If this email is clipped—or photos are not displayed—click the "View entire message" link at the bottom of the email. School LIFE is the newsletter of the Milpitas Unified School District. If you have stories for our next issue, please send them to Scott Forstner.
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This Labor Day, WE honor our MUSD Team's resiliency |
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Nearly 150 years ago the first labor day celebrations erupted through struggles to change conditions where workers as young as 5 years old toiled in factories 7days a week for 12 or more hours. Leaders amongst those working in the first industrial age fought for conditions that upheld human development and wellness. This Labor Day marks a need to recognize the determined efforts of so many workers in our nation, state, community, and in our schools.
While extensive work hours with no time off for vacation became a characteristic associated with factory workers in the late 1800s, COVID19 has resurrected the 7-day work week for many today.
We know our medical and public safety sectors have been working through COVID19 to protect us. Researchers have dedicated time to provide data that help to inform changes in our practices so we can contain the virus. Educators have stretched and evolved to serve our students and their families through virtual and in person learning.
Our digital devices afford us the ability to be on from anywhere, which means, we can work without limitations. This is only an advancement towards our future workforce development if we define how we use our time outside of the work space. Our minds need creative rest, our bodies need movement and play, and our spirits need connection with family and friends. Our children need this time to dream, invent, and be curious on their terms.
Let us take this Labor Day to thank all those in MUSD who have invested so much of their time these last 18 months to assure that all is working for our students. As we strive together to provide our learners with opportunities to discover their purpose and develop pathways to their future careers, we in turn thank you for being alongside us in this work.
May today’s Labor Day holiday find you exploring, imagining, resting, and sharing joy-filled moments with loved ones.
In community,
Cheryl Jordan
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State Board Member of Year's blog |
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Your Labor of Love is Appreciated! |
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The city of Milpitas is approximately 13.5 square miles. The city of Milpitas has only one school district, the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD). MUSD serves 10,300+ students, 180 days per year, on average, not including summer school enrichment and intervention programs. MUSD employs more than 930 people. MUSD is one of the largest employers of the city and reaches 30,000 residents daily.
Within the public school district boundaries there are 2 Childhood Development Centers, 10 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 comprehensive high school, 1 continuation high school, 1 middle college high school, 1 community college extension and 1 adult education center. There are more than 57 languages spoken by our children and their families.
Outside of MUSD, within the city of Milpitas, there are multiple childcare centers, 5 private schools; Stratford (2), Milpitas Montessori, Monarch Christian, Merryhill, Milpitas Christian, Foothill Adventist and St. John's the Baptist.
Milpitas is committed to educating its community. Many Milpitas residents are aware and connected to both public and private school systems for a myriad of reasons. They are connected to other different types of school systems in the Bay Area and across the globe.
Over the past 18 months, Milpitas residents and families were suddenly placed into extraordinary roles of parent engagement and partners in education with MUSD. In parallel, MUSD employees were placed into extraordinary roles as technology experts, health care experts, community leaders, online educators, counselors, and more. We've built the CoVID19 web page to assist in the community education process.
MUSD is a district "On The Move" and we are constantly compared to others. Many of these "apples to oranges" comparisons have been challenging at times to understand, strained our internal bonds of collaboration and belief in the Culture of We.
As we celebrate Labor Day Weekend, and continue to solve new challenges on a daily basis, please know the residents and families of Milpitas recognize Your Labor of Love to serve, educate and support Milpitas children. Each of you is appreciated and continues to inspire.
Thank you for your service and leadership.
Chris Norwood
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Students align interests with career pathways
in Middle College High School program
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An inaugural group of high school juniors have set out on a career pathway to open the 2021-22 school year, with support from a highly-dedicated and passionate faculty at the new Milpitas Middle College High School.
“It’s just amazing what they’re doing already,” said MMCHS Principal Karisa Scott, who exudes positive energy and a can-do attitude amongst the student body and staff members. “The course work is pretty intense, but they’re doing great so far.”
Milpitas Unified School District’s newest college and career readiness program, housed at the San Jose City College-Milpitas Extension, offers three pathways: Education-Social Work, Health Sciences, and Business-Entrepreneurship. Students were selected from a rigorous application process that included submitting a written essay and video as well as participating in a panel interview.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, they did all that,” said Scott, adding that they target students who would be the first in their families to attend college but also those with an inner drive for success. “These kids were highly motivated to join this school.”
Jazmynn Moore, 16, who chose the Health Science pathway with plans of becoming a psychologist or psychiatrist, learned about the program through Principal Scott and immediately took advantage of the opportunity.
“The teachers are absolutely amazing,” Moore said. “All the staff are hands-on and outgoing. They make sure everyone feels supported and welcome.”
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MUSD Alumni Profile: Edmund (Ed) Gil, MHS Class of 1981 |
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A former lead prosecutor with the Tulare and Madera County District Attorney’s Office who now runs his own private law practice, Milpitas High School Class of 1981 alumnus Edmund (Ed) Gil fondly remembers a close-knit circle of childhood friends that motivated one another to reach their fullest potential.
“The person I am today has a lot to do with my values that I got from my parents, but also from my friends. We were all involved in sports and music, while taking advanced classes since we all were trying to go to college,” said Gil, 58, who attended Martin Murphy grade school, Rancho Junior High, Samuel Ayer High School for three years, and then was part of the first graduating class of the new Milpitas High School.
“I still keep in touch with my friends, especially those from Murphy,” said the UC Berkeley graduate (a Political Science major) who went on to earn his law degree from the University of Arizona. “I just found that all of us were a product of our environment back then. It was just a lot of fun growing up in Milpitas.”
These days, Gil resides in Fresno where his law office focuses on criminal defense, family law, and representing children and parents in Juvenile Child Dependency Court. He recently returned to Milpitas for the Class of 1981 High School Reunion, which includes MHS state champion football coach Kelly King.
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At an August 4, 2021 Milpitas HS-Calaveras Hills HS summer graduation ceremony, 27 students received their high school diplomas, after making up sufficient course credits in Milpitas Unified School District’s Summer School Credit Recovery Program.
In Summer 2021, MUSD had 439 students participate in the first session and 273 in the second session to make up credits so they are on track to graduate with their classmates.
Summer School Principal Jonathan Ho headed up the 2021 summer program, which staffed 19 teachers and four counselors (Jonathan Payne, Jennifer Evarkiou, Adrian Hernandez and Valerie Lamb), as well as support from the Learning & Development and Tech Services teams.
“I am blessed with an amazing team,” said Ho, a mathematics teacher at Milpitas High School who recently earned his administrative credential. “We are housed here at Cal Hills, and all of our summer school staff are already MUSD employees so they are familiar with what we’re all about here and our Culture of We.”
Summer School adopted a Hybrid format, with students participating either online or in-person using a computer-based platform called Odysseyware to recover course credits and get back on track toward graduation. Each student takes an initial assessment and, based on those results, the program assigns individualized classwork with a credentialed teacher supporting them along the way.
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New track and field facilities at Rancho and Russell Middle Schools, as well as Phase 2 of the Mattos Elementary School Construction, are among more than a dozen Summer 2021 bond projects underway at multiple Milpitas Unified School District sites.
“Our bond program is doing well financially. We have made prudent decisions to create savings so that we are able to do more projects,” said Assistant Superintendent Wendy Zhang of Business Services. “I can assure that all of our bond funds are designated and expended only on District projects.”
Measure AA is the $284 million bond measure approved by local voters in November 2018.
While construction work has begun on the Rancho track with completion scheduled for late summer, the modernization of the Russell fields is expected to be finished by Fall 2021.
Meanwhile, over at Mattos, the summer expansion includes three new classroom buildings and a multipurpose building, with a completion date of Spring 2022. Interim portable classrooms have been set in place for the start of the 2021-22 school year. Additionally, the road widening will be completed by the end of August.
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MUSD connects with Afghan Coalition to support immigrants |
MUSD has committed to supporting Afghan immigrants who come to Milpitas with education support and our School-linked Services Coordinator Nicole Steward can assist with connections to County services. We have connected with Afghan Coalition in Fremont. For more immigration resources, please visit our Immigration Support web page. |
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Less than 24 hours following her announcement that rental assistance funds were immediately available to eligible families, School-Linked Services Coordinator Nicole Steward forwarded four applications, impacting 12 MUSD students, to the Silicon Valley Independent Learning Center (SVILC) for review.
Serving students experiencing homelessness is part of Steward's multi-faceted role as MUSD’s SLS Coordinator. In collaboration with SVILC and the City of Milpitas Housing Department, she has facilitated over $130,000 in rent relief to 28 families, serving 70 students.
“It’s the job of the educators, the teachers, principals, and assistant principals to make sure students get educated and they graduate,” Steward explained. “It’s my job to see if there are any barriers to that education and then I work with our community groups, parents and schools to remove those barriers so students can focus on their learning and be successful. It’s really a beautiful partnership."
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MUSD Navigators! video series: Summer School 2021 |
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Our MUSD educators—certificated and classified alike—are fully returning to campuses this fall 2021 and will captain new protocols, practices and programs at their respective school communities as they continue to nurture a love of learning in the safest environment possible.
Each of our team members play an integral role in navigating and succeeding as WE move forward together.
Let’s find out how they do it!
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Highlights from the First Days of 2021-22 year |
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Moving Forward Together: COVID19 Update 2021-22 |
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Randall Modernization Ribbon Cutting |
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Latest community activities from our District Calendar |
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Have a look at our District Calendar for information on more upcoming events, meetings and more. Here's the link.
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MUSD | Phone: (408) 635-2600 |
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