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For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 More than 120 low-income students from throughout Milpitas Unified School District will kick off the school year on August 17 with a new wardrobe and back-to-school essentials thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Milpitas. From 6:30 to 9 a.m. Sunday, August 6, approximately 150 volunteer chaperones paired up with a student who they helped shop at Kohl’s, before the store opened, during the annual Cares for Kids program. Each student had a sheet with information about his or her needs and what sizes they wear which guided the shopping by the volunteers. They included members of the Milpitas Police Department; Milpitas, Spring Valley, and Cal fire departments; Board Members (past and present); City Council members (past and present); MUSD teachers; Rotary members; 90 Milpitas and Independence high schools key clubbers; and several more community volunteers. The event kicked off with a light breakfast to all those in attendance that morning. South Bay Kids provided musical entertainment for those parents and others waiting outside the store while the students shopped. Due to generous markdowns at the registers, shoppers were able to purchase $140 worth of clothing with the $100 Kohl’s gift cards Kiwanis supplied to each student, identified as in need by local principals. Nancy Mendizabal, who coordinated the event alongside husband Michael Mendizabal (both Kiwanis members), said the club instructs volunteers to lead shopping efforts that focus on school uniforms. “We try to get a kid three shirts and a couple of pants,” she said. “Almost every kid leaves with a pair of shoes.” From there, volunteer chaperones work to make the most of the money for the shoppers by filling in the gaps with items including socks and underwear, and at least one “fun thing” such as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sweatshirt. Nancy said the highlight of the event is watching how excited the children get about the items they receive. She recalls multiple years where she has witnessed children clutching to new clothes or shoes they could not otherwise afford saying, “I have never had new shoes of my own.” To many, it may seem run-of-the-mill to receive clothes before the start of every school year. However, for those children, she added it means something to attend their first day of school with new, clean clothes that fit and shoes without holes, just like their peers. The students will also have backpacks, filled with school supplies by the Family Giving Tree, waiting for them when they return to school on the first day. In addition to benefiting MUSD students, Kohl’s also awarded Kiwanis with more than $2,400 in “Kohl’s Cash” for the items that were purchased that day. The organization will donate that money to the Milpitas Food Pantry, which also houses a Clothes Closet, to further help those in need. Milpitas Kiwanis had 17 members and their spouses volunteer at the event. The club would like to publicly thank Kohl's and their employees who volunteered to make the event happen in addition to Hobee's, Christy's Donuts, and Starbucks for donating breakfast items; Kathy Duncan and Linda Sebree for running the shopper check-in table; and Michelle Boyd and Camile Jung for bringing in volunteer chaperones. Funding for the event comes from the MUSD/Kiwanis Crab Feed and Outback Steakhouse Dinners, which helped the organization raise more than $15,000. The 14th annual MUSD Crab Feed is scheduled for February 9, 2018 at the Milpitas Community Center.  For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Hanna Asrat will become Assistant Principal of Burnett Elementary School after an 11-year career in education. “I am thrilled to join the Burnett and MUSD communities and am anxious to begin serving the students in Milpitas!” she said. Asrat began her career teaching both second and third grades at Briarwood and Pomeroy, two kindergarten through fifth-grade schools in Santa Clara Unified School District. As she grew as an educator, Asrat “learned the art of teaching, the skills necessary to plan and deliver lessons and units intentionally developed to support the learning of all students, and the value of collaboration,” she said. “I’m thrilled that we have hired Hana Asrat as our Assistant Principal for Burnett,” Superintendent Cheryl Jordan said. “Even knowing the potential for budget reductions and savings through a return to the shared elementary AP model that we had, Hana still said, ‘YES!’ to our offer for employment.” Asrat served as a mentor teacher for three student teachers and served as a member of her school’s leadership, School Site Council, and PTA teams. “My work with student teachers is when I discovered that I truly enjoy facilitating adult learning,” she said. “That, coupled with a desire to contribute to systemic change for the students most in need, is why I began working at Partners in School Innovation in 2014.” Asrat has worked at San Jose-based Partners for three years, supporting teachers, instructional coaches, and principals to implement research-based practices that transform schools. She has also honed her skills as a facilitator of adult learning, coach, and leader, bettering her abilities in speaking about race, culture, and identity, and how these factors influence educational outcomes for students. Currently, in her instructional equity work with Partners in School Innovation, Asrat has been working with Santee Elementary in Franklin-McKinley School District where she coached the staff and principal in implementing professional learning communities and Results Oriented Cycles of Inquiry, and using SEAL strategies. “School leaders have the ability to impact dozens of adults and, consequently, hundreds of students,” she said. “They set the tone and can help develop a school culture and community that is supportive of and welcoming for all - teachers, students, and families.” After receiving her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Stanford University, Asrat went on to receive her teaching credential and Masters in Education from Stanford’s elementary teacher education program. The MUSD Board of Education is scheduled to ratify Superintendent Jordan’s recommendation for Asrat as the new Assistant Principal during its meeting on August 22.  For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Giuliana Brahim was promoted to Principal of Milpitas Adult Education (MAE) after more than 15 years of work focused on empowering adult learners and promoting restorative education to incarcerated adults. “I am truly honored to accept the nomination of Principal for Adult Education and Corrections Division,” Brahim said. “I am humbled by the trust that the Milpitas Board Members and Superintendent Cheryl Jordan have placed in me. Each of them understands and knows the importance of the Adult Education programs in the community and in the correctional facilities. I want to extend my commitment and support to all staff and to the community. Together I am confident that we will continue to move Adult Education forward. I am grateful and excited for this amazing opportunity!” In her role as MAE’s Assistant Principal the last two years, Brahim has worked diligently to ensure that the Adult Education vision, plans, and actions align with the core values of the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) vision to “prepare students to go out into the world and make a difference as responsible citizens who are passionate about life and learning.” “Giuliana has shown me since she first applied for the AP position in 2015 that she is one who can accept a challenge and live up to it,” Superintendent Jordan said. “Giuliana knows that education is hope, it is the key to equity, and has empowered many of our students in the Corrections and Ayer sites with the opportunity to better their lives. Giuliana demonstrates perseverance and grit, and I am proud to support her as she steps into this new leadership role.” Superintendent Jordan announced Brahim’s new position during a July 12 staff meeting at Elmwood Correctional Facility, one of two locations for the Milpitas program, also housed at the Ayer Adult School at the District Office. “Adult education is all about second chances and endless possibilities; it influences the future of families, predicts academic success of children, and broadens the chances of adequate placement in the workforce and the attainment of postsecondary education,” Brahim said. She has spent the majority of her career, 13 years, proudly immersed in MUSD. She has brought awareness to the importance of adult education and correctional programs by ensuring opportunities for learning and growth to both classified and certificated staff through resources and professional development. In addition, Brahim has supported students and their families to assure student retention and high school graduation completion. In the 2016-17 school year, there were close to 100 students total who completed secondary graduation requirements from MAE either by receiving their high school diploma through 190 credit hours of academic study in the independent study program or successfully passing the General Education Development (GED) test or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET). “As our new MAE principal, Giuliana will continue the collaboration between our Pre-K through high school program leaders that has been established these past two years, and will seek ways to expand pathways to learning for adults and high school students through our membership in the South Bay Consortium for Adult Education, and our partnership with San Jose City College,” Jordan said. Brahim began as a Spanish teacher at the IES Language Foundation in Pleasanton. From there, she taught English as a Second Language (ESL) at Samuel Ayer High School in MUSD for five years before leaving Milpitas briefly to teach ESL at Strategy for the Workplace in Redwood City and East Side Union High School District, and becoming an Administrative Assistant at Berryessa Unified School District. Brahim returned to MUSD in 2007, where she has successfully served as a teacher at the Elmwood Correctional Facility for Women and Program Specialist, Evening Administrator, HiSET Chief Examiner, and in her current role as Assistant Principal at Milpitas Adult Education. Since 2014, through MUSD, Brahim has also been a member of the South Bay Consortium for Adult Education, a regional coalition of 2 community college districts and 5 school districts with adult education programs working together to seamlessly transition adults to postsecondary education and economic upward mobility. “Our district’s contributions are sharing the shared vision of the region’s adult education; there is ‘No Wrong Door,’” she explained. “The mission is to empower adult learners to achieve academic success and become financially independent to sustain their families and grow the local and state economies.” Brahim is known for tackling challenges proactively through an unwavering, calm demeanor founded in vast knowledge and experience, strong communication, and an earnest, methodical, objective approach. Her colleagues have shared she is an equity-minded leader, who fosters the potential of every student and staff member using her strengths as as an advocate with unreserved support and an innate ability to anticipate issues with a growth mindset. Brahim graduated from Anglo Americano Prescott School in Arequipa, Peru in 1979 and took select architecture and art history courses from the School of Architecture and Urbanism Lima in Peru in 1985 and Universidad de los Andes Bogota in Colombia in 1986, before earning her Adult Education credentials in ESL and Vocational Education from Metropolitan Education District in 2002 and 2007, respectively. In 2007, Brahim earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Studies and her Master’s Degree in Learning and Technology in 2009 from Western Governors University. The MUSD Board of Education is scheduled to ratify Superintendent Jordan’s recommendation for Brahim as the new Principal during its meeting on August 22.  For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Carlton Stice, Principal of Calaveras Hills High School (commonly referred to as Cal Hills), says math and engineering teacher Sridaya Mandyam-Komar has been a strong advocate for building student pathways since joining the continuation school in fall 2015. “Sridaya works so hard and is open to bringing our students great, out-of-the-box types of opportunities,” he said. “She has developed a course in engineering that now has approximately 60 alternative education students turned on to engineering in a powerful way that could change the trajectory of their lives.” Because of Mandyam-Komar’s ongoing dedication, Stice said it came as no surprise when the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) recently selected her as one of three winners in its Texas Instruments Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards. “When I was selected as a winner, I felt genuinely happy for Cal Hills and what we represent,” Mandyam-Komar said. “Seeing that my students were curious about STEM and how some of them had started to map out their future in STEM careers was reward enough for me. This award makes this reward even sweeter.” Mandyam-Komar will be honored at the 48th annual Teacher Recognition Celebration, presented by the SCCOE, at 7 p.m. on September 14 at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell. Along with the STEM honorees, the event will also recognize 32 accomplished educators, selected from their respective districts. “One of the great pleasures of hosting the Teacher Recognition Celebration is having an opportunity to learn about all of the excellent teachers within Santa Clara County, including Milpitas Unified School District’s teacher Sridaya Mandyam-Komar,” said Summer Reeves, Communications/Public Relations Specialist with the SCCOE. Mandyam-Komar credited the vision of Principal Stice and dedication and persistence on her end to create an engineering course at Cal Hills, which has gained her the recognition. “As our students are primarily here to recover credits, it was not very clear how this would pan out,” she admits. “It is gratifying to see that our students rose to the occasion and persevered to finish the course with success.” She added her students have benefit immensely from the generous funding for the engineering program. Mandyam-Komar has been able take them on field trips to The Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose and local universities, along with bring in a guest speaker, all of which has provided access to career and college options. The support has also allowed them to have a fully equipped computer lab and 3D printer, to enrich their everyday coursework. “I have been fortunate to teach at a school and district that value risk taking and innovation,” she said. “Bringing the engineering course to Cal Hills has definitely made me see myself as a powerful catalyst in sparking student interest.” Earlier this year, students engineered endless possibilities for their future through FlexFactor, a four-week entrepreneurship program offered by NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute. The project -- offered to students in Mandyam-Komar’s “Intro to Engineering” classes -- was run in collaboration with participation from local partners including the City of Milpitas, Evergreen Valley College, and Flex (previously Flextronics) in Milpitas. Students worked in teams of four to conceptualize a Flexible Hybrid Electronic device focused on human health or performance monitoring, and develop a business model around their product. They pitched their ideas in a Shark Tank-style, three- to five-minute presentation to a panel of representatives. “Her engineering course and the NextFlex project was such a great success I knew they would want to honor her for her hard work to help facilitate that project,” Stice said. Reeves explained that the STEM awards were added to the Teacher Recognition Celebration in 2012 as a way to honor special instructors in Santa Clara County public schools who are sparking their middle- and high-school students to enjoy and excel in science, technology, engineering, and math. “Sridaya Mandyam-Komar is a model selection for this award because of her passion for STEM education, and her work toward creating student equity in STEM education,” she said. “Her nomination stood out because Sridaya is a teacher who is using the power of a STEM education to change her student’s lives by exposing her students to processes and industries, and offering a high-quality STEM education to high-risk credit recovery students.” With the support of Superintendent Cheryl Jordan, Stice said he and Assistant Principal Karisa Scott nominated Mandyam-Komar for the award as a way to “honor her for the dedication to our students.” Before teaching at Cal Hills, she taught math at Silver Creek High School and San Jose High School for over a year each and at Homestead High School for 10 years. But her passion for education began years before, growing up in India, where she learned about the traditions of how revered a guru, also known as a teacher, is. “I always had an innate desire to be able to work with our youth and to hopefully influence them to see what great things they could achieve,” Mandyam-Komar said. Another aspect that inspired her to become an advocate for students was being a volunteer in her children’s classes, where she quickly noticed many kids didn’t have the same level of access as her own. Furthermore, Mandyam-Komar noticed that women are underrepresented both in the high-tech industry and in engineering schools. Mandyam-Komar was already trained as an engineer and was working in the industry as she volunteered as a parent. Becoming a teacher was her way of contributing to lessen the inequity. Mandyam-Komar studied Electrical Engineering in Bangalore University, India, earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in 1991 and 1995, respectively. She worked as an engineer in several Bay Area companies from 1997 to 2002. Mandyam-Komar started teaching in 2002 and later earned teaching credentials in math and CTE (Career Technical Education in Engineering sectors) and a Master's Degree in Education from National University, San Jose in 2005. “It was apparent that as our girls got into higher grades, their comfort with, and thereby enrollment, in advanced STEM classes dropped,” she said. “I wondered if I could be part of the solution, being a woman trained in STEM, by inspiring girls such as my own daughters to get into STEM careers.” She said this was important to her for a simple reason. “If only our students, irrespective of their identity, could see how important STEM careers are, both in terms of their own earning potential and contributing to today’s technological advances, we would have twice the progress in areas related to STEM,” Mandyam-Komar said. Dr. Madeleine Dasalla-DiSanto was also named a winner for the Texas Instruments Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards. During the June 27 Board Meeting, Superintendent Cheryl Jordan shared that Dasalla-DiSanto is a teacher at the District's sister school, Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Center with Metropolitan Education District. "I don't think that it's general knowledge that this school actually is an extension of Milpitas Unified," she said. "It's part of a joint powers agreement and we along with five other school districts support that school. And, in turn, that school provides an opportunity for many of our students." Each of the winning teachers will be honored at the Teacher Recognition Celebration in addition to receiving a cash award of $1,000 and the opportunity to attend a professional development event at the SCCOE. For more information about the award, read the News Release from the SCCOE.   For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Growing up, Laura Polden never imagined a life that didn’t involve working with children. “My earliest memory ever is the day my sister was born, and I picked out a book that I was going to read to her when she came from the hospital,” recalls Polden, who was 2 at the time. “I was ready to take on that role from a very young age.” Over the years, Polden’s maternal instinct grew to foster jobs ranging from a camp counselor to a nanny, swimming instructor, and teacher for a special education program and private school. She was even known as the potty trainer for the local neighborhood kids. “There’s never been anything else that I wanted to do,” Polden readily admits. This passion and relentless dedication is obvious to her colleagues and school district leadership alike, which is why the fourth grade teacher at Pearl Zanker Elementary School was announced as Milpitas Unified’s 2016-17 Teacher of the Year during the Employee Recognition Celebration on May 24. Polden will be one of 32 accomplished educators honored at the 48th annual Teacher Recognition Celebration, presented by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, 7 p.m. on September 14 at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell. “I was very surprised and humbled,” Polden said of the announcement. “...It makes me feel very emotional.” Zanker Principal Trisha Lee said Polden was nominated by at least four colleagues, who helped pen the submission form collaboratively. She was first chosen as Zanker’s Teacher of the Year, before going on to earn the school district award. Among the nomination highlights, Polden was noted for being a “dynamic instructor who has a natural ability to read her students needs through explicitly implemented informal formative feedback as well as through her ability to sense their non-verbal feedback.” They cited her work as data driven and highly engaging -- for students and staff alike -- and said Polden has amazing communication skills, relationships with students and families, and engagement in the Zanker community, attending almost every school event. “I think she is extremely deserving,” Lee said of Polden being selected for the award. “She has this zest for life. She finds a way to connect with all colleagues, and invites parents to be a part of her classroom. She is truly a lifelong learner.” Lee noted Polden being recognized is also impressive because she will be entering her fourth year of teaching in the fall. Regardless of her time, she said Polden is an innovative teacher “who is very conscientious of her abilities as well as her areas for her growth, and tries to always better her practice.” Before the 2016-17 school year started, for example, Polden volunteered for “looping,” because an intermediate teacher had retired and the opening needed to be filled. Looping is the practice of a teacher remaining with the same group of students for more than one school year. For Polden, this meant teaching a third grade class in 2015-16 and going on to teach the same students in 2016-17 for fourth grade. Lee credited this move as brave particularly because Polden was only used to teaching third grade, with three years of experience under her belt. “Developmentally, it’s a really big year,” Polden said, adding the transition allowed her to grow by revisiting education acquired during her college coursework. Polden earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Developmental Psychology from George Washington University in 2009 followed by a Master’s Degree in Education from Santa Clara University in 2013, at which time she student taught at Pomeroy Elementary School. Polden added that looping also allowed her to focus on being a data-driven teacher, beyond what is typically analyzed. “It can be data in any form,” she said, explaining that often comes with student observation. “And I was telling my sister, that sometimes data is what you feel. It’s not always a number that a computer produces.” Polden said this data is important because it allows her to meet the needs of all of her students. “So that’s why personalized learning is really important, because each kid gets something different,” she said. “It doesn’t mean 32 lesson plans. It just means different ways, options to give to them.” This year, Polden implemented book clubs in her classroom to meet this need. At that time, students were given options of books to read within a parameter of their reading level, to try and challenge them further. Based on their selection, they were placed in groups and engaged in different activities about their books. Polden said the value in this is “not everybody is reading the same book, which is how I grew up,” citing “The Catcher in the Rye”; “To Kill a Mockingbird”; and other literary classics that have long been required reading in English classes. “Guaranteed, 70 percent of the kids in my English class were not supposed to be reading ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ either because it was too challenging or it was way too easy,” she said. “You can’t teach like that anymore. And if you do, you have to have a lot of other options for ways that kids are going to get their learning targets from that.” Polden said regardless of where her teaching career takes her, this individualized focus will always be front and center in her work. And she believes it all starts quite simply. “You have to get to know your students,” she said. “There’s no Pinterest project, there’s no glitz and glamour borders or colorful paper that can take away that relationship that you have. If you are able to know your students, their family background, what makes them tick, what sets them off, what frustrates them, you can drive your instruction to make your lessons meaningful to all of your students.”  For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Sid Haro will become Assistant Superintendent of Human Relations for Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) on July 1 after a 25-year career in education. “Coming to Milpitas is like coming home for me,” Haro said this week. “My family has deep roots in Milpitas (over 60 years) and I am now back in a position to work directly in support of our schools, staff, students, and families. In a way, my career path evolved, yet stayed the same. I believe in the service that I will be providing. I believe in the work of our Superintendent and Board of Trustees. I believe that through the skills, experiences, and resources that I have gained through my career, I will be an even better teacher, educator, and resource for Milpitas.” In Closed Session on Tuesday (June 27), the MUSD Board of Education approved Superintendent Cheryl Jordan’s recommendation for Haro, currently Chief of Personnel and Leadership at the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), as the new Assistant Superintendent. “Sid Haro's experiences in HR, teacher development, and leadership coaching will be a great asset to our team, and his focus on building effective systems through servant leadership is why I feel he'll be an excellent addition to our MUSD family,” Superintendent Jordan said on Wednesday morning. “Sid’s cultural ties to Milpitas will benefit him as he collaborates with us in deepening our Culture of We.” During her report in Open Session, Jordan introduced and congratulated Haro on the appointment. After being recognized, he came forward to thank the Superintendent and Board Members during a brief speech. “I am so pleased to be here as part of the Milpitas Unified School District team,” Haro said. “I believe in service, and I’m humbled to do so. I believe in the power of education, and as I really thought about joining our team here and what it really means, I’m looking very much forward to engaging in the work on behalf of our children , our community, our students, and all of our stakeholders.” Haro also acknowledged his family (many in attendance that evening) for helping support him on this next step. They include Shirley, his high school sweetheart and wife of 38 years; daughter Sara, a graduate from the University of California at Santa Barbara and teacher for the ACOE; son Ysidro, a graduate from West High School (Tracy Unified School District) currently attending Las Positas College; and aunt and Milpitas resident Sally Ontiveros, who retired from MUSD and worked in Human Resources for 36 years. “I am a better educator because of them,” he said. Haro began as an elementary teacher in Oakland Unified School District. From there, he taught in Hayward Unified School District at the secondary level, simultaneously working as a museum science teacher with the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Sciences and the Oakland Museum of California. These experiences were very positive for him and “due to it, I wanted even more student contact and impact,” Haro said. Among his many roles, he has successfully served as a teacher, site administrator, Director of Leadership Development, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, and in his current role as Chief of Personnel and Leadership with the ACOE. “In this new role, I was able to engage in the type of work that I have grown to love and has such a great impact on our students and schools, Human Resources, leadership development, and coaching,” he said. Haro’s role and responsibilities were varied and integral to the success of the ACOE. Through recruitment, retention activities, professional development, and working in close collaboration with both staff and their collective bargaining units, he has been able to assist in carrying out the superintendent’s and school board’s mission and vision for its students, staff, community and stakeholders. This is something Haro is excited about bringing to MUSD in order to positively impact student lives and academic achievement. “My experience and knowledge in the areas of Human Resources, teaching and learning, leadership development, and gained serving as a superintendent’s cabinet member has provided me with the skills and expertise to be of great support and service to your district administrative team, superintendent, school board, and community,” Haro said. “I am hopeful that I can leverage my experience and skills for the benefit of our students and staff, and make a positive impact on our community of Milpitas.” Haro outlined some of his goals for the position and department, in the first 30 days, 90 days, and beyond, noting the importance of starting with relationship building between those both in and out of his department in addition to learning and internalizing MUSD’s good work, needs, and entry points for his support. “Leadership matters,” he said. “I plan to bring forward the elements of proven exemplary leaders that include: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and validating the heart.” He also looks forward to collaborating closely with MUSD’s collective bargaining leadership and unit members in the area of the Leadership Management Initiative (LMI). “This is something that they have already embarked upon, and the LMI group is one who I have established a deep relationship with,” he said. “It is foundational that management continues to work towards a culture of collaboration and trust.” Haro is known for being an innovative and experienced cabinet-level educational administrator possessing outstanding presentation, communication, and cross-cultural team management skills. Haro’s colleagues have shared he is an instructional leader of irreproachable character with a variety of strengths, including being a passionate systems thinker focused on relationship building and collaboration, effective communication, student advocacy, and creative problem solving. While Haro was originally a finance major who wanted to be a banker, he credits Kenny Gomes -- his best friend from sixth grade -- for inspiring him to turn his career toward education. “(He) had become a teacher and was so excited and energized about it, I decided to look into it,” Haro recalls. “The elements of using your intellect, satisfying your curiosity in a professional setting, and being in a respected profession were the first things that attracted me to education. However, once I was able to begin to understand what it was to be a ‘teacher,’ I was (and continue to be) humbled and drawn toward the deep service aspect of our profession. It became more about how I could best serve our students, particularly those who come from a family with little education, resources, or simply a need to meet their child’s academic or best interests. It was a wonderful fit for me that allowed me to give back to our community.” Haro graduated from William C. Overfelt High School in 1977 and earned his Associate’s Degree from Evergreen Valley College in 1982. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies, Business Administration from California State University at Hayward in 1993. In 1999, he returned to CSU Hayward and earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in 2001. Haro earned his multiple subject teaching credential in 1994 and Clear Administrative Services Credential in 2005 through CSU Hayward. “ I am the first in my family to gain a college education and come from a family of migrant workers,” Haro said. “It truly has become part of who I am and what I have to do to repay a debt that I can never repay.” Watch the full video of Haro’s speech during the June 27 Board Meeting online now. Milpitas Adult Education students share their journey of transformation during graduation ceremony6/9/2017
For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Graduates from the Milpitas Adult Education program proudly moved their tassels from the right to left side of their cap after they were announced as the Class of 2017 on May 31, a seconds-long motion that captured what for some seemed an almost insurmountable goal after years of struggle. “Adult education is about transformation and lifelong learning,” Giuliana Brahim, Assistant Principal of Milpitas Adult Education, said in welcoming attendees to the ceremony. “Everyone does not follow a straight path, a traditional educational path. For many, life circumstances, peer pressure, and other choices get in the way of completing school. Some immigrant adults have faced other challenges that get in the way of their education. But that need not be the end. Adult education provides people opportunity to complete that education and keep on learning. Today, you have seized this opportunity. Congratulations.” Approximately 16 students participated in the cap-and-gown ceremony that evening in the Milpitas High School theater. There were close to 100 students total who completed secondary graduation requirements from the Milpitas program -- which includes a site at the District Office and classes at Elmwood Correctional Facility -- either by receiving their high school diploma through 190 credit hours of academic study in the independent study program or successfully passing the General Education Development (GED) test or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET). “We recognize our social responsibility to embrace adult education for all that wish to improve and enrich their lives,” Board President Daniel Bobay said during his commencement speech. “Adult Education is our duty and responsibility, and the fruits of that labor sits over here today and those we celebrate who are absent. You have graduated this level, and I encourage you to continue your education, keep learning new things. Go and earn your AA degree, your bachelor’s degree, even your master’s degree, or your doctorate.” Dennise Ponce from the GED Program; Angelika Regine Sanchez from the Independent Studies program; and Mackey Phillips from the HiSET program were among this year’s graduating class. They each shared their personal stories of struggle and the dreams and people that helped them overcome difficult obstacles in order to reach such an important next step in their life. For Phillips, it was teachers Denise Hollabaugh and Joseph Baiza, who “refused to give up on me” even though he had difficulty in class, noting not being in school since 1985. "Between the both of them, they helped me achieve something I never thought I would ever do: get my HSE (high school equivalency),” he said. “I am finding that having my HSE is just the beginning. Now I can become whatever I put my heart and mind to. I’ve always wanted to become a certified welder and with a high school education, I can now pursue that goal by entering the welding apprenticeship program where I can earn while I learn this coming July.” Angelika Regine Sanchez recognized that while the ceremony undoubtedly marked the first step toward a better future, “the road that lies ahead of us will not be easy to take,” she said. “There will be many obstacles and many roadblocks. There will be times when each of us feel like we can’t do it. But with all these things happening, we can overcome any obstacle that life throws at us. … Now it’s time to take the next step in our journey and start building our lives. Thank you and congratulations to the Class of 2017.” Approximately 1,300 students were enrolled at Ayer Adult School in the English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency (HSE), and Remedial Education programs, in addition to what is offered at Elmwood during the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to Brahim. Classes will begin again in August, and tuition is free for ESL, Adult Basic Education (ABE), and HSE preparation classes. For more information, visit https://adulted.musd.org. For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Approximately 354 Milpitas High School seniors were honored for earning a combined total of more than $2 million in scholarships during Senior Awards Night on May 17. “It is one of my favorite events during the year,” Board President Daniel Bobay said. “We get to see the achievements of our students in their senior year and it’s very nice to see the kids that are going off to college at some of the most prestigious institutes in the world from our high school. It’s very encouraging. It always refuels me at the end of the year, and it puts a big smile on my face.” In opening the event, Principal Phil Morales talked boastingly about the accomplishments of the Class of 2017. “This year’s senior class is truly impressive,” he said. “In the fall of next year, we will have approximately 82 students attending a UC, approximately 155 attending a CSU, 24 will be at private universities, at least 12 will be heading out of state, four will attend art schools, 254 have plans for community colleges, and eight will be moving into their military careers.” From those, a student who will be attending Yale, two who will be heading to Stanford, three to Santa Clara University, 91 to San Jose State University, and many others who will be spending their college life in various locations across the United States. The 2017 Valedictorian is Justin Tso who earned a 4.55 weighted grade point average (GPA) and will attend University of California at Los Angeles and the Salutatorian Kinbert Chou earned a 4.53 weighted GPA and will attend Stanford. “Our students are the pride of our Milpitas community,” Superintendent Cheryl Jordan said. “They are who we in MUSD work for, and on nights such as the Senior Awards, I feel tremendous joy, and a strong sense of connection to all those who have touched the lives of each of these determined students. Congratulations to our seniors and their families!” During the event, students were awarded scholarships and grants based on the qualities and characteristics that they have shown during their time at Milpitas High School. “We tried to calculate the combined amount that these students have earned in scholarships and grants, but know that not all awards have been given out yet,” Morales said. “At this point, we proudly say that these students being honored here tonight have earned nearly $2.4 million dollars given by extremely generous donors.” More than 250 students received the Gold Chord for earning a 3.25 unweighted Grade Point Average (GPA) or 3.5 weighted GPA; 144 students received a Maroon Chord for completing 150 hours or more of Community Service; 100 students received a President’s Education Award for maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher from 10th grade to 12th grade, taking five AP/Honors classes with a B or better in each and scoring “Advanced” on four of four Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium exams; 226 students received a Golden State Seal for receiving a B+ or higher in an English, Math, and science course in ninth, 10th, or 11th grade and receiving a B or higher in U.S. History and a grade of B or higher in two other courses for ninth, 10th, or 11th grade; and five students are a National Merit Scholarship Finalist for placing in the top 1% nationally based on their performance on the PSAT taken in their junior year. Finalists are eligible for multiple scholarships. “I want you to look around and see all the people in the room celebrating with you,” Morales said, in opening the program. “From the people in our community to make Milpitas a safe city to live in, the school board and district office people who make sure that you have the opportunity for a quality education, your administration, counselors, school staffing, and teachers, who give to you and encourage you each day. Then look at the faces of the loved ones who are here to celebrate. Take a moment to acknowledge their support in helping you to be here tonight. This is a celebration for all of us, and that means thank you parents.” Marissa Canez, Milpitas High School’s College and Career Technician and coordinator of Senior Awards Night, shared her pride in the ceremony. “My favorite part of the event was seeing all the students dressed so nice with big smiles on their faces,” she said. “It made me so proud of all their hard work and to be recognized personally in front of their families and special guests.” Josephine Guerrero Family Resource Center hosts celebration for Milpitas children and families5/25/2017
For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Yesterday, local leaders joined young children and their families at the Josephine Guerrero Family Resource Center for an open house celebration featuring food trucks, resource tables, Potter the Otter, and free games and activities. The resource center, which held its ribbon cutting in November 2016, provides free resources for children under age six and their families, including developmental screenings, parent and caregiver workshops, referrals to affordable children’s health insurance programs, and fun and educational family engagement activities. The Family Resource Center is a partnership between the Milpitas Unified School District, the Health Trust, and FIRST 5 Santa Clara County. “Young children and families are at the heart of the Josephine Guerrero Family Resource Center,” said Jolene Smith, Chief Executive Officer of FIRST 5 Santa Clara County. “FIRST 5 is dedicated to working with local families and the Milpitas Unified School District to strengthen and support the healthy development of our youngest children and support parents and caregivers in their role as their child’s first and most important teacher.” The resource center was dedicated in memory of Josephine Guerrero (November 18, 1919 - September 8, 2016), who was committed to serving her community and an advocate for families. Guerrero was the first woman to serve on the Milpitas Planning Commission in 1954, and was Woman of the Year for the City of Milpitas. She also served as an assistant postmaster and President of the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce. “Today, we dedicate the Family Resource Center in memory of a woman who lived her life to support her family and community in times of peace and in times of war,” Milpitas Unified School District Board President Daniel Bobay said. “It is a fitting way to honor this woman who was a diamond with so many facets.” The center joins a network of Family Resource Centers across the county, the second in Milpitas, as part of FIRST 5’s Family Resource Center Initiative. The initiative uses a place-based approach to increase access to services and provide opportunities for parents to become more engaged in their children’s healthy development, school readiness, and other collaborative efforts to improve their lives and the communities in which they live. "Partnering with FIRST 5 on the Family Resource Center Initiative allows us to ensure that children ages 0-5 acquire the skills needed to be ready to succeed in kindergarten, from literacy to proper nutrition and physical activity,” said Charles C. Bullock, Ph.D., Interim CEO of The Health Trust. “We believe that these skills also serve as the foundation for living a healthy and fruitful life." The Josephine Guerrero Family Resource Center is located on the campus of Randall Elementary School at 1300 Edsel Drive, Portable #1, Milpitas, CA 95035. For more information on hours and regularly scheduled classes, please call (408) 635-2662, extension 1638 or visit www.first5kids.org/frc. Francis Rojas of James Logan High School appointed Milpitas High School Principal, effective July 15/24/2017
 For immediate release Contact: Shannon Carr,
Board Support & Communications Specialist (408) 635-2600, ext. 6031 Francis Rojas will become Principal of Milpitas High School (MHS) on July 1 after a 15-year career in education at James Logan High School, considered one of Northern California’s largest high schools with nearly 4,000 students and among the most diverse student populations in the Bay Area. In Closed Session on Tuesday (May 23), the Milpitas Unified School District Board of Education approved Superintendent Cheryl Jordan’s recommendation for Rojas, currently schoolwide Vice Principal at James Logan High School in Union City, as the new Principal. “In my conversations with Francis this week, he has already embraced MHS and Milpitas as his school and community,” Jordan said Wednesday. “He refers to them as ‘our school’ and ‘our community’; this speaks to his commitment to US. I'm thrilled for the students, parents, and staff at MHS. With Francis, we have an opportunity to collaborate in a way that will forge a renewed compact with one another grounded in a Culture of We.” During her report in Open Session, Jordan introduced and congratulated Rojas on the appointment. After being recognized, he came forward to thank the Superintendent and Board Members during a brief speech. “Aside from the similarities between the demographics and size of James Logan and Milpitas high schools, it is the ‘Culture of We’ that really attracted me to seek out this principalship as the next chapter in my vocation as an educator,” Rojas said. “On the evening of Friday, March 31, I experienced first hand the ‘Culture of We’ at Milpitas High School’s Trojan Olympics. I saw school spirit, unity, cooperation, collaboration and so much more from the students, staff, and parents who were participating. I have never seen that level of engagement and positivity at a student led event in my life. And that’s coming from an activities director.” He continued: “Moreover, in the interview process, the presence and participation of staff and parents in the stakeholder panels and their willingness to share their ideas with me about what makes them proud to be part of our learning community, our accomplishments, but also able to share their challenges and critiques of the past few years. That manifests the ‘Culture of We.’ In both celebration and challenge, we must be united.” Rojas began at James Logan as a science teacher and worked his way up to student activities director, five years as a House Principal, and the last two years as the school-wide Vice Principal directly supporting the work of the Principal. In Rojas’ current position, among many duties, he designs, programs, and implements the Master Schedule for teachers and 4,000 students including working with a team of school counselors, department heads, and administrators, as well as leading the Science Department in the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards, and Career Technical Education Departments as the liaison to the Mission Valley Regional Occupation Program and Ohlone Community College. With his background in music, Rojas was also the administrator in charge of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, including Logan’s nationally-acclaimed Forensic Speech and Debate, Marching Band and Colorguard, and Vocal Music programs. “In a few weeks it will be 20 years since my own graduation day from James Logan, and I feel I am again commencing on a new journey and chapter in my life,” Rojas said. “Through all my experience as a teacher, student activities director, and school administrator, I have held firm to my values and philosophy that public education, guided by common vision and strong, shared leadership, must provide ALL students with a safe environment and equitable opportunities to learn, whether it is in the classroom through rigorous, standards-based curriculum and personalized, research-based teaching and learning practices, or outside the classroom through a variety of experiences that allow students to make choices and practice what they have learned to build character, integrity, and contribute to our local and global community.” He is known for demonstrated outcomes as an instructional and organizational leader, from curriculum development to master scheduling, instructional coaching, community outreach, building positive school culture, facilities improvement, and budget and finance. Rojas’ colleagues have shared he is a balanced leader with a variety of strengths, including being a team player, sincere, compassionate, perceptive and very involved in student life. He has often been referred to as the “heart” of the school. Rojas graduated Summa Cum Laude from James Logan High School in 1997 and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Integrative Biology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2001. Rojas earned his Biological Sciences Teaching Credential with Introductory Science Supplement from California State University at Hayward in partnership with the New Haven Unified School District Single Subject and Beginning Teacher Induction Programs. In 2009, he returned to UC Berkeley as a member of Cohort 10 of the Principal Leadership Institute of the Graduate School of Education and earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Preliminary Administrative Services Credential in 2010. Rojas earned his Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential in 2013 through the Leadership Support Program at UC Berkeley. Rojas has also been involved with a number of professional associations, including as an Area B Council Member representing Alameda County for the California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA), a group that honored him in 2012-13 as Advisor of the Year. He was a volunteer for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Member of Cohort 38 for the Human Systems Dynamics Institute (HSD), member of New Haven Pilipino-American Society for Education (NH PASE), and charter member for the James Logan High School Alumni Association. Rojas was also the former Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Anne Catholic Church in Union City from 2000-2007, and Liturgy Coordinator at St. Joseph-Old Mission San Jose in Fremont from 2007-2010. Watch the full video of Rojas’ speech during the May 23 Board Meeting online now. |
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
The governing board of Milpitas Unified School District will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Media ResourcesArchives
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