Student Initiatives

Posted by · February 22, 2021 7:05 PM
Our students never cease to amaze me. This week I want to highlight 2 student initiated projects that are making a difference. Let me know of any others you'd like me to share out in future blogs too:
First up, LEAP MDUSD. They are specifically seeking spanish speaking tutors, so check out Seena's program and spread the word!
Hi Everyone! My name is Seena, I’m a Junior at Northgate High School and the founder of  Learning Enrichment and Assistance Program (LEAP). I am working with MDUSD's Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE)--a program that provides educational services to the nearly 700 homeless and foster students in MDUSD--I match up HOPE and Foster Youth students in need of support with volunteer tutors to have a 1 on 1 weekly tutoring sessions. If you are interested please fill out this form. This is a great way to give back to our community, earn volunteer service hours, and make a difference. 
Visit us at www.leapmdusd.org or on twitter or Instagram @leapmdusd 
Secondly, Music Enrichment Program (MEP). Here's their announcement from Clare Kim, a violinist in Northgate High School’s Orchestra:
Recently, I launched the MEP as an addition to the MDUSD Community Mentors (MCM) with senior Jordan Taqi-Eddin. It is a district-wide program for any student musicians districtwide who would like to receive help over Zoom, as well as any high school mentors districtwide who are willing to share their passion for music (volunteer hours included).
Here is the website link for students to sign up:
After signing up, please click on “Groups” under the “More” tab. From there, you can join the “MCM Family” and “Music Enrichment Program” groups. These groups are important and contain further details.
Previously, during the beginning of 2021, I had mentored students privately in hopes that they would remain engaged with music. Because of the struggles of following along over distance learning, many students have not enrolled into instrumental groups and some have even dropped the class mid-year, one of my students included. While helping these students over Zoom, I was able to be convinced that these lessons were indeed effective and students were receiving the help they needed. I am very excited for the start of this program and encourage you to take part in helping the young student musicians of our district grow!
Way to go, students! 
Read on for:
  1. School Board meeting Wednesday February 24th
  2. Vaccines Open for School Employees & in Bay Point!
  3. Superintendent’s Friday letter Feb 19th
  4. Parent Survey FAQ

Next School Board Meeting Wednesday February 24th

Find the agenda here, along with information about how to watch the live broadcast as well as how to submit public comments.  Click here to see summaries of board action from prior meetings.

Do you have questions about curriculum content or adoption?  There will be a presentation under item 11.1 Update on Materials Adoption Calendar.  Some additional key items on the agenda include:
  • Agreements with labs for COVID testing
  • Approval of COVID19 Prevention Program
  • Update on Hybrid Learning Plan

Vaccines Open for School Employees & Clinic Opens in Bay Point

Thank you to all who advocated for school employees in contra costa county to be vaccinated! I have heard from many MDUSD educators and staff who are relieved to have this layer of protection before more students arrive on campus.

On Feb 18, Contra Costa County Health Services announced: 

Teachers, grocery workers and other frontline essential workers who live in Contra Costa County can now sign up to get vaccinated as defined by California’s vaccination plan Phase 1B.

​Residents in these groups, as well as county residents who are 65 years and older who have not yet been vaccinated, can sign up to access state and federal sites through MyTurn or by calling 1-833-422-4255.

​Essential workers and residents 65 years and older can also request immunization appointments through CCHS and join the county waiting list for COVID-19 vaccine. 

Los maestros, los empleados de las tiendas de comestibles y otros trabajadores esenciales de primera línea que vivan en el Condado de Contra Costa pueden programar una cita para vacunarse, de acuerdo con la definición de la fase 1B del plan de vacunación de California.

Los residentes de estos grupos, así como los residentes del condado de 65 años de edad y mayores que todavía no se hayan vacunado, pueden registrarse para acceder a los sitios de vacunación estatales y federales a través de MyTurn o llamando al 1-833-422-4255.

Los trabajadores esenciales y los residentes de 65 años de edad y mayores también pueden programar una cita de vacunación a través de los CCHS.

Thanks to CCHS and our county board of supervisors for opening a vaccination clinic at MDUSD's Riverview Middle School.  This is walking distance to so many in the area, and sharing information in Spanish there will go a long way towards ensuring equity in vaccine distribution. 

 

Please spread the word!  If we can vaccinate our elders and school employees, especially those in high COVID areas, then together we can really get this virus under control. 

Superintendent's Friday letter

Click here to read Dr Clark’s February 19th letter including: 

Parent Survey FAQ

The MDUSD parent survey is out now, due March 1st, with a goal of identifying #s of students per site who would like to access in-person learning this spring. I've been asked a number of questions about it, and so I attempted to answer multiple questions in one place by posting an FAQ on Facebook.  More questions may be answered this week when Dr Clark gives his update on Hybrid Learning at the school board meeting. Here is what I wrote. I hope it is helpful to some. 

1. Is this survey binding?
No. This survey is an opportunity for parents to let their school site know if they might want in person learning, so the school site has numbers to design the structure of 4th quarter in person opportunities.
2. How can I decide now without a specific schedule?
The schedules have not been set, those shown are just samples. The general idea is that students stay with their teacher and class via distance learning in the morning, and then come in for extra help and in-person opportunities in the afternoon. (E.g. Reading groups, math tutoring, extra language learning time, optional science labs/experiences, student hands-on art/robotics/leadership)
Each site would take that idea and adjust the schedule to their own student needs and programs (e.g. dual language site could look very different from others.)
Each site needs to know now which students are really interested in coming back in person this spring, so they can plan how to staff the offerings.
3. What if I work and cannot bring my child in the afternoon, but I really want them to have in-person learning? What if my child normally takes county buses to school?
There is an open question on the survey about additional needs. The school and District will do their best to meet as many needs as feasible. So please do write in there what any of your specific needs are.
4. What if a parent has no email or cell phone?
School sites will be reaching out to families in additional ways to help them answer the survey - on paper or by phone. Each site needs to hear from as many families as possible in order to plan.
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School Board mtg February 10, 2021

Posted by · February 08, 2021 8:24 PM
Over the last two weeks, we on the board have heard loud and clear that many in our community want to see reopening plan details that are clearly delineated as their own agenda item in our school board meetings, rather than in the Superintendent’s report. This week's board meeting does exactly that, including details of reopening preparedness and protocols as well as the required sharing of the CPP draft before it is finalized. 
While we continue to plan for a hybrid schedule, I also remain very concerned about students who are not able to access distance learning right now.  If you are a teacher, parent or staff, did you know that 1:1 in person meetings are allowed?  This has been true since November, and yet I keep finding people who did not know that.  Also extra curricular activities in small groups are allowed right now, following the same protocols as sports conditioning.  Is extra curricular happening in person at your school?  Please let me know how it is going.  Each of these if implemented are a step in the right direction to address concerns of student isolation, depression, anxiety and disconnection.
Read on for:
  1. School Board meeting Wednesday February 10th
  2. Vaccinate School Employees
  3. Superintendent’s Friday letter

Next School Board Meeting Wednesday February 10th

Find the agenda here, along with information about how to watch the live broadcast as well as how to submit public comments.  Click here to see summaries of board action from prior meetings.

Key items on agenda include:
17.2: Review of draft CPP (COVID Prevention Plan)
Under item 11.4 there will be information provided on the recent MOU agreement with the teacher's union around small groups.
I share in the frustration that many of you have expressed to the board in response to this agreement, that it does not go far enough to do what our Board directed in December: to start small group learning hubs on our campuses ASAP.
Here is the state guidance on small groups, sent in September 2020. Notice it does not recommend waiting until red tier +20 days, nor limiting to 10% of any campus. To me those are barriers to equity, and barriers to student learning access & opportunity.
I hear the term "equity" used as a reason to delay the reopening of our schools. But I do not hear those same people advocating for the "equity" of ensuring a safe place on campus now for our students who need it most.  We have successfully provided in-person sports conditioning on high school campuses throughout all levels of COVID, and I believe we can and should do the same for non-sports activities now.
Item 17.1 will include a presentation, discussion and vote to approve the Safe ReOpening Plan. This will provide board members the opportunity to ask questions and provide their perspective on the many aspects of reopening our schools to students in person.

Vaccinate School Employees

The Contra Costa County School Boards Association sent a joint letter along with 14 school board presidents on Feb 1st with a collective call for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and Health Services Department to: (1) immediately ensure that all education workers in Contra Costa County school districts, particularly those reporting to work in-person, have priority access to COVID-19 vaccines and (2) provide clear and consistent communications about how education and childcare workers are to receive their vaccines. 

People have been asking me if vaccines are a requirement for MDUSD school reopening, and the answer is no.  Neither the district nor our teacher's union have said that vaccines should be at all connected to the metrics required to reopen our schools. However, I know that the many of our staff who have been on site this whole pandemic, and the teachers and staff that hope to soon join them will all feel much less fearful if they can get vaccinated soon.  So I joined these groups in signing the letter and advocating for prioritizing vaccinations in our county for education workers. 

Meanwhile, the OUSD superintendent shared this about how the Tier 1B is planned to work in next door Alameda County, where they have decided to vaccinate education employees at the same time as the 65+ population. Districts will provide each employee with a letter to hand the vaccinator that states which priority level they are in.  

So far it appears that our contra costa county is planning to wait until most 65+ are vaccinated before starting to allow education workers to sign up. If you want to take action to support these efforts, you can email the Board of Supervisors asking them to prioritize school employees like Alameda is doing: 

Superintendent's Friday letter

Click here to read Dr Clark’s February 5th letter including: 

  • Message on reopening
  • Negotiations update
  • National School counseling week - thank you Counselors!!
  • MDUSD's Sean Donelan (Northgate) Wins 2020 Congressional App Challenge
  • Black & African American History Month
  • STEAM-4-Students by MDUSD Education Foundation
  • Organizational Update
  • County Science Fair judges needed
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MDUSD Mental Health Webinar tonight

Posted by · January 25, 2021 8:00 AM

I hope that you and your families are staying well. Did you know about tonight's launch of the Open Conversations about Mental Health Webinar Series from 5-6:30pm?  Attending is easy—simply register in advance, and you will receive a confirmation email with all the information you need.

 When: Monday, January 25, 2021 at 5:00PM Pacific
 Topic: Open Conversations about Mental Health Webinar (#1)

Details from Dr Clark:

"To promote wellness, answer questions, and address common student and family mental health concerns, MDUSD is assembling a panel of mental health professionals who will host this webinar that is free and open to all. The panel will consist of MDUSD mental health staff, including school counselors, school psychologists, social work specialists, behavioral health specialists, and college and career advisors. Audience members may choose to participate and interact virtually, or watch only.

Our professionals are here to help. The stress and responsibilities of ordinary life are already difficult to manage, and this pandemic has created conditions that challenge our mental health and wellbeing even more so. Still, there are practical skills, remedies, and tools that can make all the difference. Tune in on Monday night to ask your questions, express your concerns, and hear from our mental health professionals."

Read on for:

  1. School Board meeting Wednesday January 27th
  2. Superintendent’s Friday letter
  3. "The Hill We Climb" lesson plan
  4. DVC DREAMers Conference
  5. Cash for College

Next School Board Meeting Wednesday January 27th

Find the agenda here, along with information about how to watch the live broadcast as well as how to submit public comments.  Click here to see summaries of board action from prior meetings.

Please note: this year our board meetings have been moved to Wednesdays instead of Mondays.

A resolution will be presented in Recognition of February as Black and African American History Month.

Here is an excerpt: 

WHEREAS the History-Social Science Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve states appropriately that the history curriculum of community, state, region, nation, and world must reflect the experiences of men and women and of different racial, religious, and ethnic groups and must be integrated at every level; and
WHEREAS Black and African American history is continuously being made, and concurrently, classroom discussion that is courageous is encouraged in our institution as an essential function of student-centered wellness and education;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that 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.

There will be two key reports:

  • California Collaborative for Excellence in Education (CCEE) will present on Systematic Instructional Review
  • Capitol Advisors will present on Key State & Federal Budget Issues

And a key business item will be the approval of a contract for online tutoring for English learners.

Superintendent's Friday letter

Click here to read Dr Clark’s January 22nd letter including: 

  • Updates on negotiations and status of reopening
  • new "Ask the CBO"
  • Organizational Update
  • T-Mobile Project 10 Million - free hotspot & data to families who have a student enrolled in the National School Lunch Program

"The Hill We Climb" Lesson Plan

I was amazed by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb,” at the 2021 inauguration.  Were you?  Here is a resource about how her poem "presents a great opportunity for educators and students to discuss the ways creative expression can help us think about the meaning of democracy."

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/teach-this-the-hill-we-climb-and-the-2021-inauguration

DVC Dreamers Conference

Are you an undocumented student, or do you know someone who is?  Diablo Valley College is holding it's 10th Annual DREAMers conference Feb 3rd-5th, and Mt Diablo alumni are some of the presenters on these panels. Learn how to access college, scholarships and more.  Visit dvc.edu/dreamers for "a safe place that supports education for all members of our community, we created this website as a resource for undocumented students, their families, and their allies."

Cash for College

Join a Cash for College Webinar by the California Student Aid Commission to learn how to apply for CA Dream Act or FAFSA. Register at http://bit.ly/cashcollege21

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Happy New Year - school board mtg Jan 13th

Posted by · January 11, 2021 12:41 PM

Happy New Year everyone!  

I hope you had some time off for rest & rejuvenation over the break, and are staying healthy.  I know that I appreciated unplugging completely for a bit, spending time with my family on puzzles, hikes and cooking projects.  This has been such a stressful year of what feels like a never-ending global pandemic, but I am back online now and ready to serve, hopeful for the year ahead.

First of all, at our December school board meeting I was honored to be nominated and voted in by my colleagues to be the next President of the Mt Diablo School Board.  Trustee Debra Mason was elected as Vice President, and new trustees Keisha Nzewi and Erin McFerrin were sworn in as the newest members of our board.  Trustee Linda Mayo and student Trustee Michelle Alas will continue to serve as board members as well. I know that this group will work collaboratively together in the best interest of Mt Diablo students, and I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's different perspectives that will help guide our decisions.

At the December meeting we voted to postpone the planned January reopening of schools due to the alarming rise in COVID cases, and so the topic of reopening will be covered this week at Wednesday night's board meeting during Superintendent's report.  Things are very much in flux right now as high rates continue, the Governor's budget came out on Friday, and vaccination timelines are still being developed.  We continue to watch and study how to safely provide education to students while supporting struggling families during this tragic global pandemic.

Read on for:

  1. School Board meeting Wednesday January 13th
  2. Superintendent’s Friday letter
  3. Sign up this week for County Science Fair, 7th-12th grade
  4. Education to End Hate Virtual Classroom Series
  5. Articles/resources on budget, vaccinations, "how to talk to children"

Next School Board Meeting Wednesday January 13th

Find the agenda here, along with information about how to watch the live broadcast as well as how to submit public comments.  Click here to see summaries of board action from prior meetings.

Please note: this year our board meetings have been moved to Wednesdays instead of Mondays.

Two resolutions will be presented:

There are two key business action items:

  • School plans for student achievement Find your school site plan here.
  • Resolution Authorizing and Approving Temporary Transfer Agreement for Fiscal Year 2020-21 from the Contra Costa County Treasury to Address Anticipated Deferred State Funding
    • this is necessary to explore due to state cash deferrals of funding to schools

Superintendent's Friday letter

Click here to read Dr Clark’s Dec 4th letter including: 

Sign up for County Science Fair - 7th-12th grade

Did you see this message today from MDUSD via ParentSquare?

MDUSD Students/Families, A chance to explore and develop your STEM passion is here! The Contra Costa County Science Fair (CCCSEF) (March 11, 12, & 13, 2021) is for students grades 7-12 who are interested in science, technology, or mathematics, and presents an opportunity to engage in independent research. Taking part in the CCCSEF is fun, educational, and rewarding—moreover, you won’t be taking this project alone. Mentors and teachers will help you create the best project possible.

Students can choose from six broad categories, including behavioral, biological, physical, environmental, engineering, math and computer sciences, where they can explore their passions and apply classroom knowledge to tangible experiments. If successful, Contra Costa Science Fair students are able to compete regionally and access the following larger competitions:
  • California Science & Engineering Fair (Virtual): April 12-13, 2021
  • Broadcom MASTERS Middle School National Science Fair (Virtual): October, 2021
  • Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Virtual): May 16-21, 2021
If you are interested, please fill out this Science Fair Interest Form by Friday, January 15. You will be sent a confirmation regarding the next steps for participation, including dates for important informational sessions.

Thank you,
The Office of the Superintendent, MDUSD
on behalf of Bay Area LEEDS

Education to End Hate Virtual Classroom Series

The CA Dept of Education this year has created a series of three virtual classroom sessions as part of the Education to End Hate Initiative.

Watch the third topic, Understanding and Countering Islamophobia, live on facebook this Tuesday January 12, at 4pm. 

Videos of the first two topics are also available to watch - Understanding Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Pedagogical Approaches to Teaching about Native Americans.

Articles/Resources on Budget, Vaccines, "How to talk to children"

  • Governor's proposed budget
    • Superintendents letter in response from 7 largest school districts in CA
    • CA School Board Association blog re Governor's budget - this is a good summary of what's in the budget for schools, and the next steps with the legislature
  • Today's article about the rollout of vaccines
  • "How to Talk to Children about the Capitol Insurrection" - Rise Up Against Racism, a local volunteer nonprofit led by MDUSD parents, wrote this blog that is full of resources for how to talk to children about current national events with age appropriate questions, primary source analysis, media literacy, and exploration of biases, power and privilege.
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