Did you receive your ballot yet?  I just did, and I plan to vote this week. 

We have excellent candidates for Mt Diablo School Board this year, and tonight is a candidate forum during the CAC Oct 6th meeting at 7pm.  Check out candidate profiles and more at https://votersedge.org/ca

Also our Mt Diablo School Board unanimously endorsed Prop 15: Schools and Communities First, which would bring desperately needed funding back to our schools, cities and county.

You might also be interested in this Latino Voter Guide / Guia Para Votantes Latinos.

My latest news is that I just graduated from Masters in Governance - a series of courses from California State School Board Association that equips board members and superintendents with the knowledge and skills to build and support an effective governance structure.

And as a parent I was happy to attend virtual back to school nights for both my kids, witnessing first hand the incredible caring & creativity each teacher puts into building relationships with students in this challenging time, as well as taking the time to connect with parents. I am so thankful.

Read on for specifics on:

1. Board Study Session Oct 7th on Reopening School 
2. School Board meeting Oct 12
3. Resources:
   • LivingWorks Youth Summit & free suicide prevention course
   • Speaking up against Racism Around the new Coronavirus
   • Trauma is Written into our Bodies, but Educators can Help - “Educators can deliver the daily doses of healing interactions that truly are the antidote to toxic stress.” by Dr Nadine Burke Harris, CA surgeon general 

Board Study Session Oct 7th on Reopening School 

We’ve received many questions about when/where/how we could reopen schools in person to students in our district. That is why Superintendent Clark wrote in his Friday letter about scheduling a special study session on this topic, starting at 3pm on Wednesday Oct 7th.

The agenda is posted here: https://mdusd.org/boardagendas and is focused on a conversation among board members and staff about reopening plans.  If you have questions or ideas to share on that topic, please email boardcomments@mdusd.org. There will also be an option to join the meeting live to speak via zoom - how-to information will be posted here on that day.

There is one other topic on the agenda and that is the updating of board policies that relate to Charter schools. These are a simple update from the recent law changes in 2019.

Next School Board Meeting Monday Oct 12th 

Find the agenda here, along with information about the live broadcast and the opportunities for public comments.  

Oct 12th is also Indiginous People’s Day.  One current effort to improve the accuracy and inclusion of our teaching is the CA state Ethnic Studies draft model curriculum. This is geared towards teachers of Ethnic Studies classes (MDUSD currently has one at YVHS and one at CHS), but excerpts from it may be used by any teacher.

LivingWorks Youth Summit 

On September 15, TikTok star and comedian Caitlin Reilly emceed this online streaming event. Actress Lexi Underwood, International Slam Dunk Champion Kenny Dobbs, YouTube Vlogger Lavendaire, AGT winner Shin Lim and more spoke to California middle and high school students at the LivingWorks Youth Summit with one main message: together, we can save lives from suicide. They shared their own struggles of mental health, resilience and hope, intertwined with music, performances and interviews. Watch Here

The Summit was the official launch of the CDE’s online suicide prevention training for staff and students. LivingWorks Start is a 90-minute online suicide prevention skills training program available at no cost to CDE staff, teachers and students through the 58 county offices of education.

To sign up for your LivingWorks Start suicide prevention training: visit www.lwyouthsummit.com/access or text start to 888-707-0780.

You'll learn skills to help a friend or classmate, and you'll get 90 minutes of community service learning credit!​  Once you sign up you have 60 days to complete the training.

Are you ready to celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth? How about #HighSchoolVoterEducationWeeks?  Both begin today!

Read on for specifics on:

1. School Board meeting tonight
2. School District Friday letter
3. High School Voter Education Weeks starts today
4. Yes on Prop 15: Schools & Communities First
5. How to Get Involved / Resources for
   • Students - apply for student School Board position - due Sept 18! 
   • Parents - input meetings Sept 17, 22, 23
   • Teachers - Hispanic Heritage teaching tools, equitablemath.org 

School Board Meeting Tonight, Sept 14, 6pm

Tonight’s school board meeting includes Resolutions to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month as well as Suicide Prevention, appointments of two principals, and a public hearing on the renewal of Rocketship Futuro Charter School. 

Find the agenda here, and look at the agenda header for information about the live broadcast and the opportunities for public comments.

MDUSD Friday letter Sept 11

This MDUSD Friday letter is once again chock full of information for you: from the Organizational Update to the student board member application, from the upcoming college fair Sept 29th to Suicide Prevention resources and COVID testing.

High school Voter Education Weeks Starts Today

From CA Dept of Education: California Education Code designates the last two weeks in September as High School Voter Education Weeks. We encourage schools to designate students as voter outreach coordinators to lead the efforts to pre-register and register their peers.

Students, visit https://registertovote.ca.gov/ to register or pre-register to vote. 

It is now easier than ever to get sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds civically engaged through pre-registration. Once pre-registered, they will automatically become active voters on their eighteenth birthday.

Administrators, students, and parents: visit the Secretary of State’s High School and Youth Initiatives web page portal, which includes important information about voter registration and pre-registration, the Student Mock Election, the Student Poll Worker program, and High School Voter Education Weeks: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/high-school-programs/.

Yes on Prop 15: Schools & Communities First

Did you see that Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed Prop 15 Schools & Communities First? 

“Because it exempts small businesses and residential property owners, and funds essential services such as public schools…”

It has been estimated that MDUSD would receive $18 million more per year if Prop 15 passes. What a difference that would make!  That is why our MDUSD School Board voted unanimously on a resolution in support of this measure. Visit https://www.yes15.org/ for more details and to join the campaign. 

How to Get Involved / Resources for 

Students:

Click here to apply for the new MDUSD Student Board Position. Applications are due by September 18, 2020. 

 Note that a successful Student Board Member must:

*  Be currently enrolled as a senior (grade 12) in a MDUSD high school

*  Hold and maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average

*  Be enrolled in 20 credits

*  Be available to attend all scheduled Board meetings (typically two per month)

*  Provide one letter of recommendation from a teacher, administrator, or community member

Student Members will serve from October 2020 - June 30, 2021.   Applications will be reviewed by the MDUSD Executive Cabinet and a finalist will be interviewed by the MDUSD Board of Education.

Parents:

Our district has ongoing committee meetings that you are welcome to attend!

Find details at mdusd.org at Parents & Community / Get Involved.  Next meetings:

Sept 17th:

• Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) -  3:30-5pm
• District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) - 5:30pm
• Measure J Oversight - 5pm
• Measure C Oversight - 7pm

Sept 22nd: Stay tuned for a Board Study Session, likely to be scheduled Sept 22nd, including a Hearing on the Learning Continuity Attendance Plan (LCAP) - report that is due to the state by Sept 30. Our MDUSD board will vote to approve the final report draft at our Sept 28th school board mtg.

• Find report templates in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese here: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lc/learningcontattendplan.asp
• Provide your input on the LCAP via PAC or DELAC meetings this Thursday Sept 17, or at the Sept 22 hearing, or email to Sachsj@mdusd.org

Sept 23:

• Budget Advisory Committee  (5pm)  

Need help getting school supplies, tech, internet? Remember to contact your school and ask for help. We want to make sure all students have what they need for successful distance learning.

Teachers: 

Thank you teachers for sharing your fantastic ideas on Twitter!

• I love seeing cultures represented in our classrooms like this Bitmoji one from Holbrook 

• Teaching Tolerance just posted how to bring Latinx voices into the classroom and uplift a diverse range of Hispanic & Latinx identities, experiences, cultures and histories.  Perfect for our #HispanicHistoryMonth resolution
• check out equitablemath.org - “A pathway to equitable math instruction” Resources and guidance to support Black, LatinX, and Multilingual students to thrive in grades 6-8
• And Dr Nadine Burke Harris - our wonderful CA surgeon general - authored Trauma is Written into our Bodies, but Educators can Help - “Educators can deliver the daily doses of healing interactions that truly are the antidote to toxic stress.  Giving children the tools to understand how to recognize what’s going on with them, then how to respond - especially to be able to calm their bodies down - truly is healing.”

As the fires rage and COVID is still strong, many of you have been asking how you can help those most deeply affected. Read on for specifics on:

1. How to help
2. School District Friday letter
3. School Board meeting tonight
4. Resources for
   • Parents
   • Student help & leadership opportunities
   • Teachers - coping tools for challenging times 

How to help

• Fire Victims: Local firefighters are asking that donations be directed to those who are being directly affected by the fires. The American Red Cross is helping evacuated residents find temporary hotel rooms. If you’d like to support them, please donate at: https://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal/ways-to-donate.html
• Food & toiletry donations: Monument Crisis Center has been providing essential food & toiletries to hundreds of local families, and your donations can help!  Visit https://www.monumentcrisiscenter.org/ to learn how to host a donation drive or volunteer. For a quick dropoff donation, they are always in need of diapers & baby food. Karla Tinajero also runs the High School & Beyond program, helping students access college & scholarships. She and the rest of the staff collaborate with Isabel Lara and Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

• School Supply Donations: Please share out this flyer - donations are still welcome to help ensure all our Mt. Diablo Unified School District students have the school supplies they need. Especially needed are headphones, dry erase boards & markers. El Dorado Middle School is where the supplies are being organized for students districtwide, so please drop off or mail directly to 1750 West St, Concord, CA 94521

• MDUSD Education Foundation Distance Learning Fund: This all volunteer nonprofit is dedicated to ensuring quality STEAM opportunities for all MDUSD students districtwide. Your donations to their COVID Remote Learning fund this spring/summer already provided 100 chromebooks to MDUSD students!  Give today to their Distance Learning Fund at https://www.mdedf.org/donate to meet ongoing student needs.  
  • Does your business support our local schools? Check out their Honor Roll Business & Honor Roll Professional programs too!

MDUSD Friday letter August 21st

Read Dr Clark's MDUSD Friday letter - chock full of information for you: from the Organizational Update to new flyers & application for free school meals, from Parent Academy training to hotlines and resources for disasters, stress relief, and emotional well being.

This part really spoke to me, and I hope it does to you too:

“When the smoke clears, I hope you remember that you faced these challenges with great courage and resilience. When the smoke clears, I hope you remember that you had been kind to yourself and that you had taken opportunities to extend a helping hand. When the smoke clears, I hope you remember that you were not alone. We will make it through!”

School Board Meeting Tonight, Aug 24th, 6pm

This Monday’s meeting includes appointments of several Vice Principals and a Database Adminstrator, as well as a vote on the Board Bylaw for a Student School Board member, and votes on technology infrastructure projects.

Find the agenda here, and look at the agenda header for information about the live broadcast and the opportunities for public comments.

Resources for 

Parents:

• School meals: the government is no longer funding school districts to give out meals to all children, as was allowed during school closures and summer.  So parents should fill out the Free & Reduced Lunch application as soon as possible. Here are the direct links to English and Spanish applications.(more languages available on the application page) 

Much of school funding is based on the percent of students who qualify for free & reduced lunch.  It is used as an indicator of poverty, and our state provides "weighted dollars" to give higher poverty schools extra resources to meet student needs. Federal dollars and grants are based on this as well.  So it is crucial that we encourage all families who may qualify to fill out the application.  Learn more at Ed100 Parent Leader Guide- School Funding: https://ed100.org/plg-school-funding

And, please spread the word that applying for free school lunches does not have any effect on immigration status or public charge. So even if a family is undocumented, they should feel it is safe to apply for school meals.

• Get involved: MDUSD has advisory committees where you can share your ideas & experiences.  Anyone is welcome to attend since these are public meetings, or you can reach out to your site principal to inquire about being added as the official site representative.  Find details here.  Next meetings coming up:
  • Community Advisory Committee: Sept 1st, 8pm
  • Equity Advisory Committee: Sept 3rd, 3:30pm 
  • District English Learner Advisory Committee: Sept 17th, 5:30pm
  • Parent Advisory Committee: Sept 17th, 3:30pm
  • Budget Advisory Committee: Sept 23rd, 5pm

• Need help getting school supplies, tech, internet? Please be sure to contact your school and ask for help with anything you need. We want to make sure every student has what they need for successful distance learning.

Students:

• Student Advisory Committee (SAC) for MDUSD Education Foundation - Apply Now! (Deadline extended to Aug 31st)  They are not only looking for students who are passionate about making a difference within MDUSD, but also those who represent the diversity and unique experiences that is a cornerstone of our district. Find the application here

• Free High School Engineering Program for Female-Identifying Students - apply by Sept 12th at swe.berkeley.edu/hsep

• AP Class Free Online Digital Tools: Did you know that https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/ provides digital tools to help you improve your performance all year long? Their online resources are mobile-friendly, so you can access them anytime, anywhere. To get the most out of AP, sign in there and use the join code your AP teacher shares with you to join your class section.
• Having trouble checking your school email? Vice Principal Arianda Hernandez at Oak Grove Middle School made a tutorial to help you out! Feel free to share 👌🏽 She also made it en español 💃🏻 Here is the Oak Grove MS YouTube Channel where you can find those and more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Y-V5UNxw61qRooFMNLBuA

Teachers:

Congratulations on surviving week one!  Thank you all for your amazing creativity and dedication to engaging students through distance learning.  It’s a daunting challenge, and an opportunity to redesign education to be more inclusive, culturally responsive, and student centered. I share the resource below as not only a set of tools you might find useful, but also a potential community of educators you can join who are supporting each other in small yet powerful ways.

Free Coping Tools for Challenging Times: MDUSD parent and psychologist Katie Raher shares free resources, printables and ideas for compassionate self care and teaching social emotional wellness on her website here.

Take care out there!  Wishing you all safety and good health.

Hi everyone, 

I know there are a lot of moving parts right now with walk throughs and school startup planning, but I wanted to quickly highlight just a few timely items:

1. Donors Choose donations are matched TODAY Aug 11

2. Anti-Racism Conference this week

3. District COVID 2020-21 webpage

Donors Choose Match Today

Anti Racism Conference This Week

Looking for how you can work actively to remove racism from our schools?

Check out this group Educators for Anti-Racism, their conference workshops this week with some notable speakers, and their resource lists.

They are "a grassroots movement of teachers committed to abolitionist and anti-racist principles. We are determined, through our collective power, to bring systemic change to our schools."  https://www.edantiracism.com/

I'm planning to attend the District Leaders workshop on Wednesday at 2pm (5pm eastern).  See the full list here and note they will be recorded for future viewing as well.

District COVID 2020-21 webpage

Got Questions?  The district has some more answers.  Check out this new webpage for:

• Enrollment
• Approved MOU with our Teachers Union MDEA
• Technology access
• Meals information
• Childcare resources
• Parent Academy and more

https://mdusd.org/2020-21

Together we can do this. We can build relationships, reach out to all students, and support each other in navigating the world of education during a pandemic.  

This week our MDUSD school board voted to revise the school calendar so that students will now begin school on August 17th instead of Aug 13th.  Staff also reported that Google Classroom and Seesaw will be the overall Learning Management Systems to be used districtwide.  Google Classroom can be integrated with Aeries/Homelink to create a more seamless experience for students, parents and teachers.

The 2020-21 reopening plan has just been posted on the Roadmap to Reopen page and updates will continue to be posted there.  School websites will post more detailed information on registration, schedules and how to pick up materials for distance learning.

Read on for:

• Students - 3 opportunities for you to lead!
• Internet Options
• Childcare
• Equity tools
• Next Board mtg Aug 10th

Students - 3 opportunities for you to lead!

• 1. GENup - Generationup.net - a CA based student led organization advocating for education through the power of youth voices. The Mt Diablo Acalanes chapter is led by Northgate student Michelle Alas. They are hoping to expand now to include students from all high schools in Mt Diablo. Apply now here 
  2. Empowered - www.empoweredusa.org - This student led, contra costa based organization is dedicated to fostering youth engagement in local and national democracy. We center our advocacy around issues that matter to young people and seek to involve the community through phone banking and virtual campaigning. 
  3. County Health Services Looking for COVID-19 Youth Ambassadors - Young adult voices needed to help stop the spread of the virus
     • We know young people can have the virus without experiencing any symptoms, so they can spread it to others unknowingly, including to those at high risk. 
     • One key to ending this pandemic is helping young people protect themselves and protect others, symptoms or not. Youth voices are the most effective in communicating with each other. Your power and leadership are needed! 
     • In this new program, the Ambassadors will help create youth/young adult focused messages on protecting yourself from COVID-19, and on getting tested. Ambassadors will help spread the messages on social media. 
     • Each ambassador will receive a $525 stipend. 
     • Application deadline is August 3.
     • Apply online here.
     • Other details:
       • Open to youth/young adults between ages 15 and 24.
       • Campaign will last through 2020.
       • Ambassadors will participate in focus groups, surveys, interviews.
       • 25 Ambassadors are being recruited from all parts of the County

Childcare

CocoKids is our local county nonprofit that can help you find the childcare that you need at https://www.cocokids.org/find-child-care/

Internet Options

• Everyoneon.org MDUSD partnership - search here in English y Espanol for low costs deals
• “Cheat Sheet” of no cost & low options from GO West Contra Costa - tells some of the specifics of what is required for each deal.
• Xfinity Free WiFi Public hotspots.

• • Click the link and type in your address to find the closest hotspot near you.Everyone can now access out-of-home Xfinity WiFi hotspots for free: These hotspots are normally located in business areas, retail locations and transit areas. To find your nearest hotspot, enter your zip code. Once you are at the location, follow the instructions at xfinity.com/wifi to join the hotspot. These 1.5 million hotspots are now free for all who need them through this challenging time.
• MDUSD did also purchase 600 hotspots to check out to students who struggle to access the internet, as we understand from this study that the affordable "deals" are still inaccessible to families who are unhoused, unbanked or undocumented.  We aim to ensure every student is connected, so please contact your school principal or staff if you need to check out one of these mobile hotspots along with your chromebook.

Equity Tools

Shared by MDUSD teachers:

• Racial & Equity Tools Glossary & Definition: https://www.racialequitytools.org/glossary#racism
• PBS Podcasts for teaching anti-racist Education - teaching https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/tools-for-anti-racist-teaching
• Positive Racial Identity in Early Education: https://www.racepride.pitt.edu/about-pride/

Next School Board Mtg Aug 10th

Find the agenda here when it is posted, and look at the top of the agenda for how to make public comments via email or phone. There you can also watch prior board meetings. Click here to access the Board Action Summaries.

I hope you all are finding moments of peace, health, and inspiration amidst the stresses of this time!

We've been busy this summer on the MDUSD School Board!  Read on for summaries of

• Superintendent hire
• Board direction for Distance Learning
• Fall Planning - task forces & technology
• Next Board mtg July 27th
• Summer Resources

Welcome Dr Clark!

One of the most important roles of a school board is the hiring of the Superintendent, and on Monday we officially appointed Dr Adam Clark as Superintendent of MDUSD.  He comes to our district with an amazing skill set and breadth of experience, having taught at every level, and championed student success in a wide variety of settings from Principal of Miramonte High in Orinda to Superintendent of Vallejo Unified School District. I can't wait to see him in action, building relationships with all corners of our district community!  Please give him a warm welcome.

Board Actions - starting the school year with Distance Learning

As reported in East Bay Times and summarized well by Board President Lawrence, our School Board did advise to begin the school year with distance learning.

You can watch the video of Monday night's July 13th meeting here, including the presentation and discussion of fall planning.  Each board member gave their perspective and then Dr Clark summarized what he heard, saying:

"I want to start from a place of unity... we need to be intentional as we move forward... we are going to have to build trust, have open dialogue and be transparent to do what is best for students, staff and families.  I'm hearing from the board that distance learning is how we're going to start off...  We will begin now to identify what we need to address immediately and what can be planned for longer term...  I want to get input from as many people as possible... be intentional, out of respect and collaboration and what is best for all students, all staff, all families." 

Click to the following times in the video for:

• Public comments, such as this one from a Meadow Homes teacher (my dog Tiger Lily listened along too) - 1:28:16
• Student Board Member proposal presented by student Michelle Alas - 2:03:00
• Reopening Plan Presentation - 2:40:38
• My comments re fall planning needed specifics - 3:44:50
• Dr Clark - 4:08:55

It's exciting to see the potential of increasing student leadership in our district by bringing on an official student board member. Thank you all who signed Michelle's petition to encourage this action. I hope that we are able to make that a reality very soon.

Fall Planning

Task Forces – Thank you to all who are participating in the deep details of fall reopening of schools. With such a diverse group of perspectives in each workgroup, the best ideas are brought forward through deliberative discussions and recommended based on student needs and priorities.  I look forward to seeing each workgroup’s deliverables.

We all understand that workgroup tasks will overlap, and not all recommendations from all groups will make it into the final plan. However I know that so many parents, teachers, staff put in much time, thought and effort into those deliverables and they contain the level of detail that we need in order to make these crucial decisions.

Technology readiness –

I shared at the board meeting that I think it's time for action in 3 areas to ensure readiness for distance learning on day 1 of school this fall:  the board needs to see and approve specific recommendations for hardware, software and tech help.

• hardware - 
  • # of devices and cost it would take to get to 1:1 chromebooks grades 3-12 and ipads/tablets for preK-2.  
  • Devices & cost for the specialized needs of certain classes
    • such as Digital Academy that provides dual credit with DVC but requires Adobe that doesn't run on a chromebook
  • internet accessibility - how many mobile hotspots would it take to provide one to every homeless/foster/newcomer or student who was disconnected last spring?  When are the 600 ordered hotspots going to arrive and how will they be synched with chromebooks and then distributed out to students or schools?
• software - 
  • Step 1: What LMS (Learning Management System) is recommended for MDUSD to adopt?
    • LMS integrates Google classroom, attendance, and all distance learning into one comprehensive resource for students, families teachers and administrators. Thus it organizes all the aspects into one place for access, monitoring and reporting, and should remove a lot of the disjointed confusion that was a reality in the spring (e.g. other districts use Schoology or Canvas)
    • Teachers, admin & staff should be trained on the LMS before school starts.
  • what apps/programs are teachers/schools using already, what else has been requested by them? 
    • which can be narrowed down to for more consistent usage and less confusion by parents/students.  
  • What is the cost of the ideal package solution?  the prioritized immediate needs?
• tech help - 
  • what management software should be set up by August for our district to have a robust tech help system for teachers and multilingual for parents, accessible via email/text/phone.  
  • what staffing is necessary to make this work (vs current staffing levels)

At the board meeting I requested we schedule a special board workshop to cover this topic, to ensure that we as a board, district and our students and families know that we will have the infrastructure and technology support ready to begin distance learning Aug 13^th.

Return to School – Thank you to all who gave feedback!  We must acknowledge the extreme burden on parents right now, especially those who must work outside the home and are struggling to ensure childcare and continued learning for their children. Even though we plan to begin with 100% remote learning, we must do all we can to help parents cope.  This is also why I prefer a phased in approach: start with 100% distance, and right away form tight partnerships with community childcare providers to refer our essential working families to.  Then as soon as it's feasible with healthcare precautions in place, begin to bring students onto campus in very small groups for extra support needs such as IEPs, counseling, study space or language support.  West Contra Costa calls this the "student support hub model." (aqui en espanol)  In phase 3 I would prioritize bringing in person learning to our youngest learners – preK-2 - who distance learning is especially challenging for at the age where they are just beginning to “learn how to be a student”.

This is an ever changing landscape, so please keep sharing your ideas and priorities with us.  Governor Newsom is expected to make an announcement tomorrow at noon about school re-opening as well.

Next Board meeting

The next MDUSD school board meeting is scheduled for July 27th. Find the agenda here - and look at the top of the agenda for how to make public comments via email or phone. Click here to access the Board Action Summaries.

Summer Resources

• Check out this Summer Resources in English y Espanol for reading, math & science from West Contra Costa School District!
• Khan Academy:
  •  free "Get Ready for Grade Level" - math courses to help students master the most important skills they’ll need for the next grade. Students can figure out where they may have gaps before they enter that grade. Teachers can also use Get Ready for Grade Level at back-to-school time to complement grade-level instruction.
  • Summer Challenge grades 3-12 through Aug 28th y También disponibles en español
  • Summer Kids Camp ages 2-7 through July 31
    • this week is Music & Movement!

• Urban Debate League: Some MDUSD students are participating in this free debate camp this week, learning about and discussing criminal justice.  Bay Area Urban Debate League's mission is "To make competitive policy debate available to every public high school student." They have also offered to partner with MDUSD Title I middle and high schools to potentially offer school year debate at those schools.  Watch their alumni Demo Debate here. 

Happy Juneteenth!

Here are some excellent events, actions and initiatives you can support in honor of this day:

• Tomorrow on Saturday, June 20, 2pm, there is an online event co-hosted by MDUSD Parents for Multicultural Education: in honor of Juneteenth to hear speakers' personal stories and lived wisdom about celebrating Blackness, advocating for representation, and taking action to elevate Black history, culture, community and power. We welcome you; don't forget to register! Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87669316520

• A new group has begun in Walnut Creek, called RiseUpWalnutCreek.org.  They held an event yesterday at Valle Verde Elementary School, to announce their Antiracist Book Fund initiative. #BlackLivesMatter

• Educate yourself and your kids:  PBS blog on Juneteeth, the documentary 13th - an in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality, a video of "How Wealthy Was Black Wall Street?"

MDUSD Unanimously Approved Board Equity Policy and Resolution Condemning Racism

Did you know that on June 8th, MDUSD approved: Resolution 19/20-68: Condemning Violence, Racism, and Injustice and Reaffirming Equity and Humanity as Central Guiding Principles and Equity Policy BP0415?

This was made possible by your support. In #Gratitude:
To the Mt. Diablo Unified School District students who spoke their truth and brainstormed solutions at that school board meeting,

To School Board President Brian Lawrence who created the space for those student voices and strongly supported placing two equity items on the agenda,

Anti-racist Resources for Educators and Parents to move policy into action

So how will we enact those important policies?  One immediate way is in planning for the fall opening of school. Another is in the specifics of how teachers act within their classrooms.  Here are two resources to get started.

• Equity Guidance for Schools - Are you giving input to the MDUSD task forces for fall planning? Check out this excellent resource for specific tools to use an Equity Lens in that process!

  It is chock full of actionable ready to use tools & samples including:
  - scheduling for equity
  - how to facilitate courageous conversations
  - SEL through a race equity lens with strategies for system leaders to take action
  - culturally responsive distance learning strategies for educators
  - Equity data walk for community
  - two way multilingual communication
  - planning protocols for supporting students with disabilities
  And much more.

• "What anti-racist teachers do differently" - an Atlantic article

School Board meeting June 22nd 

Here is the agenda for Monday’s school board meeting. This agenda includes a draft of the 2020-21 MDUSD budget, a Public Hearing and Adoption of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Plan and Annual Budget, renewal contracts for iReady and AVID, and more.

At the top of the agenda it shows how to submit a public comment. You don’t need to wait until the live meeting.  (I recommend submitting before 3pm on Monday) Either:

• send an email at BoardComments@mdusd.org - all email messages are received by all board members, and recorded on the board action summaries for that meeting, or
• leave a voicemail message at (801) 228-0093 - all voicemails are played live during the meeting

Visit https://mdusd.org/agendasminutes for all board agendas, videos, and action summaries.

Find the MDUSD Friday letter June 12th here, which included details on Task Forces, Equity, and Campus Safety Hotline.

Enjoy #Juneteenth celebrations, and stay safe and masked out there!

Congratulations to all of our MDUSD 2020 graduates! Despite the extreme challenges of fires and worldwide pandemic, you have made it!  And this experience gives you a unique perspective to create a safer, healthier world for all.  I was honored to attend and record a speech for both the YV High and Olympic High ceremonies, and it was such pure joy to see the smiles and whoops of triumph from graduates and their families.

This week we also held our first ever raising of the Pride flag at the Mt Diablo Unified School District office, and the flag will fly for the month of June.  Thank you to my fellow board members for allowing me the honor of raising it with YV High’s GSA president Bianca Solomon. As a board we all wholeheartedly supported this resolution with a 5-0 vote on May 28^th.

In the meantime, the business of the school district marches on. I hope that you have seen the two key messages this week from the Superintendent’s Office:

1. MDUSD Takes a Stand for Equity – this includes 2 action items the Board will vote on at our June 8^th board meeting:
   • Resolution 19/20-68 - Condeming violence, racism, and injustice, and reaffirming equity and humanity as core guiding principles for the district. English Version and Spanish Version
   • Equity Policy (BP0415) - Comprehensive 
2. Friday letter – this includes photos from the raising of the Pride flag along with this link to LGBTQIA+ & gender identity services, as well as information about free summer meals, how to join task forces for fall planning, and more.

School Board meeting June 8^th

Here is the agenda for tomorrow’s school board meeting. This agenda includes a vote on the Equity resolution and board policy mentioned above, a vote on the PARS retirement plan, a presentation on the task force planning for fall, and more.

At the top of the agenda it shows how to submit a public comment. You don’t need to wait until the live meeting.  (I recommend submitting before 4pm on Monday) Either:

• send an email at BoardComments@mdusd.org - all email messages are received by all board members, and recorded on the board action summaries for that meeting, or
• leave a voicemail message at (801) 228-0093 - all voicemails are played live during the meeting

Visit https://mdusd.org/agendasminutes for all board agendas, videos, and action summaries.

Happy summer and stay safe, everyone!

On this #BlackoutTuesday we recognize the urgent need for justice in particular for African Americans in our country.  The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are the most recent examples of the horrific violence that people of color experience, here in the “land of the free”.  All of us must become a part of the solution to end the violence and hatred. 

In times like this, I reflect on how to hold myself accountable for actions and not just talk. I have requested this Equity Board Policy be added to our school board agenda for the June 8^th meeting, and district staff are preparing additional actions.  My family is holding a bookclub & discussion today on the book Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. There is so much more to do.

I want to take a minute here though to elevate the voices and actions of some of our MDUSD principals, parents and teachers:

1. From Principal Moss, ShoreAcres Elementary School:
   • “Our school community will continue to be committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion to ensure all families feel welcomed and supported. Please reach out if you need support.”
   • “Nuestra communidad escolar está compremetida con la equidad, la diversidad, y la inclusion para asegurar que todos las familias se seitan bienvenidas y apoyadas. Por favor, pongase en contacto si cree que necesita apoyo.”
   • If you are looking for ways to talk to your child about the current events, here are some resources: English https://centerracialjustice.org/resources/resources-for-talking-about-race-racism-and-racialized-violence-with-kids/
   • Si está buscando maneras de hablar con su hijo acerca de los eventos actuales, estos son algunos recursos: Español https://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Paginas/talking-to-children-about-racial-bias.aspx
2. From Principal DeMartini of El Monte Elementary School: “Our @elmontebulldogs staff compiled a list of resources for talking to kids about racism. Please feel free to use them with your students or children (and give us feedback on what we can add)” 
3. From teacher Bryan Shaw, YV High: “I’ve had a lot of @YgnacioValley students email me or DM about what’s going on in our nation today. You should sign up for our ethnic studies course. This is our curriculum. You’ll love it. I’d be honored if you signed up.”
4. From MDUSD Parents for Multicultural Education: If you have a child (or teach children) aged 4-9 we highly recommend the children's book Something Happened in Our Town. It's a story about racial injustice that covers a lot in less than 40 pages. It was published by the American Psychological Association in 2018 and covers police shootings from the perspective of a White family and an African American family.

For educators:

• from Teaching Tolerance - Teaching about Race, Racism, and Police Violence
• from CALSA: Ethnic Studies Protecting our Youth with Policy & Practice

And for students:

• a message for those who want “to channel their energy into concrete action”: How to Make this Moment a Turning Point for Real Change, by Barack Obama

Please keep sharing YOUR ideas for actions that we all can take to truly create schools and communities that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all.

Happy Classified Employee Appreciation Week! 

Many thanks to all of our hardworking classified employees who ensure students are fed, safe, and cared for every day through thick and thin.  You are our heroes!  An extra special shout out to Denise Ingham, who keeps excellent track of CSEA employees records to be able to truly support every single member of CSEA Mt Diablo 43.

News & helpful links:

1. MDUSD School Board special meeting today
2. SF Jazz for middle school students – starting today 4pm!
3. Student Leader Academy by Ed100 statewide – FREE apply by June 6
4. Immediate Resources
   1. P-EBT Groceries Assistance English/Spanish
   2. Disaster Relief Fund for Undocumented Californians / El Proyecto de Asistencia para Inmigrantes
   3. CA Immigrant guide / Bienvenido a la Guia Del Inmigrante

Special School Board meeting May 20th

There is a special school board meeting scheduled for today at 3pm.  It is mainly a closed session for Superintendent Evaluation.  Before it there will be an open meeting has just one agenda item on it, with approvals for the Pleasant Hill library project.  That will be followed by the closed session meeting and brief report out.  Visit https://mdusd.org/agendasminutes for all board agendas, links & videos.

SF Jazz Middle School Opportunity

SFJAZZ is proud to share a new webinar series that will give you a glimpse of what our Teaching Artists bring to our students in the Jazz in the Middle classroom. "The Breakdown" is a new webinar series that will feature select poets and musicians in conversation with our Director of Education, Rebeca Mauleón. These artists will delve into various topics related to our in-school curriculum and will perform live, demonstrating aspects of their craft in order to shed light on the topics of each lesson. Join us this Wednesday for our opening class - "From Jazz to Hip-Hop: Improvisation and Freestyling."  There will be an opportunity for Q&A during the webinar, as well as activities provided that will help you continue exploring these topics on your own! Registration information is linked below, we hope to see you there!

~Lyle Link, SFJAZZ Lead Teaching Artist

The Breakdown

From Jazz to Hip-Hop: Improvisation and Freestyling w/ Tammy Hall, Lyle Link, and Dan Wolf

Date: Wed, May 20, 2020

Time: 4-4:30PM

For: Middle school students, educators, and anyone interested in learning!

Format: This interactive webinar will be moderated by our Director of Education Rebeca Mauleón and will feature Jazz in the Middle Teaching Artists Tammy Hall (piano), Lyle Link (saxophone), and Dan Wolf (hip-hop artist).

REGISTER HERE

Student Free Leadership Opportunity

Announcing the Ed100 Online Summer Academy for California Student Leaders

Anunciando la Academia de verano en línea de Ed100 para líderes estudiantiles de California

Student Leaders: Apply by June 6. It's Free!

California's student leaders are essential — this year more than ever. So, it's time for something new: an online conference that prepares California high school student leaders with the knowledge and connections they need to make a difference. Free to apply. Free to attend.

Apply now and mark your calendar: July 20-23. We invite California's high school student leaders to join together at the Ed100 Online Academy for Student Leaders, a new virtual conference for students who in the coming school year will be serving:

• on a school site council or ELAC
• on their school board,
• on a PTA board or nonprofit school organization
• in other student led or student-focused organizations

Like Ed100.org, this conference is free. There is no cost to apply and there will be no cost to participate. Students who aren't yet in these roles but aspire to them may also apply.

Immediate Resources

• P-EBT Food Assistance

Due to coronavirus (COVID 19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school can get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. Information here: English/Spanish

• Disaster Relief Fund for Undocumented Californians / El Proyecto de Asistencia para Inmigrantes

CA is providing a one-time disaster relief assistance for undocumented Californians impacted by COVID-19, who are ineligible for most other forms of pandemic assistance, including direct assistance under the CARES Act and unemployment insurance.

Call ASAP to receive this help. It is given out starting May 18 until it runs out.

 Un adulto indocumentado que califica puede recibir $500 en asistencia directa, con un máximo de $1000 en asistencia por hogar. 

Solicitudes aceptadas por teléfono solo en 415-324-1011 para condado de contra costa. https://www.cceb.org/el-proyecto-de-asistencia-para-inmigrantes-afectados-por-la-pandemia-de-la-covid-19-drai/

 An undocumented adult who qualifies can receive $500 in direct assistance, with a maximum of $1000 in assistance per household. 

Applications accepted by phone only at 415-324-1011 for Contra Costa County. https://www.cceb.org/california-disaster-relief-assistance-for-immigrants-drai/

• Guide for Immigrant Californians

The Guide for Immigrant Californians (PDF) will help you stay safe and informed. 

 The guide includes:

• Stay-at-home order considerations
• Ways to protect yourself and others 
• Immigration help
• Public charge information for accessing public benefits
• Testing and treatment
• Information on jobs, wages, and benefits 
• Small business support
• Housing 
• Food and bills 
• Community safety
• Protection against scams and bad information 

Immigrant guide in: Spanish, Chinese traditional, Chinese simplified, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese

• Guía para inmigrantes en California

La Guía para inmigrantes en California lo mantendrá informado y a salvo. 

 La guía incluye:

• Consideraciones de la orden de permanecer en casa
• Formas de protegerse a usted y a los demás 
• Ayuda migratoria
• Información sobre la carga pública para acceder a beneficios públicos
• Pruebas y tratamiento
• Información sobre empleos, salarios y beneficios 
• Apoyo a pequeñas empresas
• Vivienda 
• Alimentos y facturas 
• Seguridad comunitaria
• Protección contra estafas e información incorrecta 

Contra Costa COVID19 Resources for Undocumented Immigrants

P.s. Sharing this excellent wellness page from YVHS. Be well everyone: https://sites.google.com/view/yvhswellnesscenter