Dear MTUESD Community,
I think we all exhaled a sigh of relief as the temperatures dropped. It is interesting that energy and attention and heat are all intertwined. The human body is a complex system.
I had some time this weekend and ran up the hill to Arnold. I had a home up there for more than 20 years and my memories of summertime are fond. You look back when you visit places of reference from long ago and all the memories and the things that you think about as you visit each place pop up and reflect on all that you and your family have become.
I know there is incredible love for and legacy in this school district. I know there is incredible pride. I want to explain to you that we share that pride and enthusiasm, but with the ongoing declining enrollment and loss of more than 30 students which is almost $400,000, in funding, we are going to have some hard choices ahead. We can do anything we want–we just can’t do everything and please keep that in mind as we think through the needs of how we’re going to meet the needs of everyone. I think everyone in the district is hard-working and thoughtful for kids. So many pots of funding are restricted, which means that we can’t use them for items other than what they are intended for. That is absolutely maddening. It’s like having a household budget where you can only use money to buy a Ferrari, when you really need to pay your electric bill, but that’s how it goes.
The facility improvements that you have seen are NOT made out of money that can be used for kids, so I want to be clear about that. Our special ed numbers continue to be a major concern, as we are identifying students at a disproportionate rate to the state.
We will come to a solution, but it’s going to be an opportunity to think out of the box and figure out a different way of doing business.
On a happy note, mark your calendar for the Trunk or Treat events. Nothing so magical as Halloween. I remember dressing up in my mother‘s old lace tablecloths with some very red lipstick, a rhinestone tiara, and three plastic roses and being Miss America. You gotta love being little.
Copperopolis Elementary:
Trunk or Treat – Saturday, October 26th 5pm-7:30pm at the Copper Cove Center
Red Ribbon Week is October 28th-31st – We are having a spirit week that week as well.
Heart Healthy Challenge Kick off Assembly – 10/29 in the gym at 10:30am
Halloween Parade – 10/31 – time is TBA
Mark Twain Elementary:
-10/24 TK-3rd Student of the Month assembly
-10/25 Trunk or Treat & 7/8 Halloween dance
-10/30 BMX assembly (outside)
-10/31 Costume parade 1:00
Just a reminder that November 1 is a non-school day! Enjoy your week ahead.
Sincerely yours,
Louise Simson, Superintendent
(650) 996-3290