Indigenous Peoples Day

I hope you had a wonderful Indigenous People’s Day! I want to thank Board trustee Nzewi for sharing a land acknowledgement at our last board meeting, where we formally recognized Indigenous People’s Day. Here is an excellent resource for lessons on indigenous history and culture. A big thank you also to our dedicated teachers and staff who spent yesterday working hard in teams to analyze their school student data and use that to design stronger opportunities for students.

It’s also been so heartwarming to hear the many ways that our community has been welcoming new families from Afghanistan into our schools. Here is a list of Resources to Welcome Afghan students that I’ve heard about so far, and would be happy to add to this. Please share your stories with me, as together we can wrap our arms around these new families to make them feel as welcome as possible.

Community support for our schools is strong, and I’ve so enjoyed seeing so many of you in action from all over our district the last few weeks, at the Yours Humanly Break a Sweat for Education Run - see photos here, the Riverview Growing Healthy Kids Garden Open House, and the Walnut Creek Community Service Day. (more photos at the end)

#TogetherWeCan build positive, healthy schools & communities!

Read on for:

Superintendent’s October 8th message
School Board meeting October 13th
Students Active on Voter Registration Day
Advocacy for Electric School Buses
More Photos of Community in Action

Superintendent’s Message

Read Dr Clark’s October 8th Friday message here, including:

MDUSD Education Foundation Annual Report
School Counselor SEL (Social Emotional Learning) newsletter in English & Spanish
TONIGHT - Dual Language Middle School Information Night - on Tuesday October 12, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Holbrook Language Academy , 3333 Ronald Way in Concord: This meeting will provide information about the Dual Language Middle School to parents of current 5th-graders participating in a Dual Language or Two Way Dual Immersion program in one of these schools: Meadow Homes, Cambridge, Ygnacio Valley, Bancroft, Shore Acres and Bel Air elementary schools.
#WalkandRollToSchoolDay - thank you to all participating schools!
Hiring event Oct 21st - 5-8 p.m. at the District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord.
- We encourage candidates to apply online prior to the event and to bring college transcripts, if available.
- All Special Education Assistant Positions get a $1,500 hiring bonus.
- We're also looking for Substitute Teachers, Food Service Assistants, Custodial Substitutes, School Bus Drivers, Campus Supervisors and many other positions!
- Interviews will be conducted and job offers will be given to qualified candidates. TB Test required for all positions. Face coverings are required for all individuals entering the District Office building.
- Details about openings are at https://REBRAND.LY/MDUSDHIRINGFAIR. If you have questions, please call 925-682-8000.
- More information about becoming a substitute teacher in the District is here. This position offers a flexible schedule and competitive rates.

School Board Meeting October 13, 2021

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 will include

Resolutions proclaiming October as Dyslexia Awareness Month, Disability Month, Anti-Bullying Awareness Month and Filipino American History Month
A resolution for Mt Diablo students to earn the State Seal of Civic Engagement
Vice Principal and staff appointments.
Reports on a recent bond refinancing, enrollment, fire service improvements, substitutes, Title 1 schools and schools eligible for Comprehensive Support and Improvement.
A spending plan for federal emergency funding (ESSER)
Review of the CCEIS Plan for improving disproportionality in special education
Extending the superintendent's contract

Students Active on #NationalVoterRegistrationDay

MDUSD students took the initiative to register fellow students to vote on Sept 28th, National Voter Registration Day. Shared on twitter were:

this @GENupUS video featuring our MDUSD graduate and former student school board member, @michelle_alas13 along with @CASOSvote Secretary of State @DrShirleyWeber

Ygnacio Valley High Democratic Club tabled and helped pre-register and register students!

And Northgate students invited @cocoelections to their school. Contra Costa County Elections loves to help register students to vote, and will come out for free to any school if requested.

October resolutions

October is LGBTQ History Month

Oct. 10-16: Week of the School Administrator

Oct. 10-16: Final week of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Oct. 11-15: National School Lunch Week

Advocacy for Electric School Buses

Thank you Mt. Diablo Unified School District bus drivers Tim Ng and Barbara Harris, for taking time out of your busy day to share with Superintendent Dr Clark and me about the importance of electric school buses. Your story helps CALPIRG to advocate for federal funding to upgrade all old diesel school buses. The air is so much cleaner, and we save taxpayer dollars on maintenance and fuel at the same time.

We are glad to have a partial fleet of electric school buses in our district, but the federal government can choose to invest boldly now to get ALL diesel school buses off the streets nationwide. Watch the CALPIRG video here.