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Dear MUSD Family and Community, This morning we were devastated to hear the news about the tragic shooting at Great Mills High School in Southern Maryland. This weighs heavily on our minds, and we keep them in our hearts. Although it happened in Maryland, the thought that this could have happened here is a reality. As your Superintendent, I want to emphasize that we do everything in our power to create a safe environment for our students and staff each and every day. We certainly hope that our planning is never put to use, but to help ensure campus safety and security, every year we evaluate and update our District Emergency Preparedness Plan. This ongoing process details step-by-step guidelines and policies for all personnel and site locations to follow in preparing for or in the event an emergency. In addition, drills are practiced each year to ensure everyone is aware of his/her roles and duties in establishing the safety of our students and staff. Our collaboration with the Milpitas Police Department also greatly enhances our ability to provide safe learning environments. During an emergency, we also ask that you remember to look for accurate information from the district. We will deliver messages over our Facebook, website, email, text, and phone calls. Which is why you have a role too: Please make sure your school secretary has the best phone number and email address to reach you. These two simple pieces of information can be crucial in the case of an emergency. As difficult as it may be to explain the tragedy to your child, rest assured that we too will provide all of our students the space and support necessary to discuss this tragedy if they feel they need to do so. To support you at home in talking with your children should they have questions about what they may see in the media, I encourage you to visit our MUSD Family and Community webpage where you will find resource links on helping children to talk about violence in the news. If you feel you need support, please contact your principal. As we have been discussing in recent weeks, it is essential that we support our students by keeping communication open so that they know they can come to an adult at school, in our police department, and at home for help. By working together, we can ensure that our students and staff have what they need to focus and thrive in our schools. Sincerely, Cheryl Jordan, Superintendent Querida familia y comunidad de MUSD, Esta mañana estuvimos muy tristes al escuchar las noticias tan devastadoras sobre el tiroteo trágico de la Preparatoria Great Mills en el sur de Maryland. Esto pesa mucho en nuestras mentes, y los guardamos en nuestros corazones. Aunque esto pasó en Maryland, el pensar que esto haya podido haber ocurrido aquí, pudo haber sido una realidad. Como su Rectora General (Superintendent), quiero enfatizar que estamos haciendo todo lo que está dentro de nuestro poder para crear un ambiente seguro para nuestros estudiantes y personal escolar día a día. Ciertamente esperamos que nuestra planeación nunca sea puesta en pie, pero para asegurarnos que nuestro plan de seguridad del campus y de nuestros oficiales, cada año evaluamos y actualizamos nuestro Plan de Preparación de Emergencia del Distrito. Este proceso continuo detalla paso por paso las reglas y políticas para todo el personal y para todas nuestras escuelas, para estar preparados para o en caso de una emergencia. Así como también, practicamos cada año simulacros para asegurarnos que todos estén al pendiente de sus deberes y qué hacer, para establecer la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal. Nuestra colaboración con el Departamento de Policía de Milpitas, mejora enormemente nuestra capacidad de proporcionar entornos de aprendizaje seguros. Durante una emergencia, queremos pedirle que recuerde ver información correcta/actualizada por parte del distrito escolar. Le haremos saber por medio de mensajes en FaceBook, nuestra página de internet, correo electrónico, textos y llamadas. Es por eso, que usted también tiene un papel importante: Por favor asegúrese que la secretaria de su escuela tenga un número de teléfono actualizado y un correo electrónico para poder comunicarnos con usted. Estas dos piezas tan simples de información pueden ser cruciales en caso de emergencia. Puede ser muy difícil explicar una tragedia a su hijo, este tranquilo en saber, que nosotros también proveeremos a todos nuestros estudiantes un lugar y ayuda necesaria para hablar acerca de esta tragedia si sienten la necesidad de hacerlo. Para ayudarlo en casa para hablar con su(s) hijos(s) si tienen preguntas acerca de lo que ven en el medio, lo animo a visitar nuestra página web MUSD Family and Community donde encontrara enlaces de recursos para ayudar a los niños hablar acerca de la violencia en las noticias. Si usted siente que necesita apoyo por favor contacte al Director. Así como hemos estado comunicándonos en semanas recientes, es esencial que apoyemos a nuestros estudiantes por medio de tener comunicación abierta para que sepan que pueden acercarse a un adulto de la escuela, al departamento de policía y en casa para pedir ayuda. Trabajando juntos, podemos asegurar que nuestros estudiantes y personal escolar tengan lo que necesitan para enfocarse y sobresalir en la escuela. Atentamente, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent (Rectora General) Thân gởi các gia đình trong cộng đồng Milpitas, Sáng nay chúng tôi đã sửng sốt khi nghe tin tức về vụ nổ súng bi thảm ở trường trung học Great Mills ở miền Nam Maryland. Điều này làm chúng tôi buồn phiền và chúng tôi chia sẻ nỗi đau buồn với họ. Mặc dù chuyện này đã xảy ra ở Maryland, nhưng điều này thực tế cũng có thể xảy ra ở đây. Là trưởng khu học chánh, tôi muốn nhấn mạnh rằng chúng tôi luôn làm mọi thứ để tạo ra một môi trường an toàn cho học sinh và nhân viên mỗi ngày. Chúng tôi hy vọng rằng kế hoạch của chúng tôi không bao giờ được sử dụng, nhưng để đảm bảo sự an toàn và an ninh của trường, hàng năm chúng tôi đánh giá và cập nhật Kế Hoạch Chuẩn Bị trong Trường Hợp Khẩn Cấp của học khu. Quá trình đang xảy này đưa ra các chi tiết hướng dẫn từng bước và chính sách cho tất cả nhân viên và các trường để làm theo trong quá trình chuẩn bị hoặc trong trường hợp khẩn cấp. Ngoài ra, các cuộc tập trận được thực hiện mỗi năm để đảm bảo mọi người đều nhận thức được vai trò và nhiệm vụ của mình trong việc thiết lập sự an toàn của học sinh và nhân viên của chúng tôi. Sự cộng tác của chúng tôi với Sở cảnh sát Milpitas cũng làm tăng đáng kể khả năng cung cấp môi trường học tập an toàn. Trong trường hợp khẩn cấp, chúng tôi cũng yêu cầu quý vị tìm kiếm thông tin chính xác từ khu học chánh. Chúng tôi sẽ đưa ra thông điệp trên các trang Facebook, trang mạng của học khu và các trường, email, văn bản và điện thoại của chúng tôi. Đó là lý do tại sao quý cũng có một vai trò: hãy đảm bảo thư ký nhà trường của quý vị có số điện thoại và địa chỉ email để liên lạc với quý vị tốt nhất. Hai thông tin đơn giản này có thể rất quan trọng trong trường hợp khẩn cấp. Có thể gặp khó khăn khi giải thích bi kịch cho con em của quý vị, hãy yên tâm rằng chúng tôi cũng sẽ cung cấp cho tất cả học sinh khoảng thời gian và sự hỗ trợ cần thiết để thảo luận về bi kịch này nếu các em cảm thấy cần. Để hỗ trợ quý vị ở nhà trong việc nói chuyện với con em của quý vị khi các em có câu hỏi về những gì các em có thể thấy trên báo chí, tôi khuyến khích quý vị nên ghé thăm trang mạng MUSD Family and Community nơi quý vị sẽ tìm thấy các tài liệu để giúp trẻ nói về bạo lực trong các tin tức. Nếu quý vị cảm thấy cần hỗ trợ, vui lòng liên hệ với hiệu trưởng của quý vị. Như chúng ta đã thảo luận trong những tuần gần đây, điều quan trọng là chúng tôi hỗ trợ học sinh của chúng tôi bằng cách mở rộng việc giao tiếp để các em biết rằng các em có thể đến với người lớn ở trường, tại sở cảnh sát và ở nhà để được giúp đỡ. Bằng cách cùng nhau làm việc, chúng tôi có thể đảm bảo rằng học sinh và nhân viên của chúng tôi có những gì họ cần để tập trung và phát triển trong các trường học của chúng tôi. Nay kính, Cheryl Jordan Trưởng Khu Học Chánh
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Dear Parents, Guardians, and MUSD Family: At our Community Board Advisory Committee meeting last night we discussed the walkout events on March 14th and members of the Committee encouraged me to share with you what transpired and why we marked students with unexcused absences if they left campus and did not have parental permission. Education Code 48205 states that schools are required to take attendance, if a student is not in class, we must mark the student as absent, and without an “excused absence” from the parent, it is marked as “unexcused.” During our planning meetings, the middle and high school principals and I discussed this as well as our obligations under state law and board policies to remain neutral on controversial issues. As educators, in addition to ensuring the physical safety of our students, we must provide for safe learning environments in which they can express their views in a civil manner. If we impose our political viewpoints on students, we are not necessarily making it a safe environment for students who disagree to voice their opinions, thus we can’t organize or encourage walkouts. This is a link to resources that we shared with all of our staff so that they would have suggestions on how to facilitate discussions between students on controversial issues: MUSD Resource Page to Support a Thriving School Culture We can all be proud of our students. At each middle and high school campus they owned their actions and gave voice to their beliefs in a way that touched hearts and gives hope for our future. At Russell nearly 300 students met under the mulberry tree to share their thoughts, and many of them contributed to the mural of hands that student leaders are painting as a landmark of solidarity. Rancho students demonstrated in different ways; a small group chose to walk to the nearby church, others gathered in the quad, and some marched through campus during their breaks. Rose Elementary students organized themselves as well, making signs against violence in schools that they used in their demonstration during recess. The majority of our students, like those at Calaveras Hills High School chose to share their thoughts in class where teachers facilitated discussion. I admired the way our MHS student leaders gathered their peers who wished to walk off campus and provided them with instructions on civility. Once at the Milpitas Police Station, students took turns sharing their fears, concerns, and expectations for change. As I left the students at the station to walk back to MHS in time for the 10:00am Moment of Remembrance, I felt blessed to be a part of this school community, and thought how fortunate all of us who work in MUSD are to be here. Our Culture of WE can’t be achieved without hard work, difficult conversations, and an openness to hearing all views. I am glad our students had this day to share what matters most, their ability to discover who they are in a safe community. MHS Principal Francis Rojas sent this message to MHS parents and I would like to share that with you as well: Letter to MHS Community, March 14 Sincerely, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent 16 de Marzo, 2018 Estimados Padres de familia y/o Tutores de MUSD: Anoche, en nuestra reunión del Comité de Asesoría de la Junta Comunitaria discutimos los eventos de huelga que tomaron parte el 14 de marzo y los miembros del Comité sugirieron que compartiera con ustedes lo sucedido y por qué marcamos a los estudiantes con ausencias injustificadas si salían del campus y no tenían el permiso de los padres. El Código de Educación 48205 establece que las escuelas tienen tomar asistencia, si un estudiante no está en clase, debemos marcar al estudiante como ausente, y sin una "ausencia justificada" del padre, se marca como "sin excusa". Durante nuestras reuniones de planificación, los directores de las escuelas secundarias y de preparatoria y yo discutimos esto así como también nuestras obligaciones bajo la ley estatal y las políticas de la junta para permanecer neutrales en asuntos controversiales. Como educadores, además de garantizar la seguridad física de nuestros estudiantes, debemos proporcionar un ambiente de aprendizaje seguro en donde puedan expresar sus puntos de vista de manera civil. Si imponemos nuestros puntos de vista políticos a los estudiantes, no necesariamente estamos convirtiéndolo en un ambiente seguro para los estudiantes que no están de acuerdo con expresar sus opiniones, por lo tanto, no podemos organizar o alentar las huelgas. Este es un enlace a los recursos que compartimos con todo nuestro personal para que tengan sugerencias sobre cómo facilitar las discusiones entre los estudiantes sobre cuestiones controversiales: MUSD Página de Recursos Para Apoyar una Cultura Escolar Prospera Todos podemos estar orgullosos de nuestros estudiantes. En cada una de las escuelas de secundaria y la preparatoria, reconocieron sus acciones y daban voz a sus creencias de una manera que tocaba los corazones y daba esperanza para nuestro futuro. En Russell, cerca de 300 estudiantes se reunieron bajo el árbol de mora para compartir sus pensamientos, y muchos de ellos contribuyeron al mural de manos que los líderes estudiantiles están pintando como muestra de solidaridad. Los estudiantes de Rancho lo demostraron de diferentes maneras; un pequeño grupo eligió caminar a la iglesia cercana, otros se reunieron en el patio y algunos marcharon por el campus durante sus descansos. Los estudiantes de la Primaria Rose también se organizaron, hicieron carteles contra la violencia en las escuelas que usaron en su demostración durante el recreo. La mayoría de nuestros estudiantes, como los de Calaveras Hills High School, decidieron compartir sus opiniones en clase, donde los maestros facilitaron la discusión. Admiré la forma en que nuestros líderes estudiantiles de MHS reunieron a sus compañeros que deseaban salir del campus y les dieron instrucciones sobre urbanidad. Una vez en la estación de policía de Milpitas, los estudiantes se turnaron para compartir sus temores, preocupaciones y expectativas de cambio. Cuando dejé a los estudiantes en la estación para regresar a MHS a tiempo para el Momento de Recordación de las 10:00 am, me sentí bendecida de ser parte de esta comunidad escolar, y pensé en la suerte que todos los que trabajamos en MUSD debemos tener de estar aquí. Nuestra Cultura de NOSOTROS no se puede lograr sin un trabajo arduo, conversaciones difíciles y la sinceridad para escuchar todos los puntos de vista. Me alegro de que nuestros estudiantes hayan tenido este día para compartir lo que más les importa, su capacidad de descubrir quiénes son en una comunidad segura. El director de MHS Francis Rojas mandó este mensaje a los padres de MHS y me gustaría compartirlo: Letter to MHS Community, March 14
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Dear MUSD Family and Community,
We stand by our students in giving voice to their concerns, feelings, and desires in support of those who died in the Marjory Douglas High School tragedy and others before it. Each principal has worked with staff to ensure that students have an opportunity for civil discourse and to demonstrate their solidarity with students across the nation in a safe school environment. To bring resolve to heightened emotions surrounding the potential March 14 walkout, our middle and high school administrative teams have talked with their students about this teachable moment and suggested alternatives to leaving campus. For most schools in the district, this means participating in a moment of silence at 10 a.m. for up to 17 minutes. In addition, many will have class discussions and counselors available for students to share their thoughts throughout the day. According to Principal Francis Rojas, some Milpitas High School students have voiced their desire to organize a walkout to and from campus to the Milpitas Police Department building a few blocks away in order to bring attention to the issue of school safety. For those students who choose to leave class for the walkout at Milpitas High School, designated staff and administrators, in cooperation with the Milpitas Police Department, will supervise those who choose to participate in order to ensure their safety. While District staff does not condone the walkout, we stand in solidarity with ALL students, locally and nationwide, as we strive together for a thriving school and community culture. Sincerely, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent
Dear MUSD Family and Community,
Empowering students to be the future leaders of our democracy is one of the reasons I was drawn to education, and I never foresaw a day when that would include helping them to grapple with the horrific violence that we have seen on school campuses such as that at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Across the nation students, educators, and parents have been in dialogue about a call to action, and while there is debate about what exactly will bring a halt to the cause of school shootings, all can agree that they must stop. We want to support our students in giving voice to their concerns, feelings, and desires to stand with their peers across the nation in support of those who died in the Douglas High School tragedy and the others before it; however, we have to consider their safety first. We cannot condone student walkouts such as those that are being advocated in social media for March 14 and April 20. Students do have a free speech right and may express their political views if it does not present a disruption to the learning environment. Leaving campus during school hours to participate in political activity is not a safe and responsible way to work for change. We encourage you to talk to your children about how they may be feeling about this topic, and the importance of expressing themselves in appropriate ways at school. Student leaders at our middle and high schools have shared with administration that there may be students walking out to protest gun violence on Wednesday, March 14. Principals have talked with the students and suggested alternatives to leaving campus, and have told students that if they choose to leave campus, it will be an unexcused absence and consequences will be administered per their student handbook. For many of our students the desire to stand in solidarity for the deaths of those in Florida is not about staging protests for or against gun control, it is about taking a moment of silence for 17 minutes. This we can support, and around 10:00am on March 14th MUSD will be taking a moment of silence to honor those students and staff members who have died in these horrible events. The length of time will depend upon what each principal and his/her staff feels is appropriate. Together we will guide our students in learning how to express themselves with civility as they become active members of our democracy, and always, we strive together for a thriving school and community culture. Sincerely, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent
A continuación se encuentra una actualización del mensaje de la Superintendente (Rectora general) Jordan enviado a los padres y la comunidad el 12 de marzo con respecto a la posible marcha de los estudiantes el 14 de marzo:
Respaldamos a nuestros estudiantes al expresar sus preocupaciones, sentimientos y deseos en apoyo de aquellos que murieron en la tragedia de la preparatoria Marjory Douglas y otros antes de ella. Cada director ha trabajado respectivamente con su personal escolar para garantizar que los estudiantes tengan una oportunidad de tener un discurso civil y para demostrar su solidaridad con los estudiantes de todo el país en un entorno escolar seguro. Para dar una respuesta a las emociones intensas a cerca de una huelga potencial el 14 de marzo, nuestros equipos administrativos de la secundaria y preparatoria, han hablado con sus alumnos sobre este momento de enseñanza y sugirieron alternativas si se salen del campus. Para la mayoría de las escuelas del distrito, esto significa participar en un momento de silencio a las 10 a.m. durante un máximo de 17 minutos. Además, muchos tendrán discusiones en clase y tendremos consejeros disponibles para que los estudiantes compartan sus pensamientos a lo largo del día. De acuerdo con el director Francis Rojas, algunos estudiantes de la preparatoria Milpitas han comunicado el deseo de organizar una salida (huelga) de nuestro campus hacia el Departamento de Policía de Milpitas para llamar la atención acerca del tema de seguridad. Para los estudiantes de la preparatoria de Milpitas que elijan salirse de la clase para unirse a la huelga, empleados y directores designados, trabajando junto con el departamento de Policía de Milpitas supervisaran aquellos que elijan participar para garantizar su seguridad. Mientras que los empleados del distrito escolar no aprueban esta huelga, nos unimos en solidaridad con TODOS nuestros estudiantes, localmente y de todo el país, unidos para una escuela que sigue creciendo y con nuestra comunidad y cultura. Atentamente, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent (Rectora General)
Queridos padres de familia y/o tutores:
Una de las razones que me atrajo de educación fue el poder empoderar a los estudiantes para que sean los futuros líderes de nuestra democracia, pero nunca preví que un día incluyera ayudarlos a lidiar con la horrible violencia que hemos visto en los las escuelas como lo que sucedió en la preparatoria Marjory Stoneman Douglas en Parkland, Florida. En toda la nación, estudiantes, educadores y padres han estado dialogando acerca de hacer algo, y aunque hay un debate acerca de qué es exactamente lo que detendrá la causa de estos tiroteos en las escuelas, todos están de acuerdo que deben parar. Queremos apoyar a nuestros estudiantes para que expresen sus preocupaciones, sentimientos y deseos de respaldar a sus compañeros de todo el país en apoyo a aquellos que murieron en la tragedia de la preparatoria Douglas y de los demás antes de ella; sin embargo, primeramente debemos considerar su seguridad. No podemos aprobar huelgas de estudiantes como las que se defienden/publican en las redes sociales para el 14 de marzo y el 20 de abril. Los estudiantes tienen derecho a la libertad de expresión y pueden expresar sus opiniones políticas sin presentar interrupción en el entorno de aprendizaje. Salir de la escuela durante el horario escolar para participar en actividades políticas no es una manera segura y responsable de trabajar para el cambio. Lo alentamos a que hable con sus hijo(s) acerca de cómo se sienten con respecto a este tema, y la importancia de expresarse de manera apropiada dentro de la escuela. Los líderes estudiantiles de nuestras escuelas secundarias y preparatorias han compartido con la dirección escolar que pueden haber estudiantes que salgan a protestar por la violencia armada el día miércoles 14 de marzo. Los directores han hablado con los estudiantes y han sugerido alternativas para salir del campus, y les han dicho a los estudiantes que si eligen salirse del campus, contará como ausencia sin excusa válida y se darán consecuencias basado en el reglamento escolar. Para muchos de nuestros estudiantes, el deseo de solidarizarse por las personas que fallecieron en Florida, no se trata de organizar protestas a favor o en contra del control de armas, se trata de tomar un momento de silencio durante 17 minutos. Esto podemos apoyarlo, y alrededor de las 10:00 am del 14 de marzo, MUSD se tomará un momento de silencio para honrar a los estudiantes y miembros del personal escolar que fallecieron en estos horribles eventos. El período de tiempo dependerá de lo que cada director y su personal consideren apropiado. Juntos guiaremos a nuestros estudiantes para que aprendan a expresarse con civilidad a medida que se convierten en miembros activos de nuestra democracia, y siempre, luchamos juntos por una escuela próspera y una cultura comunitaria Atentamente, Cheryl Jordan Superintendent (Rectora General)
Kính gởi Phụ Huynh và Người Giám Hộ:
Tạo cơ hội cho các em học sinh trở thành những nhà lãnh đạo tương lai của nền dân chủ của chúng ta là một trong những lý do khiến tôi đi theo nghành giáo dục và tôi không bao giờ biết trước có ngày nào đó bao gồm cả việc giúp các em chống lại bạo lực khủng khiếp mà chúng ta đã thấy ở các trường học như tại trường trung học Marjory Stoneman Douglas ở Parkland, Florida. Trên toàn quốc, học sinh, các nhà giáo dục và cha mẹ đã có những đối thoại về lời kêu gọi hành động và trong khi tranh luận về việc chính xác sẽ làm gì để ngăn chặn nguyên nhân của vụ bắn súng trường học, tất cả đều có thể đồng ý rằng họ phải dừng lại. Chúng tôi muốn hỗ trợ học sinh của chúng tôi trong việc diễn đạt mối quan tâm, cảm xúc và khát vọng cùng bạn bè trên khắp đất nước để ủng hộ những người đã chết trong thảm kịch ở trường trung học Douglas High School và những người khác trước đó; tuy nhiên, trước hết chúng ta phải xem xét sự an toàn của các em trước. Chúng tôi không thể chấp nhận hành động biểu tình của học sinh như những người đang chủ trương trong các phương tiện truyền thông xã hội vào ngày 14 tháng 3 và ngày 20 tháng 4. Học sinh có quyền tự do ngôn luận và có thể bày tỏ quan điểm chính trị nếu điều đó không gây gián đến tình trạng học tập. Rời khỏi trường trong giờ học để tham gia hoạt động chính trị không phải là một cách an toàn và cách có trách nhiệm để làm thay đổi. Chúng tôi khuyến khích quý vị nói chuyện với con em về cảm nhận của các em về chủ đề này và tầm quan trọng của bày tỏ ý kiến của mình một cách thích hợp ở trường. Các em lãnh đạo học sinh ở các trường trung học đệ nhất cấp và đệ nhị cấp của chúng tôi đã chia sẻ với ban quản trị rằng có thể có những học sinh sẽ biểu tình phản đối bạo lực về súng vào thứ Tư, 14 tháng 3. Các hiệu trưởng đã trao đổi với học sinh và đưa ra các lựa chọn khác thay vì rời trường đi biểu tình và đã cho các học sinh rằng nếu các em muốn rời khỏi trường đi biểu tình thì đó sẽ là một sự vắng mặt không có lý do và hậu quả sẽ được thực hiện dựa trên sổ tay học sinh. Đối với nhiều học sinh mong muốn thắt chặt sự đoàn kết vì cái chết của những người ở Florida không phải là tổ chức biểu tình hoặc chống lại sự kiểm soát súng, mà là dành một khoảng im lặng trong 17 phút. Điều này chúng tôi có thể ủng hộ vào khoảng 10:00 sáng ngày 14 tháng 3 MUSD sẽ phải dành một khoảng thời gian im lặng để tôn vinh những học sinh và nhân viên đã chết trong những sự kiện khủng khiếp này. Khoảng thời gian sẽ phụ thuộc vào những điều mà hiệu trưởng và nhân viên mỗi trường cảm thấy thích hợp. Cùng nhau chúng ta sẽ hướng dẫn học sinh của mình học cách diễn đạt một cách văn minh khi các em trở thành thành viên tích cực của nền dân chủ của chúng ta và chúng tôi luôn luôn cùng nhau cố gắng cho sự phát triển giáo dục lớn mạnh của trường học và cộng đồng. Nay kính, Cheryl Jordan Trưởng Khu Học Chánh
Here are some resources for talking with your child about these issues:
The early blossoms brightening the campuses of our schools indicate the transition from winter to spring is near. As a parent of a junior in high school, I am keenly aware of the swiftness of time. While my son is eager to establish his independence, I am not quite ready to refrain from periodic checks on his academic progress or asking him if he’s inquired about summer work and volunteer experiences. Just as we as parents look for opportunities to support our children as they transition from one stage of adolescent life to the next, we do the same for our students. Last month Milpitas High School welcomed all 738 of our Rancho and Russell eighth grade students to the first annual Middle School Transition Day at MHS. Each middle school student’s introduction to life as a Milpitas Trojan included a convening in the gym to learn about opportunities for learning, leading, and developing personal interests through club and academic experiences. The gathering was followed by a shadowing experience with a MHS student buddy for the morning. Future Rancho and Russell middle school students have opportunities to hear about the camaraderie that is developed through learning in an interdisciplinary team with 160-170 peers who all share the same core teachers for the year. Sixth grade students will have the opportunity to spend time on their future middle school campuses for part of the day this spring either in groups or as 6th grade class representatives. Within the first week of school 7th grade students will enjoy team building activities through their interdisciplinary teams at Rancho and WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Day at Russell. PTA and Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) representatives will welcome future Russell and Rancho parents along with their principals this spring. Transitions into life after high school are essential, and at Cal Hills and MHS students have the opportunity to explore and learn about career options through classes at the Milpitas SJCC Extension and Silicon Valley Career Tech Education. Counselors and advisors work with students to support them in applications for college and financial aid. At Cal Hills students learn communication and job readiness skills in their English IV classes. Students have the opportunity to learn about careers through mentors, career day, and guest engineers. As we strive to meet our 2018-21 Strategic Plan Goals we are developing more learning pathways and developmental support systems to ignite our students’ passion towards finding their future careers. Learning and growing are constant, and as a community, WE will provide our children with the guidance they need to flourish in MUSD. Together with our community, WE are a Championship Team! MUSD has seen many shining moments in the last half of 2017: Central Coast Section (CCS) MHS Recognition for Top Sportsmanship; Bay Area News Group Student Player of the Year; Santa Clara County Teacher of the Year and Tech Teacher of the Year; CSEA State Area Director; ACSA Region 8 President; CCS Baseball Coach of the Year; MHS Sophomore Speech and Debate Champions (who will be going to the finals in Kentucky); Rancho Girls’ Basketball Team; MHS Girls Volleyball; Milpitas Extreme Robotics #0669; Santa Clara County and State Honor Band Musicians; Science Olympiads; and MHS Football—just to name a few.
Our students continue to flourish in a rich learning environment enhanced by our community partnerships. The Milpitas Community Advisory Commission, for example, recognizes the impact our schools have in Milpitas, and is sponsoring an Educational Showcase on Saturday, Jan. 27 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Curtner Elementary. Teachers, parents, administrators, support staff, and students will be present throughout the morning to share our exemplary programs with our neighbors and future MUSD parents. Our Milpitas Rotary will be sponsoring a speech contest for our high school students later this month, and our Milpitas Kiwanis will again host our annual MUSD Crab Feed & Auction on Friday, Feb. 9 to support our students in need with new school clothes and scholarships. The community support doesn’t stop at the front door. We have many partnerships that support our teachers and students in the classroom. KLA Tencor brings monthly science lessons to Rose. Cal Hills students learn about medical technology at Cordis. The Milpitas Library co-hosts bi-monthly Love 4 Literacy events for our families at Rose and Randall. And San Jose City College is opening the world of college to our high school and adult learners! (Learn more at our joint MUSD SJECCD Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the SJCC Extension on Escuela Pkwy.) You, too, can be a part of our ongoing Celebration of Champions. You’re invited to the MHS Football State Championship Bash this Saturday, Jan. 20 at 12:00 p.m. on the MHS football field. Mabel Mattos Elementary school is beginning to take shape as seen in this photo of its foundation development. We will complete Phase I in time for 238 of our younger learners to attend school in their home neighborhood in August 2018. Mattos Elementary would not have been possible without our community’s support of Measure E 2012 in which we raised $95M. We dedicated $18M of that to supplement developer fees and RDA funds for purchasing the land and building Phase I of the school. We’ve done a tremendous amount of work with our Measure E funds, and the details of how we used the funds to improve our schools can be found in our Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee reports . While we have completed learning centers at every school, installed wireless internet throughout the District, made energy efficient upgrades at several sites, built a multipurpose room for Pomeroy, renovated locker rooms, the pool area, and athletic fields at MHS, and provided several schools with additional portable classrooms, there is still much more to do. In addition to completing Mabel Mattos Elementary, modernizing Randall Elementary, and expanding our high school capacity, we must address safety upgrades, infrastructure, and other facilities needs.
Our MUSD family is expanding. We are expected to have 700 more elementary students by 2026, and our high school students need stretching room to accommodate the overcrowding in our classrooms; the current enrollment is close to the 3,368 projected by the year 2030. Milpitas High School sits on 56.5 acres of land, and with remodeling we can add 15-20 more classrooms, rebuild the theater, create a central student assembly area, and add a second gym. Imagine the old Ayer High School site as an educational park providing extended programs and career pathways for our high school students and adult learners. Along Calaveras Blvd. the MUSD Educational Park could include a visual and performing arts center (after all, it was once home to the vibrant Calaveras Repertory Theater). While we don’t have the 55 acres of land available to build a second comprehensive high school for 2,000 students, we do have these two sites that can become so much more if only we reframe our thinking about what we do have. With a vision for the possible, we can build on what has been established, capitalizing on what makes us unique—a community with a core high school program that unites all of us through generations. We need our neighbors’ help in addressing safety and enrollment growth throughout the district. MUSD is fiscally responsible and community focused. That’s why we innovate in and beyond the classroom. The Board and I welcome your comments, ideas, and questions about how we can best meet our needs for the near and distant future. With gratitude for you and our students, Cheryl Jordan When the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, came to visit us here in Milpitas Unified, we gave ourselves an opportunity to share our mission and vision with the country. As Secretary DeVos walked in to Paul Ngo’s US History class, she heard this dynamic teacher engaging his students in an analysis of the “greatest breakup letter in history,” that is, the Declaration of Independence. As he concluded their discussion, he pulled from his pocket a wrinkled letter that he had read to the students earlier that week. He asked them if they remembered this letter, and the students chuckled, realizing it had the same elements as the Declaration of Independence. They were hooked and ready to dive in to the concepts and events leading to this amazing piece of living history. We left their room, and opened the next classroom door to find World History teacher Stephanie Woodhams, standing amidst a whirlwind of student activity. Ms. Woodhams met with students individually about their progress in mastering the content objectives for learning about Chinese Dynasties. Clusters of students worked together on projects within their Summit Personalized Learning Platform (PLP), while others worked independently on content areas going deeper or broader according to their needs assessment. As in Mr. Ngo’s class, the students worked as a community of learners, commenting on one another’s insights and work. As we departed from Ms. Woodhams’ class and headed towards Barbara Knitter’s AVID class, we learned from the Secretary’s staff that they had not visited a school like Russell Middle School, and they were impressed by both the instruction and overall sense of connection the staff and students shared with one another. This cohesive student learning environment was evident, too, in Joyce Tang’s science class, where students taught Secretary DeVos about dragon DNA. Ms. Tang’s contagious energy was felt in the learning conversations the students had with one another. One student, who is a newcomer from Central America, was able to access the content through the Spanish translation of her PLP. As she conversed en Español with Assistant Superintendent Norma Rodriguez, she stated that she felt valued and included because she was able to understand the same concepts that her English-only peers were tackling alongside her. Personalizing learning is about being inclusive of each learner’s unique learning goals. Teaching the whole child, and being responsive to each student’s sense of well-being is integral in the fabric of Milpitas Unified; this is something that Secretary DeVos experienced throughout her visit. Perhaps one of the most connected moments that the Secretary seemed to have was when she was invited by two students to sit between them so that they could teach her how to draw a self-portrait using proportion and scale. The three of them spoke about the intricate details involved in drawing one’s facial features, and the inspiration that art stirs in us. The students listened intently to Secretary DeVos’ description of her friend, and how he was able to have a career based on his passion for art. Creativity in how we learn and teach is a cornerstone of personalized learning for students, and it is another aspect of who we are in Milpitas. Following classroom visits, Secretary DeVos was introduced to 25 of our staff and Board members in a discussion about learning in Milpitas Unified. Representatives from preschool through adult school spoke to different aspects of innovation in MUSD. As math teacher Dawn Hartman said, “we spin gold out of straw” with limited resources and a legacy of pioneering, as educators throughout MUSD seek ways that they can do things differently for kids. The challenge of meeting the needs of our underperforming students, requires that we think differently about interventions and how we provide experiences to bridge the opportunity gap. While this has been a decades-old conversation, it is one that drives our work; every student’s passion for learning should be ignited and nurtured along different pathways ultimately leading to her career. Patti Gairaud, MAE transition specialist, spoke to our collaboration efforts between adult school and elementary teachers in partnering adult and young learners with one another so that one can experience the power of community service while the other strengthens his English skills. Building career pathways for our middle and high school students is integral to how we can deepen our practice in personalizing learning. In our unique partnership with San Jose Evergreen Community College District, we are providing dual enrollment opportunities for our high school students, and within the next four years they will be able to graduate from high school with both a high school diploma and an AA degree. Through our partnership with Silicon Valley Career Tech Education, our students can graduate with career-ready skills in dental, fire, and emergency medical fields, among many others. Secretary DeVos learned about these and other pathways, such as early childhood education and biotech that we have launched this year. As one educator said to Secretary DeVos, “We embrace the diversity of our community, and personalization lets us get what each needs.”
All of our staff is committed to building a Culture of We so that our students will lead the world of work for the 22nd century. We believe Secretary DeVos witnessed this in what she saw and heard during her visit. In her words, “I experienced a little bit of what you’re engaged in each day. It was a joy to visit, and I enjoyed all of the classrooms I observed, especially the art class. I hear from you your openness to continue to challenge yourselves, to look to new ways in helping kids learn and take charge of their own learning. You’ll be able to unlock the future for so many kids by the work that you are doing.” Yes, we will, and WE will do it together! How do you envision teaching and learning for our students and teachers? What experiences would you want them to have? How would you provide opportunities for our students to gain the skills they will need for the jobs of the future? What do our students need to know and do so they can cultivate their passions that will carry them through their career paths? These are questions that 72 community members made up of Milpitas business and city leaders, MUSD Board Members, principals, district managers, parents, recent MHS graduates, and current students came together to answer in our August 7 workshop, State of the Art with Heart: Envisioning a Day in the Life of Future MUSD Students.
While technology certainly played an essential role in the dreams our participants described for our students, it was not the focal point. Connections to the community, experts in the field, work experiences, and to each other were prominent in their descriptions. Using community based learning and probing all aspects of overarching questions to solve a problem were also embedded in their envisioning. Thinking about learning beyond the traditional classroom, including through teleconferencing with teachers and students in other parts of the world, was another element that was described as a possible future teaching tool. Taking advantage of nature, community organizations, local government, and businesses to provide learning opportunities also set the backdrop for what the group envisioned for our future “classroom” experiences. Mindfulness, service to others, expressing oneself through the arts, and athletics were thought of as integral to a rich and fulfilling educational experience for our future students. The world of the future will be here much more quickly than we think. It certainly won’t take the same length of time as did the industrial revolution or even the information age. In fact it is happening as we speak. Artificial intelligence and the use of big data to anticipate our needs in medicine, shopping, and even answers to our questions are two examples of how what we might have counted on as a sure path for work security is being disrupted. Our students now more than ever truly are our future, and they need us to strive to be our best together. WE will innovate together through more conversations that will lead to an even greater MUSD experience for every one of our students. I invite you to click this link to see the sketches and explanations that our Envisioning team created in answer to the questions above. By the end of November we will have a short video to help further the understanding of what the team envisioned, and to use as a springboard for more conversations that will lead us in our pursuit of our vision: MUSD is an exceptional district in which students and staff are critical thinkers and trailblazers known for creativity and innovation. We prepare students to go out into the world and make a difference as responsible citizens who are passionate about life and learning. En Español
bằng tiếng việt ****** The eclipse at the end of August created an opportunity for our students and community to share a sense of wonder about our universe. Many of our students and teachers seized this teachable moment to capture the science behind it, as well as ancient cultural beliefs about the sun and moon. This provided our students with an opportunity to delve deeper into how culture and experience filters our perspectives about the world around us. In a similar way, the current events of this first part of September cast their own shadow over our daily interactions and thoughts about our place in the world. Many of our students and staff have family and close friends who have been impacted by the natural disasters of the earthquake in Mexico, and the hurricanes and flooding in Texas, India, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and now Florida. The President’s announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) may come to an end in six months, unless there is new legislation enacted by our Congress, greatly impacts many of our MUSD graduates as well as the older siblings of our current students. DACA provides our students ages 16+ and our graduates with the ability to gain work visas so that they can live out our MUSD vision, that they are productive contributors to their communities. There is a great deal of uncertainty that our students, staff and their families are grappling with, and I want each to know our MUSD Family is here for all. As I remember September 11, 2001 today, I am hopeful that the acts of kindness and love following that devastating event in our history will permeate our work with each other and for our students. It is important that we cultivate our Culture of We, recognizing that our family connections to those impacted by the uncertainty of recent events adds stress to our ability to work and learn at our best. One person who embodied a Culture of We is our 2015 MHS graduate, Alyssa Almogela who passed away last month; many in our community talked about the love she showed for all, particularly those who were suffering. In her memory as well as those who died on 9-11, let us support one another through these difficult times with caring hearts so that our students are inspired and empowered to be role-models for the world. MUSD Está aquí para apoyar a todas nuestras familias al despertar con eventos nacionales y mundiales9/7/2017
El eclipse que ocurrió a finales de agosto, creó una oportunidad para nuestros estudiantes y comunidad en compartir admiración de nuestro universo. Muchos de nuestros alumnos y profesores capturaron este momento enseñable y lo incorporaron con la ciencia que hay detrás de él, así como también antiguas creencias culturales sobre el sol y la luna. Esto proporcionó a nuestros estudiantes la oportunidad de profundizar en cómo la cultura y la experiencia filtran nuestras perspectivas del mundo que nos rodea. De manera similar, las actualidades de esta primera parte de septiembre se proyectan como una sombra sobre nuestras interacciones diarias y pensamientos en nuestro lugar en el mundo.
Muchos de nuestros estudiantes y personal, tienen familiares y amigos que han sido afectados por los desastres naturales del terremoto en México, los huracanes e inundaciones en Texas, India, Puerto Rico, el Caribe y ahora Florida. El anuncio del presidente de la acción diferida para los llegados desde la infancia (DACA) para muchos puede terminar en seis meses, a menos que haya una nueva legislación promulgada por el Congreso, esta afecta grandemente a muchos de nuestros graduados MUSD, así como a los hermanos mayores de nuestros estudiantes actuales. DACA ofrece a nuestros estudiantes de 16 + y a nuestros graduados, la capacidad de obtener visas de trabajo para que puedan llevar a cabo nuestra visión MUSD, que son contribuidores productivos para sus comunidades. Hay una gran cantidad de incertidumbre entre nuestros estudiantes, personal y sus familias que están lidiando con, y quiero que cada uno sepa que nuestra familia MUSD estamos aquí por ustedes. Hoy 11 de septiembre de 2001, recuerdo este día, tengo la esperanza de que los actos de bondad y amor después de ese evento devastador de nuestra historia, impregna en nuestro trabajo con los demás y para nuestros estudiantes. Es importante que cultivemos nuestra Cultura de Nosotros, reconociendo que nuestras conexiones a aquellas familias impactadas por la incertidumbre de los acontecimientos recientes agregan estrés en nuestra habilidad para trabajar y aprender. Una persona que refleja la Cultura de Nosotros es nuestra MHS graduada de 2015 , Alyssa Almogela quien falleció el mes pasado; muchos en nuestra comunidad hablaban sobre el amor que demostraba hacia todos, especialmente a aquellos que sufrían. En su memoria y así también como los que murieron en el 9-11, apoyémonos mutuamente a través de estos tiempos difíciles con el corazón dedicado para que nuestros estudiantes sean inspirados y capacitados para que sean un modelo a seguir para el mundo. |
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