Did you know: as of Sept. 22, 2021, everyone 12 years and older must show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or a negative test result, before going to high-risk indoor businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms in Contra Costa County?  This is in addition to the state’s similar mandate for all public school employees, and MDUSD student athletes are also now required to show proof of vaccination or weekly COVID tests.  (A few school districts are even beginning to mandate that ALL students 12+ to be vaccinated, however those are currently facing some legal and logistical challenges) 

We know that getting vaccinated is the best way to stay safe from COVID, to keep any quarantining to a minimum, and to protect those around you.

Do you still have questions about the vaccine? Concord High School student Lucy Goetz created a website compiled with credible resources addressing FAQ's about the COVID-19 vaccine. It's a convenient, succinct, one-stop resource, with graphics, videos, and links to accurate information. There are many convenient, free vaccine locations throughout our area.

Plus, any school or group with at least 5 people who want to get vaccinated can request the county mobile vaccine clinic to come to them! 

Read on for:

1. Superintendent’s Sept 17th message

2. School Board meeting September 22nd

3. No Place for Hate - Registration Now Open

4. “Highway 5 to Higher Ed” - UC Berkeley Black Recruitment

Superintendent’s Message

Read Dr Clark’s September 17th Friday message here, including:

• MDUSD Virtual College Fair Tuesday Sept 21st - middle and high school students or parents are encouraged to register at strivescan.com/mdusd/ 
• Contra Costa Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE) webinar: Tobacco, Vaping, and Cannabis: Everything Adults Need to Know - in English & Spanish on Thursday, September 23 at 5:30 PM. No cost to attend. Pre-register Here.
• MDUSD is revising the Parent/Guardian Involvement Board Policy (BP) and Administrative Regulation (AR) 6020. Please find the newly revised policies HERE including Spanish translations. After taking the time to read the policies please complete a brief parent survey HERE. Your feedback and input is greatly appreciated.  

School Board Meeting September 22nd

Our board meeting will again be located at Monte Gardens Elementary to provide adequate space for the public. Find the agenda and details here. 

You may send a public comment via email: emails to [email protected] are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days only. Or come in person to make a Public Comment during the meeting.  

The agenda includes:

• Resolution in Recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day
• Resolution Recognizing October as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning History Month
• Principal and Vice Principal appointments
• Fiscal progress and budget advisory reports
• Review and potential approval of agreement with T-Mobile Project 10 Million to provide up to 5,000 hotspots to empower student home connectivity during the 2021-22 school year under the Federal Emergency Connectivity Program

No Place for Hate - School Registration is now Open

Did you know that noplaceforhate.org can help you build a school learning community of inclusivity, respect and equity?

Every person in your school has a role to play.  Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, admin or staff - you can get your school registered and begin to access age appropriate activity guides and research based lesson plans. Form a committee and commit to one project this year, and you’ll be on your way.

Education Director Samantha Brown says that No Place for Hate Registration is now open for the 2021 - 2022 school year with a theme of Fighting Hate for Good!  

• All forms are now centrally located on the Regional website No Place for Hate page. 
• No Place for Hate School Registration Fee: $75, but inability to pay Registration Fee will not prevent schools from participating. 
• Adjusted requirements for 1st year schools - minimum of just 1 required schoolwide activity in addition to forming a Committee 

Visit the No Place for Hate program page to register, access the No Place for Hate Coordinator Guide, Pledge, and other important info. Sign up for ADL Education updates and newsletters here.

“Highway 5 to Higher Ed” - UC Berkeley Black Recruitment

This fall, the UC Berkeley Black Recruitment and Retention Center (BRRC) will be hosting their second annual virtual recruitment program titled “Highway 5 to Higher Ed”. This program is designed to bridge the gap between low-income Black students and higher education, but ALL Black students in California, in high school or community college, should apply. The program starts on October 11th and ends on October 23, 2021. This FREE opportunity will include: live virtual sessions with UC Berkeley students, interactive learning modules, presentations from financial aid and admissions advisors, giveaways, care packages, and more! Click here to learn more and register by Oct 1st.

Happy Labor Day!  Much gratitude to all our Mt. Diablo school employees for their heroic work keeping schools going through a pandemic.

It’s been really tough to navigate through the ever changing health guidance, employee shortages and financial strains to keep our schools open for students. We will continue to strive to provide competitive pay & benefits, professional development and safe environments for all staff.

Now is a stressful time to be serving the public through the challenges of COVID and climate change.  Please, when you face frustrating situations in our schools, remember to take a moment to express your gratitude to those who are working above and beyond to make it better. Our principals, custodians, maintenance and grounds staff, technology team, bus drivers, union leaders, office workers, food services staff, instructional assistants, after-school staff, Adult School employees, teachers, counselors, librarians, administrators, substitutes, parent group leaders, and Superintendent are working to both educate students and keep everyone safe. They keep going with the added load of COVID protocols, even when vacancies around them make the workload even harder. Each expression of kindness and patience really does matter. 

Read on for:

1. Superintendent’s Sept 3rd message

2. School Board meeting September 8th

3. Suicide Prevention & Mental Health

   • Suicide Prevention Forum Sept 9th

   • Mental Illness High School Trainings Sept 16 & 17th

4. High School Voter Education Weeks Sept 13-24th

5. Feria de Educación - 1 Y 2 De Octubre de 2021

Superintendent’s Message

Read Dr Clark’s September 3rd Friday message here, including:

• Updated COVID exposure/quarantine charts in English & Spanish

• Parent Volunteers are now welcome on campuses with proof of vaccine

• MDUSD is hiring substitute teachers

School Board Meeting September 8th

Our board meeting will be back in person again, located at Monte Gardens Elementary to provide adequate space for the public. Find the agenda and details here. 

You may send a public comment via email: emails to [email protected] are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days only. Or come in person to make a Public Comment during the meeting.  

The agenda includes:

• Resolution to Recognize Hispanic Heritage Month
• Resolution on Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
• Resolution on Recognition of Deaf Awareness Month
• Growing Healthy Kids presentation
• Bond Oversight Committee Annual Reports
• Superintendent’s report, including an update on COVID safety protocols
• District 2020-21 UnAudited Actuals Presentation & Approval

Suicide Prevention & Mental Health

Suicide Prevention Forum Sept 9th

Join CCHS (Contra Costa Health Services) for a virtual conversation on youth & suicide, Sept 9th, 4-7pm. Learn how to support yourself or a loved one. 

Register here

If you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call 211, 1-800-833-2900 or text HOPE to 20121

Mental Illness High School Trainings Sept 16 & 17th

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California and the CDE will be hosting several virtual trainings for NAMI On Campus High School in the Fall semester, so don't miss out!

Also check out this Toolkit for “Demystifying the Mind” 

High School Voter Education Weeks Sept 13-24

It is never too early to motivate our students to get involved and become engaged participants in our democracy. We encourage schools to participate in High School Voter Education Weeks from September 13 to September 24, to put students on the path to a lifetime of civic engagement and voting. Share the news that 16 & 17 year old students can visit www.RegisterToVote.ca.gov and click Pre-Register to Vote!

Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr21ltr0826.asp

California Secretary of State's High School and Youth Initiatives portal: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/high-school-programs

Feria de Educación - 1 Y 2 De Octubre de 2021 

The ninth annual Feria de Educación will be held virtually on Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2! Feria de Educación is hosted in partnership with Univision 19, Sacramento State, and the California State University. The event aims to empower thousands of Spanish-speaking parents and students with information and resources to help them succeed in California’s educational system and pursue higher education.

Website: www.csus.edu/feria

Español: www.csus.edu/feria-es/

Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr21ltr0817.asp

Don’t forget to follow MDUSD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (new profile), and LinkedIn.

I hope everyone had a great start to the school year!

It is a stressful time as the pandemic numbers are rising again.  I visited many schools sites in the first days of school though, where I witnessed heroes everywhere: teachers and counselors working to build a positive space for students transitioning back to in-person school, custodians taking extra care in cleaning, food services moving outdoors and serving exponentially more meals, substitutes filling in where vacancies arose, parents rebuilding supportive networks, and principals managing unpredictable enrollment along with COVID protocols. 

Truly, you are showing with your actions that “Together We Can” make our public schools great spaces of learning and hubs of our community.

Read on for:

1. Superintendent’s message

2. Expanded COVID testing at Mt Diablo Schools

3. COVID Vaccine Fully Approved by US FDA Today

4. School Board meeting August 25th

Superintendent’s Message

Read Dr Clark’s Aug 20th Friday message of the year here, which includes:

• Back to school FAQ

• COVID protocols and district dashboard

• Independent study FAQ

• Highlight: Mt. Diablo High School's garden and food and nutrition program lauded during Congressmen's visit

• Highlight: Mt. Diablo Unified gets 16 electric charging stations for its small fleet of electric buses, which it hopes to expand in the future

• Highlight: Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark shares back-to-school presentation with Concord Chamber committee, highlighting career education

Expanded COVID Testing at Mt Diablo Schools

Mt. Diablo expanded COVID testing starts today, now offered at 15 different sites for you to choose from throughout the week.  Visit https://mdusd.org/covidtesting for details, locations and forms.

You can also contact your health care providers and take advantage of COVID-19 testing available through Contra Costa Health Services.

COVID Vaccine Fully Approved by U.S. FDA Today

Did you know that today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration officially approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine?  

The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

Access your free COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12 and older through Contra Costa Health Services, Kaiser Permanente, John Muir Health and at other locations in the community including CVS, Walgreens and the Bay Point Family Health Center.

All public school staff throughout California will be required to show proof of COVID vaccination or submit regular COVID testing results to their employer.

School Board Meeting August 25th

Due to limited staff and school openings, the August 25, 2021 Governing Board meeting will be held through Zoom.  This will allow access to the meeting by staff and the public, as well as the ability to participate in public comments.  We plan to transition back to in-person meetings in September. Find the agenda and details including a Zoom link for accessing the meeting here. 

You may send a public comment via email: emails to [email protected] are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days only. 

Or to make a Public Comment during the meeting, it will be via zoom: please send an email after 10:00AM on Aug 25th to [email protected].  A link and instructions will be sent for participation.

The agenda includes:

• Resolution Providing for the issuance and sale of 2021 Refunding General Obligation Bonds - a step to save taxpayer money

• Reports on next steps from the Systemic Instructional Review and the Fiscal Health Progress Monitoring plan

• Superintendent’s report, including a discussion on COVID safety protocols

Don’t forget to follow MDUSD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram  (new profile), and LinkedIn.

p.s. I saw such wonderful use of the great outdoor spaces on our campuses, and so enjoyed hearing the laughter of students!

Welcome back to school!

We are so excited to welcome students to the first day of school this Thursday.  Staff and teachers have been working hard to get schools ready: new staff have been hired, COVID protocols are in place, and new student orientations are happening. 

Read Dr Clark’s First Friday message of the year here, which includes everything from free student meals and introduction of new principals, to celebrating the successful summer internship program and sharing business and operational reports.  Also the new Public Information officer has been very busy posting key information on the website and social media. For example, see the MDUSD Action Plan for AQI Ratings in case of smoky air.

I recommend following MDUSD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram  (new profile), and LinkedIn.

Read on for:

1. Parent Information session TONIGHT 

2. COVID testing at Mt Diablo Schools

3. School Board meeting August 11th

4. Free bus passes for students

Parent Information session TONIGHT

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Community Advisory Committee invites all parents and guardians to join a virtual meeting from 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10 titled "Success-Fall: Helping your children transition back to in-person instruction."

We know that returning to school will have different impacts on individual students and families. We will provide tips to help students be successful this fall as they return to campuses on Thursday, Aug. 12. Spanish translation will be available. The Zoom link and details can be found HERE.

Also, do you have questions about Virtual Learning / Independent Study?  Click HERE to see presentations and Q&A in English and Spanish. 

COVID Testing at Mt Diablo Schools

Mt. Diablo Unified is pleased to announce that we have partnered with PMH Laboratory to offer optional weekly COVID-19 testing as a convenience for staff and students and their families at three locations starting Monday, Aug. 16. Pre-registration is recommended on the district website at https://mdusd.org/covidtesting, but forms will be available at sites.

Testing will be offered: 

• 3-6 p.m. Mondays at Ygnacio Valley High, 755 Oak Grove Road in Concord;

• 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays in Room 904 at Concord High, 4200 Concord Blvd. in Concord; and 

• 3-6 p.m. Thursdays at Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave. in Bay Point, at the end of the 300 Hallway on the quad side.

If requirements change for athletes or if there are other situations that increase the demand, we will work with the testing company to increase days, times and location availability. However, we also encourage you to contact your health care providers and take advantage of COVID-19 testing available through Contra Costa Health Services.

We would also like to remind you that COVID-19 vaccines for people ages 12 and older are available through Contra Costa Health Services, Kaiser Permanente, John Muir Health and at other locations in the community including CVS, Walgreens and the Bay Point Family Health Center.

School Board Meeting August 11th

The Mt. Diablo Unified School Board will hold its first meeting of the new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The meeting will be held virtually on Zoom to accommodate parents and staff preparing for the first day of school the next day on Thursday, Aug. 12. Find the agenda and details including a Zoom link for accessing the meeting here. 

You may send a public comment via email: emails to [email protected] are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days only. Or to make a Public Comment during the meeting, it will be via zoom: please send an email after 10:00AM on Aug 11th to [email protected].  A link and instructions will be sent for participation.

The agenda includes a key fiscal health risk analysis report and the adoption of the districtwide Technology Strategic Plan.  During the meeting, the board’s new student member, Kaleena Fowler, will take the oath of office. Welcome, Kaleena!

Free Bus Passes for Students

Pass2Class offers free bus passes to Contra Costa students at the beginning of the school year to encourage the use of bus transportation to and from school. Pass2Class reduces traffic congestion and air pollution by reducing the number of cars being driven to school. Up to two months of rides are being offered for the 2021/2022 school year to help students as they return to in-person learning.

https://511contracosta.org/schools/pass2class-program/

El Pass2Class le ofrece pases de autobús gratis a los estudiantes de Contra Costa al principio de cada año escolar, para incentivarlos a utilizar el autobús como método de transporte para ir y venir de la escuela. El Pass2Class ayuda a reducir el tráfico, el congestionamiento y la contaminación, al utilizar menos vehículos como método de transporte escolar. Estamos ofreciendo hasta dos meses de viajes en autobús para el año escolar 2021/2022, para ayudar a los estudiantes a retornar a la escuela y a las clases en persona.

En Espanol

Have a wonderful first day of school on August 12th!