We are pleased to provide our students, parents, staff and community with the latest information about our Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District community through this newsletter. Please join us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to connect with us daily! | |
Dear Mt. Pleasant Community,
Welcome back! I hope you had a restful and rejuvenating spring break. As April marks School Library Month, I encourage parents and guardians to prioritize reading with their students. Not only does reading together foster quality bonding time, but research demonstrates that just 20 minutes of daily reading significantly enhances children's critical literacy skills.
Additionally, I am excited to inform you about the abundance of resources available to our community throughout the summer, particularly at our public libraries. These resources include tutoring services, free Wi-Fi access, family story time in English and Spanish, and a variety of books catering to every interest.
In the upcoming months, we will be actively sharing more events and resources on our Facebook and Instagram pages to further support our community. Let's collectively commit to making reading a cornerstone of our summer activities. Remember, today's reader is tomorrow's leader. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Elida MacArthur
Superintendent
Please watch a special message from Dr. MacArthur.
| | |
Our Band Was Recognized at the California Music Educators Association | |
Congratulations to our band! Our students conducted themselves professionally and performed with some of the best bands in Northern California at the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) event. They earned a bronze medal, scoring a rating of "3/Good".
Candace Love, music teacher, said: “We are proud, I can't tell you how proud I am of all of your students, and how grateful I am for all of the help in getting us to CMEA!”
| |
|
Academic Calendar 2024-25 | |
The Board of Trustees approved the new academic calendar for 2024-2025. View it at the link below. | |
Participating in Parcel Tax and Bond Oversight Committees | |
Take advantage of the opportunity to be involved in important decisions in our district! MPESD seeks applicants to fill Parcel Tax Advisory Committee and Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee vacancies.
Parcel Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee
The Board of Trustees of MPESD is seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders which will serve as the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (“COC”) for the District’s Measure K Parcel Tax and Measure H (approved by the voters on June 7, 2022). The advisory committee will meet about two to three times per year for about an hour and present to the Board of Trustees toward the end of the Academic School Year.
| |
Please review the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee Bylaws if you wish to serve on this important committee. Completed applications should be sent to Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District by 4:00 PM on Friday, June 28, 2024.
Please mail the application to:
Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District
3434 Marten Ave, San Jose, CA 95148
Or send by email to adelarosa@mpesd.org
Access the application here.
Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee
The Board of Trustees of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District is seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders which will serve as the Independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (“CBOC”) for the District’s Measure Q (approved by the voters on November 3, 2020). The advisory committee will meet about three to four times per year for about an hour and present to the Board of Trustees at the end of the Academic School Year.
If you wish to serve on this important committee, please click here to review the committee bylaws. Completed applications should be sent to Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District by 4:00 pm on Friday, June 28, 2024.
Please mail the application to:
Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District
3434 Marten Ave, San Jose, CA 95148
Or send by email to adelarosa@mpesd.org
Access the application here.
| |
Inclusivity is a Priority: Resources for Children with Special Needs | |
At Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District, we prioritize inclusivity and support for all our students. It's essential that every child feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential, regardless of their abilities. Here are some valuable resources and opportunities available for children with special needs and their families in our community:
-
AcroSports Special Needs Open Gym: AcroSports offers specialized classes aimed at helping children with different abilities build strength, improve self-esteem, and foster friendships. The Open Gym happens every third Saturday of the month at 12:30pm in San Francisco. Learn more: AcroSports Special Needs Classes.
- Local Resources: Explore resources tailored to families in Santa Clara County, including guides and support networks provided by 4Kids and Autism Speaks:
-
4Kids Autism Resources for Families in Santa Clara County
-
Autism Speaks Resource Guide
- Supportive Literature: Encourage empathy and understanding through inclusive books and story times. Here are some recommended titles:
-
A Friend Like Zeek by Serena Arvayo
-
What’s Up with Nick? by the Organization for Autism Research
-
Different. A Great Thing to Be! by Heather Avis
-
Remarkable Remy by Melanie Heyworth
-
The Brain Forest by Sandhya Menon
-
Come Over to my House by Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin
-
A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond
Let's work together to create an inclusive and supportive environment where every child can thrive.
| |
Celebrating Our Libraries and Librarians | |
In support of developing literacy during Library Month, MPIJA launched a Guest Author Series! Local authors read books to our students.
MPIJA has a goal to help students with identity development and multicultural appreciation. As of now, there have been 3 author who read to the students:
-
“The Boy from Mexico” by Edward Dennis
-
“Screen Time” by Angelo Monsalve
-
“I Am Different” by Crystel Patterson
We look forward to advancing this Guest Author Series which will continue empowering and inspiring our students to follow their dreams.
| |
|
The Latino Literacy Project | |
The Latino Literacy Project, led by Mariel Nuñez and Claudia Jones, is a 10-week program for MPESD parents. The program aims to:
- Establish and support family reading routine
- Improve English-language skills
- Improve Spanish literacy skills
- Strengthen parent/child interaction
Every parent/guardian receives free books to take home and share with their children. During these sessions, our district offers delicious snacks, raffles, and take-home projects such as the Family Album and letters for their children. We currently have 11 parents/guardians that are attending every Wednesday from day one! We strongly encourage our families to attend as we still have five sessions left! During the last session, we will have a potluck and host the Parent Graduation Ceremony! Join us every Wednesday from 9 am to 10:30 am from April 17 to May 15, at the district office boardroom.
For more information, please contact Mariel Nuñez at mnunez@mpesd.org or Claudia Jones at cjones@mpesd.org. We hope to see you there!
| |
|
Honoring Multilingual Students' Learning | |
April is National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month and, as a district committed to inclusivity and diversity, we understand the importance of providing equitable opportunities to our students. National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month allows us to reaffirm and celebrate our commitment to fostering an environment where every learner feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We prepare students for success through empowerment and unity. Our community has done a great job building relationships and understanding that our differences make us stronger! Our district thrives on the differences every student brings, and this diversity helps students understand other cultures.
Our staff works hard to make sure all students are given equitable opportunities to realize their potential and become the best version of themselves. By working together, we can guarantee that every student has access to the highest quality education and the resources they need to thrive.
| |
Supporting an Inclusive School Culture | |
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are core values at MPESD. We are committed to creating an anti-racist, compassionate and inclusive school culture where every individual is treated with dignity in our diverse community. DEIB lessons shared in April are about National Deaf History Month, National Arab American Heritage Month, National Autism Acceptance Month, Passover, and Easter. The character trait to be focused on is empathy.
In the month of May, students will focus on Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day. The character trait students will learn about is Fairness/Equity.
If you are interested in learning more about DEIB, please reach out to your school. Thank you for supporting an inclusive school community!
| |
Job and Growth Opportunities | |
Are you or someone you know interested in becoming part of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District? MPESD is hiring for a variety of roles.
Job opportunities are available to individuals interested in becoming teachers and teachers interested in obtaining additional credentials. There are also many positions available in our school district that do not require a college degree.
The school district offers a generous welfare and benefits package as well as an excellent state pension plan. We are always looking for Instructional Associates for both general and special education, and for Custodial workers.
We invite you to learn more information on EdJoin or contact our Personnel Office at (408) 233-3720.
Learn more about an Instructional Aide and Custodian career at MPESD by reading the flyers below!
| |
Our Next Board of Trustees Meeting | |
Our Board of Trustees will meet May 8, 2024.
The job of the Board of Trustees includes the following:
- Setting the vision and goals for the district
- Adopting policies that give the district direction to set priorities and achieve its goals
- Hiring and evaluating the superintendent
- Adopting and overseeing the annual budget
- Managing the collective bargaining process for employees of the district
To learn more about these sessions, please visit our website.
Watch our Board meeting on April 10, May 8, and May 22, 2024.
| | | | |