Dear MTUESD Community,
I hope you enjoyed your three-day weekend. We have another one coming up here this coming week. I am not a big fan of a bunch of holidays in a row, but the calendar is the calendar. I hope you enjoy the time with your family. Please have your students read with you or for you. I can not tell you how much more achievement research shows your kids will have in school and life, if they are good at READING.
Speaking of calendars, I want to let you know that we have been in conversation with our neighboring school districts about calendars for our next few years. We know it’s important to be aligned as much as possible, but it is very important to understand that each district has a different number of workdays based on their budget and contracts, as well as different needs within the achievement of their kids. I think the more consistently we go to school for our students the better. Long breaks are hard on our kids as far as academic growth. I’m also not a big fan of going out early on Friday every week, but that’s going to be a hard road to unwind.
Summer school is fast-approaching and we have some amazing programs in play. We are working with Bret Harte’s aquatic staff to re-introduce the afternoon swimming program for our students two days a week. We also have booked some incredible assemblies, like Wild Things, which bring animals such as alligators, hawks, pythons, and other unbelievable creatures for kids to learn about and touch up close and in person. Summer school is a combination of academics and enrichment. Everyone can benefit. This is one budget stream where I have a lot of money because of the state guidelines (don’t get me started that I can provide a prime rib summer program and a cube steak regular calendar, but it’s out of my hands…). Our staffing will be full and rich for this summer program, so it’s a great chance for your kid to get some deep academic work and a recreational opportunity. Sign up. It will be at Mark Twain, but we have busing for the morning session to and from Copperopolis. If you want your student to stay in the afternoon from Copperopolis, they would need to be picked up, but care is available until 5:00 p.m. Enrollment forms are in the school offices. My only request is “If you sign up, you show up”.
We receiveded some additional great news on the Sierra K-16 grant. We’ve had such a strong launch with so many students from Bret Harte signing up to tutor for pay, that Columbia College has given us another $120,000 to support the program. That’s a total grant of $323,000 for our programs for the next 18 months. My job now is to figure out how to sustain that program after the 18-month period, so we will be chasing that moving forward. It’s like being a hamster on the wheel. You run, and run, and run.
We won’t hear about the Community School Grant until the end of May. I’m hopeful that pot of money for both schools will come through as well. We wrote a strong and compelling grant. It just depends who is in front of us before the money runs out at the State.
Measure A signs are available and you are welcome to ask me for as much information as you would like. The fact sheet is attached. I am happy to present information to any community group. A “yes” vote will allow for a $65 contribution on the tax bills for a four-year period. It can only be used for intervention, smaller class sizes, and supervision. There is a senior citizen exemption. Anyone 65 years or older can vote yes but not have to pay for it, which will be important in messaging to the community. There is a citizen oversight committee to make sure we are being transparent. Anyone can vote who is registered, not just property owners. This would be an important stabilizing force for our budget as we move forward. We are projected to lose another 30 students next year, which will be worse in our budget position by another $350,000. I will be at Copperopolis on Thursday, February 27 at 1:30 to answer questions about Measure A. Join me in the library.
Thank you to the Soroptimist who are donating books for both of our libraries. This powerful group of ladies meets once monthly and does amazing things for our community and particularly for our young women and mothers. There are abundant scholarship opportunities available, and if you have any interest in the group please reach out to me.
I had the pleasure of meeting with the Angels Camp Business Association on Tuesday. This group of business owners in downtown Angels Camp works hard on revitalization and marketing of our community. I appreciated the time that we gave to me. I think it’s important in both the Copperopolis and Angels Camp communities that we urge shopping and dining locally wherever possible. We don’t know what we have lost, until it’s not there anymore. Support your local merchants, who work hard to support our kids.
Today, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes by W.B. Yeats. “Education isn’t the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”. When we all work together to provide opportunities and pathways for our students, there are no limits to their achievement and impact. Join me: Every student. Every day. Every possibility.
Enjoy the three-day weekend. I wish I had your kids here on Monday, but go have fun! Stay safe and enjoy!
Louise Simson
Superintendent
650-996-3290