Dear MTUESD Community,
It was a bit of a break in routine with conferences this week, but the staff were working hard to make sure we are partnering well with our families to serve our students. Thank you to all the families that took time out of your day to attend the conferences. I know that it is a difficult schedule request with work and obligations, and your commitment is appreciated. The hot weather also was a challenge this week, but we are hanging in there!
You may notice that the Mark Twain gym had some repairs over the week to replace the ceiling tiles that were damaged from a rainstorm last year. The roof repair was taken care of last year, but we are touching up the ceiling on the aesthetic side. It is important to me that the mantra of “It's been that way for years,” doesn't continue. The seven words that can kill any organization are: “That's the way we've always done it”. We are working hard, we've always done it, but we need to make sure we are getting results.
I sent out a note about the volunteer process. We sure could use some help. I know it's hard between work and sports and church and all the other things folks have going in their lives. One or two hours a week really make a difference for our kids. Think about it. We pay the cost of the fingerprinting, but it is a little bit of a time process involved. Be part of the Core for More that will change our students’ learning opportunities.
Upcoming news related to ELAC: This is our English language learners committee and our meeting is on Tuesday, October 8 at 5:30 in the Mark Twain library. We invite everyone to participate. We will be bringing in a light dinner and really encourage our parents who are in the younger grades, especially, to participate as our senior committee members with older students will be graduating out with their kids and we need new representation. This is an important committee that we need to legally host for our federal funds receipt, but it is also a really thoughtful committee that tries to maximize the learning for all students.
Asphalt repairs at Copperopolis will commence this weekend and continue the following weekend. I want to thank the Board for the special meeting to get that approved before the cooler weather rolls in. (Hard to believe but we are forecasted to be in the 70s late next week). I will be blunt, there is no way we can fix those deteriorating sidewalks, but we can make them safer with a double coat of seal. We had a student fall and have a head wound and that's not okay, and we are grinding down that hazard so her pain won't be felt by another kid. This will be occurring over the next two weekends and then the restroom floor replacement at Copper is scheduled, and then we should be in pretty good shape there.
We hosted the structural engineer on both sites on Monday and he reviewed the buildings. We will begin the long and lengthy process of qualifying both portable toilet buildings for health and safety hardship eligibility and possibly the MT cafeteria for seismic eligibility. No easy fix here, but we just got to walk the walk.
We hosted the Character Strong curriculum review. If you have questions or want the slide deck with the links, please don’t hesitate to email me at lsimson@mtwain@k12.ca.us
This is a $40,000 grant fully paid for by the County Office for a three-year implementation. The slide deck will be reviewed again at the public hearing at the Board meeting next week on October 10. Basically, it is teaching everyone to be kind, nice and respectful just like you do at home.
Our international teachers have completed the visa process, and they are going to be arriving in California shortly. These are some special ed critical vacancies. This is a very out of the box solution to a chronic teacher shortage nationwide and we are going to see how it goes. They are both lovely ladies and accomplished, and we look forward to welcoming them and their families. I am super excited that we just didn’t accept, “We can’t fix this” and tried a new solution. That’s a good approach for kids.
May you have a healthy and safe weekend. Copper's Sold Out Steak and Shrimp event is Saturday. Homecoming is in the air. Isn't it fun to walk downtown and see the jerseys across the street and the signs on the building with the names and numbers of the players. This town is steeped in tradition. You walk it and see it. You see it and you feel it. May you have joy with your family as you enjoy these traditions that have been celebrated for decades and innovated and evolved to still be relevant and meaningful today. So very cool.
Sincerely yours,
Louise Simson
Superintendent
650-996-3290
Every Student. Every Day. Every Possibility.