Jan. 4th Students in Mt. Diablo High School’s JROTC program are participating in an online fundraiser to raise money for equipment, travel fees, competition fees, the group's Military Ball and other needs. You can see some students explain the fundraiser in the above video . Click here to donate to the fundraiser, which has a goal of $6,000. You can donate to specific students by clicking on donate, selecting an amount, then selecting a participant. School News Holbrook Language Academy celebrates greenhouse ribbon-cutting and Girl Scout awards Click on the tweets below to see how members of the community supported the recent ribbon-cutting of a new greenhouse for garden education at the Holbrook Language Academy and awards to student Girl Scouts who helped to recruit volunteers and business partners for the "Secret Garden" project. You can read more about the project in the Sept. 16th Friday Letter . Student News Key Club students at CHS and MDHS give back to community during holiday season The Concord Pioneer recently published an article about the charitable work of Key Club members in local high schools including Concord HS and Mt. Diablo HS, who have participated in various efforts to help others during the holiday season. “There is so much to learn by stepping up as student leaders and providing support to those who need it most,” said Tommy Nguyen, president of Concord High School’s Key Club. Mt. Diablo High Key Club president Maria Stamp echoed those thoughts, suggesting that the joy generated through community events makes students aware that these activities are so much bigger than themselves. “If there is something they can do for others, reach out and do whatever you can,” Stamp said, pointing to the division-wide Pennies for Pediatrics that raised $300 for area pediatric hospital trauma programs, food and coat drives, or helping at soup kitchens. Read the full story here . MDUSD Alumni Highlight USA Baseball Selects Concord HS alum Chad Highberger To Instruct Top Infield Talent UC Berkeley’s Cal Baseball third-year volunteer assistant coach Chad Highberger, who is a Concord HS grad and Concord HS baseball team alum, had the opportunity to coach at USA Baseball's Prospect Development Camp December 2-4 in Los Angeles, according to a Cal Bears news story . MLB Prospect Development Pipeline events are conducted on an invite-only basis, featuring the top amateur baseball players in each selected region. Under Highberger, who is Cal's infield and catching coach, the Bears have seen four infielder's in four different positions drafted in the last two years. At the camp, Highberger was assigned to base runners and middle infielders in the event that saw elite talent from the 2024, 2025, and 2026 graduating classes. The exceptional coaching staff that Highberger worked with included: Jim Koerner USA Baseball Director of Player Development, Veronica Alvarez current MiLB catching coach for the Oakland A's and current head coach of USA Baseball Women's National Team, Tom Donald longtime high school baseball coach, and former major league baseball players Mike Kinkade and Ernie Young. Concord HS Baseball tweeted a response to the story, saying: "Congrats kid, awesome news! Couldn't go to a more deserving coach!"  Staff News Three MDUSD staffers receive “Magnificent 7” award nominations at conference MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, left, stands with  MDUSD  CASBO "Magnificent 7" award nominees (l-r) Laura Warner, Julie Carpenter and Andrea Ramirez. MDUSD is proud that three of its Business Services employees were nominated for “Magnificent 7” awards recognizing them as “Outstanding School Employees” by the California School Business Officials (CASBO) Northern Section. They are: Laura Warner, lead buyer in the purchasing and warehouse Department; J ulie Carpenter, an administrative secretary in the Transportation Department; and  Andrea Ramirez, who coordinates student data systems in the Information Technology Department. “Laura is known throughout Mt. Diablo Unified as an administrative super star,” said Elizabeth McClanahan, Director of Purchasing & Warehouse, who nominated her. “There is simply nothing that Laura cannot or would not do to support programs, employees, her immediate team, and anyone who reaches out for assistance. Thank you, Laura, for being a wonderful example of a true leader!” “The ‘Silent Leader’ is a great way to describe Julie. She does not like to be in the limelight, but is eager to contribute to the success of the team,” said Transportation Director Cris Lepe, who nominated her. ”Julie also has that special touch: a condolence card; birthday decorations, staff events….she does it all. And we’re the better for it! Job well done, Julie! Thank you for your contributions!” “Andrea joined MDUSD just two years ago and has transformed the ways in which users of our student information system are supported across the District,” said Director of Technology and Innovation Robert Sidford, who nominated her. “She is a wealth of knowledge and is always looking for ways to expand her expertise. Thank you for your leadership, Andrea!” Congrats to all! Important dates Dec. 14: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Dec. 15:  Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 5 p.m.; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 21: End of 2nd Quarter; End of First Semester Dec. 22-Jan. 6 : School Recess (Schools closed; District Offices closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 for Christmas and New Years holidays) Jan . 9 : School resumes Jan. 10:  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 Brandt. Reach her at brandtt@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Dec 10 2022

Friday Letter - December 2, 2022

DECEMBER 2, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 16 This issue highlights the Sunrise School's Golden Bell Award ; District news including Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Open House and Art & Craft Fair is Saturday;   Community News including Concord Tree Lighting features Concord HS Jazz Band and Ladies First Choir; School New including the Middle School Ocean Ambassadors program; Student Social Media Shout-outs highlighting recent activities; An Alumni highlight featuring a Northgate HS grad who received an award for his work with homeless and foster youth students, Staff Social Media Shout-outs; important dates, and more! Sunrise School's   S pecial Education collaborative program receives Golden Bell Award! At the CSBA Conference, (l-r below) Board Member Linda Mayo, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Sunrise Elementary Principal Jenny Vargas and Board Member Debra Mason received the Golden Bell Award. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce that its Sunrise Elementary School Social Emotional Educational Collaborative (SEEC) program has earned a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) for its outstanding program in the category of Special Education! The award recognizes the program’s unique ability to provide students in grades TK-8 - who have not been successful on a comprehensive elementary school campus due to their challenging behavioral and emotional needs - with special education and mental health services that help them thrive. Using a trauma-informed approach, the program meets students and families where they are and provides an   equitable education with an unconditional care model through a collaboration with Contra Costa County Mental Health and the District Mental Health Collaborative that includes small classes with high levels of emotional support in a less restrictive setting than a non-public school placement. This allows students to remain in the District and gives them the opportunity to return to their home school, or another school, when ready.   “The ability to offer students an in-District placement that can best meet their needs and keep them in our school community where they are surrounded by classmates and their families is paramount to our mission of meeting the needs of all students where they are,” said Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, “and the data reinforces the program’s success.” Because of the   nature of staff’s training and support, families believe their children can be successful. Students feel supported and successful for the first time in their school career, courtesy of the tools and strategies needed for transition back to a mainstream setting. Success stories include: a student who came to us last March   shared that he finally felt comfortable completing his work and didn’t feel anxious about being in a large group of students,  Principal Jenny Vargas attended the high school graduation for three of her first Sunrise students last year,  a recent high school graduate now attends Chapman University with a full scholarship for dance. When the flagship SEEC program at Sunrise was established more than 20 years ago, some didn't think its students would end up graduating. Now, due to the program’s success, it has been expanded in our District to Sun Terrace Elementary School; Pleasant Hill and Riverview middle schools; Concord, Mt. Diablo and Olympic/Alliance high schools, and to the Glenbrook Academy, which serves students in grades 6-12. Congrats on this well-deserved award! District News 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page .  Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Annual Open House and Art & Craft Sale is Saturday  Mt. Diablo Adult Education invites the community to its Annual Open House and Art & Craft Sale from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3rd at the Pleasant Hill Adult Education Center, One Santa Barbara Road in Pleasant Hill. The event will feature great handcrafted gifts, along with the opportunity to visit open classrooms, meet instructors, chat with students, and see demonstrations. There will also be prize drawings for tuition credits toward future classes. For details about the event, see the attached flyer . For more information about Mt. Diablo Adult Education programs, click here .  Mt. Diablo Adult Education’s Lifelong Education Program offers holiday-themed classes Mt. Diablo Adult Education’s Lifelong Education program is offering three great cooking classes in December, along with floral designs for the holidays, and a woodturning class geared toward decorating your tree.   Details are in the program's December newsletter here . MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)  seeks holiday donations . MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ) is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50 with the amounts clearly marked, or monetary contributions, through Dec. 16th for our approximately 331 homeless students and 58 foster youth students at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio Street, Room 24, Concord, CA 94519. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo  @MDUSDHOPE . Click  here  or see the attached flyers for details. Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or  hope@mdusd.org . 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! MDUSD Bridge Program hosts Holiday Boutique at District Office  To celebrate the holidays and raise money for class activities, students in MDUSD's Bridge Program created and sold a variety of items at a Holiday Boutique at the District Office including wreaths, bird houses, bath salts, ornaments, centerpieces, beeswax wraps, wood crafts and bracelets. Dozens of District Office staff members visited the boutique to purchase items and chat with students and staff members in the program, which is for persons 18-22 with disabilities who have completed four years of high school with a Certificate of Completion or who are working towards a Certificate of Completion and have turned 18 years old. Part of the program involves vocational training including class businesses such as the Friends Cafe, Dragon Shop featuring shave ice, a car wash and popcorn shop. More information is here .  Community News Concord's Tree Lighting event tonight will feature Concord HS Jazz Band and Ladies First choir! Concord's free Annual Tree Lighting and Mayor's Sing-Along is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. TODAY (Friday, Dec. 2nd) in Todos Santos Plaza, featuring live performances by the Concord High Jazz Band and Concord High Ladies First choir. Details are here .  The on-stage performances can be viewed live on Concord’s TV channels (Comcast 28, Astound 1026, and U-verse 99) and livestreamed through the  City’s website . Cantos, Cuentos y Colaciones🎄Bilingual Songs and Games for the Holiday Season on Monday Children and families are invited to join musical and storyteller group Cascada de Flores for a free bilingual (English and Spanish) original Christmas story told with music, dance and games from 6-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 at the Concord Library, 2900 Salvio St. in Concord. The participatory event will show how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico and Central America. It is co-sponsored by REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking) and Friends of the Concord Library. Details are here and in attached flyers. 4th-graders and families can get into 19 state parks FREE with CA  State Parks Adventure Pass The California State Park Adventure Pass provides free entry for 4th-graders and their families at 19 amazing state parks throughout the state through a  partnership with the First Partner’s Office and the Natural Resources Agency .  A family (up to three adults and other kids) and friends (everyone in your car) can enjoy all sorts of adventures at 19 state parks during a student's whole 4th-grade year — and the summer, too. This Pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is a 4th grader, from September 1 to August 31 of that year. For full terms and conditions, click here.   Learn more at: About the California State Park Adventure Pass . School News Ocean Ambassadors Program in Middle Schools Through partnership with the Marine Mammal Center in Marin County, the Ocean Ambassadors program is off to a great start in most of our middle school classrooms! The purpose of the Ocean Ambassadors program is to engage students and raise awareness of the importance of healthy ocean ecosystems through a special curriculum and field trip. To prepare for the field trip, educators teach a series of lessons about the impact of ocean conditions on marine mammal health. On the field trip, students witness first-hand the impact the Marine Mammal Center has on marine mammal health. Students also hike to a nearby beach to observe animals in their natural habitat. Click on the tweets below to see the meaningful opportunities students from El Dorado, Foothill and Pine Hollow middle schools have enjoyed through this program. And click here to find out how you can watch the Marine Mammal Center's live-streamed releases of rehabilitated California wildlife.  Elementary Schools Celebrate Autumn Leaves and their completing First Trimester! Click on the tweets below to see how students at Gregory Gardens Elementary and  Walnut Acres Elementary celebrated Autumn leaves falling , and 1st-graders at Holbrook Language Academy celebrated the end of the First Trimester! Students and staff at some schools share the joy of rooting for World Cup teams!   Click on the tweets below to see how students and staff at Riverview MS, Olympic High School, Holbrook Language Academy and Gregory Gardens Elementary had fun watching the World Cup Soccer Games and cheering on their teams, as well as each other, while a Northgate HS Spanish teacher revved up his household for teams from Spain and the USA! Musicians from District schools perform in campus concerts and community events! Click on the tweets below to see how musicians from Foothill MS, Northgate HS and Concord HS have been entertaining audiences in Walnut Creek schools and the Holiday Parade of Lights at Broadway Plaza! Student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see recent activities enjoyed by journalism students from Olympic HS, My Other Brother and My Other Sister scholars at Riverview MS, Robotics Club members at Oak Grove MS, Dual Language Kindergartners at Holbrook Language Academy, Girls Wrestling Team members at Northgate and College Park high schools, Education Academy students at Ygnacio Valley HS, AVID students at Concord HS, and Girls on the Run participants at Shore Acres Elementary! MDUSD Alumni Highlight Northgate HS alum honored with Threads of Hope Award from Diablo Magazine Northgate HS alum Seena Farhadi has received the Threads of Hope Award from Diablo Magazine for the Learning Enrichment and Assistance Program ( LEAP ) he founded to help MDUSD's homeless and foster youth students when he was a junior at Northgate. The program works with the District's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ) and Foster Youth Services "to identify students who are struggling academically and provide virtual peer-to-peer tutoring," according to the Diablo Magazine . "Last year, Farhadi recruited around 50 high school volunteers and matched 30 of them with a homeless or foster youth student."  LEAP also partnered with others to host a summer enrichment camp, provide gift cards for school supplies, and stuffed animals to unhoused students. Now a freshman at UC Berkeley, Farhadi is looking forward to making LEAP even bigger. “Seena has the ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds — all of whom are facing poverty and hardships—and that requires a lot of sensitivity and compassion,” says James Wogan, the assistant director for MDUSD student services. “He brings something special, something magic to the way he listens and learns about what life is like for these kids." Staff Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see how some MDUSD staff members have recognized their colleagues in recent shout-outs for their inspiring work in MDUSD! They include a rhyming dialogue between a Northgate HS teacher who lauds his principal, a beautiful sunset to honor a HOPE senior secretary on her birthday, and spirited smiles for the the staff at Hidden Valley Elementary! Important dates Dec. 6:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Dec. 14: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Dec. 15:  Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 5 p.m.; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 21: End of 2nd Quarter; End of First Semester Dec. 22-Jan. 6 :   School Recess  (Schools closed; District Offices closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 for Christmas and New Years holidays) Jan . 9 : School resumes 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 brandtt@mdusd.org.

Saturday, Dec 03 2022

Friday Letter - November 18, 2022

NOVEMBER 18, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 15 NOTE:  There will be no Friday Letter or Superintendent's Organizational Update next week due to the School Recess. This issue highlights the You Make A Difference Awards ; District news including donations sought for homeless students;   Community News including free online tutoring available through libraries;  School News including Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day;  Student highlights including artist and athlete spotlights; Alumni highlights featuring Northgate and College Park grads, Staff Social Media Shout-outs; important dates, and more! "You Make A Difference" Awards highlight those positively impacting Special Ed students You Make A Difference Award winners included Ayers Elementary student Sofia Pando (above left), Special Day Class teacher Terri Huston (above center) and Special Education Assistant (SEA) Margo Castellano (above right) standing with Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. During a heartwarming gathering on Wednesday, MDUSD's Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) hosted its "You Make A Difference" Awards ceremony "Celebrating our everyday superheroes who go above and beyond in the lives of Special Education students." The event recognized 26 people who were nominated by District staff, parents and/or students for their exceptional work and the caring relationships they have built with students, parents and their colleagues. "This is one of the most joyous occasions we get to attend," said Board Member Linda Mayo, who welcomed the award recipients and their supporters to the event at Concord High School. "We appreciate the support you give to our students." Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark added: "I cannot thank you enough for the support you give." He revealed that his own brother's life was greatly impacted by special education teachers and service providers after he was blinded in an accident as a 12-year-old boy. He learned to read Braille, graduated from high school and college with a Doctorate degree and has three children. Like his brother, Dr. Clark said the impact the award recipients are having on students now will also help them to succeed in the future. "These kids who we work with are awesome and they need caring adults," he said. "You are providing hope for their parents and brothers and sisters. I am honored to be the superintendent here and I trust our students with each and every one of the adults that we put in their care." Dorothy Weisenberger, Community Advisory Committee chairperson, invited parents who are interested to join the CAC or participate in meetings , which are held monthly on Zoom. And Wendi Aghily, Chief of Pupil Services and Special Education, thanked the award recipients for "truly deciding to make a difference in the lives of other people." You Make A Difference Award winners included (l-r) Robert Shearer Preschool Special Education Assistant Jalaine Hroza, Sign Language Assistant Barbara Carpenter, Assistant to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students Theresa Stevens and Speech Language Pathologist Jennifer Wayman (pictured with Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark). The award winners are:  Sofia Pando, an Ayers Elementary 4th-grader who helps TK students with Down Syndrome Katie Roarty, Office Manager at the Bridge Program for 18-22-year-old with disabilities Kami Rossi, a PE teacher at Concord HS who spearheaded the Unified Sports program at the school Contra Costa Behavioral Health partners Gerold Loenicker, Marilyn Franklin and Sharon Go, who help support students with special needs Jenn Kenney, a Special Education Assistant (SEA) formerly at Highlands Elementary (parent nominated) Lisa Okawa, a Special Education Assistant (SEA) at College Park HS specalizing in math Amy Lejano, a senior secretary in MDUSD Special Education Department Barbara Scott, Director of MDUSD's Home and Hospital program Joelle Kimack Piranio, Office Manager at El Monte Elementary Shelly Ramos, a Special Day Class teacher at Ayers Elementary Emily Maher, a  Special Day Class teacher at Hidden Valley Elementary Kayo Alencastre, a  Special Day Class teacher at Hidden Valley Elementary Cecelia Guzman, a  Special Day Class teacher at Oak Grove MS Seena Smith, a  Special Education teacher at Pine Hollow MS Ezra "Coco" Contreras, a Speech Language Pathologist at Pleasant Hill Elementary Jalaine Hroza, a  Special Education Assistant (SEA) at Robert Shearer Preschool Barbara Carpenter, a Sign Language Assistant in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, Robert Shearer Preschool Theresa Stevens, Special Education Assistant (SEA) to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, Robert Shearer Preschool Jennifer Wayman, a Speech Language Pathologist at Robert Shearer Preschool Terri Huston, a  Special Day Class teacher at Silverwood Elementary Margo Castellano, a  Special Education Assistant (SEA) at Sun Terrace Elementary Maria Teresa Healy, a  Special Education Assistant (SEA) at Ygnacio Valley Elementary Dr. Kathy Futterman, MDUSD's Dyslexia Education Specialist Denise Lambert, Lifetime Achievement Award for former longtime CAC leader and parent advocate Congrats and THANK YOU to all! Award winners Maria Teresa Healy (above left) and Dr. Kathy Futterman (above center) stand with Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, and Denise Lambert (above right) accepts her Lifetime Achievement Award. District News No school or COVID testing next week due to the School Recess All MDUSD schools will be closed next week, Monday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Nov. 25, for the School Recess. District offices will be open Monday, Nov. 21 through Wednesday, Nov. 23, but will be closed Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving Holidays. All schools and District offices will reopen on Monday, Nov. 28th. COVID-19 testing sites in the District will also be  closed  Saturday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 27. 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . (There will be no Dashboard posted next week due to the Thanksgiving Week School Recess.) MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)  seeks holiday donations MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ) is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50 with the amounts clearly marked, or monetary contributions, through Dec. 16th for our homeless and foster youth students at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio Street, Room 24, Concord, CA 94519. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo  @MDUSDHOPE . See attached flyers for details. Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or  hope@mdusd.org . “Art in a Box” for Homeless MDUSD Students In addition to the Holiday Donations being sought, The Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise is partnering with Mt. Diablo HOPE and the Michelangelo D’Onofrio Arts Foundation to provide “Art in a Box” supplies to MDUSD students experiencing homelessness. Personal size boxes are filled with age-appropriate art supplies to be distributed by Mt. Diablo HOPE. Each box costs about $25 to produce and is filled with art tablets, construction paper, colored pencils, art erasers, markers, crayons, clay, painting sets, scissors, sharpeners, glue sticks, and a drawing instruction booklet. This program depends on contributions throughout the year. More information is available in this Pioneer article or by contacting Joan Donofrio at 925 822-3994 or joandonofrio@aol.com; or James Wogan at the MDUSD Homeless Outreach Program for Education at 925 682-800 Ext. 3054 or hope@mdusd.org  MDUSD High School Jazz Festival highlights talented musicians from throughout District! Musicians from College Park HS, Concord HS, Northgate HS and Ygnacio Valley HS delighted a packed house at the Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center on November 10th during the District's High School Jazz Festival.  The event featured Jazz I and Jazz II bands, as well as a special guest performance by the DVC Jazz Ensemble Combo.  Click on the tweets below and to the left to see and even hear some of the action!  MDUSD receives another "Farm to School" grant of more than $300,000! MDUSD is the proud recipient of yet another CDFA Office of Farm to Fork grant for over $300K, implemented by MDUSD's Growing Healthy Kids program. With the grant, MDUSD plans to "build ultra local farm partnerships and continue free garden education field trips for all low-income MDUSD students," the Growing Healthy Kids program posted on Facebook. "Quite an honor to be one of the 120 farm to school projects selected from across the state of California!" The group plans to partner with the MDUSD CARES After School program, MDUSD Food & Nutrition Services , Eat REAL , Healthy Hearts Institute, Family Harvest Farm , and Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center "to keep students and local food systems healthy and equitable.  "Little Free Antiracist Library" opens at El Dorado Middle School Supporters stand next to the Little Free Antiracist Library at El Dorado Middle School including (left to right) Principal Megan Estenson, Rise Up Against Racism Co-founders Sarah Foster, Jenny Roy and Meg Honey; John Muir Health Director of Community Improvement Jamie Elmasu, MDUSD Secondary School Support Administrator Chris Clausen and Board Member Erin McFerrin. (Photo: Mason Foster Photography) Members of the local nonprofit Rise Up Against Racism were excited to unveil their first "Little Free Antiracist Library" in the Mt. Diablo school district on the El Dorado MS campus on Thursday. The group has previously installed Little Free Antiracist Libraries in small house-shaped kiosks in Walnut Creek, Martinez, Burlingame and Clayton "to elevate diverse voices and inspire our community to actively engage in antiracist learning. Meg Honey, a teacher at Northgate High who is one of the co-founders of the group, said their work is "very much aligned with the equity work happening districtwide." In fact, the MDUSD School Board updated its Equity Policy at its last meeting adding: "Staff and students will not read out loud or verbally repeat any racially derogatory terms written in the texts." The new library at El Dorado MS was created in collaboration with the school's CARES after-school program and funded by John Muir Health. It includes books from the Rise Up's curated collection , with input from the El Dorado MS staff, which stressed the need for books accessible to students ages 11 to 13 and young adult readers. It also includes picture books for students' siblings and adult books for parents and staff members in the school community, including "The 1619 Project," which one family borrowed on Thursday. Megan Estenson, Principal of El Dorado MS, said she was enthusiastic about having the library on campus to help continue the community's learning about equity and to highlight the diversity at the school. Honey said Rise Up hopes to bring more Little Free Antiracist Libraries to other district campuses in the future. 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 Free Online Homework Help/Tutoring available through CA State Library The California State Library provides free online tutoring for California K-12 students, available through public libraries. Through HelpNow, live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards.  Live tutors fluent in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog are available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Additionally, HelpNow features AI translation allowing tutors and students to communicate in nearly any language. The Contra Costa County libraries link is here . School News Several MDUSD schools participate in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Several MDUSD Schools participated in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day this week, including Gregory Gardens, Monte Gardens, Valle Verde, and Valhalla elementary schools and Riverview MS. Click on the tweets below to find out more about this day and the impact that Ruby Bridges had - and is still having - on today's schoolchildren. A Gregory Gardens PTA Instagram post explains: " On November 14, 1960, six-year-old first-graderRuby Bridges stepped into the history books when she integrated William Frantz Elementary School. She was not looking to make history. She just wanted to go to school and have the opportunity to learn, and to do so safely. But her courageous action and historic steps initiated the desegregation of New Orleans’ public schools.  Now, more than 60 years later, Ruby is looking to make sure school-age kids around our nation have that same experience. Her vision is for them to become the next generation of leaders who end racism and all forms of bullying together, one step at a time." Bike.PHE bike fest and swap at Pleasant Hill Elementary was a success! Congratulations to Pleasant Hill Elementary School's successful bike fest and swap last weekend, hosted by the school's Bike.PHE group, which also coordinates Walk and Roll Wednesdays. The school's PTA newsletter included this highlight below: And here are more details about the event posted on the group's Instagram , including details about the city of Pleasant Hill's interest in helping to improve its Safe Routes to Schools!  Bike.PHE parent coordinator Cara De Jong (left to right) stands with Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris and Pleasant Hill Elementary Principal Nicholas Rey at the Bike.PHE Bike Fest on Nov. 12th.  Schools celebrate Thanksgiving with potlucks, food drives, gestures of gratitude and art As MDUSD schools prepare for the School Recess next week, many campuses celebrated Thanksgiving by sharing food, artwork and a spirit of gratitude and giving. Click on the tweets below to see how schools including Valhalla Elementary, Strandwood Elementary, Olympic HS, Oak Grove HS, Concord HS and Pine Hollow MS have been sharing their community spirit. Student Highlights Riverview MS November Art Show video Creative artwork by Riverview MS students in Digital Art, computers, and Art 1 classes is featured in this November Art Show video created by art teacher Annemarie Baldauf. What a great way to share with the MDUSD community! MDUSD Student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the Social Media posts below to see how students at Walnut Acres Elementary, Sun Terrace Elementary, Woodside Elementary,   Ygnacio Valley HS, Olympic HS, Concord HS and Northgate HS  are being recognized. MDUSD Alumni Highlights College Park HS choir alumna sings on score for "Black Panther" and Rihanna's "Lift me up"  The College Park HS Choir proudly tweeted recently  that one of its alumna, Natalie Gonzalez (who was the choir's "Singer of the Year" in 2016), "can be heard in the soundtrack to 'Wakanda Forever,' and the new Rihanna record. Way to go, Natalie!" The tweet linked to Natalie's Facebook post , which said: "SO honored to have sung on the score for Black Panther and choir vocals for ' Lift Me Up ' by Rihanna!!....Completely unreal and incredibly grateful"  Northgate HS alum featured in online AP Art Exhibit Congrats to Northgate HS alum Andrew Galbraith on being selected to be included in an online AP Art Exhibit featuring his 3D Art Design for a desk created with eco materials. With 62,000 entries, Andrew was among 50 artists featured in the exhibit, which includes quotes from Andrew, art teacher Carolyn Moore and Principal Kelly Cooper. " My advice to anyone out there, AP art students or not, is to just keep ideating," Andrew said. "Keep ideas cycling through your head, open yourself to new viewpoints, and try those ideas. This applies to art, design, and beyond." You can see his work  here Staff Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see how MDUSD staff members at Bancroft Elementary, Gregory Gardens Elementary, Shore Acres Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Riverview MS, Pine Hollow MS, Ygnacio Valley HS and in the District's Business Services Departments and elementary dual language teachers are being recognized. Important dates Nov. 21-25:   School Recess  (No School all week; District Offices closed Nov. 24-25 for Thanksgiving holiday) Nov . 29 : Parent Advisory Council (PAC)  meeting   at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center in Concord Dec. 6:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Dec. 14: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Dec. 15:  Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 5 p.m.; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 21: End of 2nd Quarter; End of First Semester Just for fun....Pre Thanksgiving friends at our Willow Creek Center 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, Nov 19 2022

Friday Letter - November 11, 2022

NOVEMBER 11, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 14 NOTE: This week's Friday Letter is being sent out on Thursday, November 10, since Friday, November 11 is the Veterans Day holiday. This issue highlights Sequoia MS teacher engages students with escape room activities ; District news including School Board incumbents are re-elected;   Community News including Dental Hygiene Clinic available at DVC;  School News featuring Sunrise School's chili cook-off;  Student news about a Concord HS choir singing at the County's Veterans Day service; important dates, and more! Sequoia MS English teacher engages students with “escape room” activities, puzzles Sequoia MS 8th grade English and History teacher Rebecca Machado (below right) recently won an "Unlock Creativity MicroGrant" that provided her with Escape Room style activities and puzzles from BreakoutEDU that help engage students in critical thinking and connect with what they're learning Keeping students engaged in what they're learning can a daunting task for teachers. Rebecca Machado, an 8th-grade English and History teacher at Sequoia Middle School in Pleasant Hill is helping her to motivate students to think critically about what they're learning, while also having fun working in teams to solve "escape room" types of puzzles as they search for combinations to open locks, thanks to an  an "Unlock Creativity" MicroGrant  recently won from BreakoutEDU . " I’m super excited to have won," she said, noting that the activities are aligned with educational curriculum standards. "These games help students work as a team and think through complex clues to lead them through the puzzles," she said. "Some are just fun puzzles to work on critical thinking, and some are based on curriculum standards for the different grade levels and subject areas." Her Unlock Creativity MicroGrant 2022 (valued at $2,999) includes: A school-wide digital subscription for up to 30 Sequoia MS teachers for the 2022-2023 school year 10 Breakout EDU Kits (including the Gen. 2 Expansion Pack) Onboarding and professional development to support successful implementation Ongoing support to ensure maximum engagement and efficacy In her grant application, Machado stressed that the teamwork required would help with students' social and emotional learning as they interact with each other doing hands-on activities, which increases student engagement. Plus, Machado ran an Escape Room Club on campus last year, which she may relaunch now that she has new puzzles and activities she can use. Machado introduced her classes to the puzzles recently with an activity based on the Edgar Allan Poe story “ The Tell-Tale Heart, ” after the class read it. "One of the puzzles involves figurative language terms, one involves punctuation, and one deals with mapping out the plot of the story," she said. Figurative terms they investigated included simile, metaphors, hyperbole and personification. Some clues required students to use black light flashlights to read them, while others required them to count different types of punctuation in specific sections such as periods, commas, semicolons, exclamation points and question marks. The numbers they came up with could be used as combinations to open one of six locks on the breakout box. As the teams worked against the clock, individual students worked on different puzzles, then consulted each other along the way. "Find an onomatopoeia!" one student yelled excitedly. As they began to unlock the locks, their enthusiasm grew. But all the teams needed multiple "hints" from Machado to complete the activities. One puzzle included a quiz about the plot with multiple choice answers labeled a, b, c, d or e. Students were required to write down some of the letters they chose as answers and unscramble them to make a word that would open a lock with a letter combination. The letters they chose were: DDEA. "What word can you rearrange those to spell?" Machado asked. "D-E-A-D!" students shouted, as their eyes lit up and they eagerly turned the combination lock to match their answer. "I got it!" one boy said excitedly as he slid the lock off of the box. Another puzzle asked them to count how many times specific words were repeated, such as "heart." By the end of the hourlong class, every team had solved their puzzles. "That was so much fun!" said Brody Madarang, with a smile. "I like solving puzzles." Another team shouted: "Ms. Machado, we got it!" She responded encouragingly, "I'm so proud of you!" Student Theo Kropf-Rodenzo said she enjoyed the activity, but noted, "It was very intense." She said the fact that it was related to what they were learning in class made it "easier and more interesting." And she liked that the teamwork involved individual puzzle-solving, as well as group deliberations. "We all worked together, but separately, at the same time," she said. The plot quiz required students to make inferences about what the old man in the story was thinking and what he knew and didn't know, she added. Melia Mingland, said she liked the activities a lot. Her favorite clue, she said, required students to scan a QR code, go online, flash lights over letters and write them down. "It spelled, 'The chair is key,'" she said. With that clue, students peered underneath their chairs to find the key to another lock. Machado presented the BreakoutEDU program to other Sequoia MS teachers during their staff meeting on Wednesday. "It was awesome," she said. "The teachers had fun 'breaking out' of one of the activities as groups and 15 have already signed up to have access through our school account. I have a feeling a number of them will use the games, especially the digital ones that require very little prep." Next year, Machado said she wants to use a breakout room designed around the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, since she has already taught that this fall.  And later this year, she may use one of the activities related to George Washington's presidency. Her students, she said, "love them and have asked to do them again." "Interactive group activities like these are huge," she said. "They really get our students engaged. I hope some other schools are inspired to find things like this to apply for." District News No school Friday, November 11th, due to the Veterans Day Holiday Reminder: All MDUSD schools and District Offices will be closed Friday, November 11th, in recognition of the Veterans Day Holiday. Schools and District Offices will reopen Monday, November 14th. Thank you to all veterans for your service to our country, including Ygnacio Valley High School Army Veterans (left to right in tweet ) Sargent Haley, Sargent Edwards, and Lieutenant Colonel Pike.  MDUSD Board makes appointments, reviews fiscal reports, updates equity policy The MDUSD School Board on Wednesday appointed  Besaida Cardoza-Fraire   as the Educational Consultation and Behavior Management Specialist in the Equity Department and  Yesenia Lechuga  as the Educational Consultation and Behavior Management Specialist in the Special Education Department.  In addition, the Board reviewed two Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team reports, and approved  revisions  to the Board Policy on Equity, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . Three MDUSD School Board incumbents are re-elected to four-year terms MDUSD Governing Board incumbents Debra Mason (above left), Cherise Khaund (above center) and Linda Mayo (above right) have been re-elected to four-year terms based on unofficial Contra Costa County election results . Mason represents Area 1, which includes the northern section of the District in Bay Point, Pittsburg and portions of Concord and Martinez. Khaund represents Area 4, which includes the southern section of the District in Walnut Creek, Clayton and portions of Concord. Mayo, who ran unopposed in the November 8 election, represents Area 2, which includes Pleasant Hill and portions of Martinez and Walnut Creek. The District Trustee Area map is here .  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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Thursday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Students comment on meals, bus service in "Road Shows with Business Services Leaders" When MDUSD's Business Services Department leaders met last Spring to build out their equity initiative, one of their priorities was student voice and choice. "It is so important to create meaningful opportunities for students to tell us how they feel about the services we provide," shared Director of Purchasing & Warehouse Elizabeth McClanahan. The department heads initially wanted to create a student advisory group, but found it difficult to reach and recruit students. So, they they shifted their focus by visiting students at their schools. "Taking our show on the road is a great way to meet students where they are," explained Robert Sidford, Director of Technology & Innovation.  Visits to school sites to discuss district operational programs started last week at Valhalla Elementary. The hour-long lunchtime session focused on student voice and choice. A group of 4th and 5th graders shared their experiences on MDUSD buses and provided valuable comments about their cafeteria offerings. Fourth-grader Cora couldn't wait to talk about her favorite scones and hamburgers, but requested toppings for the cheese pizza. Fourth-grader Jackie loves riding the bus, but inquired if drivers could play music: "KidsBop would be a great station that has safe music for kids." Fifth-grade Aaron extolled the virtues of healthy salads and other fresh fruit and, on the way out of the luncheon, reinforced his point by asking if he could have one more fruit cup " for the road." Director of Transportation Cristian Lepe was very pleased with the first road show. "I love hanging out with students and this time spent getting their feedback on how they like riding our buses, what they think of school meals, and how adults can make their learning environments more welcoming and supportive is priceless." Director of Food & Nutrition Dominic Machi is looking forward to providing student samples of potential new food offerings at future road shows and believes this is the most authentic way to really reach our students and find out what's on their minds.  Chief Business Officer Lisa Gonzales added, "Now I know why the focaccia pizzas are so popular. The scratch-made bread was amazing!" The Student Feedback Road Shows are heading to more schools each month with expanded discussion topics ranging from playground structures to campus cleanliness, and technology, to the availability of instructional supplies. Last month, the Sun Terrace Elementary CARES After School Program participated in a "Try-it Tuesday" taste test of a potential new menu item - butternut mac and cheese. The students voted by placing ballots in "I love it," "I like it," or "Not today" boxes. The winner: Love it! The entree was approved by students as a “hit” and will be on the Elementary Menu in January 2023 . Food & Nutrition Services will forecast 5,000 servings for the student-approved entree. "We are working hard to procure quality products and creating new recipes that have been well-received," Machi said, adding that this school year has seen an increase in total meals served throughout the district. Potential new K-12 History-Social Science materials available to review through Nov. 18th MDUSD staff is reviewing potential new History-Social Science instructional materials with a goal of presenting a recommendation for adoption to the School Board in the spring. Teacher teams at each grade level are evaluating the materials while focusing on instructional shifts in California. The materials are available to review by both teachers and the community from 1:30-5 p.m. on school days through November 18 at Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord. More information is here . Bike.PHE to hold Bike Fest and Swap open to the community on Saturday, November 12th  Organizers of the  Bike.PHE   group at Pleasant Hill Elementary, which promotes walking and biking to school, will host a free Bike Fest and Swap from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12th at Pleasant Hill Elementary that is open to the wider community. The event will include:  Woom bikes   pop-up shop and obstacle course; WheelKids  offering a 2 Wheelers Club and Little Cruisers  (for kids learning to ride and beginner riders).; a Bike Swap:  bring your used bike to sell or donate, come to buy a used bike. (Contact dannymilks@gmail.com for more info); a Bike check and diagnostic station  where you can et some tips on what your bike needs; a Bike Dance Party  where you can practice communication, breaking and starting/stopping while riding to music in a sea of bubbles; a Bike Advocacy Station  where you can learn about what citizens can do to improve cycle infrastructure in our community; and Activity Stations  including Face painting, coloring and possibly food for sale. More information about Bike.PHE is in the Sept. 30  Friday Letter  or on the group's Instagram  bike.PHE . Intradistrict transfer applications for students in Grades 6-12 in 2023-24 through Nov. 15   The secondary Intradistrict transfer application process is available through November 15th . The online application f or students who will be in Grades 6-12 for the 2023-2024 school year  is at mdusd.org/intradistricttransfers . To apply, students must be currently enrolled in grades 5 - 11. African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) K-12 College Prep Night is Nov. 15 MDUSD's African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) will hold a College Prep Night for Grades K-12 at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15th at Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point,  in Room 415 - The Black Family Resource Center. The event will feature guest speaker Synitha Walker, College and Career Technician at Los Medanos Community College.  The meeting is for parents and guardians of the 1,000+ African American students in MDUSD. African American community members are also welcome. Food and childcare will be provided. For more information, email  franciesl@mdusd.org  or visit MDUSD’s African American Student Achievement web page  here .  Click  here  to see video excerpts from the last AAPAC meeting.  Special Ed. Community Advisory Committee's You Make A Difference Awards Nov. 15th The Community Advisory Committee ( CAC ) for Special Education will present its “You Make a Difference" awards starting at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Concord HS to persons or organizations nominated for making outstanding contributions to the lives of MDUSD students with disabilities, based on the theme,  "Everyday Superheroes."  MDUSD High School String  Orchestra  Festival is Thursday, N ov. 17 at Concord High School The 3rd Annual MDUSD High School String Orchestra Festival will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 in the Concord High School Cultural Arts Center, featuring performances by t he string orchestras of Northgate, College Park, Ygnacio Valley, and Concord High School, as well as clinics and a guest performance by Bay Area professional string players. More information is here . Little Free Antiracist Library grand opening/ribbon-cutting Nov. 17 at El Dorado MS The nonprofit group Rise Up Against Racism ( RUAR ) invites the MDUSD community to a ribbon-cutting and grand opening for its first Little Free Antiracist Library in a District school at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 at the El Dorado MS CARES After School Program, 1750 West Street in Concord. "This is a special opening for our organization and is made possible through generous funding from John Muir Health," said RUAR co-founders Meg Honey, Sarah Foster and Jenny Roy. "The Little Free Antiracist Library's curated collection of books was designed with input from El Dorado's staff and includes selections for a wide variety of readers. We are excited to be installing and opening our first Little Free Antiracist Library on a MDUSD campus!"  More information about RUAR's antiracist libraries is here . MDUSD Adult Education's Dental Assistant and EMT programs now enrolling students . MDUSD's Adult Education Career Technical Education Center ( CTEC ) is now enrolling students in its 11-month  Dental Assistant  and 5-month Emergency Medical Technician ( EMT ) programs. Classes start Nov. 28th for the Dental Assistant program and information sessions for the EMT program are offered this month and next month before classes start in January. Register at 925-685-7340 or  https://mdae.mdusd.org/register . See attached flyers for more information. . MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)  seeks holiday donations  MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education ( HOPE ) is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50 with the amounts clearly marked, or monetary contributions, through Dec. 16th for our homeless and foster youth students at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio Street, Room 24, Concord, CA 94519. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo @MDUSDHOPE . See attached flyers for details. Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or hope@mdusd.org . Community News English and Spanish Facebook Live Presentations for Medi-Cal Members Nov. 17 and 21 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 a t 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 17th, 2022.   The Spanish presentation will be held at 5:30 p.m Monday, November, 2 1st, 2022.   A Smile, California  Member Outreach Representative will deliver the presentation . A Provider Relations Trainer will assist with answering audience questions. RSVP for the English presentation on Facebook at:  https://fb.me/e/2hgkuEM0Z . R SVP for the Spanish presentation en Facebook hoy:  https://fb.me/e/2xJMKlKkI . Dental Hygiene Clinic available at Diablo Valley College (DVC) in Pleasant Hill DVC operates a dental clinic where the public can get teeth cleanings and other dental services at low cost. Dentists in the community come to the Pleasant Hill campus to work with DVC dental hygienist students and help them get the experience they need to graduate from the dental hygienist program. The students working with patients speak both English and Spanish. More information about the clinic is here . Details about DVC's dental hygienist training program are here . School News Sunrise School brings back popular chili cook-off After a two-year hiatus during the pandemic, the Sunrise School staff, students and families were delighted to once again participate in their popular class chili cook-off on Wednesday. Students cooked together in their classes on Tuesday and then invited their families to help them taste the four varieties, which were served in small cups labeled a, b, c, and d. Each taster voted by placing a small bean in another cup that corresponded to their favorite chili. In the end, Room 6 (which includes students in grades 4-6) beat out the others. Principal Jenny Vargas said that classroom always wins and they use the same recipe every year. But that didn't stop 5th-grader "Z" from celebrating by holding the trophy high over his head for everyone to see. He and his 4th-grade classmate Ivan said they could tell the chili in Cup C was theirs based on the taste. They were right. Third-grader Keira Spina voted for D. "It was sweet and kind of spicy," she said. "I just like it." She also enjoyed the cornbread, which wasn't part of the judging. Behavioral specialist Robin Fulmer said the chili cook-off is a "favorite event' at the school. Vargas said it bring the staff, students and families together in a fun way. "Also, it's a nice community-building activity for each classroom," she said. Student News Concord HS "Ladies First" Choir sings at County Board of Supervisors' Veterans Day Service Concord High School's "Ladies First" barbershop style choir was honored to participate in the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor's Veterans Day Service on Tuesday. The group led by teacher Christian Emigh sang the National Anthem, the Service Medley, and American the Beautiful. Click on the tweets below to see more Important dates Nov . 11:  Veterans Day Holiday - No School; All District Offices  closed Nov. 12: PHE.Bike Fest and Swap (Community is welcome) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Elementary Nov. 15:  African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC)  meeting  at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS (See Dist. News above) Nov. 17: MDUSD String   Festival  at 5:30 p.m. at Concord HS; Measure J CBOC meeting at 5 p.m. via Zoom; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m; Measure C CBOC meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Nov. 21-25:   School Recess  (No School all week; District Offices closed Nov. 24-25 for Thanksgiving holiday) Nov . 29 : Parent Advisory Council (PAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center in Concord 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, Nov 11 2022

Friday Letter - November 4, 2022

NOVEMBER 4, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 13 This issue highlights counselors share Mexican culture with Día de los Muertos ofrenda ; District news including School Board to meet Wednesday;   Community News including Mt. Diablo Education Foundation campaign is underway;  School News including Concord HS students Trick or Treat for Food Bank;  Student news including Northgate HS band student collects instruments to donate to MDUSD schools; important dates, and more! Counselors  share Mexican culture with  educational Día de los Muertos ofrenda (altar) Four Latina counselors worked together to create an educational, interactive Día de los Muertos ofrenda (altar) at the Willow Creek Center to share an important part of their Mexican culture, which is celebrated throughout Latin America, with the District community that includes a student population that is 44% Histpanic/Latinx. The ofrenda also includes student art from their schools: Bancroft Elementary, Holbrook Language Academy and Mt. Diablo HS. On Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, many people from Latin American cultures celebrated "Día de los Muertos," also known as the "Day of the Dead," which is a time for the living to reunite with their loved ones.  To help inform the MDUSD community about this tradition, four Latina counselors in the District with Mexican ancestry created a Día de los Muertos ofrenda (or altar) that is educational and interactive to share their culture and help represent a large portion of the District's student population, which is about 44% Hispanic/Latinx. The unique ofrenda will be on display through Wednesday, Nov. 9 in the Willow Creek Center at 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord. It includes descriptions of items included, an opportunity to write the name of a loved one on a paper butterfly, and books with more information, along with artwork from students at Mt. Diablo HS, Holbrook Language Academy and Shore Acres Elementary, where the counselors work. Counselor Angela Ordaz said she and counselors (left to right above) Marcie Torres,  Leidi Arias and  Yaretzie Amaya conceived of the ofrenda because they are "very passionate about our culture and strive to amplify it." It was built around the theme: "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others remains," Ordaz said. She pointed out that their ofrenda includes "Ocote" sticks, which were traditionally lit on altars of indigenous people for centuries, but have been replaced by candles. The ofrenda also includes candles, salt to purify it, a food offering, which would usually be something your departed ancestors enjoyed and that has a strong scent to attract their spirits, water to quench their thirst, "pan de muerto" - or Day of the Dead bread, "copal" incense made of resin from a Mexican tree to ward off evil spirits so that only authentic spirits of loved ones return, fragrant marigold " cempasúchil "  flowers, and photos of some key figures who have had a lasting impact on society including labor leader Cesar Chavez, artist Frida Kahlo, singer and actor Pedro Infante, Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla Pérez, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla known as the “Father of Mexican Independence," and writer Juana Inés de la Cruz . Although Día de los Muertos is most commonly associated with November 1st, Ordaz said it actually lasts through November 2nd - with November 1st being " Día de los Angelitos " or Day of the Little Angels when children who have died are remembered - and November 2nd being "Día  de  Difuntos" or   the day to honor deceased adults. Not everyone from Latin America celebrates Día de los Muertos , but it originates from indigenous rituals practiced by people of the Americas going back about 3,000 years including Olmecs, Toltecs, Mixtecos, Zapotecs, Mayans and Aztecs, Ordaz said. The paper butterflies represent Monarch butterflies, which are believed to hold the spirits of the deceased, she added. When she was growing up, Ordaz said there were no ofrendas at her schools. "I could have never imagined as a child seeing my culture represented like this," she said. "It's really beautiful."  Ordaz, who has been a counselor for 15 years and is in her second year with MDUSD, said she and the three other counselors have all previously worked in other Districts. "This is my favorite District," she said, explaining that she is committed to equity and to disrupting systems of oppression. "I love it here. There is more action than in some other districts, where they talk about equity. Here, we have the opportunity to really do equity work." Ofrendas, she said, help to "amplify our MDUSD brown families' ancestry and allow them to be seen by the rest of the District." She and the other three counselors have also helped to educate others about the Latinx culture by giving a Latinx history month presentation to all District counselors in September and presenting their "equity journeys" to the District's Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist (ABAR) Advisory Committee in October. Next month, they plan to host "Coffee with the Counselors" on Saturday mornings at Mt. Diablo HS to engage families. "It is very meaningful work for us," Ordaz said. "We are building momentum and we are excited. There is more to come." Click on the tweets below to see how some other schools and District staff recognized Día de los Muertos. District News Board meets Wednesday to review fiscal reports, update equity policy The MDUSD School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 9 in the District Office Board Room to appoint two Educational Consultation and Behavior Management Specialists, Review two Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team reports, and Potentially Approve Revisions to the Board Policy on Equity, among other items. The complete agenda is here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . International Baccalaureate  Information Night at Ygnacio Valley HS on Thursday Ygnacio Valley High will hold an International Baccalaureate Information Night from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 in Room 210/212 for parents and guardians of students in 8th, 9th or 10th grade or those interested in transferring to Ygnacio Valley High. Topics include: What is IB? Why take IB classes and be an IB student? Does IB really make students College & Career Ready? What’s the difference between IB and AP? You can read about the program here . For more information, contact Carissa Weintraub, IB Program Specialist at weintraubc@mdusd.org or visit https://yvhs.mdusd.org/IB . African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) K-12 College Prep Night is Nov. 15 VIDEO To watch video excerpts from last month's AAPAC meeting, click on the AAPAC Welcome sign below. MDUSD's African American Parent Advisory Council will hold a College Prep Night for Grades K-12 at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15th in Room 415 at Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point featuring Synitha Walker, College and Career Technician at Los Medanos Community College. Synitha Walker, College and Career Technician at Los Medanos Community College. For more information, email franciesl@mdusd.org or visit MDUSD’s African American Student Achievement web page here .  MDUSD Adult Education's Dental Assistant and EMT programs now enrolling students MDUSD's Adult Education Career Technical Education Center ( CTEC ) is now enrolling students in its 11-month Dental Assistant  and 5-month Emergency Medical Technician ( EMT ) programs. Classes start Nov. 28th for the Dental Assistant program and information sessions for the EMT program are offered this month and next month before classes start in January. Register at 925-685-7340 or https://mdae.mdusd.org/register . See attached flyers for more information. MDUSD Adult Ed Lifelong Education offers new classes in November and December MDUSD's Adult Ed Lifelong Education program offers classes in November and December that might make your holidays a bit brighter. Learn to create a new appetizer or mushroom dish, how to make wooden ornaments, or how to stream a movie together over the internet with friends or family. You can find out more in the latest newsletter here: https://www.smore.com/j8dma or the website mdae.mdusd.org . For questions, call (925) 937-1530, or email lifelonged@mdusd.org . MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)  seeks holiday donations  MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE) is seeking holiday donations of gift cards in the amount of $25 or $50, or monetary contributions, through Dec. 16th for our homeless and foster youth students at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio Street, Room 24, Concord, CA 94519. Monetary donations can also be made via Venmo @MDUSDHOPE . See attached flyers for details. Call or e-mail with questions at (925) 682-8000 x3054 or hope@mdusd.org. Community News Mt. Diablo Education Foundation campaign is underway Mt. Diablo Education Foundation's 2022  Annual  Giving Campaign asks those who are able to “Give 100” for MDUSD kids  — "because we know your students deserve nothing less than 100% effort. The foundation is are suggesting a gift of $100 per family, which is $10 for each of the 10 months of school. Whether you can give $10 or $1,000, every gift makes a difference and every dollar counts. Please see the attached flyers or visit https://www.mdedf.org/donate for more information or to donate. Yours Humanly presents a $10,000 check to  Mt. Diablo Education Foundation Yours Humanly presented a check in the amount of $10,000 to Mt. Diablo Education Foundation to fund educational programs for students of MDUSD. Members of Yours Humanly and the foundation attended the presentation at Ygnacio Valley High School. This donation is made possible through the organization's partnership with the foundation during its Fall "Break a Sweat for Education® Run & Walk" fundraiser. "We are pleased to partner with Mt. Diablo Education Foundation and support educational programs and enrichment opportunities that will impact thousands of students in need," the organization said School News Concord HS students "Scare Away Hunger" for Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano  Concord HS students participated in the 12th Annual Scare Away Hunger campaign for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano on Halloween Six teams of Concord High students participated in the 12th annual Scare Away Hunger donation drive to collect donations of food and monetary donations for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties on Halloween. As of Nov. 2, they had collected 8,840 lbs. of food, $1,668 collected in "Trick or Treat" donations and $1.621 through an online fundraiser that is still running through Nov. 7, providing a total of  13,944  meals for needy families.  “It’s inspiring to see these students give their time to benefit hungry families in our community,” said Nichol Carranza, Adv. Community Investments Rep at Marathon Petroleum, which sponsored the event. “We have sponsored this event for 12 consecutive years, and we are proud to provide ongoing support to this meaningful, high-impact program.” Marathon also donated $5,000 directly to the food bank and another $5,000 to the school’s athletic boosters club. The teams participating included: Band, Choir, Cross Country, Leadership, AVID/Girls Tennis, and Key Club/CSF. Abigail Flores, an 11th-grade student (above center) on the Key Club and CSF team is also in the choir. She said she has participated in the fundraiser for two years because it is a fun way to help people and make a difference in the community. Yesenia Hernandez and Karen Jauregui, who are both seniors in Leadership (above left) said the fundraiser brings pride to Concord High. "It just warms my heart when I know I'm helping others and feeding all kinds of people, even some my age," Yesenia said. By Friday, the online donations totaled $1,832 with Cross Country raising the highest amount: $1,085. The school's goal is $3,500. You can donate online here and can select a team, if you wish. The winning team will receive a prize from Marathon. Thank you to all who have contributed so far! Fall festivals bring students, staff and families together for Halloween fun Many schools throughout the District celebrated the season with Fall festivals, carnivals, costume parades and art projects. PIne Hollow MS held its second annual Fall Fest complete with games and competitive activities for students, said Principal Laurie Clark. "Organized by the Leadership class and supported by PTSA volunteers, students had a great time playing various carnival games like ring toss and 3 legged race or joining in the basketball tournament," she said. "Students could choose from quieter activities too, like face painting, making slime, or playing board games. The biggest hit was the water balloon toss with staff as the targets!"  Click on the tweets below to see a sampling of the fun at Pine Hollow and other District schools. Student News Northgate HS band student collects instruments to donate to MDUSD schools Northgate HS Jazz Band student Aidan Fisher is collecting used instruments to donate to MDUSD schools in the hopes of providing needy students with instruments so they can participate in band. KPIX is covering his project and recently interviewed him and teacher Roberto Garcia-Leiva. When Northgate High sophomore Aidan Fisher was asked in his AP European History class to think of a project that  would make the world a better place, he decided to collect band instruments to distribute to MDUSD schools for needy students who may not be able to afford to rent or buy their own. His mom, Monaliza Fisher, posted a flyer about his project on "Next Door," which attracted the attention of KPIX anchor Amanda Starrantino, who popped by the school on Tuesday to shoot video of Aidan in his Jazz Band II class and interview him, along with teacher Roberto Garcia-Leiva for a story on his endeavor. Although she originally hoped to air the story on Friday, it is now scheduled to run next week, Monaliza Fisher said. Aidan plans to be outside his house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6th at 1150 Discovery Way in Concord to collect used instruments in good condition. His family has also set up a "drop box" where people can drop off used instruments through Wednesday, Nov. 16th. So far, he has collected guitars, a flute, clarinet, keyboard and cello. Aiden has been playing music since he joined the band at Sequoia Middle School in 6th grade. He plays saxophone, flute and clarinet and would love to pursue music as a career, he said, adding that he especially loves jazz. Susan Hartwig, curriculum specialist for Visual and Performing Arts in MDUSD, said Aidan can ask individual band teachers at middle and high schools if they would like to accept the donations. They must inspect them to be sure they are in good condition and the school would become the owner of the instruments. Monaliza Fisher said the College Park HS band teacher has expressed interest in the guitars and Aidan is planning to contact other band teachers in the hopes of distributing all the instruments he collects. For more information, see the flyer above and watch for the KPIX story next week! Important dates Nov . 4 : End of First Trimester Nov. 9: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Nov . 11:  Veterans Day Holiday - No School; All District Offices closed Nov. 12: PHE.Bike Fest and Swap (Community is welcome) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Elementary Nov. 15:  African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) meeting at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS (See Dist. News above) Nov. 17: Measure J CBOC meeting at 5 p.m. via Zoom; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting at 5:30 p.m; Measure C CBOC meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom Nov. 21-25: School Recess (No School all week; District Offices closed Nov. 24-25 for Thanksgiving holiday) 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, Nov 05 2022

Friday Letter - October 28, 2022

OCTOBER 28, 2022 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 5 NO. 12 This issue highlights Broccoli the pig gets ready to greet District neighborhood trick visitors on Halloween; District news including state test scores released;   Community News including County seeks Student Humanitarian of the Year nominations;  School News about YVHS alums rallying for their school;  Student social media shout-outs; Principal social media shout-outs; important dates, and more! Broccoli the pig is ready to greet District neighborhood trick-or-treaters on Halloween! Monte Gardens Elem. parents Justin Andersen, left, and Michelle Andersen, right, visit Broccoli the pig and owner Jen Lenoble on Dist. Office lawn. If you've ever visited the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Office next door to Monte Gardens Elementary in the morning, you may have seen a surprising creature munching on the front lawn - Broccoli the pig. Broccoli and his owners Jen and Marc Lenoble live nearby. Jen and Broccoli have established a regular morning routine that includes plenty of time for the playful pig to graze in the grass and greet visitors, while Jen sits in a lawn chair and reads a book or chats with curious passers by. Broccoli has become so well-known that Jen created an instagram account for him @BroccoliThePig that has garnered 574 followers and includes more than 100 adorable photos of him since he was bon on Jan. 31, 2017 - including Halloween, Easter and Birthday costumes; family outings; and his prominent presence in Jen and Marc's wedding photo. In fact, so many people have asked about Broccoli that Jen created the colorful postcard with photos and fun facts that is pictured below (front and back). Broccoli the pig poses in his Santa costume (top, center), Tootsie Roll costume (bottom left) and Hungry Hungry Hippo costume (above, right), Below are fun facts about Broccoli and pet pigs. One of Broccoli and Jen's favorite celebrations is Halloween, when Broccoli delights Monte Gardens Elementary families and staff (as well as District Office staff and visitors) with creative costumes crafted by Jen. Each Wednesday in October, Broccoli has donned a costume to get ready for the big day on Monday, Oct. 31st when he and Jen will make a special appearance on the District Office lawn from about 5-7 p.m. to greet neighborhood trick-or-treaters and anyone else who wants to stop by. His bedtime is 7:30 p.m., so he won't be staying out too late, Jen says. His costumes so far have included: a Tootsie Roll, the Hungry Hungry Hippo, Santa Clause and The Big Bad Wolf with two of the three little pigs (see tweet below right). Broccoli is used to getting lots of attention and loves to nibble treats out of people's hands and let them pet his bristly hair, which has lately been covered with a soft green coat made by Jen that is reversible, with his red Santa suit on the other side. To see how he has charmed recent visitors and the Monte Gardens Elementary community with his Halloween costumes, click on the Tweets below. District News State releases 2022 standardized test scores for Districts and Schools The California Department of Education (CDE) released 2021-22 assessment data that it said "provide further evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on student academic achievement and underscore the urgency of continuing to address student needs through focused efforts such as expanded learning time and learning acceleration strategies." Statewide, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards on the 2022 Smarter Balanced summative assessments was 47 percent for English language arts (ELA) and 33 percent for mathematics on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) tests administered to students in Grades 3-8 and 11. You can access the state database here . It shows that in Mt. Diablo Unified , 45.9% of students met the ELA standards and 35.3% met math standards. However, results from individual schools varied greatly. You can search for detailed school results on the EdSource database here , which show how scores have changed since 2015 in various student subgroups. According to the CDE: "Data from the 2021–22 spring assessments should be considered “ baseline data ” for measuring student progress going forward due to the challenges presented by the pandemic. In the 2019–20 school year—a year in which schools quickly pivoted to remote learning after the discovery of COVID-19 in California—the U.S. Department of Education waived all testing requirements. To further prevent the spread of virus before the development and widespread distribution of vaccines, most students learned from home for most of 2020–21 and returned to campuses in the spring either full-time or with hybrid (in-class and remote) instruction." The MDUSD School Board received a preliminary report regarding District test scores on Sept. 28th, which noted that from 2021 to 2022,  scores for socio-economically disadvantaged students rose 11% in ELA and 9% in math . At the Oct. 26th Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark pointed out that some schools showed growth and some had declines, but said now that students are back in schools in-person and staff is working to ensure that all students are receiving high-quality instruction, he is "very confident" that scores will increase this year. You can see his report to the board here (from 1:05:30-1:11:00).  School Board recognizes MDE Odyssey of the Mind team, approves CCEIS plan Mt. Diablo Unified School Board members and Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark stand with Mt. Diablo Elementary School's Odyssey of the Mind team. At its  Wednesday, October 26th meeting, t he MDUSD School Board  recognized  the Mt. Diablo Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team for  traveling to Iowa State University last spring and placing 3rd in the international competition in their category out of 59 teams. More on their award is in the June 3  Friday Letter  under "School Spotlight."  The School Board on Wednesday also adopted a resolution recognizing November as  Native American Heritage Month ,  In addition, it appointed Hashimu Lewis and  Joseph Novo  as Custodial & Operations Coordinators, and approved a new Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services ( CCEIS ) Plan, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . 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 is updating its COVID-19 Dashboard weekly. This week's Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. Note: The Year-to-Date numbers do not include cases reported during the past week.  You can find this week's Dashboard  here , on the District's website home  page  and on the COVID-19 Response  page . Measure J Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee seeks applications through Nov. 4 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 by Nov. 4th. Leadership is important and we would love to fill both of these with interested parents. Vaccine clinic at MDUSD Adult Education Center was a success! A Contra Costa Health Services professional administers a vaccine (above left), medical assistant students stand with their instructor (above center) and dental assistant students provide information about their training program at the vaccine clinic held Oct. 22. A free COVID and flu vaccine clinic held at the Mt. Diablo Adult Education Center on Oct. 22 in partnership with Contra Costa Health Services "was another success this year," said Vittoria Abbate, Director of College & Career and Adult Education. At the event, Contra Costa Health Services professionals administered 181 flu vaccines and 144 COVID vaccines or booster shots. Meanwhile, students from the Adult Education Career and Technical Education Center took vital signs, provided visitors with information about their programs, and assisted with directing visitors to registration and vaccination stations. Concord Chamber of Commerce hosts High School engineering students during mixer Ygnacio Valley HS CCAP STEM Engineering Pathway students join members of the Concord Chamber of Commerce at a monthly mixer on Oct. 20. As part of an ongoing partnership between MDUSD's Career Pathways programs and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, the chamber has agreed to host small groups of students at its monthly mixers, where they can interact with local business professionals. The first group of students to enjoy this opportunity were eight from the College and Career Access Pathway  (CCAP) Stem Engineering Pathway at Ygnacio Valley High School, who attended a mixer and ribbon-cutting at Red Dog Graphics/ Fast Signs on Oct. 20. "Our members were so surprised we are broadening our partnership with the school district by welcoming students from the various pathways to our events," said  Melissa Rea, chamber President and CEO. "The members in attendance at the ribbon cutting/mixer were impressed with the confidence and professionalism the students put forth while networking with working professionals." More information about the Mt, Diablo Business Education Alliance is in the Sept. 23 Friday Letter under District News. "Lights On Afterschool" highlighted opportunities offered to students through CARES  Students from MDUSD CARES Afterschool programs participated in a "Lights On Afterschool" event on Oct. 26 highlighting available activities. The MDUSD  CARES Expanded Learning Program  celebrated this year's " Lights on Afterschool " event at Westwood Elementary and El Dorado Middle schools on Oct. 26th, spotlighting enrichment programs and community partners with hands-on activities for students from elementary through high school. With a focus on students engaging in activities that inspire a generation of innovators, CARES showcased the many ways expanded learning programs are serving their communities and providing opportunities for students to learn and grow. Activities included student art galleries, STEM-based learning, drone and robotics camps, language and culture, sports, student performances, a Rethink Your Drink campaign, Girl Scouts, garden education and more.  CARES Afterschool Program Coordinator Eric Rego thanked those who participated and worked extremely hard showcasing top of the line activities and STEM programs, as well as Principals and Vice Principals  from  Bel Air Elementary,  Sun Terrace Elementary,  Westwood Elementary and Riverview MS,  who showed up in person to support the CARES program. "We LOVED it, and so did the families who attended (wish there were more)," said Westwood Elementary Principal Nancy Klinkner in an email. "What an amazing team effort. Thank you all!" Click on the tweets below to see more from MDUSD CARES Lights on Afterschool events. College Fair at Ygnacio Valley HS attracted families from throughout the District MDUSD high school students and families visit with college reps during Annual College Fair at Ygnacio Valley HS on Oct. 27. Hundreds of students and their parents or guardians visited the 10th annual MDUSD College Fair on October 27th at Ygnacio Valley High School, where they were able to meet more than 90 representatives from colleges and universities and gather resources. We look forward to another great event next year! Click on the tweets below to see who was there. Bike.PHE to hold Bike Fest and Swap open to the community on November 12th  Click on the above image or see the attached flyer for more information about the Bike.PHE event on Nov. 12th at Pleasant Hill Elementary School. The organizers of the Bike.PHE group at Pleasant Hill Elementary that promotes walking and biking to school plans to host a free Bike Fest and Swap from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12th at Pleasant Hill Elementary that is open to the wider community. The event will include: Woom bikes   pop-up shop and obstacle course.  WheelKids  offering a 2 Wheelers Club and Little Cruisers  (for kids learning to ride and beginner riders).  Bike Swap:  bring your used bike to sell or donate, come to buy a used bike. Contact dannymilks@gmail.com for more info. Bike check and diagnostic station:  f ind out why you hear that rubbing noise! Get some tips on what your bike needs. Bike Dance Party:  practice communication, breaking and starting/stopping while riding to the music in a sea of bubbles. Bike Advocacy Station:  learn about what citizens can do to improve cycle infrastructure in our community. Help build awareness by mapping cycle routes to school and work. Activity Stations: Face painting, coloring and possibly food for sale. Time to chat with Bike.Phe, Woom, and WheelKids on the hour to hear about their programs: 10-10:15 a.m.: Welcome  11-11:15 a.m: Meet Bike.PHE  12-12:15 p.m.: Meet Woom  1-1:15 p.m.: Meet WheelKids More information about Bike.PHE is in the Sept. 30 Friday Letter or on the group's Instagram bike.PHE . Community News County seeks nominations for Student Humanitarian of the Year awards through Nov. 4 Click  here  to nominate a Student Humanitarian of the Year. The county is seeking students who stand out to their teachers, family and peers; who set an example for others, and live Dr. King's dream of equality, peace, justice, non-violence, leadership and inspiration. Last year, Ygnacio Valley HS student Kaia Morgan was  selected  as the Student Humanitarian of the Year for her role in helping to replace the school’s Warriors mascot. . Maecenas sed ante pellentesque, posuere leo id, eleifend dolor. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Praesent laoreet malesuada cursus. Maecenas scelerisque congue eros eu posuere. Praesent in felis ut velit pretium lobortis rhoncus ut erat. Information about CA Proposition 31 from the Contra Costa County Office of Education The Contra Costa County Office of Education's Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program is providing information regarding Proposition 31, which would uphold SB 793 and ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. A No vote would repeal SB 793 and keep the sale of flavored tobacco legal. Click on the images to the left or see the attached flyers for more details.  English and Spanish Facebook Live Presentations for Medi-Cal Members Nov. 17 and 21 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 a t 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 17th, 2022.   The Spanish presentation will be held at 5:30 p.m Monday, November, 2 1st, 2022.   A Smile, California  Member Outreach Representative will deliver the presentation . A Provider Relations Trainer will assist with answering audience questions. RSVP for the English presentation on Facebook at: https://fb.me/e/2hgkuEM0Z . R SVP for the Spanish presentation en Facebook hoy: https://fb.me/e/2xJMKlKkI . Mt. Diablo Education Foundation highlights donors As part of its fundraising campaign for contributions to programs that benefit Mt. Diablo Unified School District students, the Mt. Diablo Education Foundation has created a Professional Honor Roll designation to highlight donors in our community who believe in giving back to local schools. One such donor is Tom Nevin, who explained his reasons for contributing to education in a recent foundation Facebook post . He wrote, in part: "The Mt. Diablo Education Foundation exists to promote the value of a well-rounded education for all children in the Mt. Diablo School District and to replace some of what disappeared from California public education as a result of the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. As a local Real Estate Broker I introduce a lot of people to our district in the course of helping them purchase a home. I tell the story of California public education and the shining star that is the Mt. Diablo Education Foundation. It is very a positive and hopeful way to introduce them to this amazing area where they have chosen to raise their family." Details about donating to the foundation's 2022 Giving Campaign are here . School News Ygnacio Valley High alumni rally for their alma mater A group of interested Ygnacio Valley HS alumni have started the Ygnacio Valley Beautification Project as they aim to return the Concord high school’s campus to the condition as they remember it. At the beginning of October they held their first event, a fundraising Alumni Dinner at the school. “Our committee is trying to raise money to help with three initial phases to beautify Ygnacio Valley High School,” said Heidi Coffman Shearer. "I strongly believe in paying it forward to all students no matter what their economic status. Let’s spread positive messages and just maybe students will begin to believe in themselves!“ Read more in this Pioneer article . Student Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see what some students at Concord, Mt. Diablo, and Northgate high schools have been doing recently. Principal Social Media Shout-outs Click on the tweets below to see how principals from Pleasant Hill Elementary, Concord High and Northgate high schools have been been keeping busy recently. Important dates Nov. 1:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC)  meeting  at 7 p.m. via Zoom Nov . 4 : End of First Trimester Nov. 9:   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Nov . 11:  Veterans Day Holiday - No School; All District Offices closed Nov. 12: PHE.Bike Fest and Swap (Community is welcome) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Elementary (see District News) Nov. 17: Measure J CBOC meeting at 5 p.m. via Zoom; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting  at 5:30 p.m; Measure C CBOC  meeting  at 7 p.m. via Zoom  Nov. 21-25:  School Recess (No School all week; District Offices closed Nov. 24-25 for Thanksgiving holiday) 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, Oct 29 2022