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Board Highlights
from the November 14, 2017 meeting
Potential Employee Housing Option Explored
The limited supply and high cost of housing in our local community can be challenging for us all. The Board and Superintendent Jordan wish to explore different strategies throughout the school year to mitigate the impact of housing issues on District employees.

One potential solution was presented by Goldbar Builders. The HATS Program (Housing Affordability for Teacher Stability), jointly developed by an educator, a real estate developer, and a veteran contractor, builds Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), or secondary dwelling units, to provide affordable, independent, living facilities on the same land parcel as single-family dwellings. These units could be made available to MUSD employees at a rental rate that would be below the market rate for a period of time, due to creative financing supported partially by local private employers' sponsorship.

Greg Popovich of Goldbar Builders shared that in a recent survey, "Seventy-five percent (75%) of a district's staff said housing costs will impact their decision to stay in the area." This turnover would affect the quality of education for students, and ultimately also affect the workforce available to local employers.

Moving forward, District staff will conduct surveys with employees and local homeowners to determine if a sufficient level of interest and commitment exist to warrant pursuing this alternative housing option further.
  
RECOGNITION
MHS One of Two Schools in Santa Clara County to Receive CCS Sportsmanship Citation
Milpitas High School ​once again ​received the Central Coast Section (CCS) Sportsmanship Citation for the 2016-2017 school year at the annual CCS Administrators Workshop. MHS is one of only two schools in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League to receive this citation. It is presented to schools that had no ejections for unsportsmanlike behavior by​ players, coaches, or fans during the entire school year. MHS has 41 teams, almost 1,000 athletes, 80-plus coaches, and fans who made this possible by practicing good ​sportsmanship throughout all three sports seasons.

Superintendent Jordan stated that this award demonstrates that Milpitas High School "shines as a leader and stands for a district that practices a Culture of We, where everyone is included and respected."
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MHS Lady Trojans Finished Season with Great Record
 Superintendent Jordan also recognized the MHS Lady Trojans as they are "the first volleyball team in many years to make it all the way to the CCS Division 1 playoffs." The team ended the season with its best record in many years at 19 wins and 13 losses. Go Trojans!
MUSD Veterans Honored
MUSD staff members who have or are currently serving in the military were honored for their service. Individuals received certificates expressing gratitude for "having given not only your time, dedication and effort, but - most importantly - your very being to the protection and advancement of our great country. Thank you for defending our freedom."
ACTIONS
Strategic Plan Goals Approved
Throughout the summer of 2017, District staff embarked on a listening campaign to identify areas for growth that would inform our MUSD Strategic Plan. Voler & Associates led the discussions held with parents and staff, and the Superintendent held a discussion with high school students to gather their thoughts about what would enhance and improve their learning experience in MUSD. Additionally, Voler analyzed the results of the  ThoughtExchange online discussion forum that was initiated in March and April to gather input from parents, staff, and students (total 789) about the state of the district and areas of focus for our  Local Control Accountability Plan(LCAP).

At a special Board Study Session held at Milpitas High School on September 26, 2017, the Board reviewed the Stakeholders Summary Report and engaged in discussion with the public and staff about goals for our Strategic Plan. On October 2, 2017 the Board and Superintendent held a special meeting to review the first draft of goals that were derived from the discussion held on September 26 th. 

The final, approved goals are:

2018-2021 Strategic Plan Goals
  • Build a Culture of We that engages parents, staff, and community partners in supporting student success.
  • Improve communication systems for better outreach to parents, students and staff.

  • Develop educational pathways that allow students to apply their passion in learning for their future careers.
  • Focus services and support systems to ensure that all students are engaged in their learning and are making social, emotional and academic gains. 
  • Identify creative, student-focused strategies to accommodate enrollment growth and ensure healthy learning environments.

Going forward, district staff will develop action plans that will serve to move the district forward in achieving these goals. The Strategic Plan will include our MUSD LCAP, and align all of our efforts in realizing our vision for our students. Staff will identify objectives and measurements for each, these will be updated annually for each of the three (3) years that this strategic plan is in place. This will be a detailed document to be included with the short one-page Strategic Plan Goals page.

The Strategic Plan goals will be our common goals, and leaders will be expected to take actions that will move us towards them, i.e. these will be the goals for the Superintendent’s evaluation. All of our documents and work will be aligned to these goals.
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Board recognizes November as Native American Heritage Month
The Board adopted a resolution declaring November 2017 as Native American Heritage Month. In light of our Culture of We, Superintendent Jordan wanted to recognize and honor the Native American heritage, culture, traditions and contributions of the students, parents and community members who add to the rich diversity of our district. Furthermore, the District wants "to raise awareness that our national history is the story of many peoples, and that there is a common humanity underlying all people."

The resolution reads in part:

WHEREAS, native peoples were the original stewards of our land and have a great reverence for the earth and its bounty, and generously shared their knowledge with the early European settlers; and

WHEREAS, the local Native American community has enriched the cultural, language, and diversity of perspective in our District; and the Board of Education desires to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of native peoples.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
Milpitas Unified School District hereby proclaims the month of November 2017 as Native American Heritage Month and encourages all educators to commemorate this occasion with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.