Friday Letter - April 12, 2024

APRIL 12, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 29 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Family, Welcome back from Spring Recess. Can you believe that there are only 35 days left in the 2023-2024 academic year? I'm thrilled to share some inspiring stories and significant updates from across our District.  Firstly, let's give a round of applause for our exceptional educators, Angela Beatty, Dr. Lizette Dolan, and Michelle Howisey, who have been honored as finalists for Teacher of the Year. Their dedication and innovation makes us all proud that they are part of MDUSD. Our students have been making us proud too! Congratulations to the Future Health Professionals (HOSA) at Mt. Diablo, College Park, and Ygnacio Valley high schools, and especially to our HOSA advisor selected as a regional representative. Their commitment to advancing healthcare is truly commendable. Let's also cheer for our Winter Student High School athletes who have excelled in their respective sports, earning MVP and All-DAL team honors. On the staff front, a special congratulations to Joseph Alvarico, a finalist for the prestigious FIRST Robotics Woodie Flowers Award. District leaders are encouraged to actively structure and participate in opportunities that develop greater public understanding of the education policy environment. That said, I am excited to share that I am doing this in my new role as President of the California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA). I look forward to leveraging this opportunity to highlight our successes in MDUSD. Other highlights in this week's Friday Letter include: District News including April is Arab American Heritage Month, April 7-13 was Adult Education Week, Board Briefs including Principal appointments for 2024-25, and upcoming meetings and events School News including Sequoia Elementary kindergartners get special visit from PHPD, and Solar Eclipse School Social Media Highlights Staff Social Media Spotlights  Community News Thank you, Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlights Classroom Close-Ups with three District Teacher of the Year Finalists Westwood Elementary teacher Angela Beatty, Pine Hollow MS teacher Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan, and Mt. Diablo Elementary teacher Michelle Howisey were named MDUSD 2024-25 Teacher of the Year finalists, ranking in the top 5 this year. The two finalists named Teachers of the Year are Walnut Acres Elementary teacher Mia Carella and Bancroft Elementary teacher Ingrid Wright. Last month, the  Friday Letter  highlighted the District's 2024-25 Teachers of the Year: Walnut Acres Elementary teacher Mia Carella and Bancroft Elementary teacher Ingrid Wright. This week, we are highlighting the other three finalists: Westwood Elementary teacher Angela Beatty, Pine Hollow MS teacher Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan, and Mt. Diablo Elementary teacher Michelle Howisey. Beatty, Dolan and Howisey all said they were honored to be chosen as finalists. Like Carella and Wright, they all place high priority on building relationships with students, and emphasizing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), as well as rigorous academics. Angela Beatty   Westwood Elementary teacher Angela Beatty listens attentively to one of her 5th-grade students as he comments on class preparations to watch the solar eclipse. Beatty, 37, teaches 5th grade at Westwood Elementary in Concord, and has 11 years of teaching experience, including one year teaching 1st grade in Oakland, then eight years teaching Kindergarten and 1st grades at Shore Acres Elementary in Bay Point, before transitioning to 5th grade at Westwood Elementary last year. Although she enjoyed teaching younger children, Beatty said it's exciting working with 5th-graders because they are ready for more challenges and are able to do more projects or self-directed activities. She works to build strong relationships with students and their families to establish trust. "I feel so strongly about providing students with an environment where they feel safe and comfortable to be themselves and to take risks and to be vulnerable," Beatty said. "And while I know that starts at home, unfortunately some students don’t get that at home, so it's even more imperative to provide that at school, where they spend al lot of their time." She says that making a positive impact on students’ lives on a daily basis is what she likes most about teaching. “Getting to know each student’s background, interests, strengths, learning styles and personality is such a privilege,” she said. “The special bond we form individually and collectively is such a gift.” She reinforces her focus on Social and Emotional Learning with positive messages in her classroom including a full-length mirror under a sign that says, “I am a changemaker” decorated with 18 affirmations such as, “I am loved,” “I am capable,” and “I have value.” She starts each day off with a “morning meeting,” where students sometimes talk about conflict resolution. At other times, she will speak with students individually about how their words and actions affect others to try to figure out what is triggering certain behaviors. “I think it’s so important to validate feelings more than anything,” she said. “That allows them to feel seen and heard and then they can open up about the why and they might be more inspired to make a change. We work a lot on empathy and putting themselves in other shoes.” Beatty does not know who nominated her, but she receives praise from both students and colleagues. Students said she provides them with interesting resources and helps them when they don’t understand a concept. They especially enjoyed learning about the solar eclipse on April 8th, when they researched eclipses, predicted what they would see when they went outside, observed the partial eclipse using safe viewing glasses, then drew pictures about wrote about what they learned. “She’s amazing,” said student Declan Burnett. “She makes class so fun and enjoyable. She told me it was cool that my prediction was correct.” Zion Ruiz-Hausia said Beatty is caring, thoughtful and funny Although Zion predicted she would see a full circle during the eclipse, she said she learned the partial eclipse was different from a total eclipse. “It was a very memorable lesson,” she said. “Mrs. Beatty is the best teacher!” Marissa McCarty said Beatty is her favorite teacher because she’s easy to talk to and she makes everyone feel welcome. “She’s really open to talk about home life or school life,” she said, adding that she thought the solar eclipse lesson was “pretty cool.” Beatty works to make her classroom inclusive for all students, including newcomer English learners and Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) students. An instructional assistant and educational interpreters who work with Beatty’s three DHH students praised her patience and the caring relationships she builds with her students and colleagues, as well as the effort she makes to individualize instruction to meet students’ needs based on their learning styles. “She makes everyone feel like they’re special,” said interpreter Juanita Nickerson. “She always tries to find new resources to use in order to challenge each and every student.” Beatty said she tries to make the most out of each day for her students. “My goal is always to have them leaving school feeling stronger, successful, and to truly feel like they’re a good kid,” she said. “I know staying calm and being consistent and patient and open-minded is crucial for them to have that kind of experience in school.” Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan (center) gives feedback to 8th grade English student Alexis Pattison on an essay. The lights were dimmed to accommodate student requests. Now in her third year at Pine Hollow MS, Ortega Dolan, 48, teaches 8th grade English and heads up the “Prancing Mustangs” Dance Club she started on the Concord campus. She has 26 years of teaching experience and has previously taught 7th grade English, Leadership and AVID at Pine Hollow, has years of experience teaching high school in private independent schools, and has also worked for many years as an educational consultant specializing in equity and inclusion. She earned a Master’s Degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s College of California. “I firmly believe that education has the power to change lives,” she said. “I am committed to and believe in the notion that schools can serve as sources of self-discovery and growth toward a more equitable world.” She builds strong relationships with students by understanding their individual needs and challenging them to think critically and do rigorous work to prepare them for high school. She has high expectations for all students, including English learners and those identified for special education who are mainstreamed in her classroom. “Teaching through relationships enables responsible risk-taking,” she said. “Students and adults thrive when they are in an environment where they are safe, seen and stretched. My classroom is a safe place. And so, my classroom is full of students during brunch and lunch. Students know that I will hold them, while holding them accountable. I am consistent with them and show them the respect they deserve, no matter how they interact with me.” Dolan was nominated by students during her first year at Pine Hollow MS, and again this year, and was named a finalist both times. The students who nominated her this year were not available for interviews, but several other students said Dolan is their favorite teacher because they know she cares about them and they can trust her to keep personal things they may tell her confidential. “She’s chill,” said Tammy Zavala. “She’s cool. She’s trustworthy. And she explains stuff until you get it.” Mark Pier said Dolan is good at calming down the class if they get hyped up. “Sometimes she has a bell and she dings it,” he said. “Sometimes, she says ‘waterfall, waterfall,’ and everyone gets quiet.” Dolan said this is an AVID strategy, in which students respond “shhhh, shhh,” mimicking the sound of water falling. Melanie Walters, who is in Dolan’s English class and the Prancing Mustangs, said Dolan helps students figure out problems in class and is open to their choreography suggestions in the dance club, which she said “brings a new energy that the school needs.” Alexis Pattison, who was in Dolan’s Leadership class last year and is in her English class this year, said Dolan challenges students in a way that does not make them feel stressed. “She tries to help us,” Alexis said. “She gives us examples we can relate to.” During a recent class, Dolan challenged students to explain whether characters in the book they were reading responded to trauma with resilience by asking them: “Is it a healthy coping mechanism or not?” She teaches students to be resilient by stressing that it’s OK to make mistakes, but they should be viewed as learning experiences. “Let’s show some resilience,” she said to one student. “Let’s take the mistake and make it better.” She also teaches them to advocate for themselves. When some students asked if the lights could be dimmed so they could more easily trace images on their computer screens and take a break from overhead glare, she readily agreed. Special education teacher Almira McGrath – who helps support the 17 students in Dolans 2nd period class with IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), including some who are English learners – said students who may have behavior issues in other classes do not act out in Dolan’s class. “She does really well with them,” McGrath said. “She shows them love first and they trust her. She is approachable. And she speaks Spanish, so she can speak to some of them in their language.” McGrath said Dolan provides a variety of resources to students based on their needs, supplementing books with movies that dramatize literature. “She has a big heart and she knows how to make the kids feel happy in the classroom,” McGrath said. “She’s a great teacher and I feel happy to be here because I can learn from her and from the other great teachers at this school.” Dolan said she tends to each student’s needs and gives them the constructive feedback necessary to be successful in school. She knows that some of the students who show up happy and ready to learn in her class do not always attend some of their other classes. “That is the first barrier – getting them in the seat,” she said. “If they’re cutting and avoiding your class, you’re never going to get anywhere. I want to be the movie that everyone wants to see. But it’s not about me. I want to have the class that no one wants to cut.” She said she tells her classes, “I love you all,” and she is explicit and transparent about why she asks them to do specific assignments or to follow school rules, so they know it is to help prepare them for high school and to maintain a consistent school culture, not “because I say so.” She also tries to make learning fun. “We must take the work, not ourselves, too seriously,” she said. “If we can be gentle with ourselves, we can be gentle with the young people who are trying their hardest to make sense of this very confusing and ever-changing world.”  Michelle Howisey Mt. Diablo Elementary teacher Michelle Howisey leads her 3rd-grade class in a game of “Connections,” as they take a short break from math. Howisey, 41, has spent the last nine years teaching 3rd grade at Mt. Diablo Elementary in Clayton, and has 16 years of teaching experience. She started her career in MDUSD as a 4th grade student teacher at Silverwood Elementary, then taught 5th grade at Meadow Homes Elementary and has also taught 5th grade at Bel Air Elementary and 4th grade at Ygnacio Valley Elementary. “I love third grade,” she said. “I just feel like I’ve found my home. I love the age (8 and 9). They’re at a perfect school learning age. They still love to come to school, they get excited about learning, they haven’t hit any of the upper grade attitude yet, and they’re also reading and ready to dive into chapter books, which I love. I want to teach novels. I just finished one called “Book Uncle and Me,” and right now we’re working on a poetry novel called, “Love that Dog.” They also love idioms. There are a lot of idioms and figurative language in what we read. They catch them now, a lot more often.” Idioms such as “Piece of cake,” “You’re toast,” and “Cut it out” are posted on the classroom wall along with their meanings. Howisey also uses idioms herself. During class on Wednesday, when students all started talking at once after she asked them to share with their partners, she got them to stop by saying, “Hold your horses.” When they looked up, she asked: “Do I actually mean I want you to hold a horse?” They said, “no.” She confirmed with a smile, “It’s an idiom!” Like Beatty, Howisey starts each day with a Morning Meeting, which she says gives the class “a moment for connection, wellness, reflection, appreciation and silliness.” These meetings help to build strong relationships in the class. “My kids know each other and care about each other and they know that I care about them,” she said. “I think they can learn better when they know they are loved and cared for and safe here in our classroom. They know each other so well that when horses were mentioned, students thought of their classmate Emily’s horse, because they know she horseback rides. And when Berkeley Ajirogi accidentally left her lunchbox outside, her classmates figured out it was hers even though it was labelled, “Emmeline,” because they know that is her older sister’s name. Howisey focuses more explicitly on Social and Emotional Learning on “Wellness Wednesdays,” including calming activities such as stretches and deep breathing. Students also talk about emotions, such as compassion. A sign on the wall labeled “compassion” with a heart says: “May we be happy. May we be healthy. May we be safe. May we be filled with joy.” To give students breaks between lessons, she provides games such as “Connection,” in which students figure out which four words in a list go together and they are connected. For example, on Wednesday, students figured out that “field,” “greens,” “grass,” and “lawn” were all “grassy areas.” Students said Howisey is a great teacher who makes learning fun. They appreciate that she says “please” and “thank you” when she asks them to do things. “I love her,” said Quinn Pascoe. “She’s so nice.” Logan Dagg added: “Her teaching is good. Sometimes, she just gives us hints, but not the whole answer. And she likes to make things funny. If we act silly, she acts sillier.” Berkeley said one of their favorite activities is propagating plants in the gardens outside their classroom. Howisey is very proud of the sensory and succulent gardens, which were started through the Growing Healthy Kids program. Although Howisey has been nominated in the past, this was the first year she was named a finalist. She heard that more than one person nominated her, including Principal Sara Harris. “Miss Howisey is an absolute force on our campus,” Harris said. “Not only is she an instructional leader in our math work, Miss Howisey works tirelessly to differentiate her curriculum, research and identify the best modalities to instruct her students, and consistently integrates inclusivity and equity in everything she does. Her energy and passion are truly exemplary and I am honored to work with such an exceptional teacher.” Howisey says she is an extrovert who enjoys interacting with as many people in her school community as she can. “That connection creates a trusting partnership where learning can flourish,” she said. “I love creating the classroom space where my students grow, develop, and learn. They become better global citizens, kinder friends, stewards of our environment, strong communicators, critical thinkers, perseverant students, and effective collaborators. Being a part of this child development is my favorite part of the teaching profession.”    District News MDUSD Celebrates April as Arab American Heritage Month The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has adopted a resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month. It says, in part: "California is home to more immigrants than any other state. Our state is fortunate to have the largest Arab-American population in the country, with thriving communities in the Bay Area and Southern California. The more than 715,000 Californians of Arab descent trace their heritage across the Middle East and North Africa, with unique traditions and histories...There is a need for public education, awareness, and policies that are culturally competent when describing, discussing, or addressing the impacts of being Arab American in all aspects of American society, including discourse and policy...the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board celebrates the countless past, present and future contributions of Arab Americans to American society and the State of California, recognizing and honoring the month of April to be Arab American Heritage Month." MDUSD celebrates Adult Education Week April 7th-13th MDUSD is pleased to recognize April 7-13 as “Adult Education Week, ” shining a spotlight on the important role our Adult Education training programs serve in Concord and surrounding communities in Healthcare, Information Technology (IT) preparation for jobs and careers, Adult Basic Education, High School Diploma and Equivalency, English as a Second Language (ESL), Family Literacy, Citizenship, and more. The MDUSD School Board resolution adopted in support of K12 Adult Education is  here . A PowerPoint presentation highlighting MDUSD's Adult Education programs is  here . And a Fact Sheet regarding the programs is  here .  During the March 27th Board  meeting , six Emergency Medical Technician graduates spoke about how grateful they were for the program and how excited they were to begin working as EMTs. One who has already started working with AMR said he highly recommends the Mt. Diablo Adult Education program and encourages anyone who may be interested to "check it out." More information about MDUSD Adult Education programs is at  https://mdae.mdusd.org/ . Board Briefs: Board appointed principals, approved Yondr cell phone pouches, 2024-25 calendar The Board met April 10 and approved the following Principal appointments for 2024-25: Linda Flynn at Bancroft Elementary , Levirt Griffin at College Park HS , and Amy Monaghan  at Fair Oaks Elementary . In addition, the District has announced that Joseph Bruno has been appointed as Principal of Delta View Elementary starting next Fall ; the Board originally appointed him in October as an Elementary Principal for 2024-25, with the site to be determined . Also at its April 10 meeting, the Board approved Yondr cell phone pouches for Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley high schools , Summer School administrator appointments , and a revised 2024-25 school year calendar   (which shortens the window for Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences), among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update  to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here .  MDUSD Superintendent is President of California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce that Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark has been named President of the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA). CAAASA is a group of educational leaders committed to supporting African-American students in California through public policy and collaboration with other state leadership organizations. “I'm stepping into the role of President of CAAASA with a tremendous sense of pride and excitement,” Dr. Clark said. “It's a true honor to serve and lead an organization that's close to my heart and vital to our communities.” Dr. Clark was installed as President during the organization’s recent Professional Development conference. During the statewide conference, Dr. Clark and several MDUSD administrators presented workshops related to equity and creating culturally responsive and inclusive classrooms in schools. “I'm inspired by our shared vision and the incredible potential of our collective efforts,” Dr. Clark said, promising to “push forward with our mission to champion equity, black excellence, and empowerment in education, all while uplifting the students and communities we're dedicated to serving.” Dr. Clark was named President-Elect of the organization last year, and will be honored as “immediate past president” after his two-year term as President expires in March, 2026. He will continue to lead Mt. Diablo Unified as Superintendent while he is President of CAAASA. MDUSD Parent Advisory Committee to meet Tuesday, April 16th MDUSD's Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16th at Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord. The committee will hear a report from Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark on District Updates and discuss Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Survey results and development. The complete agenda is here .  Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ABAR) to meet Wednesday, April 17th MDUSD's Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism Committeee (ABAR) will meet from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 in the District Office Board Room at 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. We are happy to announce that Human Resources will be joining us for this much-belated meeting! We hope to see you all there! Special Education Celebration of Success is Wednesday, April 17th at Concord High School MDUSD and the Community Advisory Committee will host the 22nd annual Celebration of Success on April 17th in the muti-use room at Concord High School, 4200 Concord Blvd. in Concord. A Social Gathering is at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony is at 6:45 p.m. Every year, Special Education staff, providers, psychologists and site administrators identify a student who has demonstrated outstanding personal success. If the site has a Special Day Class program, they can identify two students to be recognized as the school site's "Celebration Of Success" recipients. Congrats to all who will be honored! "Cafecito con las Consejeras" (Coffee with the Counselors) is Saturday, April 20th Four MDUSD Latina  Counselors  will host "Cafecito con las Consejeras" (Coffee with the Counselors) from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 20 in the Shore Acres Elementary Cafeteria at 351 Marina Road in Bay Point. The counselors will chat with parents about summer enrichment opportunities, summer school information, and finishing off the year strong. Coffee and pan dulce will be served. Hablamos Español.  Please RSVP   here .  For more information, contact Angela Ordaz at ordaza@mdusd.org, Marcie Torres at torresmm@mdusd.org, Yaretzie Amaya at amaya@mdusd.org, or Leidi Arias at ariasl@mdusd.org Apply now for free one-week Summer School STEM Camps for Middle School Student Applications   for free STEM Summer School Camps for Middle School students are now available. Students in grades 6-8 can apply for the Girl Camp the week of June 10-14 or the Boy Camp June 17, 18, 20 and 21. Both camps are at Valley View Middle School in Pleasant Hill. Marathon Renewable Fuels Facility is providing funding for the camps.  Apply  here  for girls or  here  for boys. Applications will be accepted as long as space is available.  Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View MS teacher, at hawess@mdusd.org School News MDUSD HOSA students earns honors, ribbons and YVHS HOSA advisor is District rep MDUSD HOSA Future Health Professionals (l-r) from Mt. Diablo HS, College Park HS and Ygnacio Valley HS at a conference in Anaheim (above). MDHS Emergency Medical Technology students Emilio Franco and Rafael Tolento (below left) and MDHS Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) students Jasmine Loiza and Kairi Sanchez (below right) qualified for state finals. MDUSD's HOSA Future Health Professionals group recently returned from a 4-day conference and Competitive Event in Anaheim CA over Spring Break with three high schools representing our District: Mt. Diablo HS, College Park HS and Ygnacio Valley HS. "The good news is that  four of our MDHS students qualified for the State Finals," said MDHS health careers pathway teacher Dr. David Pintado. They are: Emilio Franco and Rafael Tolento in Emergency Medical Technology and Jasmine Loiza and Kairi Sanchez in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). They may still be eligible for National Qualification to attend to the Houston, TX Finals!  More good news is that the College Park HS HOSA team earned the "Learn" and "Lead" Challenge Your Core (CYC) ribbons, and as a new chapter affiliated this year, they are part of the 100 early affiliation chapters. "Big news is that Ygnacio Valley HS  HOSA Adviser, Sgt. Omar Edwards was elected as the new Region 2 CAL HOSA Board of Directors representative, which means he will be the voice of more than 25 high schools in the Bay Area with a Health Science Pathway or Academy," Pintado said. Congrats to all! Sequoia Elementary kindergartners get special visit from PHPD Kindergarteners at Sequoia Elementary School had a fun Friday, said Office Manager Toni Shay. Pleasant Hill Police Sergeant Tillman, Corporal Williams, Officer Negi, and Officer Harvey made a special visit and spoke with the students about safety. "Students were given a tour of the police vehicle, police motorcycle and they even heard the different sirens and learned what the different color lights are for," she said. "The police drone was flown above the school and the students learned what it was used for.  Students learned about the K9 police dog. Thank you to Sergeant Kevin Tillman for organizing the visit!"   Solar Eclipse School Social Media Highlights Holbrook Language Academy, Monte Gardens Elementary and Mt. Diablo Elementary Many MDUSD schools that participated in Solar Eclipse viewing on Monday posted about their experiences on Social Media. These included the Holbrook Language Academy , Monte Gardens Elementary , and Mt. Diablo Elementary (above). Westwood, Walnut Acres and Gregory Gardens Elementary Schools Westwood Elementary Teacher Angela Beatty (featured as an MDUSD Teacher of the Year finalist above) was one of several teachers who brought her students outside to see the eclipse. Walnut Acres Elementary students watched a livestream of the national eclipse, and Gregory Gardens Elementary students watched it overhead.  Pine Hollow MS, Olympic HS and Mt. Diablo HS students also watched the eclipse! Pine Hollow MS  thanked Ms. Wilson for her generous donation of viewing glasses for the students, Olympic HS  thanked the school's Science Dept., and some Mt. Diablo HS students shared their special viewing glasses. A memorable learning experience for all! Student Winter DAL MVPs and All-League Team Members! Congrats to all the MDUSD athletes named as DAL MVPs and to All-League Teams! MDUSD is pleased to recognize Diablo Athletic League Winter Sports standouts above. Congrats to all! Staff News YVHS teacher Joseph Alvarico is a finalist for the FIRST Robotics Woodie Flowers Award! Congratulations to Ygnacio Valley HS engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico, who has been selected as a finalist for the FIRST Robotics Competition's Woodie Flowers Award based on an essay nomination by student Gabrielle Love wrote, with input from the team and checked by mentors. The award recognizes an individual who has done an outstanding job of motivation through communication while also challenging the students to be clear and succinct in their communication. Love   wrote , in part: "Mr. Alvarico remains an exemplary conductor, sharing not just robotics tips but life lessons that play throughout the melody of our lives. He fosters an environment that values making mistakes, fostering exploration and innovation. His students emerge not just as skilled engineers or leaders but as well-rounded individuals ready to take the stage and make their mark in the world. His commitment to “leaving people better than he found them” is not just a motto tattooed on his arm; it’s a tangible reality evident in countless students who have been fortunate to learn under his mentorship." (Alvarico confirmed that he has a "Leave people better than you found them" tattoo on his left forearm.)  Alvarico, along with 6 members of the robotics team, will travel to Houston to attend the FIRST 2024 Championship. He will also take the students to the Space Center Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Robonauts' Team open house, where they will be able to see this elite student team's past and present robots on display. We are rooting for you to win the award! Staff Social Media Highlights Walnut Acres Elementary Elementary, Northgate HS and Mt. Diablo HS staff shout-outs! We are pleased to share the above Social Media shout-outs to Walnut Acres Elementary Head Custodian Mr. Francisco, whose photography skills were highlighted in recent rainbow photo tweet , new Northgate HS Head Sideline Cheer Coach Skyelar Cribbs, who got a recent Instagram welcome, and Mr. Gray at Mt. Diablo HS, who was credited in a tweet for re-establishing the school's Link Crew! Community News Free Summer NABARI Camp for Native/Indigenous Youth ages 14-17  Native/Indigenous Youth ages 14-17 are invited to apply to attend a free NABARI Youth Camp. Details are below: WHEN: July 7-13  WHERE: San Francisco COST: Free WHO: Native/Indigenous youth ages 14-17 (from the summer before high school to the summer after high school). Registration with a federally recognized tribe is not required. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders are included in this definition.  WHAT: NABARI will create a space to explore Native identity empowerment. During NABARI, campers will do educational and social activities to better understand systems of oppression and ways to create positive change for themselves and their communities. Activities will be led by Indigenous activists in law, medicine, science, and more! Here are links to their website and sign ups .  The Friday Letter is written and compiled by Public Information and Community Relations Officer Theresa Harrington Brandt. Reach her at brandtt@mdusd.org for Friday Letter submissions.

Saturday, Apr 13 2024

Friday Letter - March 29, 2024

MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 28 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Family, As we wrap up another exciting week, I want to take a moment to reflect on a few special moments. Wednesday night's Board meeting was a testament to the excellence within our District. We had the privilege of  honoring our Teachers of the Year and finalists, shining a light on the dedication and passion that they bring to their classrooms every day. It was equally heartwarming to recognize their families, whose support forms the backbone of their success. Such moments remind us of the strength within our educational community. I also want to express my deepest appreciation to our students and the volunteers who played a pivotal role in the  "Every 15 Minutes" programs at Concord and College Park high schools this week and last. This powerful program offers a profound reminder of the impacts of drinking and driving, making a significant impression on our students' lives.  As we look forward to the upcoming Spring Recess, I also want to acknowledge the importance of Cesar Chavez Day . This day honors the legacy of a leader who dedicated his life to service, advocacy, and compassion. Let us take a moment to reflect on his contributions and how we can incorporate his values into our own lives and community. Other highlights in this week's Friday Letter include: District News including MDUSD Educational Services Chief Jennifer Sachs to lead Fairfield-Suisun District and  the 3rd Annual Allied Health Career Fair was a success School News including Northgate HS Ethnic Studies class visits Oakland Museum of California and and Cafe Ohlone, Bancroft Elementary students exceed fundraising goal in Kids Heart Challenge , Mt. Diablo Elementary's STEM Fair in the news, and School Social Media Highlights from Holbrook Language Academy and Gregory Gardens and Fair Oaks elementary schools; Oak Grove, Pine Hollow and Diablo View middle schools;  and  Concord, Mt. Diablo and Northgate high schools Staff Social Media Spotlights featuring retiring M&O manager David Hart , Retired Gregory Gardens Elementary Principal honored,  and  an Olympic HS Wellness Center staff shout-out There will be no Friday Letter next week due to the School Break. I wish everyone a happy and rejuvenating Spring Recess. Let's return with renewed energy and dedication to continue our fantastic school year! Sincerely, Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District  MDUSD Spotlights MDUSD School Board Recognizes District Teachers of the Year and Finalists! MDUSD Board Vice President Linda Mayo stands with (l-r) Board Member Debra Mason, Teacher of the Year Finalist Michelle Howisey, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Teachers of the Year Mia Carella and Ingrid Wright,  Teacher of the Year Finalist  Angela Beatty, Board Members Cherise Khaund and Keisha Nzewi, and Board President Erin McFerrin at the March 27, 2023 Board Meeting. ( Teacher of the Year Finalist Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan was not present.) During its March 27th meeting, the Mt. Diablo Unified School Board recognized the 2024-25 District Teachers of the Year Mia Carella and Ingrid Wright ,  and finalists Michelle Howisey, Angela Beatty and Dr. Lizette Ortega Dolan . Carella teaches 1st grade at Walnut Acres Elementary, Wright teaches 4th grade at Bancroft Elementary, Howisey teaches 3rd grade at Mt. Diablo Elementary, Beatty teaches 5th grade at Westwood Elementary and Dolan teaches 8th grade English at Pine Hollow MS. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark praised the teachers as "very special people" and noted that "every year, we just get a plethora of extremely fine educators" who are nominated, "and we look for them to represent Mt. Diablo in the county," with an opportunity to compete to be named a County Teacher of the Year and possibly a  California Teacher of the Year .   The finalists were chosen from 34  outstanding elementary, middle and high school educators who were nominated and offered the opportunity to submit a brief questionnaire . The Teachers of the Year received wooden plaques, while the three additional finalists received engraved glass mementos (Dolan was not present). Carella and Wright advance to the  County Teacher of the Year  competition, which will announce four county finalists next month and two winners in September.  "Every 15 Minutes" programs warn high school students not to drink and drive Concord HS students and local emergency services first responders who participated in the "Every 15 Minutes" simulated fatal DUI traffic collision and subsequent mock funeral gather around wrecked vehicles on the football field (above) (Photo: Nancy Paiva) . Students and families of "the living dead" gather near a coffin at a mock funeral (below left). A CHS student playing the role of a drunk driver who has been arrested is escorted out of the funeral by Concord Police Officers (below center).  Gravestones installed on campus remind students of their classmates who were "killed" by drunk drivers and removed from their classrooms (below right). As end-of-the-year prom and graduation seasons approach, MDUSD schools and local emergency responders want to be sure high school juniors and seniors celebrate in safe and responsible ways. In an effort to prevent deaths or injuries related to drinking or texting and driving, local police and fire departments collaborated with Concord and College Park high schools to present the dramatic " Every 15 Minutes" program , which simulates a fatal DUI traffic collision involving a student drunk driver on the football field, and includes nearly two dozen "living dead" students who are removed from their classrooms by a grim reaper and are separated from their families for one night to demonstrate the impact of lives cut short by drunk driving. The program's name comes from the fact that every 15 minutes, someone in the United States dies in an alcohol-related traffic collision. On the first day of the two-day event, firefighters and paramedics extricate injured students using the jaws-of-life, treat them, and transport them to a hospital via a REACH helicopter. The coroner arrives to handle a student pronounced "dead" at the scene. And Police Officers investigate, arrest, and book the student "drunk driver.” On the second day, the program culminates with a mock funeral for the "dead" students, which starts with a video showing the students partying before drinking and driving, a recap of the simulation on the football field, the "drunk driver" being booked into jail by police, and hospital footage of one student dying, another being treated for injuries, and their parents grappling with their grief as medical professionals explain what happened to their children. The video produced for the Concord HS program is below. Please note that it contains images and situations that may be disturbing. Parental discretion is advised. The second day also features guest speakers including the parent of a young adult who was killed by a drunk driver, and a person whose drunk driving killed others. It also includes a parent reading a letter to her "dead" daughter, and features obituaries posted on the wall of they gym and tombstones installed on the campus with the names of those who "died."  The emotional and gut-wrenching simulations and real-life horror stories challenge students to think about driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and the importance of good decision making by allowing them to experience first-hand the sensations of being involved in a tragic, alcohol-related and texting while driving fatal collision.  Thank you to the California Highway Patrol, which helps fund and provide education for the program, as well as all the local emergency responders, hospital personnel, volunteers, parents, students and staff, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving ( MADD ), who made these programs possible.  District News Schools closed through April 5 for Cesar Chavez Holiday and Spring Break All MDUSD schools will be closed through April 5. All schools and District offices will be closed Friday, March 29th, for the Cesar Chavez Day Holiday. Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 is Spring Break. All schools will be closed, but District offices will be open Monday, April 1 through Thursday, April 4 and will be closed on Friday, April 5, due to a Board Holiday. Classes will resume Monday, April 8th. Enjoy your break! Board Briefs: Board met March 27th to receive reports, approve tentative agreement The Board met March 27 and recognized District Teachers of the Year and finalists (see Spotlight above), heard a reports on District International Baccalaureate programs; and approved 11 classrooms at Riverview MS for use by the Contra Costa School of the Performing Arts Charter, a tentative agreement with the MDUSD Psychologist Association, 2022-23 School Accountability Report Cards, standards-aligned English Language Arts materials for middle and high school English Language Arts instruction; approved a Project Stabilization Agreement in a 4-1 vote; and denied a request by the Measure J Citizen Bond Oversight Committee for funding of an independent legal counsel, citing a lack of competitive bids and high number of minimum hours; among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update  to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here . There will be no Organizational Update on April 5 due to Spring Break. MDUSD Educational Services Chief Jennifer Sachs to lead Fairfield-Suisun District  MDUSD's Educational Services Chief Jennifer Sachs announced Thursday that she has been named Superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (pending contract negotiations) effective May 1.  In an email to her Department, Sachs said: "Thinking about everything the Department has accomplished over the past several years, and the expertise each of you bring to the work, I could not have asked for a more committed and amazing Ed Services Team. Under the direction of Dr. Clark and the Board of Education, Mt. Diablo Unified can surely be identified as a transformational district providing a high quality education to students and support for our families. I am so incredibly proud of this group! Since my new position as Superintendent begins May 1st, I'll be working on posting the Chief position as quickly as possible."  “Allied Health Career Fair” shows HS students options available through Adult Education  Health Career Pathways students from Concord, College Park and Mt. Diablo high schools learned about training programs available through Mt. Diablo Adult Education at the 3rd Annual Allied Health Fair on March 21st (above and below). The  3rd Annual Allied Health Career Fair on March 21st was a huge success! Mt. Diablo Unified Career Pathways in collaboration with Earn & Learn and hosted by Mt. Diablo Adult Education (MDAE) opened their doors and classrooms to 120 Health Pathway students from Mt. Diablo, Concord and College Park high schools.  Students rotated through six different workshops learning about the different Career Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at MDAE. One of the workshop sessions was an Exposition Hall where nearly 20 different career paths in the health industry were showcased.  "The programs available are very interesting and I’m glad to know that we have options," said CPHS student Mariana Zuniga. MDHS student Saul Herrera, who is interested in dental assisting, said, "I liked how the activities were interactive, such as the molding used." YVHS student Ximena Ruiz also said the program increased her interest in becoming a dental assistant. "I love this event," said Erin Larkins Pulley, MDUSD's Career Pathways College and Career Transition Specialist. "This not only gives our students an opportunity to see options for themselves post-secondary within MDUSD, but it also gives them an opportunity to ask the professionals doing the work what they realistically need to expect in their career of interest. No fluff, just real expectations. The idea is to give students options in the health field that they maybe didn't know existed."   The workshops included: Dental Assisting, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Medical Assistants, Surgical Technologists, and the Contra Costa Health Community Health Worker and Medical Reserve Corps. The Expo Hall included: Martinez Adult Ed, ProTransport-1 LLC, La Concordia, Junior Achievement of Northern CA that offers an internship with John Muir Health, Early Alert Canines, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, East Bay Regional Park District, Contra Costa County Office of Education, California Society of Opticians, On-Site Health & Safety, Apex Care, REACH Air, Donor Network West, Sage Veterinary, and East Bay CPR.  Organizers would like to thank Dr. and Mrs. Johnson from Revy Revs Soulfood Connection and Rock Solid Ministries of Martinez for the donation of lunch for our industry partners and teachers! It was delicious! We would also like to give a shout out to MDUSD's Central Kitchen for making sure our students had a great lunch for the day!  More information about Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Career Technical Education programs is here . MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) test proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season. This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is Willow Creek Center in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or as few shifts as desired. More information is here .  Apply now for free one-week Summer School STEM Camps for Middle School Students Applications for free STEM Summer School Camps for Middle School students are now available. Students in grades 6-8 can apply for the Girl Camp the week of June 10-14 or the Boy Camp June 17, 18, 20 and 21. Both camps are at Valley View Middle School in Pleasant Hill. Marathon Renewable Fuels Facility is providing funding for the camps.  Apply here for girls or  here for boys. Applications will be accepted as long as space is available.  Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View MS teacher, at hawess@mdusd.org. School News Northgate HS Ethnic Studies students learn powerful lessons at the Oakland Museum of California and Cafe Ohlone Northgate HS Ethnic Studies students visit Cafe Ohlone and founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino.(above). Students Rebeca Aguilar, Brooke Sullivan, Emma Bernstein (below left), Lola Medina, Leyna Reif, Isis Bryant, and Kelsie Tamura (below center) and Eostre Mejia (l-r) and Jayden Kim (below right) explore exhibits at the Oakland Museum of California. On March 20th, the Ethnic Studies classes at Northgate High School enjoyed an impactful day of learning at two off-site locations. The 50 students currently taking Ethnic Studies at Northgate visited three exhibits at the Oakland Museum of California: Por El Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence Malaquías Montoya , Y ou Are Here: California Stories on the Map , and  Black Power . The exhibits highlight the achievements, perspectives, and lived experiences of the four core groups that center Ethnic Studies: Indigenous people, Asian American and Pacific Islander groups (including Arab Americans), Chicanx/Latinx people, and African Americans, with a particular focus on how these specific communities shape California history and contemporary events.  The students then headed to the UC Berkeley campus to participate in an interactive educational session as well as enjoy tea and dessert a t Cafe Ohlone: the only restaurant that celebrates and serves traditional foods of the Ohlone tribal community . Students learned about the vital contributions of Ohlone people (and affiliated tribal communities) via an engaging discussion with founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino that highlighted sacred Ohlone culinary and cultural practices, the continued work of rematriation, and the restaurant’s origins. Everyone also loved the delicious tea and brownies that were served, prepared in the traditional Ohlone style, utilizing local ingredients.  “We’ve had such a wonderful and exciting year of learning in Ethnic Studies, and I am grateful that my students could apply their knowledge out in our local region,” said Meg Honey, Northgate’s Ethnic Studies teacher. “Our field trip was incredibly impactful, and I know my students enjoyed connecting with historical content and hearing from members of the very communities that we have studied all year.”  Ethnic studies is also offered at Mt. Diablo HS, Olympic HS and Ygnacio Valley HS and will be a graduation requirement at all CA high schools in 2025-26. Bancroft Elementary students exceed fundraising goal in Kids Heart Challenge Bancroft Elementary students raised $8608.42 in the American Heart Association's  Kids Heart Challenge , exceeding their goal of $5,500, said Principal Cindy Dunn. Kids Heart Challenge is a school-based program designed to support long-term mental and physical health among students, while also raising funds to support the life-saving mission of the American Heart Association. The program offers a variety of physical activities to get elementary students' hearts pumping such as dance, basketball or jumping rope. Congrats! Mt. Diablo Elementary's STEM Fair in the news In an article titled, "Young scientists take center stage at Mt. Diablo Elementary’s STEM Fair," the Pioneer recently featured school's annual STEM Fair this month, noting that it "buzzed with activity as parents and family members strolled through the exhibits learning as they went." Third grade student Orion Howell and fourth grade student Salma Ataie Ebuen’s exhibit (pictured) posed the question, “What will make wax worms eat more plastic?” The students determined that with these worms, "we could reduce plastic pollution,” Salma said. "More than 55 student projects were on display, Kindergarten to 5th grade, complete with detailed presentation boards and live demonstrations," the article said. Kudos to all our young scientists! School Social Media Highlights Fun at H olbrook Language Academy and Gregory Gardens and  Fair Oaks elementary! Students at the Holbrook Language Academy and Fair Oaks Elementary recently highlighted fun activities with eggs in Social Media posts, while Gregory Gardens Elementary students celebrated Holi! Oak Grove, Pine Hollow and Diablo View middle schools students shine! In recent Social Media posts, Oak Grove MS students showed that they've got talent, Pine Hollow MS students pranced and danced, and Diablo View MS students took on school staff in a basketball game! Concord, Mt. Diablo and Northgate HS students celebrate culture, prom and wellness Recently, Social Media posts highlighted a Multicultural Celebration at Concord HS, a Mt. Diablo HS "Promposal" and "Wellness Day" at Northgate HS ! Staff Social Media Spotlights M&O Manager, Retired Elementary Principal, and Olympic HS Wellness Center shout-outs Recent staff-related Social Media shouts included a fond send-off to retiring Building and Grounds Manager David Hart , Retired Gregory Gardens Elementary Principal Cheryl Kolano receives PTA Golden Oaks Award  presented by MDUSD Board Vice President Linda Mayo, and an Olympic HS Wellness Center staff shout-out to Social Work intern Manny and Social Work Specialist Emilio ! Congrats to all!

Friday, Mar 29 2024

Friday Letter - March 22, 2024

MARCH 22, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 27 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community, Happy Friday! As we wind down another week, I'm thrilled to share some of the stories that  highlight the unique talents within our learning community.  This week, we celebrate our  Classified Employees of the Year, who serve out students in many ways both inside and outside classrooms.  We also feature a story from  Highlands Elementary, where teacher Lawrence Delaney from Wales has brought a piece of his heritage to our District. His 3rd-grade class captured hearts far and wide, including the BBC's, with their rendition of a Welsh song. It's a beautiful reminder of how our educators are not just teachers, but also ambassadors of culture and inspiration to our students. In another exciting development,  student Isabella Gutierrez from Sequoia Elementary  has made us all proud with her artistic achievement. Her artwork has been selected to grace the cover of the school's yearbook, a testament to the creativity and vision of our students. Here's to a wonderful weekend ahead, filled with rest, rejuvenation, and the excitement of our students. Thank you, Dr. Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlights Congratulations to MDUSD's eight District Classified Employees of the Year! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce the District's eight Classified Employee of the Year finalists, who are also the District's County Classified Employees of the Year nominees. The District finalists are: Sheila Bergum , Clerical and Administrative Services; Liberato (Ato) Caparas , Transportation; Aramis Hegler ,  Security Services;  JoJo Miguel , Skilled Trades; Mari Nist , Para-professional, Sandy Reeder, Food & Nutrition Services, Sandra Solis , Custodial Services, and Alan Wright , Technical Services. The MDUSD Governing Board will recognize the employees at its May 8th meeting. All of the nominees said they were honored to be selected for this special recognition. Bergum , who is the College & Career Advisor for Concord HS and the Lead College & Career Advisor the the District, initiated MDUSD's Career Education Fair seven years ago, which features trades and career options that don't necessarily require a four-year college degree. "Everything she does is with her whole heart," according to counselors Rima Boujaoude and Becky Heindel, who nominated her. "She is so passionate about college and career exploration, and her passion is contagious to all who interact with her." They said Bergum is the "go-to" person for many counselors and college and career advisors "because she is continuously seeking educational opportunities to learn more about college applications, scholarships, internship and summer opportunities, financial aid, and so much more....MDUSD is so lucky to have Sheila Bergum spearheading this very important work." Caparas , a school bus driver,   was nominated by Transportation Director Cris Lepe, who described him as "adored by many; thanks to his easy-going demeanor and the respect he extends to everyone he encounters." Lepe said Caparas' "harmonious relationship with school site staff  and parents further demonstrates his ability to foster a supportive and inclusive community." With an "unparalleled work ethic," Lepe said Caparas "is present and willing to assist whenever and wherever needed" by "driving any bus in our fleet or taking on weekend field trips." Lepe concluded that Caparas "has dedicated over two decades of his life to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and their families" and his "unwavering commitment, reliability, and profound impact on our community" qualify him for this award. Hegler , who is a security guard, was nominated by Custodial & Operations Manager David Hart. "His ability to remain calm under pressure allows him to handle tense situations and effectively communicate security protocols," Hart said in his nomination. "His proactive approach and quick thinking have helped to prevent and mitigate potential risks, creating a safer and more secure environment for everyone." Hart added that Hegler builds positive relationships with staff and the local community and that his "professionalism, integrity and unwavering dedication" has had a "profound impact on the security and atmosphere of our school District." Miguel  was described by Maintenance Manager Paul Lundholm as "the hero of the District who swoops in when there are mechanical issues at any of our school sites and administrative offices." Lundholm added that Miguel "exhibits a remarkable attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving, ensuring that our school buildings are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing for students, staff and visitors alike."  Besides his technical skills and knowledge, Lundholm praised Miguel's "excellent interpersonal skills and strong work ethic," along with his ability to communicate "effectively with colleagues, administrators, and contractors, fostering a collaborative and positive working environment." Luncholm concluded: "His hard work, professionalism, and commitment to excellence make him an invaluable asset to our school district. He is the true King of HVAC." Nist  has been a   special education assistant at Pine Hollow MS for 30 years. "Her unwavering dedication and passion for her work have left an indelible mark on countless lives," said Special Education Assistant Sheila Ronque in her nomination. "Many of her former students, now adults, have followed in her footsteps, inspired by her commitment to making a difference." Ronque said, adding that throughout her career, Nist "has demonstrated exceptional patience, empathy and understanding, fostering an inclusive and nurturing environment where every child feels valued and supported." In addition, Nist "volunteers her time generously for various school activities," such as organizing field trips, chaperoning school dances, and assisting with homecoming or fundraising events. Ronque said:  "Mrs. Nist is known for her reliability and willingness to contribute to the school community." Reeder , who is a lead Food and Nutrition Services Worker in the District's Central Kitchen, was nominated by Food and Nutrition Services Director Alexandra Emmott. "This year, Sandy has spearheaded a Harvest of the Month taste test program in partnership with our after school provider, CARES, to promote seasonal produce," Emmott said in her nomination. "Sandy has made some incredible food as part of this program, such as freshly baked persimmon bread, butternut squash mac and cheese, kale bites with marinara sauce and much more. She goes above and beyond to make the taste tests successful, setting up baskets with produce and samples and providing tablecloths for each school. Thanks to her creativity and dedication, students across the District are loving the new menu items." Solis , who is the Night Custodian at Walnut Acres Elementary, was nominated by Principal Lauren Ashton. Solis was lauded for her exceptional attention to cleaning and repairing the campus facilities; her commitment to fostering positive relationships with staff, students, and families; and for spearheading initiatives to reduce environmental impact. "Her proactive approach to problem-solving" and "willingness to embrace new challenges" make her "an indispensable asset to our school," Ashton said in her nomination. "Her contributions may often go unnoticed, but her impact on our school community is immeasurable," Ashton concluded. "She is truly deserving of this recognition and our heartfelt gratitude." Wright  was described by IT Director Robert Sidford as "a brilliant network engineer and a highly skilled network manager" who is "an indispensable architect for our network." Sidford also praised Wright's people and problem-solving skills, saying that he can "discuss and coordinate networking projects of the highest complexity, then explain those projects to laymen. This is an extraordinarily rare skill." Sidford concluded that Wright's "work on networking projects and the maintenance of our network is crucial to the District's success in providing a safe and reliable network." District News Band and Orchestra Area Festivals continue next week! MDUSD is proud to continue celebrating Music in Schools Month with concerts featuring students from Elementary, Middle and High Schools in our District School communities.  At these concerts, you can see and hear our awesome student musicians and the programs in which they participate. The Band Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "America, the Beautiful," performed by all the area bands together. The Orchestra Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "The Sol-Do Concerto," performed by all the orchestras together.  The Concord HS Area, College Park HS Area and Ygnacio Valley HS Area concerts were held earlier this month.  Below is the schedule for the Northgate HS Area Concerts: Monday, March 25th - 7 p.m. Northgate High Area Band Festival March 26th -7 pm- Northgate High Area Orchestra Festival We hope to see you at one or more of these performances! Next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event on Tuesday, March 26 at Riverview MS MDUSD will host our next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Riverview Middle School.  The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Each adult who registers will get a free Naloxone Kit. Parents and their students are encouraged to attend together. Click h ere   to register. Board Briefs: Board meets March 27th to honor District Teachers of the Year and Finalists! Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update  to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here . The next Board meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, where the District Teachers of the Year , finalists and nominees will be recognized. The agenda will be posted here after 5 p.m. March 22. Schools closed March 28-April 5 for School Recess, Cesar Chavez Holiday and Spring Break All MDUSD schools will be closed from March 28 through April 5. Thursday, March 28 is a School Recess. Schools will be closed, but District offices will be open. Friday, March 29th is the Cesar Chavez Day Holiday. All schools and District offices will be closed. Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 is Spring Break. All schools will be closed, but District offices will be open Monday, April 1 through Thursday, April 4 and will be closed on Friday, April 5, due to a Board Holiday. Classes will resume Monday, April 8th. Enjoy your break! MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season.   This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the  Willow Creek Center  in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is  here . Apply now for free one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students! Applications for one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students this summer are now available. Students in grades 6-8 can apply for the Girl Camp the week of June 10-14 or the Boy Camp June 17, 18, 20 and 21. Both camps are at Valley View Middle School in Pleasant Hill.  Marathon, our community partner at the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility, is providing funding for the camps. Apply  here  for girls or  here  for boys. Applications will be accepted as long as space is available. Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View MS teacher, at hawess@mdusd.org. School News Why are students at Highlands Elementary singing a Welsh folk song? Third-graders in Lawrence Delaney's class are now famous in Wales, thanks to a BBC report that featured them singing a well-known Welsh folk song called "Sosban Fach," which means "Little Saucepan." A video of his class singing the song aired recently and was posted on the BBC Wales Facebook page , getting rave reviews from Delaney's former countrymen (and women).  "I'm from Wales and have taught internationally for 25 years, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt and the last 19 years in the USA (My wife is from Walnut Creek and we met at a school in Germany)," Delaney said in an email. "Anyway, I always try to share a bit with my class about where I'm from and teach them a few songs and phrases in Welsh.  Sospan Fach is a traditional Welsh song that EVERYONE in Wales knows. They sing it at Rugby matches and in schools, so that's usually one of the songs I teach. The kids love it. In English it doesn't make sense really, it's about a little saucepan and an argument between two people. I think it is like 'crying over spilt milk.'" So, how did Delaney's students end up on the BBC? "Long story short, my childhood friend from Wales is a senior TV and Radio Journalist for the BBC," Delaney explained. "I hadn't seen him for about 25 years until this summer. He came to California to report on the USA women's soccer team versus Wales in San Jose. I met with him and told him about how I feel more Welsh now that I'm not in Wales. He said 'send me some pictures some time, I'd love to see them.' So, I sent him the video clip and next thing he's asking me to be interviewed on the Breakfast Show in Wales, then the Drive time show, then I had newspapers calling. People are so passionate about preserving the Welsh language that this is a major deal to have kids across the world learning about the country. I've been overwhelmed by it to be honest, I'm a pretty shy person and now I need an agent. :) It's cool that people know Highlands Elementary across the Atlantic now." You can hear Delaney talking about his project on BBC Wales Radio here . He talks about celebrating the Welsh festival day, " St. David's Day ," every year with his students on March 1st. His students wear traditional daffodil flowers and have become familiar with the country's flag . "Kids always say my flag is the coolest flag because it's got a dragon on it," he said. "I miss Wales so much. I always feel connected when the kids want to learn about it. Living abroad has made me more aware of my Welshness and my pride in all things Wales." Although Delaney still has a Welsh accent, the BBC interviewer with a British accent complimented the Highlands students for their "lovely American accent." "Go and have a look," she encouraged listeners, "it will gladden your heart!" Student News Sequoia Elementary announces student Yearbook Cover Contest winners! The Sequoia Elementary Parents Association recently  announced the winners of this year's Yearbook Cover Contest, which they said "showcased exceptional creativity, capturing the spirit of Sequoia Elementary." The top choice for the 2023-24 yearbook front cover was "stunning artwork by Isabella Gutierrez," a talented artist in Mrs. Anthon’s fifth grade class (left). Isabella's classmate Advay Vikranth received a special mention for his art, which was chosen or the yearbook's back cover.  The school also celebrates the creativity and effort of its grade-level runners-up:  Kindergarten: Mia Shuler, Mrs. Spakousky’s class 1st Grade: Zoe Munoz, Mrs. Altman’s class 2nd Grade: Ally Sato, Ms. Marshal’s class 3rd Grade: Madison Grace Talento, Mrs. Clack’s class 4th Grade: Matilda Nichol, Mrs. Kehr’s class 5th Grade: Nelia Denane, Mrs. Anthon’s class Congratulations to all! Community News Tickets are on sale for Pride Prom 2024 on Saturday, May 11 at Concord High School Tickets for Pride Prom 2024 from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at Concord High are now on sale at Pride Prom ( pflagclaycord.org ). PFLAG Clayton-Concord is hosting the event. The regular ticket price is $50. The organization is also offering free scholarship tickets for "students with resource constraints" in order "to reduce barriers to inclusion." Students can send a confidential request for a free scholarship ticket  here .  Pride Prom is for LGBTQ+ and ally Juniors and Seniors attending or eligible to attend any high school in Mt. Diablo Unified OR attending Carondelet, De la Salle or Clayton Valley Charter high schools. Students will be required to enter emergency contact information and agree to behavioral standards before purchasing tickets.  Pride Prom will feature "amazing food supervised by Chef Kevin and the culinary students at Mt. Diablo HS." It will also include performances and a DJ, who will be taking requests. Plus, each attendee will receive a gift "to remember a magic night of celebration."  Organizers are hoping all LGBTQ+ and ally juniors and seniors will make plans to be there! Important Dates March 21:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center March 26:  Fentanyl Awareness event at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS (See District news above; Reservation required) March 27: District Governing Board  meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Boardroom March 28:  Schools  closed for School Recess, District offices are open March 29:  Schools and District offices closed for Cesar Chavez Holiday April 1-5: Schools closed for Spring Recess, District offices open April 1-4, but closed April 5 for Board Holiday 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  for Friday Letter submissions.

Saturday, Mar 23 2024

Friday Letter - March 15, 2024

  MARCH 15, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 26 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Family, In this week's Friday letter, we spotlight an exciting experience that took place during Monday's In-Service Day— the BEST teacher job shadow day . This initiative offered our teachers a unique opportunity to visit industry partners to gain fresh perspectives on future opportunities for our students.  We're also proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of  MDUSD’s Teachers of the Year, who were honored at a special County recognition reception this Tuesday. Their dedication and passion for teaching have not only elevated our educational standards but have also positively impacted our students' experiences. Additionally, I'm delighted to share the success of the Concord High School Latino parent night, which was an empowering evening that brought our community closer, fostering meaningful conversations and connections among parents, students, and staff over two days that also included a professional development workshop and school assemblies. Other highlights this week include: District News about  upcoming school concerts  and  Spring Break School News including College Park HS student art show at Pleasant Hill Library , and School Social Media Highlights from CARES programs; Diablo View, Oak Grove and Pine Hollow middle schools; and College Park, Northgate and Mt. Diablo high schools Staff Social Media Spotlights featuring the College Now program, Ygnacio Valley HS Education Academy and Rio Vista Elementary's Extended Learning Program Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our students, empowering them to become college and career ready. Thank you, Dr. Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlight 25th Annual "BEST Day" for Teachers is a Professional Development Day Highlight During MDUSD's "BEST" job shadowing day on March 11, Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark spoke to teachers (above), MDHS health career pathway teachers Dr. David Pintado and Hayley Davis visited Donor Network West (below left), MDHS hospitality teacher Chef Kevin Fuller visited the Concord Child Care Center (below center) and MDHS alumni and Papi Clary’s Kitchen restaurant owner Claryzza Abille Arcala was a guest speaker (below right). While MDUSD students enjoyed their day off from school last Monday, dozens of Career Technical Education teachers from District high schools and middle schools took on the roles of students as they visited 13 local industry professionals to learn more about the jobs they are preparing their students to  tackle in the future. During the 25th Annual BEST (Business and Education Shadowing for Tomorrow) Day, the teachers got a chance to see how professionals who work in companies, organizations or public agencies do their work, ask questions, and get insights into what employers are looking for when they interview candidates, including MDUSD graduates. The teachers educate MDUSD students in career pathways including hospitality, photography and digital arts, education, engineering, construction and wood shop, and sciences such as chemistry and biotech that can lead to healthcare careers. Teachers toured facilities including Alphagraphics, Berkeley Signs, Bertolami Engineering, Concord Child Care Center, Concord Police Department, CoStar, Donor Network West, East Bay Health, East Bay Times, Kindred Motor Works, Roof & Realm modular homes, and the Walnut Creek Police Department's Drone program.  After the job shadowing, teachers shared their experiences with each other and discussed what they plan to tell students about what they learned. They also heard from Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark about the importance of their work with students, and from two guest speakers who stressed the importance of "soft skills" in their employees, such as being able to collaborate in teams and also to work independently, showing up to work on time, being enthusiastic, communicating well and meeting deadlines. The ability to think creatively, problem-solve, learn new skills, be resilient by learning from mistakes and being accountable were also common themes among employers interviewed by teachers, along with passion for their work. This was the first time the program included middle school teachers in an effort to strengthen connections between career-focused classes such as wood shop in middle and high schools. Sequoia MS wood shop and Maker's Academy teacher Jim Bergmann was excited about his visit to Roof & Realm, where he saw how team members from Human Resources, Accounting and Permitting departments worked together and learned new skills as they transitioned from one job to another. Healthcare pathway teacher Dr. David Pintado said he learned about the need for organ and tissue donors at the Donor Network and found out people can donate tissue while they're still alive.  Dr. Clark praised the District’s career pathways teachers for "thinking out of the box" to prepare students for college an careers. "I'm really appreciative of what you all are doing," he said, adding that career pathways classes help give students a sense of identity and motivate them to come to school. Guest speaker Claryzza Abille Arcala, who graduated from Mt. Diablo HS, said she was so inspired by Chef Kevin's cooking classes and mentorship that she had the confidence to buy a restaurant and now employs some MDHS students at  Papi Clary’s Kitchen  on Solano Way in Concord. She emphasized the importance of being kind to customers and relationship-building for both students and teachers, explaining that Chef Kevin's belief in her helped her to believe in herself. District News Band and Orchestra Area Festivals continue this month! MDUSD is proud to continue celebrating Music in Schools Month with concerts featuring students from Elementary, Middle and High Schools in our District School communities.  At these concerts, you can see and hear our awesome student musicians and the programs in which they participate. Each Band Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "America, the Beautiful," performed by all the area bands together. Each Orchestra Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "The Sol-Do Concerto," performed by all the orchestras together.  The Concord HS Area Band and Orchestra Festivals were held March 6 and 7 and the College Park HS Area Band Festival was March 13.  Below is the schedule for our remaining HS Area Concerts. Monday, March 18th - 7 p.m. Ygnacio Valley High Area Band Festival Tuesday, March 19th - 7 p.m. Ygnacio Valley High Area Orchestra Festival Wednesday, March 20th - 7 p.m. College Park High Area Orchestra Festival Monday, March 25th - 7 p.m. Northgate High Area Band Festival March 26th-7 pm- Northgate High Area Orchestra Festival We hope to see you at one or more of these performances! Next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event on March 26 at Riverview Middle School MDUSD will host our next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Riverview Middle School.  The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Each adult who registers will get a free Naloxone Kit. Parents and their students are encouraged to attend this event together. Click  Here  to register. Board Briefs: Board meets March 27th to honor District Teachers of the Year and Finalists! Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update  to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here . The next Board meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, where the District Teachers of the Year , finalists and nominees will be recognized. The agenda will be posted here after 5 p.m. March 22. Contra Costa County Office of Education Honors 2024 Teachers of the Year Walnut Acres Elementary Principal Lauren Ashton (l-r) stands with 2023-24 MDUSD, County and California Teacher of the Year Joseph Alvarico from Ygnacio Valley HS: 2024-25; District Teachers of the Year Mia Carella of Walnut Acres and Ingrid Wright of Bancroft Elementary, and Bancroft Elementary Principal Cindy Dunn at the County Teacher of the Year reception on March 12. MDUSD's two 2024-25 Teachers of the Year Mia Carella and Ingrid Wright  were among the top educators from Contra Costa County’s 18 school districts, the County Office of Education and the community college district, who were honored at a reception Tuesday, March 12th to kick off the county’s 2024-25 Teacher of the Year program. The 22 distinguished instructors, who collectively represent more than 8,000 education professionals across public schools and community colleges in the county, will now vie to be named one of the two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.  “These dedicated individuals serve as shining examples of public school teachers in Contra Costa County classrooms and I look forward to celebrating them throughout the Teacher of the Year process,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. The county will name four finalists in April and will select two County Teachers of the Year in September, who will compete in the California Teacher of the Year program. More information about the program is here . Schools closed March 28-April 5 for School Recess, Cesar Chavez Holiday and Spring Break All MDUSD schools will be closed from March 28 through April 5. Thursday, March 28 is a School Recess. Schools will be closed, but District offices will be open. Friday, March 29th is the Cesar Chavez Day Holiday. All schools and District offices will be closed. Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 is Spring Break. All schools will be closed, but District offices will be open Monday, April 1 through Thursday, April 4 and will be closed on Friday, April 5, due to a Board Holiday. Classes will resume Monday, April 8th. Enjoy your break! MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season.   This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the  Willow Creek Center  in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is  here . Apply now for free one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students! Applications for one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students this summer are now available. Students in grades 6-8 can apply for the Girl Camp the week of June 10-14 or the Boy Camp June 17, 18, 20 and 21. Both camps are at Valley Valley Middle School in Pleasant Hill.  Marathon, our community partner at the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility, is providing funding for the camps. Apply  here  for girls or  here  for boys. Applications will be accepted as long as space is available. Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View MS teacher, at hawess@mdusd.org. School News Concord HS hosts Latino Parent Night, staff workshop and student assembly on life decisions The Concord HS staff stands with youth engagement speaker Juan Cangas from CoolSpeak during Teacher In-Service Day on March 11 (above). Juan speaks to CHS students about inclusivity, goal-setting and decision-making during motivational assemblies on March 12 (below). To help strengthen and build connections between its staff, parent and student communities, Concord HS invited youth decision-making coach and motivational speaker Juan Cangas from the  CoolSpeak youth engagement company to campus for two days, March 11-12. He started off on Monday morning by working with the school staff during the Teacher In-Service Day with a focus on how teachers make their classrooms welcoming for students, said Principal Julene MacKinnon.  On Monday night, Cangas was a guest speaker for the school's first Latino Parent Night, which all parents and guardians were welcome to attend, but the event was focused on helping Latino families connect with our school community, MacKinnon said. The event invitation explained that it was intended to help parents "build partnerships and become involved at CHS." A Mexican immigrant, Cangas talks about finding his own motivation to succeed as a young Latino teen wrestling with the challenges of life, guided by his mother, whom he loved, but didn't always heed.  Then on Tuesday, Cangas spoke to students during two assemblies on how he made both good and bad decisions growing up, but eventually turned his life around when he decided to grab every opportunity available to him instead of being led astray by friends who betrayed him. He urged students to learn from their mistakes like he did and to think about what they want in their future and make goals so they can achieve their dreams. Cangas said he decided he wanted to be successful to make his Mom proud and to have a positive impact on the world. "I've made my choices," he told the students. "Now, it's time for you to make yours." College Park HS student art show at Pleasant Hill Library through March 25th   College Park High School is pleased to invite community members to see selected artwork from CPHS Visual Arts students in a special exhibition at the Pleasant Hill Library through Tuesday, March 26th. The library is at 2 Monticello Avenue in Pleasant Hill. The exhibition includes the items highlighted in the poster (left).  It featured glass, ceramics, photography, painting, and graphic design pieces created by students who are interested in pursuing careers in art. Art teacher Zach Sesar said he selected pieces for the exhibition that reflected some of the best work being done by students at the school.  College Park HS is one of several district schools that offers an arts and photography  career pathway for students who are passionate about art. A list of some of the courses offered is here .  School Social Media Highlights CARES programs offer fun activities during Teacher In-Service Day school break While teachers and many other MDUSD staff members were receiving professional training during the Teacher In-Service Day School Recess on Monday, staff members in our CARES Expanded Learning Programs were busy providing students with a variety of fun activities! The El Monte Elementary CARES program posted on Instagram: "Core memories were made today! 🫶🏼" Meanwhile, the Holbrook Language Academy CARES program tweeted about a field trip to the Girl Scout Camp Bothin, saying: "Our @CARES_ELP students had a blast at the #GirlScouts Dynamic Ropes Course in Fairfax." And students in Bel Air Elementary's CARES program highlighted pie eating contests, playground fun, dancing, eating and art projects in a tweet video that reminded families that they can sign up for School Recesses: "Our next one is March 28th , 8-5pm!. Please stop by room 11 for any questions regarding sign ups 🫶🏼🌎" Diablo View, Oak Grove and Pine Hollow middle schools share special milestones! Some MDUSD middle schools had new and exciting news to share in their recent social media posts. Diablo View MS tweeted : "Great first week of our Wellness Center being open for students! #GoBobcats." Oak Grove MS was celebrating a major achievement,  tweeting : "Oak Grove MS is now certified International Baccalaureate MYP school.  👏🙌 Congratulations to teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and students for making it possible. It’s been a long journey and we made it! 🐈 Let’s go Wildcats!" And Pine Hollow MS touted a special experience for some students,  tweeting : "@ProfessorBuhler and our #TUPE team had a great time representing our #PHMSMustangsPride at Teens Tackle Tobacco at @UCBerkeley today! 💚🐎 "  Students shine at College Park, Northgate and Mt. Diablo high schools! MDUSD students enjoying extra-curricular activities were highlighted in some recent high school social media posts. College Park HS tweeted about its "Student Ambassadors getting ready for TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education) Presentation to students at lunch." And Northgate HS Principal Kelly Cooper tweeted about new Women's Swimming Record breakers! "Tilly Chan (not pictured) beats the pool record for the 50m fly, and Lily Struempf beats the pool and school records for the 100m fly, beating one previously held by coach Heidi! #goBroncos." And Mt. Diablo HS tweeted that some students and staff recently attended "Dreamers" conference at Contra Costa College!  Staff Social Media Highlights Staff spotlights from College Now, Ygnacio Valley HS and Rio Vista Elementary's ELP! We are always pleased to see smiling, proud staff members enjoying their work and being recognized for the difference they make in students' lives! Recent social media posts demonstrating this community spirit included a College Now tweet wishing everyone a "Happy Friday from our @MtDiabloUSD staff!" and an Ygnacio Valley HS tweet that said: "Thrilled to see our Education Academy Teachers representing Ygnacio Valley High School at the CA Educating for Careers Conference! Their dedication and expertise shine bright, showcasing the excellence of our #EDAcademyYVHS. Go team!" Over at Rio Vista Elementary, the Extended Learning Program tweeted its thanks to "Mr. Gerald" with a "Happy Birthday" message and a photo showing him holding a bouquet of flowers and notes of gratitude. Kudos to all! Community News Tickets are on sale for Pride Prom 2024 on Saturday, May 11 at Concord High School Tickets for Pride Prom 2024 from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at Concord High are now on sale at Pride Prom ( pflagclaycord.org ). PFLAG Clayton-Concord is hosting the event at Concord HS. The regular ticket price is $50. The organization is also offering free scholarship tickets for "students with resource constraints" in order "to reduce barriers to inclusion." Students can send a confidential request for a free scholarship ticket here.  Pride Prom is for LGBTQ+ and ally Juniors and Seniors attending or eligible to attend any high school in Mt. Diablo Unified School OR attending Carondelet, De la Salle or Clayton Valley Charter high schools. Students will be required to enter emergency contact information and agree to behavioral standards before purchasing tickets.  Pride Prom will feature "amazing food supervised by Chef Kevin and the culinary students at Mt. Diablo HS." It will also include performances and a DJ, who will be taking requests. Plus, each attendee will receive a gift "to remember a magic night of celebration."  Organizers are hoping all LGBTQ+ and ally juniors and seniors will make plans to be there! Important Dates March 15: End of Third Quarter March 19: Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)  meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center March 21:  District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center March 26:  Fentanyl Awareness event at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS (See District news above; Reservation required) March 27: District Governing Board  meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Boardroom March 28-April 5:  Schools closed for School Recess, Cesar Chavez Holiday and Spring Break; District offices closed March 29 and April 5 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  for Friday Letter submissions.

Friday, Mar 15 2024

Friday Letter - March 8, 2024: Featuring music in sc...

  MARCH 8, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 25 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community, March is a month brimming with celebration across MDUSD, and as your Superintendent, I am thrilled to share some of the highlights that make your District exceptional. This month, we recognize National School Breakfast Week and  School Social Worker Appreciation Week , celebrating the foundational role nutritious starts and empathetic support play in our students’ lives.  Adding to our March festivities, we recently celebrated the 2nd Annual MDUSD Elementary Honor Choir and MS Choir concert and  Concord Area Band and Orchestra Festivals at Concord High School . These events showcased the incredible talents of our choir, band and orchestra students from elementary, middle, and Concord High schools. Their performances were not just a display of musical excellence, but a testament to their dedication to both academic achievements and social-emotional development.   Other Friday Letter highlights this week include: District News about   our  Teacher Induction Support Program  and  No School Monday, March 11 for Teacher In-Service School News featuring Shore Acres Elementary hosts 1st Annual MLK Oratorical Festival to celebrate Black History Month   Student News highlighting College Park  HS student named a National Merit Scholarship finalist , two College Park HS students selected for county journalism program , Ygnacio Valley HS Robotics Club unveils new robot,  and  Northgate HS animation students honored in Winton Avenue Film Festival As we move forward, let us continue to support and celebrate the diverse talents and contributions of all our students and staff, reinforcing our commitment to a well-rounded, inclusive education.  Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlights 2nd Annual MDUSD Elementary Honor Choir and MS Choir concert highlights music education The Elementary Honor Choir performs with the Foothill and Pleasant Hill MS choirs in the finale at the 2nd Annual concert conducted by teacher Katherine Nash-Coan with a flute accompaniment by teacher David Wright and piano accompaniment by teacher Stella Brown (above). Teacher Danielle Haffner conducts the Elementary Honor Choir (below left). Westwood Elementary Principal Nancy Klinkner poses for a photo with music teacher Bonnie Shea and choir students Pablo Cabrera, Aria Golden and Maddy Cordero (below center), and Holbrook Language Academy choir student Delilah O'Hara receives a bouquet from her mother after the concert.  Back by popular demand, the 2nd Annual Elementary Honor Choir and Middle School Choir Concert expanded to a larger venue this year to accommodate the large crowd of parents and supporters who gathered to hear their memorable melodies. Sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation ( MDMEF ), the event took place in the Concord HS gym on Monday evening and included selected students from 11 elementary school choirs along with students in choirs from Pleasant Hill and Foothill middle schools. "Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation sponsors this concert by purchasing music for the singers and providing event T-shirts for the elementary students," said elementary music teacher Bonnie Shea, who helped organize the event. "Many of our MDUSD schools at all levels - elementary, middle, and high school - do not offer a Choir experience for their students. This event serves as one way to bring attention to the benefits of choral singing, encourage more schools to make choral singing available to their students, and to provide a collaborative performing opportunity to our students." MDUSD Board President Erin McFerrin and Vice President Linda Mayo attended the concert and gave it rave views during their Board meeting reports on Wednesday night. "The highlight of my last couple of weeks was going to the choir concert at Concord High," McFerrin said. "I am really quite impressed at the quality of those performances and I’m so grateful to our music educators that do really exceptional work. And it just really shows when our students perform." Mayo said: "That was fantastic to see all of the students vocalizing together!"  The audience included Westwood Elementary Principal Nancy Klinker, who proudly posed with Shea and Westwood 4th-grade Choir students Pablo Cabrera, Aria Golden and Maddy Cordero for a photo taken by Aria's mother, Jennifer Golden, after the concert. "We were amazed how well they put this together," said Jennifer Golden, adding that this was the first time all of the students had sung together. Aria said she enjoys choir because she gets to sing with some students she doesn't know and feels like part of a larger school group. Holbrook Language Academy 5th-grader Delilah O'Hara received a beautiful bouquet from her mom in appreciation for her debut concert, which her father and grandparents also attended. She said that singing "makes me feel very free and it is very fun."  Shea said the event brings MDUSD students together to celebrate and share the joy of singing. "Because we wholeheartedly encourage these singers to continue with Chorus as they move on to middle school, we are joined by Brendan Mosley and his Pleasant Hill MS Choir, and Sally Anderson with her Foothill MS Choirs," she said. "They will give our younger singers an idea of what to look forward to as they grow as students and musicians." Besides Shea, elementary music teachers who participated in the event this year included Michelle Hackel, Sabrina Myers, Ge Blind, David Wright (who also played flute on the closing song "Touch the Sky"), Stella Brown (who also performed as a collaborative pianist), and Danielle Haffner and Katherine Nash-Coan (who were also conductors during the concert). Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation Board Member Nick De La Riva (who is the Oak Grove MS Band Director), encouraged those who attended to consider donating to the foundation, which was established in 2009, and has given over $217,000.00 in grants and other financial support to music programs throughout MDUSD.  The event provided teachers with a chance for meaningful collaboration, the families and community members the opportunity to see the value of choral music education, and the singers the benefit and challenge of participating in a large, high profile performance experience, Shea said. "We are proud of the level of musicianship and spirit of community that made the concert a success for all," she added. Please see District News below for a schedule upcoming Band and Orchestra Area Festivals.  MDUSD students and Superintendent celebrate National School Breakfast Week March 4-8 Ygnacio Valley Elementary students enjoy a school breakfast of fruit, a scone, and overnight oats with yogurt, cinnamon pears and chia seeds (above and below). Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark visits the school kitchen to chat with the staff and taste their scratch-made food during National School Breakfast Week.   To celebrate National School Breakfast Week March 4-8, MDUSD's Food and Nutrition Services Dept. distributed prizes to all elementary schools to promote breakfast as part of a "tray day" and also hosted Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark at Ygnacio Valley Elementary, where he enjoyed a breakfast of scones, fruit and overnight oats with local vanilla yogurt, cinnamon pears and chia seeds. Dr. Clark said MDUSD's school cafeterias and staff are warm and welcoming, offering scratch-made, nutritious free meals to our students, giving them a "healthy start" at a young age. "It breaks my heart to see kids at the corner store buying soda and chips," he said, adding that he has been impressed by how responsive the Food and Nutrition Services Department has been to students' needs.   Research shows that students who regularly eat school breakfast have higher attendance, test scores, and graduation rates, according to  No Kid Hungry . Food and Nutrition Services Director Alex Emmott said February’s meal participation numbers showed a strong increase in student participation at all meal periods - 8.25% on average. "Our Department is piloting bulk organic cereal at Meadow Homes Elementary next week and will be piloting a new pizza - round and Detroit style - from a Fairfield-based bakery in April and May at 10 schools," she said. "We are also exploring new compostable food packaging for next year and planning to eliminate 'sporks' to reduce plastic waste." The Department has also started serving "chana masala," which is a chickpea curry with naan flatbread and is working on introducing a cucumber and feta cheese salad to serve MDUSD's diverse student population. "People who like it or love it feel seen," said Culinary Manager Josh Gjersand, adding that this food especially appeals to students from Middle Eastern countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.   About 300 Ygnacio Valley Elementary students eat breakfast at the school each day. Second grader Genesis Amaya said she liked the overnight oats with pears and the kiwi fruit. Her classmate Angel Felipe said he enjoys oranges, which are "sweet and sour." Joanna Moran said she likes the tasty scones with sprinkles, along with kiwi and apples. "They're so tasty and they're so good for your body," she said.  Ygnacio Valley Elementary Principal Gilbert Armenta said the school also offers a "second chance breakfast" for children who arrive later. "I think the breakfast program is an important part of starting off the day happy, healthy, comfortable and welcome," he said. "And we provide that every morning."  District News   MDUSD celebrates School Social Worker Appreciation Week from March 3-9 MDUSD is pleased to recognize March 3-9 as “ School Social Worker Appreciation Week, ” and to shine a spotlight on the dedicated social work specialists who coordinate our Wellness Centers and play a pivotal role in enhancing the well-being and success of students in this video reel . The Wellness Centers offer a calming and safe space to support the academic, emotional and social well-being of students and their families. Social Work Specialists and interns provide drop-ins, check-ins, case management, short-term counseling, counseling groups, therapy, crisis intervention, family engagement, linkage to community services and/or programs, community partnerships, and referrals for long-term counseling or trauma- related issues. Congratulations to Estrella Estrada, who supports Newcomers to MDUSD, Charisse Segee at College Park HS, Karla-Monique Veal at Concord HS, Chris Carlay at Mt. Diablo HS, Merritt Rollins at Northgate HS, Emilio Perdomo at Olympic and Alliance HS, Jamie Jackson at Ygnacio Valley HS, Shawa Puma at Oak Grove MS, and Deonne Curtis-Wesley at at Riverview MS.  Kudos to our wonderful social work specialists and interns who support students at the Wellness Centers! More information about their work is in this week's Organizational Update under "Wellness Centers" and in one-pagers here . Board Briefs: Board met Wednesday and received reports, reduced some positions The MDUSD Governing Board met March 6  and received a Mid-Year Progress Report from the One Day at a Time program at Ygnacio Valley HS; and approved the Second Interim 2023-24 Budget Report , and resolutions to reduce the number of Certificated Employees based on the Discontinuance of certain Particular Kinds of Services, and reduce or discontinue the number of Classified Employees based on a Reduction or Discontinuance of a Particular Kind of Service for the 2024-25 school year, among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here . The next Board meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, where the District Teachers of the Year, finalists and nominees will be recognized. The agenda will be posted here after 5 p.m. March 22. MDUSD’s Teacher Induction and Support Program (TISP) receives full program accreditation MDUSD teachers and mentors celebrate at an annual Colloquium for all participating teachers who have completed the TISP requirements. MDUSD is pleased to announce that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) met in late January and approved full program accreditation for MDUSD's Teacher Induction and Support Program ( TISP ). The accreditation was based on recommendations from a three-member visiting team who conducted a virtual accreditation review of the program, which included a rigorous review of submitted program reports and a total of 120 interviews with teachers, mentors, district staff, and community advisors to the program. The Accreditation report is  here . "We are very proud of the high-quality induction program we are able to offer to our new teachers in MDUSD who are working to clear their teaching credentials," said Christina Filios Yiannakopoulos, Assistant Director of Instructional Support. "Congratulations to our TISP team for all of their hard work: Patricia Scott and Kirsten Watson, TISP Coordinators; and Rachel Hallquist, Courtney Longua, Marie Otsuka, Caitlin Sale, and Jenny Welch, TISP mentors."  You can see how the program helps new teachers by watching the  video below.                                                                                                                                                                             All schools will be closed Monday, March 11 for Teacher In-Service Day All MDUSD schools will closed on Monday, March 11 for Teacher In-Service Day. District offices will be open. CARES Extended Learning programs will also be open. Teacher In-Service day is an opportunity for teachers to receive professional development in their areas of interest. Watch for a Friday Letter story next week about the Business and Educators Shadowing for Tomorrow (BEST) Career Pathways annual training in which Career Technical Teachers will participate on Monday.  Upcoming Band and Orchestra Area Festivals!  Monte Gardens Elementary Band students (left), and Delta View Elementary (center) and Holbrook Language Academy Orchestra students (right) participate in the Concord HS Area Band and Orchestra Festivals on March 6 and March 7. MDUSD is proud to celebrate Music In Schools Month with concerts featuring students from our Elementary, Middle and High Schools in our District School communities. At these concerts, you can see and hear our awesome student musicians and the programs in which they participate. You’ll be SO inspired! Each Band Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "America, the Beautiful," performed by all the area bands together. Each Orchestra Concert concludes with the Grand Finale, "The Sol-Do Concerto," performed by all the orchestras together.  The Concord HS Area Band and Orchestra Festivals were held March 6 and 7. You can see videos from the Orchestra Festival on the Delta View Elementary PTA Facebook Page . Below is the schedule for our remaining HS Area Concerts. Wednesday, March 13th - 7p.m. College Park High Area Band Festival Monday, March 18th - 7 p.m. Ygnacio Valley High Area Band Festival Tuesday, March 19th - 7 p.m. Ygnacio Valley High Area Orchestra Festival Wednesday, March 20th - 7 p.m. College Park High Area Orchestra Festival Monday, March 25th - 7 p.m. Northgate High Area Band Festival March 26th-7 pm- Northgate High Area Orchestra Festival We sincerely hope to see you at one or more of these performances! Next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event on March 26 at Riverview Middle School MDUSD will host our next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Riverview Middle School.  The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Each adult who registers will get a free Naloxone Kit. Parents and their students are encouraged to attend this event together. Click Here to register for Fentanyl Awareness Event on March 26th. MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season.   This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the Willow Creek Center in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is here . Apply now for free one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students! Applications for one-week MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students this summer are now available. Students currently in grades 6-8 can apply for the Girl Camp the week of June 10-14 or the Boy Camp June 17, 18, 20 and 21. Both camps are at Valley Valley Middle School in Pleasant Hill.  Marathon, our community partner at the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility, has provided funding for the camps since 2016.  Apply  here  for girls or  here  for boys. Applications will be accepted as long as space is available. Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View MS teacher, at hawess@mdusd.org. School News Shore Acres Elementary hosts 1st Annual MLK Oratorical Festival to celebrate Black History Month Shore Acres Elementary students recite "I Am Every Good Thing," by Derrick Barnes (above). Student Aaron Wilson presents "I am Kobe Bryant" (below left), student Matteo Dizon presents "I Am Poem" and Langston Hughes' "I Dream a World" (below center), and families explore the student Black History Art Museum (below right).  Shore Acres Elementary in Bay Point was proud to host its First Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Festival on Feb. 29th to celebrate Black History Month. This event was organized by two school parents, Roxanne Williams-Garcia and Lisset Lopez. Lopez said the event gave students the opportunity "to share either an essay, poem, or speech regarding our shared history."  Williams-Garcia said the success of the night was due to the teachers that helped prepare their students with their performances and the school staff coming together to decorate the multi use room. She also credited Principal Dr. Miguel Rodriguez for having faith it would come together and supplying food, but said it was most important that the parents worked together to make it happen.  'It was amazing to witness the community come together to celebrate Black History Month through their children," Williams-Garcia said. "Seeing them perform with such enthusiasm brought so much joy to the community. They truly showed that even with different cultures, we stay united to find common goals." The event also included a Black History Art Museum organized by Counselor Marcie Torres, where students picked a prominent figure in Black History and created artwork teaching about that person. Students and their families were able to walk through the museum during the event.  Student News College Park HS student named a National Merit Scholarship finalist Congratulations to College Park HS student Griffin Celestre, who has been named a National Merit Scholarship finalist! More information about the National Merit Scholarship Program is  here . Two College Park HS students selected for county journalism program 13 students representing nine Contra Costa County high schools, including College Park HS in MDUSD, have been selected to participate in a new 5-month program designed to support journalism education and local community news. Pictured above, the students are (standing, l-r)  Andrew Ma (California HS), Tatiana Sims (Deer Valley HS), Grace Gallacher (Acalanes HS), Anna Messerer (Alhambra HS), Sophia Goyena (Dozier-Libbey Medical HS), Bailey Winey (College Park HS) ; and (kneeling, l-r) Loujain Habibi (Liberty HS),  Louise Aparicio-Weil (College Park HS),  Cassydee Guinto (Pittsburg HS), Emma Mayta Canales (Deer Valley HS), Keerthi Eraniyan (California HS), Wendy Fernandez (Pittsburg HS), and (not pictured) Haley Chelemedos (Acalanes HS).    These students were selected by Contra Costa Youth Journalism, a collaboration between educational institutions and professional news organizations, with the Contra Costa County Office of Education serving as the fiscal sponsor and hosting a recent high school news reporting workshop. More information is here . Ygnacio Valley HS Robotics Club unveils new robot In what has become a highly anticipated annual tradition, the Ygnacio Valley HS Project 212 Robotics Team unveiled its newest robot on Wednesday, complete with an in-depth presentation about its development and a visit by special guest Deputy Superintendent of the California Department of Education, Abel Guillen. Engineering teacher and robotics club advisor Joseph Alvarico is a 2024 California Teacher of the Year. "This year's robot is named Cicada," Alvarico said. The name was inspired by the insect Cicada because the robot's intake and shooter subsystems make a loud noise when they operate, similar to the sound Cicada makes. "The team took 7 weeks to design and build the robot," he said. The robot can pick up game piece elements that look like orange donuts and deliver them to specific locations to earn points in regional compeitions. The robot can also hang from a chain! "Before the event, Bishop Wisecarver donated an additional $5,000 on top of the $5,000 they had given at the start of the season," Alvarico said. "Along with Bishop Wisecarver, representatives from Marathon, J&M Fasteners, Simply Selling Shirts, and the Mount Diablo Education Foundation were in attendance. Sponsors, school staff, families, and friends enjoyed the hour-long presentation, during which our members discussed the various subsystems that they designed and developed to create our robot Cicada." Click on the videos below to see Cicada and the team's season highlights reel , which shows how hard they worked, and how much fun they had together! Good luck in your upcoming competitions March 14–17 in the Los Angeles Regional in El Segundo and April 4–7 at the East Bay Regional in Berkeley! Northgate HS animation students honored in Winton Avenue Film Festival Northgate HS is pleased to share that eight Intermediate Animation and Animation III students were invited to participate in the recent "Winton Art Film Festival" at Carondelet High School based on their submissions in either the "animation short" category or the "super short" (less than 2 minutes) category, said Northgate HS animation and art design teacher Michelle Carmon. The students whose animation films were screened are: Kegan Harmston, Emma Neacsu, Brayden Legaspi (above center), Maxie Netzer, Dylan Mclaren (above left), Stella Noe, Abram Messiha and Kenzie Schloss (above right). McLaren and Schloss competed in the animation short category against other students from De La Salle and Carondelet high schools for the "Oaky" award, which is a leaf-shaped plaque made from natural oak wood, Carmon said. "While oak trees are known to symbolize stability and longevity, the 'Oakies' take on a special meaning by relating to the unique Bay Area environment – and, as a way to be more eco-conscious, awards are 100% biodegradable," she added. Special congrats to Kenzie Schloss who was awarded the "Oaky" award for best animation at the Film Festival! 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  for Friday Letter submissions.

Saturday, Mar 09 2024

Friday Letter - March 1, 2024

  MARCH  1, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 24 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community, This week, our Friday Letter is dedicated to celebrating the exceptional achievements of our  two Teachers of the Year . Their unwavering dedication to academic excellence and nurturing the social and emotional well-being of our students has set a standard of commitment and passion. These outstanding educators exemplify what we strive for in Mt. Diablo Unified School District - creating environments where every student is seen, heard, and supported. Their pursuit of excellence has not only elevated their classrooms, but has also inspired their colleagues and our District community. As we honor their achievements, let's reflect on the positive impact that dedicated teachers have on shaping the futures of our students, preparing them ultimately for college and career.  We are also celebrating the recognition of Diablo View Middle School as a California Distinguished School . Other highlights this week include: District News about  March recognitions  and  upcoming meetings and events School News including Rep. Mark DeSaulnier visits Ygnacio Valley HS , Mt. Diablo Adult Education program celebrates EMT graduation, and S equoia Elementary beautification  Student News highlighting two Northgate HS students are named National Merit Scholarship finalists , school spelling bee winners , Concord HS Leadership students host annual conference,  and  MDHS soccer player featured in Pioneer Athlete spotlight  Sincerely, Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlights Congrats to MDUSD's 2024-25 Teachers of the Year, who advance to County competition! The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce that Walnut Acres Elementary teacher Mia Carella and Bancroft Elementary teacher Ingrid Wright have been selected as the District's two 2024-25 Teachers of the Year! The pair were selected from 35 outstanding educators from preschool through grade 12 who were nominated and offered the opportunity to submit a brief questionnaire. The questionnaires were scored by members of the MDUSD Teacher of the Year Selection Committee and the top-scoring individuals were interviewed. The MDUSD School Board plans to recognize the District Teachers of the Year, along with nominees and finalists, at its Wednesday, March 27th meeting. Carella and Wright will now advance to the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year competition, which will name four finalists in April and two County Teachers of the Year in September. Both Carella and Wright said they were honored to be chosen to represent the District and their schools. They are both passionate educators who strive to build strong relationships with their students and who enjoy working collaboratively with other teachers at their schools to meet students' needs.  Carella teaches first grade at Walnut Acres, where she enjoys helping students learn to read and to express themselves in writing. Wright teaches 4th grade at Bancroft, where she stresses to her students that her classroom is a "safe space" in which she encourages them to ask questions, think critically, work together an inclusive ways, and to voice independent ideas.   Mia Carella First grade teacher Mia Carella smiles as she looks at the work of one of her students during a writing lesson at Walnut Acres Elementary. Carella, 35, has taught for 11 years, including eight years at Walnut Acres Elementary and three years in San Rafael City Elementary School District. Although she has taught several different elementary grade levels, she said first grade is her favorite. "Students are so fun and so willing to try anything," she said. "They just soak it all in and they’re so excited to be at school. It makes me happy. Also, they’re so kind to each other, which I love. I try to have a great classroom environment where they’re supportive and helpful to each other. We just did a kindness week at school, which was great." Walnut Acres Principal Lauren Ashton  nominated Carella for Teacher of the Year . “Mia is not only an all-around phenomenal teacher who cares about students’ growth both academically and socially, she is also an all-around huge cheerleader and advocate for our school,” Ashton said, adding that Carella stays in touch with students as they progress to higher grade levels, showing that she cares about them. “And when we have committees to join, she wants to be in those conversations about making changes to school curriculum or beautifying the school. She led a mural contest and organized the P.E. shed.” In addition, Ashton said Carella is very welcoming to parents and encourages them to volunteer in the classroom, which helps support students who are working at different levels. “She always has a positive intent, she always wants to problem-solve,” Ashton said. “And she’s a teacher who is also a member of the community.” Carella said she loves teaching phonics and reading because these become students' foundation for enjoying reading. "They pick the new skills up and then they put the skills together and they find a book they love and it turns into that magical, ‘I’m so excited to start reading,' moment,'" she said with a smile. She has developed a system for helping students become independent learners working at four different levels of reading and writing, by creating "learning centers" that include several drawers with a variety of activities in them labeled "must do," "may do," etc. For example, students at the highest reading level participate in a nonfiction book club, and are practicing writing with quotation marks, reading poetry, listening to stories on an iPad and writing about them. At the other end of the spectrum, some students are still learning how to sound out words, focusing on blending the sounds of vowels and consonants together.  As Carella works to meet each students' needs, she collaborates with other 1st grade teachers at the school to create effective, engaging lessons. These include the " Gingerbread City " that morphed from a simple gingerbread house-making activity to one that delves into literature and city planning and culminates with a visit from the Walnut Creek mayor and students' families to see the students' creations. "It's fun to build gingerbread housed," she said. "But we needed to make it more meaningful and make it a good use of our time." The Walnut Acres 1st grade teacher team was also ahead of the curve in realizing that "whole language" reading lessons that did not include phonics were not working, Carella said, explaining that they began integrating phonics to bolster students' ability to sound out words before the most recent trend.  To really motivate students, Carella said one of her passions is teaching around themes. She is eagerly anticipating a South American theme she introduces to her students when the school begins studying different continents, which will include South American books and writing assignments, songs and chants. "Every aspect of the classroom - everything I can think of - I will bring into the classroom," she said. "Students are so engaged and they learn so much because it's all around them." She also engages students by challenging them to add descriptive words to their writing and to replace general or repetitive words with more interesting vocabulary words. During a writing lesson on Wednesday, she suggested that the ordinary word "buy" could be replaced with a more "fancy word that starts with 'p.'" A few students yelled out excitedly, "Purchase!" Carella patiently answered students' questions, complimenting them on their ideas, as they revised their stories. Her students said they appreciate her willingness to help them overcome obstacles. "I like how she helps me when I can't do stuff," said 7-year-old Harper Sill. Bailey Gagnon, also 7, added: "And she does really nice art projects with us."  Carella said she expects to continue teaching for the foreseeable future. "I’ll keep doing it for as long as I’m having fun and willing to change things up," she said. "I do not want to get stuck being the person who’s always doing things the same way because it's always been done that way. I want to try new things." Ingrid Wright Fourth-grade teacher Ingrid Wright works with student Sarah Hemsley on a math project involving fractions at Bancroft Elementary . Wright, 49, has taught for 27 years, starting off her career as a kindergarten teacher at Pleasant Hill Elementary, then moving to 3rd grade there, before taking on a job-share at Monte Gardens Elementary for 11 years teaching 3rd and 4th grades. She is now in her fifth year at Bancroft teaching 4th grade, which she calls the "sweet spot." "I love teaching 4th graders because they’re so independent - able to do so many things, to have higher level conversations back and forth, so I can teach them a strategy and they can work alone or in a group or one-on-one," she said. "They’ve got lots of skills and I’m teaching them how to read closely, how to ask questions about what they’re reading. That is something I’m passionate about - literacy - because I feel like we need to give kids tools to attack fiction and nonfiction so they're not passive readers, teaching them to be thoughtful. Reading should change them. The power in reading is how it can make us more compassionate, how it can inform us, and how we can question if there’s bias - I just think it’s such an empowering tool. If I can create lifelong readers, they can use these skills through college and life. What a way to equip kids to be successful!"  Parent Darya Leverant nominated Wright  for Teacher of the Year. “Mrs Wright is one of the best, kindest, loving and caring teachers I've ever known," Leverant said. "My daughter Francesca speaks highly about Mrs. Wright on a daily basis. Mrs. Wright has developed exceptional connections with each student. Her positive energy goes above and beyond to make each day memorable. Mrs. Wright is committed to students' success. Her patience, problem-solving and dedication to teaching has no limits. Mrs. Wright is a subject matter expert with interpersonal communication skills. I have volunteered in the classroom multiple times and witnessed how engaging and captivating Mrs. Wright's lessons are. She uses various methods and visual presentations to explain new material, encouraging kids to take ownership and lead studies during class. Students are allowed to share handmade crafts or findings related to the subject, which makes students feel special, highly involved and engaged. Our family is so grateful and appreciate Mrs Wright for everything she does for our child. Teachers like her are one in a million!" Wright, who has a background in child development, is very intentional about creating a classroom environment that is safe, inclusive, welcoming and engaging, so students will be willing to ask questions. "Teaching the whole child is huge for me - taking into account their social emotional and academic cognitive skills and making sure those are honored," she said. "Different kids need different things, and that’s OK." She embraces words of wisdom she has learned from mentors, such as former Principal Linda Schuler, who said: "Love them first, teach them second." "That’s so important," Wright said. "If you're trying to teach them something, but your’e not paying attention to what they need emotionally, the train leaves the station."  Students said Wright gently guides them in complex and creative tasks, while encouraging them to think about what they are learning and develop their own ideas. "She teaches very kindly," said Francesca. "I'm learning a lot of math. If you need help on an equation, you could ask her and she will tell you how to do it, but not give you the answer." Sarah Hemsley said Wright makes math fun by giving students hands-on activities such as learning about fractions by combining colorful plastic shapes to make half, quarter and full circles. “We get to do projects and actually learn,” she said, explaining that she could see that 2/4 = 1/2 by using the plastic shapes. Wright said teaching is fulfilling because she gets to work with kids every day and see them keep trying. "I like to come along with each child in their journey," she said. "They're all different. I try to get them to be thoughtful about their own journeys and not compare themselves to others. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon."    Diablo View Middle School is named a California Distinguished School! MDUSD is proud to announce that Diablo View Middle School in Clayton has been named a 2024 California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education (CDE)!  "Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the state’s most 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 293 middle and high schools statewide for this honor, based on their performance on state indicators on the 2023 California School  Dashboard ,  with a focus on demonstrating excellence and growth in academic achievement and ensuring a positive school climate. "Diablo View Middle School is extremely honored and humbled to learn that we were selected to receive the Distinguished School Award from the State of California," said Principal Vicki Wilson. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment of our entire school community—students, teachers, staff, parents, and supporters alike. It reinforces our belief in the importance of providing a nurturing and empowering learning environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. This recognition affirms our dedication to fostering academic excellence, fostering a culture of inclusivity, and preparing our students to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens." District News March is Women's History Month and Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has proclaimed March as Women's History Month. "The celebration of Women's History Month will provide an opportunity for schools and communities to focus attention on the historical role and accomplishments of the women of California," the Board resolution states, adding that the Board "encourages all schools to commemorate this occasion with appropriate instructional materials." The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has proclaimed March as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month. "There were 7,385 deaths related to opioid overdose in 2022" in California, the Board resolution states, adding that "the Mt. Diablo Unified School District encourages our community to support the DEA's next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day which is Saturday, April 27, 2024 10 a.m. to 2 p.m." and "encourages all community members to participate in prescription drug abuse related prevention programs and activities." Free Family Reading Event on Saturday, March 2nd hosted by Mt. Diablo Adult Education Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Parent Education Program presents its Free Family Reading Event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 2 at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center, 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord. This annual event is open to the public to be enjoyed by families with children ages 2-10. It will include activities such as crafts, an obstacle course, story time and much more! Details are in the attached flyers in English and Spanish . More information is at (925) 685-7340 ext. 6270. March 3-9 is School Social Work Week The week of March 3-9, 2024 is “ School Social Work Week ,” during which we shine a spotlight on the dedicated social work specialists who coordinate our Wellness Centers and play a pivotal role in enhancing the well-being and success of students at College Park HS, Concord HS, Mt. Diablo HS, Northgate HS, Ygnacio Valley HS, Olympic HS, Oak Grove MS and Riverview MS. Congratulations to Charisse Segee, Karla-Monique Veal, Chris Carlay, Merritt Rollins, Jamie Jackson, Emilio Perdomo, Shawna Puma, Deonne Curtis-Wesley and Estrella Estrada! The MDUSD School Board expects to adopt a resolution on March 6 encouraging schools to observe “School Social Work Week” with activities that promote awareness of the vital role of school social workers, in schools and the community as a whole, in helping students prepare for their futures as productive citizens.    March 4-8 is National School Breakfast Week The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has proclaimed March 4-8, 2024 as National School Breakfast Week. "All Mt. Diablo Unified School District students are able to participate in the school breakfast program at no cost," the resolution states, adding that MDUSD serves over 7,000 breakfasts daily and almost 1.3 million breakfasts annually; and "the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board of Education continues to recognize and takes great pleasure in commending the Food Service team members who accept and meet the daily challenge of providing school breakfasts to our students." All-District Elementary Honor Choir plus two Middle School Choirs Concert is Monday Selected elementary choir students from schools throughout Mt. Diablo Unified will participate in a free All-District Elementary Choir Concert at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 4th at Concord High School, 4200 Concord Blvd. in Concord. The concert will also feature the Foothill and Pleasant Hill middle school choirs.  The second annual event is sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation.  Please see the attached flyer for details TK and Kindergarten registration for 2024-25 continues this month! Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year continues through March at our Centralized Enrollment Centers in Concord and Bay Point.  Next week, parents and guardians can register TK and K students who will attend Delta View (in Bay Point), Bel Air (in Bay Point), Cambridge, Bancroft, and Ayers elementary schools.  The complete TK/K enrollment schedule by school is  here .   More information about TK and Kindergarten in MDUSD is here . MDUSD's Adult Education Lifelong Learning program offers new classes this month MDUSD's Adult Lifelong Education program has plenty to offer in March, including cooking, crafts, finance, home improvement, technology, and woodworking! Details are in the March newsletter  here .  More information about Mt. Diablo Adult Education is on the website here .  Board Briefs: Board meets Wednesday to receive reports, consider reducing positions The MDUSD Governing Board will meet Wednesday, March 6  to receive a Mid-Year Progress Report from the One Day at a Time program at Ygnacio Valley HS; and review and potentially approve the Second Interim 2023-24 Budget Report, and resolutions to reduce the number of Certificated Employees based on the Discontinuance of certain Particular Kinds of Services, and reduce or discontinue the number of Classified Employees based on a Reduction or Discontinuance of a Particular Kind of Service for the 2024-25 school year, among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is here . An archive of past reports is here . MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season.   This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the Willow Creek Center in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is here . School News Rep. Mark DeSaulnier visits Ygnacio Valley High School Rep. Mark DeSaulnier stands with Ygnacio Valley HS Education Academy students who participated in a Town Hall with him on Feb. 26 (above). Rep. DeSaulnier speaks during the Student Town Hall and holds an Education Academy t-shirt (below). Rep. Mark DeSaulnier visited Ygnacio Valley HS on Feb. 26 to hold a Town Hall meeting with students in the school's Education Academy. He  tweeted : "I hosted a student town hall today at @YgnacioValley to chat with students about what a day in the life of a Member of Congress looks like and to answer their questions. Thank you to all the students who joined in this conversation and the wonderful staff at YV!"  Ygnacio Valley HS  tweeted : "Thrilled to have our Education Academy students from Ygnacio Valley High School participate in Congressman DeSaulnier's student town hall today! Engaging with local leaders is essential for empowering our youth and shaping our communities. #CivicEngagement #YouthVoice" Mt. Diablo Adult Education program celebrates EMT graduation The Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Career Technical Education Center was proud to host an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Commencement Ceremony on Feb. 28th honoring 23 students who have completed the rigorous 5-month program either during day or night classes. The ceremony included two student speakers selected by their peers, along with the Golden Stethoscope award giving to top-scoring students in the day and night classes. The graduates are now eligible to complete paramedic training at a local community college, while working with local ambulance companies responding to emergency medical calls. EMT Program Director Gary Guisti praised the graduates, and told their families that the program teaches life skills including integrity, which entails being kind when you are stressed out and treating everybody the same. He proudly told the graduates: "Now, people look at you in a different light - they look at you as someone they can trust. Welcome to the EMT family!"  More information about the Mt. Diablo Adult Education EMT training program is here . S equoia Elementary beautification "So much amazing work has been happening on our campus to make it more beautiful and inviting, and we want to give a HUGE shout-out and thank you to Mr. Finn for leading these efforts," said Sequoia Elementary Office Manager Toni Shay. "The front garden (above left) has been transformed into a magical space! There are new plants and paths, and colorful rocks painted by students line the new paths. It looks amazing!" Finn is a garden educator in the Growing Healthy Kids program and the school's after-school enrichment program, Shay said. "Mr. Finn has worked tirelessly this year to create a garden program almost from scratch, and to bring greenery and beauty - and yummy things to eat! - to our school!" She also mentioned that several murals related to the school's International Baccalaureate program are being painted around the school, including one on the wall next to the office, which students helped to design and paint. However, the murals are not related to the Healthy Kids program. The staff that are working on the murals are Lucas Finn, Margot Lipkin-Kuhre and Thomas Betz, she said. Kudos to all! Student News Two Northgate HS students are named National Merit Scholarship finalists Congratulations to Northgate HS students Sophia Carcamo and Akash Abedin, who have been named National Merit Scholarship finalists! More information about the National Merit Scholarship Program is here . MDUSD School Scripps Spelling Bee Winners Several MDUSD schools recently participated in campus spelling bees, in which school and/or grade level winners were determined. Although this was not a districtwide competition, we would like to recognize the school winners, based on information we have received from campus leaders or parents. They are listed by school below. Gregory Gardens Elementary: Chloe Grigsby, 5th grade; and Vicki Wei, 4th grade Mountain View Elementary:  Winner Lucy Johnston, 5th grade;  runner up Carly Lefelstein, 5th grade Silverwood Elementary: Mylees Zaidat, 5th grade Valle Verde Elementary:  Harper Roy, 4th grade Walnut Acres Elementary : Santiago Wiesner, 5th grade Pleasant Hill Middle School:  Greta Gustafson, 7th grade Sequoia Middle School:  Emily Bustillos, 6th grade Congrats to all! Concord HS Leadership students host annual conference On Friday, Feb. 23, Concord High School Leadership Students hosted their 16th annual Leadership Exchange. "This event brings together Leadership classes from around the area for connection, learning, and fun." said CHS Activity Director Leah Darby. "There were 8 schools in attendance, with all 5 comprehensive MDUSD high schools and Olympic High School attending. This event is completely run by CHS Leadership students and really gives the program a chance to shine their award-winning skills." The 350 students attending heard a keynote speech from actor and motivational speaker Monti Washington, about the importance of looking beyond appearances to learn people's stories, Darby said. "Students also learned from each other in workshops about confidence and accountability as well as swaps about rallies and publicity," she said. "This event is the highlight of the calendar for CHS's Leadership class and they are pleased with the outcome of this highly anticipated event."  Mt. Diablo HS soccer player featured in Pioneer Athlete spotlight  Congratulations to Mt Diablo HS soccer player Jared Gallegos, who was recently featured in a Pioneer Athlete Spotlight ! "When Mt. Diablo High coach Octavio Guzman is asked about senior midfielder Gallegos, he’s quite emphatic, 'As I’ve been saying for the past years, Jared is by far the best player in the area.' Since Guzman is likely the best male soccer player ever at Mt. Diablo and a former college and professional standout, his words hold quite a bit of weight. Gallegos scored 16 goals for the Red Devils as they tied Clayton Valley Charter and Las Lomas for the Diablo Athletic League championship, the first-ever boys soccer title for Concord’s oldest school. Gallegos not only shines on the field but in the classroom as well with a 4.3 GPA. “I am sure Jared will be playing college soccer somewhere next year,” says his proud coach, who starred at Chico State following his club and high school career before playing professionally for a number of years. Injuries then had him “rethink” his plans and led him back to his alma mater. Important Dates March 4-8 : National School Breakfast Week and School Social Work Week (see District news above) March 5:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office Board Room March 6: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room March 11 : All schools closed for Teacher In-Service Day; District Offices will be open March 14:  African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC)  meeting at 6 p.m. at Riverview MS and Oak Grove MS March 15 : End of Third Quarter 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    for Friday Letter submissions

Friday, Mar 01 2024

Friday Letter - February 23, 2024

  FEBRUARY 23, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 23 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Family, As we wrap up another week filled with achievements, learning, and community engagement, I am thrilled to share with you the highlights and successes that continue to shape MDUSD into a vibrant and dynamic learning environment. Our dedication to fostering excellence in education, both in and out of the classroom, is evident through the remarkable accomplishments of our students, the unwavering support of our parent community, and the commitment of our exceptional staff. This week, we were privileged to witness the incredible talent of our students at  Valhalla Elementary School, who hosted a school-wide art event that was nothing short of spectacular. The creativity displayed by our young artists not only showcased their artistic abilities but also highlighted the importance of arts education in developing well-rounded, future-ready leaders. It was a vivid reminder of the potential within each student to inspire and be inspired. In the classroom, our students continue to excel, demonstrating their prowess in academic disciplines and critical thinking. None of these accomplishments would be possible without the support and partnership of our parent community. We are deeply grateful for your continued partnership and support. Other highlights this week include: School News including  PG&E CEO posts social media shout-out to Ygnacio Valley HS robotics club and teacher , and Northgate HS Girls and Ygnacio Valley HS Boys Basketball Teams head to NCS Championships , plus Elementary and Middle School Social Media Highlights Student News highlighting  Northgate HS student creates new organization to help others, Oak Grove MS celebrates students reclassified as Fluent English Proficient,  and  Northgate HS freshman is youngest and first female NCS wrestling champ in school history,  plus  HS Student Social Media Highlights Staff News featuring East Bay Times story about Valley View MS teacher's efforts to revive school wood shop program Community News including  Free tutoring available  and  Pride Prom tickets on sale As we look forward to the weeks ahead, let us continue to support one another, celebrate our achievements, and work together towards elevating our students.  Thank you, Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlight  School-wide Art Fair at Valhalla Elementary teaches students about artists' work Students at Valhalla Elementary point to Mrs. Robinett’s 2nd grade "Out of this World" alien art based on Kandinsky's color study (above), and look at Mrs. Sparks' 3rd grade "Outer Space" art (below left) and Ms. Fivey's 5th grade grade art featuring hot air balloons over world landmarks (below center). First-grader Owen Clark (below right) stands proudly in front of his "Nightscape" painting in Ms. King's class exhibit for the fair (below right). Students in grades TK-5 at Valhalla Elementary in Pleasant Hill are proud to share their artwork with their families, the community and each other during the school's Art Fair held in the Multi-Use Room each year. The theme for this year's fair, which was open to families on Feb. 21 and visited by all classes on Feb. 22, was “The Sky's the Limit!" It showcased the creative talents of students in a variety of artwork, "including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and crafts, all created by our young artists under the guidance of our dedicated teachers," said Principal Theodora Pappas. "The Art Fair provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to exhibit their artistic accomplishments and for our school community to celebrate their creativity and hard work." Teachers chose artists to study and more specific themes to explore, such as nightscapes, aliens, outer space, hot air balloons and birds. First-graders in Katharine King's class painted nightscapes that featured silhouettes of trees under a full moon and multi-colored sky dotted with shooting stars. Proudly pointing to his painting, student Owen Clark said he added glitter to the moon and stars "to show where it's lighter." His classmate Kyla Cooney, whose painting was mounted below Owen's, said she painted the trees darker to lighter from left to right, a technique she learned from her older sister. She said she enjoyed the fair, but would like it even more if students could create whatever they wanted instead of everyone in the class doing essentially the same thing. Their classmate Charlotte Huang said she liked the fair because she loves to paint and to see the creativity that all the students put into their work. Kindergarten teacher Christine Botting said her students created replicas of "The Starry Night," by Vincent van Gogh, using finger paint, dropping yellow dots to create stars using popsicle sticks. They cut paper to create the town beneath the stars and colored the chapel, while also focusing on creating the "wiggly, wavy lines" in the sky, Botting said, as her class toured the exhibits on Thursday. She said she would encourage other schools to host similar fairs, if they don't already. "It's great," she said. "It's really fun for the kids to see everyone else's work and the artists they studied." Click on the tweets below to see more highlights from the Art Fair, which was supported by the school's Parent Faculty Club. District News Board Briefs: Board received accountability and construction updates at Feb. 21 meeting The MDUSD Governing Board met Wednesday, February 21 to receive presentations on the 2023-2024 Mid-year Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Update and a Facilities Bonds and Construction Update ; and to Approve Food and Nutrition Services FTE Committee Staffing Recommendations , among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is  here . An archive of past reports is here . MDUSD partners with County to host 2024-25 Certificated Education Job Fair Saturday! Mt. Diablo Unified School District is excited to partner with the Contra Costa County Office of Education in hosting the 2024-25 Certificated Education Job Fair from 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24th at Pleasant Hill Middle School!  If you are an equity-focused educator who values ALL students, meet with us on February 24th. Interviews will be held, and job offers will be offered at the event. If you know a teacher who may be interested, please help us spread the word about this one-stop hiring opportunity! More information about the event is here . Details about MDUSD job openings are here . TK and Kindergarten registration for 2024-25 continues this month! Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year continues through March at our Centralized Enrollment Centers in Concord and Bay Point. Next week, parents and guardians can register TK and K students who will attend Fair Oaks, El Monte, Delta View (in Bay Point) and Bel Air (in Bay Point) elementary schools. The complete TK/K enrollment schedule by school is here . Please see the attached flyers for schools registering students this month. More information about TK and Kindergarten in MDUSD is here .  MDUSD seeks input on its Transportation Services Plan through Feb. 29 As part of MDUSD's commitment to transparency and community engagement, our Transportation Department is seeking feedback on our existing Transportation Services Plan.  While the core elements of the plan, including routes and stops, will remain unchanged, we believe in the importance of gathering input from our community to ensure that our transportation services align with the needs and expectations of our students and their families. District parents/guardians and community members are invited to comment on the plan  here  through Thursday, Feb. 29th. Next Fentanyl Awareness & Saving a Life Event is Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow MS MDUSD's next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow Middle School in Concord.  Registration is required to receive free Naloxone (Narcan) kits. Please register via the ParentSquare message sent Feb. 5.  The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Information about past fentanyl awareness events is  here .  Free Family Reading Event on Saturday, March 2nd hosted by Mt. Diablo Adult Ed. Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Parent Education program presents its Free  Family Reading Event  from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 2 at the Loma Vista Adult Center, 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord.  This annual event is open to the public to be enjoyed by families with children ages 2-10. It will include activities such as crafts, an obstacle course, story time and more!  Details are in the attached flyers in  English  and  Spanish . More information is at (925) 685-7340, ext. 6720. All-District Elementary Honor Choir plus two Middle School Choirs Concert is March 4th Selected elementary choir students from schools throughout Mt. Diablo Unified will participate in a free All-District Elementary Honor Choir concert at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 4th at Concord HS, 4200 Concord Blvd. in Concord. The concert will also feature the Foothill and Pleasant Hill middle school choirs. The second annual event is sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation. Please see the attached flyer for details. MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May. We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season.  This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the  Willow Creek Center in Concord .  Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is here . School News PG&E CEO posts social media shout-out to Ygnacio Valley HS robotics club and teacher Now that PG&E has released its social impact  mini-documentary featuring the Ygnacio Valley HS Project 212 Robotics Club, PG&E CEO Patti Poppe is helping to promote it! Poppe, who visited the team in the video at a FIRST Robotics Competition, calls the team coached by CA Teacher of the Year Joseph Alvarico inspiring and "fantastic."  "These kids are the future and their story is so powerful," she said in a LinkedIn post . PG&E features the video on a web page that highlights Alvarico and his students in a gallery of photos, with the intro: "Our stories offer hope, as we spotlight where the future is bright, and the changemakers who are leading with love." Northgate HS Girls and Ygnacio Valley HS Boys Basketball head to NCS Championships! MDUSD is proud that TWO of our high school basketball teams will be competing in the NCS High School Basketball Championships this weekend - No. 6 Northgate HS Girls  (23-9) v. No. 1 Redwood (23-8) at Dominican University at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and No. 2 Ygnacio Valley HS Boy s (24-7) v. No. 1 Justin-Siena (25-3) at Napa HS at 7 p.m. Saturday! Go, Broncos and Wolves! School Social Media Highlights Elementary school students, and CARES Expanded Learning students get out and about! In MDUSD, elementary students love to get out and about outside their classrooms to have fun and learn together. Some of these experiences highlighted recently on Social Media include gardening at Valle Verde Elementary , a "Super Bowl" football game at Gregory Gardens Elementary , and field trips galore for students who participated in our  CARES Expanded Learning programs during the school recess on Friday, Feb. 16th!  Valley View, Pine Hollow and Diablo View middle school students enjoy fun activities! MDUSD middle school students have been engaging in lots of fun activities recently! Some of those highlighted on Social Media include: The Pleasant Hill Choir Showcase at College Park HS that featured student vocalists from Valley View and Pleasant Hill middle schools alongside those from CPHS and local elementary schools, a WHOLE SCHOOL rally organized by Pine Hollow MS Leadership students, and Noontime activities at Diablo View MS . Student News Northgate HS student creates new organization to help others The idea sprang from her "If I could change the world" class project in World History  Northgate HS sophomore Panteha Bazyar (above center) was recently featured in the Diablo Gazette (above left) for creating the Equitable Opportunities for All organization that aims to help others (above right). Northgate HS sophomore Panteha Bazyar is dreaming big. After completing an advocacy project in the fall semester to bring awareness to human rights abuses in Iran for her "If I could change the world project" in AP World History, she is now moving onto trying to help others through an organization she has formed called " Equitable Opportunities for All (EOFA)."  Her first project was a holiday book drive, for which she collected more than 300 books that she donated to the Bay Area Crisis Nursery and homeless shelters, in partnership with the Kumon tutoring center, where she works.  Now, Panteha, a 15-year-old Concord resident, is setting her sights on helping people statewide through fundraising and donation drives. She has established a website, logo, and social media accounts - and has applied for nonprofit status, which she said can take 3-6 months. Panteha is recruiting "team members" for her organization via a  Google Form , starting with friends and family members. She has reached out to San Diego schools to help people in that community recover from recent storms, and has recruited three high school students there to help. "This was one of my ultimate goals because I wanted to recruit people from different communities," she said.  Panteha has garnered publicity from the  Diablo Gazette , in her quest to attract more attention to her fledgling organization, which she says "strives to advocate for the rights and necessities of people worldwide." She has started by focusing on "helping people who are going through issues such as homelessness or poverty," but says she also wants to "advocate for human rights and address other social issues." Panteha also participates in school Leadership, is co-founder of the campus Red Cross Club and is a Mt. Diablo Education Foundation Student Advisory Board member. She said Concord Mayor Edi Birsan mentored her while she worked as an intern for him last year. "She was a great intern with attention to the needs of the community as reflected in her review of the city council agenda and concern for all the residents of our city," Birsan said in an email. AP World History teacher Brian Corbett said Panteha did a great job on her "If I could change the world project," which helps connect all 300 sophomores at the school with the modern world. "She seems to have the perseverance to do hard things like this," he said, adding that her new organization is not part of the class project. "They get to address real challenges in the world, oftentimes locally, but sometimes internationally, too, to see themselves as part of a bigger world, and it gives added relevance to what they’re learning about."  Sophomore Shriti Dham, a friend of Panteha's who participates in the school's Amnesty International Club, said she would like to work with Panteha's organization on human rights issues. Her World History project focused on bringing more educational opportunities to girls in developing nations. Shriti is hoping she and Panteha can present their ideas to other students during Advisory periods to drum up more interest. Panteha's mother, Armaghan Mohebbi-Bazyar, who works as an Instructional Assistant at Valle Verde Elementary, immigrated to the U.S. from Iran and supported Panteha's decision to focus on Human Rights abuses there for her project, as well as her desire to help others locally. "She loves the community," she said. "Right now, she’s trying to understand different cultures and their needs. She’s good in academics and I’m so proud of her." Oak Grove MS celebrates 40 students reclassified as Fluent English Proficient Oak Grove MS Vice Principal Corissa Stobing congratulates students (l-r above) Derek Lopez Lopez, Sofia Meza Torres, Yumalay Gutierrez-Soto and (l-r below) Allison Medina-Alcantar and Miguel Ochoa Romero during the school's Reclassification Celebration (below right).   Oak Grove MS celebrated the reclassification of students from "English Learners" to "Fluent English Proficient" during a family potluck event on Feb. 21.  "We hosted over 40 families of students that reclassified," said Vice Principal Corissa Stobing. "Students are now Fluent English Proficient, as they passed all the requirements to exit the English Language Learner program." The school hosted a potluck, which included lots of great food. "We served up posole, tamales, pupusas, and more," Stobing said. "The dessert table was amazing! So proud of all of our students and their accomplishments!"  Kudos to all! Northgate HS freshman youngest and 1st female NCS wrestling champ in school history! Congratulations to Northgate HS  Freshman Symone Jewell , who became the youngest and first female North Coast Section (NCS) wrestling champion in the school's history when she won the NCS title at 157 lbs!  Going into the championship, Symone was the No. 4 seed, but she blew away her competition 4-0! Congrats also to the entire  Northgate HS Girls Wrestling Team on its 4th place finish in the NCS wrestling championships, putting it in the Top 5 overall with a total score of 113.0, behind James Logan 144.5, Pittsburg 138, and Castro Valley 132.5.  Northgate finished 20 points ahead of the 5th-place team from Granada, which earned 93 points. Go, Broncos! Student Social Media Highlights Students at Mt. Diablo HS, Olympic HS and Ygnacio Valley HS show creativity and heart MDUSD high schools strive to help students follow their passions, while also encouraging them to express their creativity. Recent Social Media posts highlight some of the ways our students are rising to the challenge, including Mt. Diablo HS students in the Arts and Crafts Club recruiting new members by showcaa their projects, Ygnacio Valley HS Education Academy students  delivering books and school supplies donated by the community for the academy's first annual book drive to Cambridge Elementary students, and Olympic Continuation HS students thinking of unique ways to transport school items during their Spirit Week "Anything But a Backpack" Day! Thanks for sharing! Staff News Valley View MS teacher's efforts to revive school wood shop featured in East Bay Times Teacher Nicole Manasewitsch helps 7th-grader Deric Blanc during her wood shop class at Valley View MS (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group). Valley View MS teacher Nicole Manasewitsch's efforts to bring back the defunct Wood Shop elective at the school were featured this week in an East Bay Times story with the headline: "Woodshop has been disappearing from California schools for decades. Here’s why one Bay Area teacher is bringing it back. A grassroots campaign revitalized the middle school’s once-popular woodworking elective."  The story begins by explaining that the wood shop program had been dormant for eight years, after the previous teacher retired and some of the tools were given away.  "That’s why it took a grassroots campaign by Valley View teacher Nicole Manasewitsch to revitalize the school’s once-popular elective," the story continues. "Despite leading English and history classes last year, she wanted to offer an alternative, more active subject that would help connect youth to the trades within the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, where she herself went to school and has spent her entire 17-year teaching career. Manasewitsch spent months networking with local woodworking clubs, rotary groups, retired teachers and even supply stores to collect enough tools, funding and mentorship to revive the program by the first day of school this past August, when roughly 100 students enrolled in the four inaugural woodshop “sections.” “The kids just love it — these kinds of hands-on programs are really where I can see them just light up with excitement,” Manasewitsch said. You can read the full story  here .  Thank you, Ms. Manasewitsch for providing this meaningful opportunity for our students! Community News Free tutoring from available through BrightLife Kids The State of California is funding a new, FREE resource that provides counseling and tutoring for children and families through the BrightLife Kids organization, which hosts a free  website that offers virtual coaching support for parents of children ages birth through 12, as well as directly for children ages 5 through 12. It is funded through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative through Governor Newsom's office. The website offers bilingual coaches, as well as those with experience working in LGBTQIA++ and BIPOC communities. BrightLife Kids partner Kooth has created a no-cost program called Soluna that was built to support youth from 13–25 years old at SolunaApp.com .  Tickets to Pride Prom 2024 on Saturday, May 11 at Concord High are on sale Tickets for Pride Prom 2024 from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at Concord High are now on sale at Pride Prom ( pflagclaycord.org ). PFLAG Clayton-Concord is hosting the event at Concord HS. The regular ticket price is $50. The organization is also offering free scholarship tickets for "students with resource constraints" in order "to reduce barriers to inclusion." Students can send a confidential request for a free scholarship ticket here.  Pride Prom is for LGBTQ+ and ally Juniors and Seniors attending or eligible to attend any high school in Mt. Diablo Unified School OR attending Carondelet, De la Salle or Clayton Valley Charter High School. Students will be required to enter emergency contact information and agree to behavioral standards before purchasing tickets.  Pride Prom will feature "amazing food supervised by Chef Kevin and the culinary students at Mt. Diablo HS." It will also include performances and a DJ, who will be taking requests. Plus, each attendee will receive a gift "to remember a magic night of celebration." Organizers are hoping all LGBTQ+ and ally juniors and seniors will make plans to be there! Important Dates Feb. 24: Countywide Education Job Fair from 9:30-11 a.m. at Pleasant Hill MS (See District News above) Feb. 29: Fentanyl Awareness Event at 6 p.m. at Pine Hollow MS (RSVP required; See District News above March 4-8:  National School Breakfast Week March 5: Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office Board Room March 6: Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board meeting at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room March 11:  Schools closed for All Teacher In-Service Day; District Offices are open 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  for Friday Letter submissions

Saturday, Feb 24 2024

Friday Letter - February 16, 2024

FEBRUARY 16, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 22 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified Family, Hope you're all doing fantastic as we close out another awesome week! I'm here to dish out some cool updates and fun stories from our amazing District. First up, big news –  Happy President’s Day Weekend , everyone! Hope you're ready for some well-deserved rest and fun. Now, onto the exciting stuff happening in our schools. Over at  Valley View Middle School, the Wood Shop class just got a brand-new saw, thanks to a super generous donation . This is a game-changer for our young creators and builders, sparking even more creativity and skill in the workshop. Can't wait to see what they'll craft next! And talk about talent –  our students absolutely rocked the Odyssey of the Mind competition . Teams from three of our schools took home medals, showcasing their incredible creativity and teamwork. You students are just amazing, and I'm bursting with pride over here! As we wrap up this week’s Friday Letter, let’s get pumped for what's coming next. With all of us pulling together, we're not just making a dent; we're shaping the future, one brilliant student at a time. Other highlights this week include: Spotlight on new partnership between MDUSD, Diablo Valley College and United Latino Voices of Contra Costa to help Latinx high school students transition to DVC Student news highlighting  Ygnacio Valley HS robotics club students featured in PG&E social impact mini-documentary Staff News featuring Mt. Diablo Adult Ed Fiscal Analyst Jennifer Dougherty is a Classified Support Person of Excellence Community News highlighting  tickets for Pride Prom 2024 at Concord HS are now on sale And more Wishing you all a fantastic President’s weekend filled with pride and relaxation, Dr. Adam Clark Superintendent, Mt. Diablo Unified School District MDUSD Spotlight New partnership between MDUSD, DVC and United Latino Voices of Contra Costa helps Latinx high school students transition to DVC Diablo Valley College (DVC) and United Latino Voices of Contra Costa announced a new outreach and enrollment partnership with MDUSD during a kick-off event on Feb. 8 (above).Counselors Leidi Arias and Yaretzie Amaya (below left) represented Mt. Diablo HS at the event, where Mt. Diablo HS alum and DVC student Marlene Gomez (below center) spoke about her involvement in the partnership and YVHS alumni and DVC students Katherine Guzman Sosa and Jose de Jesus Ochoa (below right) distributed information about the DVC Dreamers Alliance and Dreamer's Club. MDUSD is pleased to announce our participation in a new partnership with Diablo Valley College (DVC) and United Latino Voices of Contra Costa to help Latinx high school students transition to the community college. Called the DVC/ULV Latinx High School Partnership Project, the effort aims to inform Latinx high school students and their families about the programs available at DVC, help them with applications and answer questions, in English or Spanish.     During a kick-off event for the partnership held Feb. 8 at DVC, program organizers and supporters said many people don't realize that community college in California is free for two years and that DVC accepts everyone who applies. The college also has a Puente program to help students transfer from DVC to four-year colleges and universities, participates in federal programs including Upward Bound - which supports low-income, first generation students, and has a DVC Dreamers Alliance  and student  Dreamers Club to provide support for undocumented students.  To help get the word out about opportunities for Latinx students at DVC, the partnership is enlisting the assistance of current Latinx DVC students to provide presentations to MDUSD students and their families at the following high schools: College Park HS, Concord HS, Mt. Diablo HS, Ygnacio Valley HS; Olympic, Crossroads, and Prospect continuation high schools; Glenbrook Academy; and Horizons Center for Independent study.  Mt. Diablo HS alum Marlene Gomez, who currently attends DVC, is working as an intern for the partnership. "We’re here to make a difference," she said, adding that she is a first-generation college student. "I came to DVC looking for a brighter future, I knew I wanted to go to college, but because of finances, I couldn’t go to a 4-year university" after high school graduation. She is eager to tell others about how the Upward Bound and Puente programs have helped her navigate college. And Ygnacio Valley HS alumni Katherine Guzman Sosa and Jose de Jesus Ochoa (who graduated in 2020 and 2022 respectively) said they helped to form Dreamers Club at DVC and are advising students at their alma mater about how to form a club there. They have presented information to YVHS parents about DVC and are excited about the partnership because it also offers mentorship to Latinx DVC students like them. MDUSD's Multilingual Education Director Carmen Garces said she would like student interns to give a presentation to the District English Learner Advisory Commitee (DELAC). "I think that it's wonderful," she said. Mt. Diablo HS counselors Leidi Arias and Yaretzie Amaya said the new Latinx outreach would bolster the work that is already being done by the school's College and Career Advisor Erika Ramos to inform students about college opportunities. They said DVC is convenient for students who work part-time or want to continue living at home and that it is inspiring to hear directly from DVC students about how the community college is helping them to follow their dreams. (Please see the attached Fact Sheet for more information.) District News No school Feb. 16-19 for Presidents' Day Holiday weekend break All MDUSD schools will be closed Friday, Feb. 16  through Monday, Feb. 19 for the Presidents' Day Holiday weekend break.  District offices will be open Friday, Feb. 16, but will be closed Monday, Feb. 19 due to the Presidents' Day holiday.  Schools and District offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 20th Board Briefs: Board to receive accountability and construction updates on Wednesday The MDUSD Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 21 to receive presentations on the 2023-2024 Mid-year Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Update and a Facilities Bonds and Construction Update; and to Review and Potentially Approve the 2022-23 School Accountability Report Cards and Food and Nutrition Services FTE Committee Staffing Recommendations, among other items. The complete agenda is here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is  here . An archive of past reports is here . Black History Month celebrations include Superintendent highlight by Rep. DeSaulnier As MDUSD and other agencies, organizations and elected leaders celebrate and recognize Black and African American History Month , we are proud that MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark was recently highlighted on Social Media by Rep. Mark DeSaulnier as a local school district leader who "has spent over 20 years serving Contra Costa students and promoting academic excellence and was recognized as a 2022 Superintendent to Watch." In response, Dr. Clark  replied : "Thank you Congressman DeSaulnier. Proud to serve ALL students as well as be recognized during #BlackHistoryMonth2024."  Dr. Clark was also tapped by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors last month to deliver the keynote address for The 46th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony and Humanitarian of the Year Awards. You can see an excerpt of his speech in this reel , in which he speaks about the vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. to build a beloved community where all individuals - regardless of their race, religion or background - could live in harmony and prosperity. In MDUSD, we strive to embody this vision everyday, Dr. Clark said.  TK and Kindergarten registration for 2024-25 continues this month! Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year continues through March at our Centralized Enrollment Centers in Concord and Bay Point.  Next week, parents and guardians can register TK and K students who will attend Highlands, Hidden Valley, and Gregory Gardens elementary schools.  The complete TK/K enrollment schedule by school is  here .  Please see the attached flyers for schools registering students this month. More information about TK and Kindergarten in MDUSD is here . Pleasant Hill Choir Showcase is Wednesday, Feb. 21st at College Park HS The 2024 Pleasant Hill Choir Showcase will be held next Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.  Students in grades 4-12 from schools throughout Pleasant Hill - including College Park HS, Valley View and Pleasant Hill middle schools, and some of the elementary schools - will come together in the College Park HS gymnasium to sing together, said CPHS Choir Director Bruce Rockwell.  "It's a really wonderful event," he added.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free. The school is located at 201 Viking Drive in Pleasant Hill. MDUSD's Transportation Department seeks input on Transportation Services Plan  As part of MDUSD's commitment to transparency and community engagement, our Transportation Department is seeking feedback on our existing Transportation Services Plan.  While the core elements of the plan, including routes and stops, will remain unchanged, we believe in the importance of gathering input from our community to ensure that our transportation services align with the needs and expectations of our students and their families. District parents/guardians and community members are invited to comment on the plan  here  through Feb. 29th. Next Fentanyl Awareness & Saving a Life Event is Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow MS MDUSD's next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow Middle School in Concord. Registration is required to receive free Naloxone (Narcan) kits. Please register via the ParentSquare message sent Feb. 5. The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Information about past fentanyl awareness events is  here . Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Free Annual Family Reading Event is Saturday, March 2nd Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Parent Education program presents its Annual Free Family Reading Event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 2 at the Loma Vista Adult Center, 1266 San Carlos Ave. in Concord. This annual event is open to the public to be enjoyed by families with children ages 2-10. There will be activities to choose from including, crafts, an obstacle course, story time and more! More information is in the attached flyers or at (925) 685-7340, ext. 6720. All-District Elementary Honor Choir plus 2 Middle School Choirs Concert is March 4th Selected elementary choir students from schools throughout MDUSD will participate in an All-District Elementary Honor Choir concert on Monday, March 4th that will also feature the Foothill and Pleasant Hill middle school choirs. The free event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Concord HS, 4200 Concord Blvd. in Concord. It is sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation.   MDUSD is seeking part-time temporary AP test proctors to work in April-May MDUSD is in need of Advanced Placement (AP) Test Proctors to work from the middle of April through most of May.  We are reaching out to our community for assistance in filling these positions for the AP test season. This is a paid part-time temporary position. The rate of pay is $23.35 per hour and the work location is the  Willow Creek Center  in Concord. Applicants can sign up for as many or few shifts as desired. More information is  here . School News Valley View MS thanks community groups for new Wood Shop table saw donation Valley View MS held a brief dedication/thank you ceremony on Feb. 15 for the Diablo Woodworkers, Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary, and Pleasant Hill Rotary (above left) for their generous donation of a brand-new SawStop Table Saw for the school's Wood Shop (above right). Teacher Nichole Manasewitsch was the driving force behind reviving the defunct Wood Shop at the school and reaching out to community members for help and support for the program, which has attracted more than 100 students this year. "What a difference a year makes," said Principal Aurelia Buscemi. "A year ago, this room was being used for storage. All of our machines were collecting dust because we didn’t have Wood Shop as an elective option for our students. I want to thank Ms. Manasewitsch for igniting the vision to bring our Wood Shop back to life after an eight year absence. With her amazing networking skills, she has connected with many community groups who have banded together to make an idea into a reality." Manasewitsch, who has worked in MDUSD for 17 years, said: "My hope has always been to bring more elective choices to the students and more importantly increase the amount of trade education in schools. I am thankful that our principal, Ms. Buscemi, was so supportive of this vision as we were able to bring woodworking back this year. This was not a solo effort. In fact, I am blown away and so very appreciative of the community assistance and outreach I received on this journey. The Diablo Woodworkers organization, in particular, were integral in reviving the Wood Shop program."   During the brief celebration of the re-opening of the wood shop and thank you to the community partners, Manasewitsch lauded them for "their generous donation of time, equipment, and resources" along with "their knowledge and expertise." She said the community "cleaned up the Wood Shop, replaced missing tools, tuned machines, and now today we are the grateful recipients of a brand-new SawStop Table Saw, which is the safest table saw in the market." Buscemi concluded: "Valley View is eternally grateful for all of the support from our mighty community." Concord HS PFC partners with Jersey Mike's Subs in fundraiser to benefit student programs Concord HS Principal Julene MacKinnon was pleased to accept a check for $1,050.13 from Jersey Mike's Subs that will be used by the Parent Faculty Club (PFC) to supporting programs on campus for teachers and students such as the Model UN program or printing costs for "Glyph," which is a magazine filled with student original writings and photos of artwork. MacKinnon said Jersey Mike's, which recently opened in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center, reached out to the school to suggest a fundraiser. They printed cards with the school logo that were handed out to families. The shop donated 30% of proceeds to the PFC when people showed the card. "It was a great way for Jersey Mike's to advertise their business and partner with the community simultaneously," MacKinnon said, adding that the PFC Vice President handed out cards for a few hours one Saturday morning. "PFC's hard work pays off," she said. School Social Media Highlights Gregory Gardens, Bancroft and Walnut Acres elementary schools host fun, educational events During the past week, many schools throughout the District have celebrated the Lunar New Year in various ways, including Gregory Gardens and Bancroft elementary schools.  Gregory Gardens celebrated "with music, traditional sweets and oh so delicious homemade dumplings," Principal Katie Koontz said in a  tweet . "Super shout out to our amazing Moms who made it all happen for our Gators!" Bancroft Elementary  tweeted about celebrations in two of its classrooms, where "parents presented a lesson and brought treats to share." And over at at Walnut Acres Elementary, students in grades TK-5 created more than 85 projects for the school's annual Science Fair,  tweeted Principal Lauren Ashton, adding several hashtags including #futurescientist. Middle Schools introduce 8th-graders to high school and 5th-graders to middle school   As 5th-graders look forward to their promotion ceremonies at the end of the year, many may be apprehensive about what awaits them in middle school. Similarly, as 8th-graders enjoy their seniority on campuses this year, they may be wondering what new opportunities they can expect in high school. Both 5th graders and 8th-graders throughout the District had opportunities for sneak peeks at what to expect recently!  Pine Hollow MS and Holbrook Language Academy 8th-graders enjoyed the District's first-ever Career Technical Education (CTE) Fair  at Riverview MS, where they learned about Career Pathways programs in high schools. "Thank you to @rmsvikings for hosting a fun and educational career fair,"  tweeted Pine Hollow MS. "We had a great time!"  Calling the fair a "wonderful opportunity" for 8th-graders, the Holbrook Language Academy tweeted: "What a neat way to empower our students! #CareerExploration" At the other end of the spectrum, Foothill MS administrators were out and about visiting 5th-graders to answer their questions about middle school. "It was so fun going to the elementary schools to meet our future Griffins!" the school tweeted . Student News Ygnacio Valley HS robotics club students featured in PG&E "social impact" mini-documentary                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Students in the Ygnacio Valley HS Project 212 Robotics Club build innovative robots to participate in FIRST Robotics competitions throughout the state. The Club has attracted funding from PG&E, which has released a social impact documentary called " Project 212: Engineering the Future, " highlighting the team members and showing how CA Teacher of the Year Joseph Alvarico inspires his students to grow and realize their potential, with the support of business and community partners. The intro to the video says: "Project 212, a FIRST robotics team from Ygnacio Valley High School, faces more challenges than most. Experience is short and resources are limited. Project 212 believes in itself though. But is grit, devoted mentors, and unwavering teamwork enough to compete against the best teams in the world?"  After watching the video, we think you'll agree, the answer is: "YES!" Kudos to Mr. Alvarico and the Project 212 students for rising to the challenge!  Odyssey of the Mind teams from three MDUSD schools to compete in State Tournament Diablo View MS Odyssey of the Mind team members (l-r above) Charlotte King, Avica Bennett, Keira Caldwell, Hannah Laverick, Violet Parra, Carly Grover, Bailey McNeel-Caird and Coach Renee Culp celebrate their 1st place finish at the Regional Tournament. Diablo View students (l-r below) Jevindu Senarath, Shreya Dey, Sophie Swain, Kaida Pohyar-Davis, Colton Roberts and Ethan Dunsford celebrate their 2nd place finish. Westwood Elementary School's Odyssey of the Mind Team, "Ghost Rockers," (l-r below) Jude Harto, Joshua Htut, Declan Burnett, Beau Venegas, Sorina Touch, Kaeden Kirton and Truman Wimmer celebrate their 2nd place finish in front of their school mural. And Mt. Diablo Elementary's Odyssey of the Mind team (l-r below) Kaylynn Bernel, Elise Roberts, Rinka Nguyen, Salma Ataie, and Mishika Dey placed 3rd at the tournament. All four teams will advance to the state tournament on March 9 at Concord HS. MDUSD is proud that Odyssey of the Mind teams from three of our schools placed in the top 3 spots in the Regional Tournament and will advance to the State Tournament on March 9 at Concord HS for a chance to compete in the World Finals. The teams shown above include a 1st-place and 2nd-place team from Diablo View MS, a 2nd-place team from Westwood Elementary and a 3rd-place team from Mt. Diablo Elementary.  Odyssey of the Mind  builds teamwork, problem-solving skills, creativity, and out of the box thinking. Congrats to all! Student Social Media Highlights College Park HS, College Now, Mt. Diablo HS and Olympic HS celebrate student achievements MDUSD schools are proud to celebrate the achievements of students and highlight them on social media. Some of these accomplishments highlighted recently include All Diablo Athletic League (DAL) Championships for College Park High School's Varsity and JV Wrestling teams, a County Poetry Out Loud Competition 3rd place finish for College Now Junior Adri Walker and an Honorable mention to Mt. Diablo HS Senior Alejandra Martinez, and four new grads from Olympic Continuation HS!  "🥳 We couldn’t be more proud of Daniel, Alex, Sebastian, and Jaron!"  tweeted the school. "Let’s keep those graduations coming! 🖤" Staff News Mt. Diablo Adult Ed Fiscal Analyst Jennifer Dougherty is a Classified Support Person of Excellence Congratulations to Jennifer Dougherty, a Mt. Diablo Adult Education Fiscal Analyst, who was featured in a recent California Council for Adult Education spotlight being recognized by her Mt. Diablo Adult Education co-workers for her "leadership role and excellent work on behalf of our school, students, staff, and our MDUSD community," MDUSD Director of College & Career and Adult Education G. Vittoria Abbate.  Jennifer will also be recognized by the CCAE Contra Costa County Chapter as its 2023-24 Classified Support Person of Excellence at its upcoming annual awards ceremony to be held here at MDUSD's Loma Vista Adult Center on March 14. Jennifer has worked in Adult Education since 2014, first as a Secretary and then taking on the important role of Fiscal Analyst I in 2019, the spotlight says. "Our Mt. Diablo Adult Education and District staff salute and thank Jennifer Dougherty for her many contributions to MDUSD and Adult Education, to our students, and to our community at large.  Staff Social Media Spotlights Olympic HS, Mt. Diablo HS and Bancroft and Shore Acres elementary staff highlighted We love to highlight MDUSD staff members who engage with students and with each other to make our campuses welcoming, engaging places to learn and grow. During the past week, some of the staff members highlighted in social media for promoting positive campus cultures included  Olympic HS Principal Courtney Lyons, Mt. Diablo HS College & Career Advisor Erika Ramos, and Bancroft and Shore Acres elementary principals Cindy Dunn and Dr. Miguel Rodriguez . Showing that she understands her students' fashion preferences, Lyon  tweeted photos of herself dressed all in black, alongside her students, with the caption: "Just a proud millennial over here nailing dress like a student day💅🏼"  And Mt. Diablo HS English Language Learner Program Administrator Suleyma Moss  tweeted this "gratitude post: grateful for  @mtdiablohs College & Career Advisor, Ms.Erika for organizing a successful @MtDiabloUSD HBCU fair for our scholars ❤️💚🖤 shout out to mdhs staff, @CARES_ELP & counselors for helping make it a success🫶🏽 #mdhsfamilia #hbcufair 👊🏽" Bancroft Elementary tweeted a photo of Dunn and Rodriguez at the Bay Area Equity Symposium in response to a tweet from MDUSD's Chief of Educational Services Jennifer Sachs announcing that the Equity Symposium was "in full swing" Saturday morning "affirming and elevating student agency" as a way to engage all scholars. Thank you to principals Dunn and Rodriguez for attending and growing professionally for the benefit of our staff and students! Community News Tickets to Pride Prom 2024 on May 11 at Concord High are now on sale  Tickets for Pride Prom 2024 from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at Concord High are now on sale at Pride Prom (pflagclaycord.org ) . PFLAG Clayton-Concord is hosting the event at Concord HS. The regular ticket price is $50. The organization is also offering free scholarship tickets for "students with resource constraints" in order "to reduce barriers to inclusion." Students can send a confidential request for a free scholarship ticket here .  Pride Prom is for LGBTQ+ and ally Juniors and Seniors attending or eligible to attend any high school in Mt. Diablo Unified School OR attending Carondelet, De la Salle or Clayton Valley Charter High School. Students will be required to enter emergency contact information and agree to behavioral standards before purchasing tickets.  Pride Prom will feature "amazing food supervised by Chef Kevin and the culinary students at Mt. Diablo HS." It will also include performances and a DJ, who will be taking requests. Plus, each attendee will receive a gift "to remember a magic night of celebration." Organizers are hoping all LGBTQ+ and ally juniors and seniors will make plans to be there!  Important Dates Feb. 16 :   School Recess :   No School ; District Offices are open Feb. 19:  Presidents' Day  Holiday : No School; District and School offices are closed Feb. 20:  Parent Advisory Committee  meeting   at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center Feb. 21 :   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board   meeting   at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room; Pleasant Hill Choir Showcase at 6 p.m. (See District News above) Feb.  29:  Fentanyl Awareness event at 6 p.m. at Pine Hollow Middle School (Reservations required via ParentSquare to receive free Naloxone; see District News above) March 5 :  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC)  meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office Board Room March  6 :   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board  meeting  at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Please note: The Superintendent's Organizational Update to the Board can now be found in "Board Briefs" under  District News above. 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  for Friday Letter submission.

Saturday, Feb 17 2024

Friday Letter - February 9, 2024

FEBRUARY 9, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 21 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community, As your Superintendent, it gives me immense pleasure to address you in this week's Friday Letter, especially as we wrap up the celebration of National School Counseling Week 2024, held February 5-9. This year's theme, "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused," underscores the pivotal role of our dedicated school counselors in fostering student success and well-being. Their unwavering commitment to our students' academic, career, and emotional development is a cornerstone of our District's mission to prepare students for college and career. Furthermore, this edition is brimming with pride as we spotlight the remarkable achievements of our students across the District. From academic endeavors to extracurricular successes, their accomplishments remind us of the vibrant potential within our school community. Join me as we delve into the many activities and events that have occurred in MDUSD this past week, reflecting our collective commitment to excellence and inclusivity. This issue of the Friday Letter highlights: Spotlights on MDUSD's first Career Technical Education Fair for Middle School students at Riverview MS  and  MDUSD Celebrates National School Counseling Week District news including Board Briefs highlighting Board meetings , and upcoming meetings and events. School news featuring World Read Aloud Day at Meadow Homes , plus School Social Media Spotlights Student news highlighting  Mt. Diablo Adult Education students visiting a REACH Air Ambulance Alumni News featuring two Grammy Award winners who graduated from College Park and Ygnacio Valley high schools And more Thank you, Dr. Clark MDUSD Spotlights MDUSD's first Career Technical Education Fair for Middle School students at Riverview MS Middle School students throughout the District learned about Career Technical Education courses available at MDUSD high schools such as construction at Concord HS (left), tried hands-on activities such as hammering (center), and learned about career opportunities such as working for PG&E (right) The first MDUSD Career Technical Education (CTE) and Career Pathway Fair for middle school students on Feb. 8th was a huge success! All middle schools in MDUSD were invited to bring 50 8th-grade students to participate in the fair, which was hosted by MDUSD Career Pathways and Riverview Middle School in Bay Point. The event featured 10 different industry partners and six career pathways from our high schools, with teachers and high school students showcasing the work they do.  In what will become an annual event, the 8th-graders were bussed to Riverview MS to speak with, learn from and see options for them in high school and post-secondary education. Students were given a handout with sample questions to ask and space for taking notes to use during the event to help them communicate and work with all guests. Many of the industry partners who participated said that they were blown away with the questions the students were asking them and by how excited they were to learn about the many options available to them, said MDUSD Career and Transition Specialist Erin Larkins Pulley, who coordinated the event with Riverview MS Principal Laurie Clark and Vice Principal Danya Townsend. Business representatives also were excited to see that middle schoolers are learning about different career pathways before high school. They talked about degrees, apprenticeships and certificates. Students were able to participate in some hands-on activities such as a hammering contest, simulated fire protection and CPR.  "The idea for this event was to plant seeds now for students, to bring awareness and build interest in them," Larkins Pulley said. "After all, they will be heading into the workforce in four short years and it is our mission to send them off into the world, both college and career-ready!"  Clark was enthusiastic about hosting the event. "Any time I can call attention to the passion, ideals, and overall community in Bay Point, I will," she said. "Any opportunity to bring awareness to the opportunities, programs and pathways at our high schools should be welcomed and celebrated. Events like this CTE fair bring reality to the school building for our students. They begin to see that the education we have been providing has purpose and connection with the future person they will become. I can't emphasize enough the importance of giving middle school students the exposure and opportunity to engage with aspects of the future they will soon embody. It keeps them curious, grounded and intentional as they move through the middle school years." Townsend said the fair was well-planned and well-attended. "Students were able to engage with various community members and have meaningful conversations that pertain to their future, collaborate with peers, and take a deeper dive into what high school can look like for them," she said. "The students were fully engaged and seemed to get a lot out of the experience. It was great having high school students there to represent and speak with the 8th-graders regarding their high school programs. Riverview is grateful for the opportunity to have hosted it."   We cannot do the work we do without the support of our industry and education partners, Larkins Pulley added. These partners included: East Bay CPR, UA Local 342 JATC Plumbers/Steamfitters, Diablo Valley College, ETIC Engineering, Los Medanos College, John Muir Health, Sheet Metal 104 & Bay Area Industry Training Fund, PG&E, Mt. Diablo Adult Education CTE Programs, and Concord Emergency & Volunteer Services. High school pathway programs that participated were: Information Computer Technology at Mt. Diablo HS, Art & Digital Media at Northgate and Mt. Diablo high schools, Health Care at Mt. Diablo HS, Building Trades at Concord HS, Engineering at Concord and Ygnacio Valley high schools, the Education Academy at Ygnacio Valley HS, and HOSA (Future Health Professionals) at Mt. Diablo HS. "Thank you to everyone who participated and we look forward to collaborating again," Larkins Pulley said. MDUSD Celebrates National School Counseling Week The MDUSD School Board proclaimed Feb. 5-9 as National School Counseling Week in recognition of counselors' important roles in our students' lives. "School counselors, in their service to students and school communities, bring a unique combination of skills, knowledge, and expertise in the interrelated areas of educational development, social-emotional wellbeing, college and career readiness, aptitude analysis, relationship-building, trauma response, community partnerships, and more," the Board resolution says. "In the faithful performance of this demanding, multi-tiered, multifaceted, personal work, school counselors contribute to a safer, more positive, more inclusive school climate, and therefore District culture." Counselors have been posting on social media about their work during the week. Examples of posts are highlighted above, including a tweet by Kimber Kaiser "feeling appreciated" by Woodside Elementary featuring a montage detailing "How a counselor makes you feel"; a tweet from Mt. Diablo HS counselors saying: "🎉There is no better way to celebrate National School Counseling Week than with students❤️"; and an Instagram post from Ygnacio Valley HS counselors sharing School Spirit! Counselors also posed for photos holding signs explaining why they love their work. Some of their photos are highlighted in this video  reel (right). Counselors have also created one-pagers highlighting their work at MDUSD schools. Thank you for helping our students thrive! District News No school Feb. 16-19 for Presidents' Day Holiday weekend break All MDUSD schools will be closed Friday, Feb. 16  through Monday, Feb. 19 for the Presidents' Day Holiday weekend break.  District offices will be open Friday, Feb. 16, but will be closed Monday, Feb. 19 due to the Presidents' Day holiday.  Schools and District offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 20th. Board Briefs: Board agreed to poll voters regarding class size reduction parcel tax The MDUSD Governing Board met Wednesday, February 7 and received a presentation on the "Successful Purpose" program at Oak Grove Middle School, Riverview Middle School, Mt. Diablo High School and Ygnacio Valley High School; approved a contract with Team CivX, LLC to Assess the Electoral Feasibility of a Ballot Measure Related to Class Size Reduction; and approved Measure C and Measure J audit reports, among other items. The complete agenda is here . The next MDUSD Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. February 21 in the District Office Board Room. The agenda will be posted here after 5 p.m. Feb. 16th.  Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is  here . An archive of past reports is here . TK and Kindergarten registration for 2024-25 continues this month! Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year continues through March at our Centralized Enrollment Centers in Concord and Bay Point. Next week, parents and guardians can register TK and K students who will attend Mt Diablo and Meadow Homes elementary schools, as well as the Holbrook Language Academy. The complete TK/K enrollment schedule by school is here. Please see the attached  flyers for schools registering students this month. More information about TK and Kindergarten in MDUSD is here . College Now program at DVC 2024-2025 application deadline is Thursday, Feb. 15th  The last day to submit College Now applications is Thursday, February 15.   You can find the College Now application here . One recommendation from a teacher or counselor is also required by February 15. You can find the recommendation form here . We are looking for 15 incoming 12th-graders and 60 incoming 11th-graders to join our program. Students in College Now attend school at Diablo Valley College, taking both high school and college classes. More information is in attached flyers and on the  website  here . Public review of potential new Secondary English Language Arts materials through Feb. 15   MDUSD is piloting Secondary English Language Arts (ELA) instructional materials. District teams piloted the first program under consideration prior to winter recess. The second program pilot window began on Monday, Feb. 5. The District is offering an opportunity for families and community members to review the two programs and give feedback. The ELA materials are available for public review daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Thursday, February 15 (closed on the weekend) at Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord. MDUSD's Transportation Department seeks input on annual Transportation Services Plan  As part of MDUSD's commitment to transparency and community engagement, our Transportation Department is seeking feedback on our existing Transportation Services Plan.  While the core elements of the plan, including routes and stops, will remain unchanged, we believe in the importance of gathering input from our community to ensure that our transportation services align with the needs and expectations of our students and their families. District parents/guardians and community members are invited to comment on the plan here through Feb. 29th. Next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event is Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow MS MDUSD's next Fentanyl Awareness and Saving a Life Event will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at Pine Hollow Middle School in Concord. Registration is required to receive free Naloxone (Narcan) kits. Please register via the message sent Feb. 5 in ParentSquare. The purpose of this event is to share the latest information and data about the dangers of fentanyl and train families and students how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone to try to save a life. Information about past fentanyl awareness events is here . School News World Read Aloud Day at Meadow Homes Elementary brings guest readers to classrooms! More than 2 dozen guest readers visited or Zoomed into Meadow Homes Elementary classrooms on Feb. 7 to read books to students on World Read Aloud Day, including MDUSD Student Board Member Susana Barrios (top left), Board Member Debra Mason (top center), Board Member Keisha Nzewi (top right), Board Member Cherise Khaund (bottom left) and CPD Detective Enrique Espino (bottom right). To celebrate World Read Aloud Day on Feb. 7th, Principal Leah Dubinsky invited numerous "guest readers" to read books to students in their classrooms either in-person or via Zoom on Promethean Boards. Guest readers included MDUSD School Board Members, a Concord City Councilwoman, Concord police officers, District administrators, authors and parents.  "We are so fortunate to have community members show up and authors zoom in to read for 🌍World Read 📚Aloud Day," the school  tweeted . Student Board Member Susana Barrios read "Yo Soy Muslim: A Father's Letter to His Daughter," by Mark Gonzales and "Yo Soy Bilingüe." A Spanish bilingual speaker herself, Susana read in both English and Spanish to the students, who also speak Spanish. " The books were really good," said Susana, who is a senior at Ygnacio Valley HS. "I wish I had those books when I was young." Board Member Debra Mason chose two books by Ann Jonas that featured illustrations that could be turned upside down, with stories accompanying each version - right side up or upside down: "Round Trip" and "Reflections." "I like books with surprises," she said, adding that some people think 4th-graders are too old for picture books, but she found that they were very engaged and enjoyed them. Board Member Keisha Nzewi read "Pete the Cat: Valentine's Day is Cool," by James and Kimberly Dean, "Mother Bruce," by Ryan T. Higgins, and "Your Name is a Song," by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. "I loved my time reading three fun books," she said, adding that she learned a new concept from a student who explained a "text-to-self connection" - meaning something in the book that she could connect to something else she had experienced in her life. Board Member Cherise Khaund read "The Sandwidh Swap," by Queen Raina Al Abdullah of Jordan, "Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year," by Nina Hamza, and "Too-Tall Foyle Finds His Game," by Adonal Foyle and Shiyana Valentine-Williams. The last book was a true story about Foyle, who grew up on a tiny island in the Caribbean and didn't touch a basketball until he was 15 years old, then later became an NBA player, she said.  Three Concord police officers read to students, including Detective Enrique Espino, who is bilingual and read the Spanish version of "All Are Welcome," by Alexandra Penfold called "Todo el mundo cabe aquí," and "Pete el Gato (Pete the Cat): I Love My White Shoes." Espino said he stops by the school regularly to visit with the children and really enjoyed reading to the kindergartners, who even stood up and danced and sang to the "I Love My White Shoes" song. "It's about giving back to the community," he said. "I enjoy hanging out with the kids and talking to them." You can see more highlights from the event in the tweets below. School Social Media Highlights Delta View, Ygnacio Valley & Woodside elementary schools celebrate Black History Month! We are pleased to see many MDUSD schools celebrating Black and African American History Month in a variety of ways in February, including with displays highlighting important figures and role models for students. Some of these include: A display at Delta View Elementary features photos and bios of 12 prominent leaders and activists including Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr; a display at Ygnacio Valley Elementary that includes a descriptive word along with photos of well-known people, such as "Write like Maya," "Lead like Harriet ," and "Run like Jesse"; and a similar Black History Month Celebration Wall at  Woodside Elementary created by the Student Council that includes "Dream like Martin," "Challenge like Rosa," and "Educate like Robert."   Valley View, Pine Hollow and Diablo View middle school highlights Social media highlights at middle schools during the past week included: Valley View MS 8th-graders learned about their upcoming transition to College Park HS, Pine Hollow MS thanks its "two amazing counselors" for supporting its students and community, and   Diablo View MS held a successful Coat Drive. Olympic, Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley high schools celebrate campus life Social media high school highlights during the past week included a rainbow over Olympic HS , a Mt. Diablo HS shout-out to senior cheerleaders, and an Ygnacio Valley HS tweet featuring its Multicultural Rally that said:  "YV celebrates the rich tapestry of cultures within our student body. Let's unite with pride, diversity, and a shared sense of community! 🎉 #YVHSPride #MulticulturalRally #UnityInDiversity" Student News Mt. Diablo Adult Education students visit a REACH Air Ambulance Helicopter Students from the Mt. Diablo Adult Education EMT Program went to visit the REACH Air Ambulance on Saturday, February 3, 2024 to find out about one of the many career pathways open to EMTs. REACH Air Ambulance provides air medical transports for critically ill and injured patients across the Western United States, providing an ICU-level of care from skilled nurses and paramedics aboard medically equipped helicopters and airplanes. The students were all very interested and appreciative of the time REACH spent introducing them to the equipment they use in their work. "It was wonderful to see the students so engaged and excited about this career," said EMT Instructor Troy Hess. "This cohort of students are all averaging over 90% academically in the program and will make great first responders wherever they decide to work."    Mt. Diablo Adult Education is proud to partner with the Contra Costa County Workforce Development Board to provide Employer Training Panel funds to those students who qualify.  Many of the students are able to take the program for free as long as they complete the program, pass the NREMT national test, and work locally in EMS full-time immediately after they graduate from the program. Gary Giusti, EMT Program Director, has been working diligently with all the employers in the area to ensure that jobs are available to the students upon completion of the program. More information is here . Alumni News Two Grammy Award winners graduated from College Park and Ygnacio Valley high schools On Sunday, two former MDUSD students won Grammy Awards, said College Park HS Choir Director Bruce Rockwell. Mario Jose - a graduate of Geoff Carter's choir program at Ygnacio Valley HS in the early 2000s - sang on the Encanto soundtrack, which won multiple Grammy awards (right). "And Natalie Gonzalez - who was in my choir program, College Park HS class of 2016 - sings with the Tonality a cappella choir, which won the Grammy for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant album," he said, adding that we should give them a huge shout-out for their recent successes! Bravo! Important Dates Feb . 12 :  Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance (MDBEA)   meeting   at 4 p.m. at Northgate HS Feb .  15 :   Measure J CBOC  meeting  at 5 p.m.; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting  at 5:30 p.m.; Measure C CBOC meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 :   School Recess :   No School ; District Offices are open Feb. 19:  Presidents' Day  Holiday : No School; District and School offices are closed Feb. 20:  Parent Advisory Committee  meeting  at 5:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Center Feb. 21 :   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board   meeting   at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Feb.  29:  Fentanyl Awareness event at 6 p.m. at Pine Hollow Middle School (Reservations required via ParentSquare to receive free Naloxone; see District News above) Please note: The Superintendent's Organizational Update to the Board can now be found in "Board Briefs" under  District News above. 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  for Friday Letter submissions,

Saturday, Feb 10 2024

Friday Letter - February 2, 2024

FEBRUARY 2, 2024 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 6 NO. 20 Dear Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community, I am delighted to begin this week's Friday letter with a sense of pride and accomplishment as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students and staff across the District. From remarkable accomplishments in the classroom to remarkable feats in extracurricular activities and athletics, our students and staff continue to shine brightly, embodying the values of dedication and excellence. In addition to these achievements, we are also thrilled to express our excitement as we embark on a month-long journey to celebrate Black History Month, highlighting the rich contributions and legacies of Black Americans throughout history. It is truly a time of celebration and reflection, as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to a brighter future together. This issue of the Friday Letter highlights: Spotlight on Ygnacio Valley HS Teacher Joseph Alvarico honored at California Teacher of the Year Gala District news including February is Black and African American History Month; Board Briefs highlighting Board meetings , and upcoming meetings and events. Student news Northgate and Concord high school jazz bands finish in the Top 5 at the Folsom Jazz Festival, and Social Media Shout-outs to students at Pine Hollow MS and Mt. Diablo, Concord & College Park high schools School news featuring Concord High unveils new Bear mascot at student rally, and Bancroft Elementary hosts multicultural night,  plus School Social Media Spotlights Alumni Social Media Spotlights from Northgate and College Park high schools Staff Social Media Highlights featuring MDUSD Latina counselors, College Now teachers and our new General Counsel  And more Thank you, Dr. Adam Clark MDUSD Spotlight Ygnacio Valley HS Teacher Joseph Alvarico honored at California Teacher of the Year Gala! California Teachers of the Year (l-r) Casey Cuny (LA County), and Joseph Alvarico of Ygnacio Valley HS (Contra Costa County) stand with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and California Teachers of the Year Andrew Lewis (LA County), Hannah Rodriguez (LA County) and Gregory Wolf (Santa Barbara County).  Last October, the California Department of Education  announced   that Ygnacio Valley High School Teacher Joseph Alvarico was selected as one of five California Teachers of the Year. And on Monday, Jan. 29, Alvarico and the other four honorees were feted at a California Teacher of the Year Gala, where they were recognized by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond for their "extraordinary" work with students. "These five remarkable individuals represent the brilliance and fortitude of California's educators, and they are among the top in the teaching profession," Thurmond said in the gala program. "Through their innovative teaching styles and years of experience, these teachers create positive learning environments for their students, helping them grow academically and supporting their social-emotional needs to become critical thinkers, active participants in society, and the leaders of tomorrow."  The teachers gave speeches about their passion for helping students thrive. Alvarico was pleased to be able to bring three of his students to the gala, whom he recognized in his speech - Giovanna Gomez, Adriel Malapote and Sara Venegas. Thank you to the Travis Credit Union for sponsoring their tickets to the event so they could share in their teacher's joyful moment and stand as testaments to the transformative impact he is having on students' lives. You can watch Alvarico's speech  here .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Alvarico began his speech by talking about growing up in the Philippines before moving to the United States. He continued: "Fast forward to 2017, and I embarked on a new teaching adventure in an economically disadvantaged community. It was at Ygnacio Valley High School, a vibrant yet challenging environment, that my passion for teaching was rekindled and my boyhood memories were remembered. Motivated by the excitement of their engineering courses, my students suggested we continue beyond the classroom by starting an after-school FIRST robotics team. Suddenly, my role expanded from teacher to coach, mentor, and team manager. It was daunting yet thrilling. As we dove into this after-school project, our community rallied around us, offering grants, donations, and mentorships. Parents, professionals, and local businesses alike supported us, each uniquely contributing to bringing our dream to life. The true magic, however, was the transformation of my students. Guided by industry mentors, students took the reins of our robotics team. Giovanni became the voice of our initiative, eloquently engaging with the community. Sara managed our deadlines and deliverables. And  Adriel shared his knowledge of industry-standard software and machines with our members. These exceptional students, who lead and support their peers, are doing more than just using classroom knowledge to build robots. They are mastering collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, confidently presenting their ideas to the community, and emerging as inspirational leaders. Reflecting on my journey, from a young boy navigating the streets of Manila to standing here as California Teacher of the Year, fills me with an immense sense of pride and gratitude. A journey that started in a modest school in the Philippines, 6,900 miles away from here, has led me to this moment, a testament to the incredible impact of learning beyond conventional boundaries.  These after-school learning opportunities—for me, it was the Boy Scouts; for my students, FIRST robotics—have not only sculpted my path of lifelong learning but are now significantly influencing the lives of my students. This is the essence of authentic learning, where the knowledge gained in classrooms fluidly merges with real-life application, where curiosity ignites new discoveries, and where my journey as a teacher is deeply interwoven with the dreams and aspirations of my students. FIRST Robotics is more than an activity for my students; it is family, providing a sense of belonging and a place of support. Isn’t it remarkable that the lessons I learned from a small school in Manila are now resonating in the hearts and minds of students here in California? Yet, the crucial question we must ask ourselves is this: “What limitless potential can we unlock in young minds when we bring these expanded, real-world, community-supported learning opportunities to every school in California?" Alvarico is pictured below surrounded by the large group of supporters who cheered him on at the event. MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark (back, l-r) stands with YVHS student Giovanni Gomez, Bay Area LEEDS CEO April Treece, YVHS alum and Project 212 Robotics Club founding member and mentor Angelo Aquino, Concord HS teacher and former MDUSD Teacher of the Year Tom Trowbridge, YVHS Principal Jonathan Pike, and Contra Costa County Office of Education Communications Director Marcus Walton; (Front l-r) Project 212 Marketing Mentor Mario Jerez, YVHS students Sara Venegas and Adriel Malapote, Alvarico, MDUSD Board Member Cherise Khaund, MDUSD Board President Erin McFerrin, Concord Rotary Club Member Memory Woodard, MDUSD Board Vice President Linda Mayo, and Hayward Unified colleague Edgar Monroy. District News MDUSD recognizes February as Black and African American History Month The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board has adopted a  resolution recognizing February as Black and African American History Month. It says, in part: "The deep-rooted, intrinsic value of Black and African American history presents our educational institution with an opportunity for recognition, teaching, and celebration...Black and African American history is continuously being made, and concurrently, classroom discussion that is courageous is encouraged in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District as an essential function of student-centered wellness and education...the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board proclaims the month of February as Black and African American History Month, and encourages all schools to commemorate this occasion accordingly with appropriate instructional materials, discussions, presentations and projects." TK and Kindergarten registration for 2024-25 continues this month! Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year continues through March at our Centralized Enrollment Centers in Concord and Bay Point. Next week, parents and guardians can register TK and K students who will attend Rio Vista, Shore Acres, Pleasant Hill and Mountain View elementary schools. The complete TK/K enrollment schedule by school is  here .  Please see the attached  flyers  for schools registering students this month.  More information about TK and Kindergarten in MDUSD is  here . College Now program at DVC is holding parent meetings Feb. 6 and 8 for 2024-2025 school year The College Now  application  for the 2024-25 school year is now open! We are looking for 15 incoming 12th graders and 60 incoming 11th graders to join our program. Students in College Now attend school at Diablo Valley College, taking both high school and college classes. Students, on average, earn 1 year of college credit while enrolled in College Now. Students have access to tutoring and receive more individualized support than they would at their high school. College Now will hold  parent information nights  at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6 at YVHS and Thursday, Feb. 8 on Zoom.   Board Briefs: Board met last Wednesday and meets next Wednesday, Feb. 7th The MDUSD Governing Board met Wednesday, January 31 and received a  presentation  on the Yondr program at Olympic HS, approved a  resolution  offering facilities to the School of Performing Arts (SPA) Charter School, and appointed Susanne Starecki Kim  as the District’s General Counsel, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . The MDUSD Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 7 in the District Office Boardroom to hear Measure C and Measure J audit reports and a report on the Family Purpose Corporation and MDUSD, and review and potentially approve an independent service contract to Assess the Electoral Feasibility of a Ballot Measure Related to Class Size Reduction and update Board Policies, among other items. The complete agenda is  here . Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's Weekly Organizational Update to the Board,  which includes detailed District operations reports from Department leaders, is  here . An archive of past reports is here . African American Parent Advisory Committee (AAPAC) meeting/College & Career Night on Feb. 8 The African American Parent Advisory Committee (AAPAC) will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 8th at the Dent Center (District Office), 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. Organizers will provide resources for college and promote MDUSD's upcoming Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair. This meeting will be held in the Boardroom and we are looking forward to an awesome turnout! Parents, students, and community members are encouraged to attend. For details, please see the attached flyer or click  here . MDUSD's Adult Education Lifelong Learning program offers new classes this month! MDUSD's Adult Lifelong Education program has plenty to offer in February, including art, cooking, crafts, fitness, finance, home improvement, foreign language, music, personal enrichment, technology, and woodworking!  Details are in the February newsletter here .  More information about Mt. Diablo Adult Education is on the website here . Student News    Northgate and Concord high school jazz bands finish in the Top 5 at the Folsom Jazz Festival! The Northgate HS Jazz Band I performs in the finals at the Folsom Jazz Festival, where it placed 1st in its Division and 2nd overall (above). Click on the image to see video of the final performance. Concord HS Jazz Band members pose with trophies and medals below after placing 1st in their Division and 5th overall (below). Just as high school sports teams have season schedules, high school instrumental music programs also look forward to a season of competitions with top bands from throughout the state to fine-tune their skills and strut their stuff. One of the most prestigious jazz competitions is the Folsom Jazz Festival, where jazz bands and combos perform in divisions, then the five top-scoring jazz bands from the 53 total compete against each other for overall festival awards in an encore performance. In addition, individual musicians are recognized with medals for their stellar contributions to their groups. This year, MDUSD is proud that TWO of the Top 5 Jazz Bands are in our District - Northgate High School's Jazz Band I and Concord High Schools' Jazz Band! Both Northgate and Concord placed 1st in their divisions and were finalists in the competition, with Northgate finishing 2nd overall and Concord finishing 5th overall.  This was the first time in many years of competing that Concord has been rated so highly rated at the Folsom Jazz Festival and Martin Lejano, the school's Director of Instrumental Music, is thrilled to share the news that "Concord Made History" at "the largest jazz festival in California, with anywhere from 50-60 jazz bands competing every year." Under his leadership, the band has steadily improved after placing 60th in his first year there, cracking the "top 20" a few times, then ending up 8th overall last year. This year, the Concord Jazz Ensemble I was in the largest division of 15 big bands and placed 1ST out of 15! "The judges were astounded at how tight the group was, but more so how much fun they had on stage, and how they supported each other, in the spirit of this music," he said. "First place is an incredible feat already, but to top it off, it was announced at the end of awards that Concord earned the honor of performing at FESTIVAL FINALS...The kids were ecstatic in disbelief, played their hearts out amongst the top jazz bands in the whole state, and got home at 1 AM." After this hard-earned accomplishment, he urges anyone who knows a Concord HS Jazz Band student to congratulate them. "They just did something never before done in the history of this school, and established Concord as one of the top 5 high school jazz programs in California," he said. "I'm over the moon by what our students at little old Concord High are achieving." In addition, Concord's Jazz Combo (aka 'Thelonious Punk!') earned 3rd place in its Division with guitarist Sofie Guerrero, bass player Alexis Tsamoudakis, tenor sax player Jonathan Perez, Bella Brinkert on alto sax and Daniel Oleole on drums. Concord jazz band members who received medals for Outstanding Musicianship and Soloist Awards were Jonathan Perez, Bella Brinkert, Alexis Tsamoudakis, Natalie Cervantes, Amanda Chloe Castro, Emmalee Usedom, Daniel Oleole, and Steven Abutin. Northgate musicians Tatiana Avdienko, Alex Hong and Jazz Johnson were awarded with Outstanding Performance awards and Jazz Band II musicians Levi Farrar, Javier Flores, Dean Giddings and Robyn Khaund took home awards for Outstanding Performance.  Congrats to all and we look forward to more history being made by MDUSD's rising jazz stars! The Concord HS Jazz Combo (above left) and the Northgate Jazz Band II perform at the Folsom Jazz Festival (above right). Student Social Media Highlights S tudents at Pine Hollow MS and Mt. Diablo, Concord & College Park high schools earn shout-outs! During the past week, Pine Hollow Middle School  tweeted a shout-out to school musicians that said: "Thank you to our hardworking Band musicians for treating our students to a concert at the end of the day! 🎼🎻🎺 #PHMSMustangsPride 💚🐎" Mt. Diablo HS  tweeted : "🫰🫰🫰Snaps to these MDHS Poetry Out Loud winners! 📝#MDHSpoets" And wrestling teams at both College Park and Concord high schools are earning big props for their winning ways in their DAL Divisions! Concord  tweeted : "Congratulations to our wrestling program as they are officially Back ✌️ Back All DAL Sports Champions!! What a great accomplishment for our wrestlers, coaches & families who put in so much time and effort! On to CIFNCS Team Duels!!" Similarly, College Park tweeted: "College Park Boys Wrestling wins 49-21 over Las Lomas HS and takes All DAL Sports League Championship - Congrats Falcons."  Kudos to all! School News Concord HS unveils new Bear mascot at student rally! Concord HS unveiled its new Bear mascot during a rally on Friday (above right), along with an  Instagram "Mascot Reveal" (above left). The bear is named Grizz and he had a great time playing rally games with the students, who chanted "B-E-A-R-S" and sang "Happy Birthday" to him as he replaced the previous "Minutemen" mascot. Principal Julene MacKinnon noted that change can be hard for some, but she said "change is how we grow" and become "a better version of Concord High." She kicked off the rally by telling students "our bear came out of hibernation just for us today." Go, Bears! Bancroft Elementary hosts multicultural night Bancroft Elementary is proud of its Multicultural Night, which took place on Friday, January 26 and included a "capoeira" (mix of martial art and dance) performance (above center). "The event was a HUGE success," said Principal Cindy Dunn. "There were booths from across the entire world representing the diverse population we have here at Bancroft. Food, dance, art and music were enjoyed by all. Thank you to the team of parent volunteers that put together an event to be remembered." School Social Media Highlights Meadow Homes, Gregory Gardens and Delta View elementary schools celebrate!  Throughout MDUSD, schools have been participating in the Great Kindness Challenge and marking 100 Days of School!  Using the hashtag #peacemakers, Meadow Homes Elementary tweeted that students participated in the Kindness Challenge by dressing in clothes showing off their favorite sports teams! In an Instagram post , Gregory Gardens Elementary Principal Katie Koontz announced: "100 days of school DISAPPOINT! How lucky are we that it fell on an All School Recess Day🥰🐊💜 We celebrated with posters, music, a party train and all the love a principal can handle! Every day is a core memory with these Gators! 80 days of memories left to make!" Meanwhile, Delta View Elementary posted photos of students dressed like 100-year-olds on Instagram with the caption: "Cutest little old ladies ever!! #100dayofschool" Alumni Social Media Highlights Alumni Social Media Highlights from Northgate and College Park high schools We love to hear about our alumni doing great things in the world!  This week, we were excited to learn about a Northgate HS alum heading to the Olympic Trials and a College Park HS alum who founded Cupcake Vineyards who is giving back to her alma mater! Northgate's Cross Country team posted this Team  Shoutout on  Instagram : "Cheer Julia on when she competes in the US Olympic Trials this weekend in Florida - making that  group of the top US women in runners is very cool," adding: "Who else is tuning into Peacock on Sunday to cheer on Bronco alum @j.vasquez.giguere ????" Julia! responded: "Thank you!!! 😊" And College Park's Softball team posted this shoutout on  Instagram : "Thank you to founder and winemaker of Cupcake Vineyards and College Park alumni Jessica Tomei for donating 12 cases of wine to our upcoming annual Crab Feed. Our events would not have success without the support of our community. Thank you for your generous donation! #OnceAFalconAlwaysAFalcon" Staff Social Media Spotlights  M DUSD Latina counselors, College Now teachers and a new General Counsel are highlighted! MDUSD is proud of our hard-working staff members, who support each other and our students and families! This week, we are pleased to highlight some of our counselors, teachers, and our new General Counsel!  Four Latina counselors host "Cafecito Con Las Consejeras" (Coffee with the Counselors) events every few months to connect with parents, especially those who are Spanish-speaking, to welcome them and answer questions they may have. After their successful event last weekend, Mt. Diablo HS  tweeted : "🤎Hearts were filled with tranquility and tummies with coffee & pan dulce at Cafecito Con Las Consejeras 🥐🌹 Stay tuned for the next one in April at Shore Acres Elementary! ☕️" As noted above under "District News," our College Now program at DVC is currently recruiting students for the 2024-25 school year. It is staffed with fabulous teachers, who bring a sense of fun and a sense of humor to their campus, which helps them to connect with students. This week, College Now reposted a  tweet from Social Studies teacher Erica Shaw that said: "Twinning with the fabulous @MsPaulLovesELA (English teacher Natasha Paul) today!" College Now explained: "Two of our teachers showed up in matching sweaters on this rainy Thursday!" On a more serious note, the MDUSD Board on Wednesday appointed Susanne Starecki Kim as the District's new General Counsel. As we do with all Board appointments, MDUSD highlighted her background on  Facebook with this bio:  "The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Susanne Starecki Kim as the District’s General Counsel. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley with honors and her doctorate of law from the University of California, College of the Law (formerly Hastings).  As a daughter of refugees and as an immigrant herself, she was raised to value education. After graduating college, she worked as an AmeriCorps member in a low-income high minority school, and pursued a career in law with the goal of improving public schools.  She has significant experience representing public school districts, handling cases ranging from employment discrimination to free speech having worked at an education law firm in Denver, Colorado, before joining the Legal Department at San Francisco Unified in 2016, where she served as a Senior Deputy General Counsel. She has provided advice and counsel to District leaders on legal and governance matters, including negotiating agreements for new school construction and managing multi-million dollar litigation stemming from the COVID pandemic. She is committed to collaborating with District leaders to serve the needs of all students and is a member of the State Bar of California, the California Council of School Attorneys, and the National Council of School Attorneys. She is also a lecturer at San Francisco State in the Department of Equity, Leadership Studies & Instructional Technologies. Please help us welcome Ms. Starecki Kim to her new role in MDUSD! Important Dates Feb. 6:  Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC)  meeting   at 7 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Feb. 7 :   Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board   meeting   at 6 p.m. in the District Office Board Room Feb.  8:  African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC)  meeting / College & Career Night   at 6 p.m. in the District Office Boardroom at 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord Feb . 12 :  Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance (MDBEA)   meeting   at 4 p.m. at Northgate HS Feb .  15 :   Measure J CBOC  meeting  at 5 p.m.; District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)  meeting  at 5:30 p.m.; Measure C CBOC meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 :   School Recess :   No School ; District Offices are open Feb. 19:  Presidents' Day  Holiday : No School; District and School offices are closed Please note: The Superintendent's Organizational Update to the Board can now be found in "Board Briefs" under  District News above. 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  for Friday Letter submissions.

Saturday, Feb 03 2024