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! | |
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Dear Mt. Pleasant Community,
As we arrive at the end of 2023, we are ready for a new year of projects and initiatives to educate our students and help them become life-long learners.
We are proud of the work and effort our staff, students, parents and guardians have demonstrated this school year.
Thanks to your collaboration, we can provide the most meaningful support to our students and inspire them to be their best.
I hope you enjoy a safe Winter Break and I wish you a Happy New Year!
Dr. Elida MacArthur
Superintendent
Please watch a special message from Dr. MacArthur.
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Celebrating the Spirit of the Holidays by Supporting Our Community! | |
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Uniting efforts to provide gifts and meals to families is a wonderful way of celebrating this special time of the year. Danny Patton, MPAS Program Manager, created an amazing initiative to collect donations that has become a long-lasting tradition.
Our community has once again come together to provide warm clothes to families in need for the holiday season! This year, our community provided new beanies, sweaters, blankets, scarves, and gloves. Contributions included meals from Lucky and gifts for children. Dedicated volunteers wrapped the presents and helped at the different community events. Thank you all for your commitment to making the holidays brighter for many families!
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Facilities Update:
New Pavers at Ida Jew Academy
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The paver project at the Ida Jew Academy campus was successfully completed! The paver project has worked to resolve previously challenging areas to walk in during winter due to the unpaved ground. This area received high foot traffic and became very muddy in the winter. With the new pavement and added space, the high north wall of the multi-purpose room (MPR) offers a nice, shaded area for lunch sessions. Thank you for supporting our district so we can advance facilities projects to provide a better learning environment and positive experience for our students, staff and families.
Before paver project:
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After project was completed: | |
Coffee with the Superintendent on January 22 | |
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This is a great opportunity to connect with Dr. MacArthur! The Coffee with the Superintendent event will take place online via Zoom on Monday, January 22, 2024.
This meeting will be in English, with a Vietnamese interpreter, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
The meeting in Spanish will start at 6:45 PM and continue until 7:45 PM.
To join the meeting, use the Zoom link and information below.
Zoom link: https://mpesd-org.zoom.us/j/88130963911
Meeting ID: 881 3096 3911
Join by phone
+16699006833, 88130963911# US (San Jose)
+16694449171, 88130963911# US
Please note that parents and guardians can submit their questions for Dr. MacArthur ahead of time, by clicking here. This online form will be accepting questions until January 12, 2024.
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Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) Graduation | |
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We had 39 Latino parents from August Boeger Middle School and Ida Jew Academy graduate from the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) program this Fall 2023. The goal is to keep empowering East San Jose families by fostering educational excellence and strengthening community bonds.
In just eight weeks, parents embraced a college-going mindset, built a strong community with other families, and equipped themselves to advocate for their children's success. Parent Institute for Quality Education engages, empowers and transforms families by providing the knowledge and skills to partner with schools and communities to ensure their students achieve their full potential.
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In partnership with the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley and the Eastside Education Initiative team, the PIQE graduation featured Superintendent MacArthur as a keynote speaker! Thank you to all the amazing participants and everyone who supported these efforts, including parents, Eastside Education Initiative leaders and staff, the MPESD leaders, August Boeger and Ida Jew Principals, and the dedicated PIQE team.
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Activities During Winter Break for the Students | |
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It is always important for children to enjoy time off with positive activities that promote learning!
NASA and Activities for Children:
Explore Earth and Space! Visit NASA’s website, and inspire curiosity and a love for exploration! Please click here.
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Smithsonian Institute:
Fun staff for kids and teens! Access activities and games related to art, history and culture. Please click here.
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San José Public Library:
SJPL has a Winter Reading program that includes the possibility of winning prizes! Please click here for more details.
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Learning About Pleasant Hills Golf Course Redevelopment | |
As you may be aware, there is a project aimed at redeveloping the Pleasant Hills Golf Course in our area, and we’d like to share some links to official resources so you can stay informed. Please see below! | |
The new year brings fantastic educational opportunities! We are welcoming students in preschool through 8th grade! | |
Learn about early education at MPESD! | |
Supporting an Inclusive School Culture | |
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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 in December are about Winter Holidays, Hanukkah, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Years Eve. The character trait for this month is “Contribution.”
On January, the focus will be on Jehovah Witness Awareness, German American Heritage, Global Family Day, New Years Resolutions, Kings Day, Korean American Day, and MLK Jr. Day. The character trait we will be addressing is “Initiative.”
If you are interested in learning more about DEIB, please reach out to your school to further the conversation. Thank you for supporting an inclusive school community!
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Job and Growth Opportunities | |
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Are you or someone you know interested in becoming part of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District? MPESD is hiring for a variety of roles.
Education opportunities are available to individuals who are interested in becoming teachers, as well as opportunities for teachers to study for an additional credential. There are many positions available in our school district that do not require a college degree.
The district offers employees 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 career at MPESD by reading the flyer below!
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Our Next Board of Trustees Meeting | |
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Our Board of Trustees will meet January 17, 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.
You can watch the December 13, 2023 Board meeting here.
For the January 17, 2024 Board meeting, please click here.
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