Dear MTUESD Community,
As I write this message and I realize the date that it will go out, it is a sober reminder to take a moment today and just remember the events of September 11, 2001. Just as with those defining moments of my generation when Kennedy was shot and man stepped on the moon, 9-11 was a terrible day that showed us the worst of humankind, and with the response of the world, the best of humankind. I know we continue to see difficult situations in our news of students shot during prayer at their Catholic school and other acts of violence. This is where I’m thankful to be living in a place and a community that even when we disagree, there is a fundamental kindness that understands we can get to a solution.
Fall is definitely in the air. The drop in temperature has been much welcomed, particularly out on the playground. School events are starting to unfold. Mark your calendars for conference week 9/29-10/3 which is a minimum day schedule. These conversations are SO IMPORTANT, as we work together to support the kids!
I want to thank the staff for their robust work on developing after-school academic intervention with our certificated staff. This is a unique program that we are creating, not only to support students, but to recover some of the lost attendance funding. The State is allowing students who have four complete hours of after school time in one-hour chunks to be submitted for attendance recovery for each missed day. Your student will not only get some very specific direct instruction in small groups, but will be helping the district and stabilizing funding through that submittal process. I thank the classified and certificated staff for developing this.
I see great intervention work ahead. We also have two designated intervention programs during the day at Copperopolis through Title One funds offered by Kate Callier and two retired part-time teachers, Carol Aardal/Michelle Kafka, supporting intervention, and our Mark Twain K-16 teachers Jennifer Landry, Alicia Corbett/Jessica Brower, and Title One teacher Tami Hildebrand. These small groups can often, with some direct support, bring a student up to par with the additional small group luxury of learning material in a new way. We thank the staff for the intricacies of creating these schedules that allow students to get the help they need while not missing core content.
In other news our Bret Harte peer tutor program at Mark Twain will be rolling students into the classroom soon. The students apply for this job and are trained to provide additional support as well as role modeling. Our Vine and Branch partners are with us again and now have expanded to both Mark Twain and Copperolis with tutor support. We are super grateful for that partnership as well. This is a cool and unusual partnership because our kids deserve it.
We are also extending our gratitude to Nate’s Tree Service who donated $500 to Marisol Rodriguez’s classroom as part of a community recognition program where local folks nominated outstanding teachers. We thank Nate’s for their generosity and extend congratulations to Ms. Rodriguez!
We thank County Public Health for the new traffic cones that have been provided. This was part of a grant opportunity and the partnership to improve school safety is appreciated.
Just a reminder after last week’s scary fire events, please make sure you have that “go bag” ready. Do you have prescriptions, clothes, water, stable food, toilet paper, a blanket and your financial information available in an easy backpack or suitcase ready to go in case you have to? I also keep a dog leash and a sleeping bag in my car because you just never know.
Take a look at the photo of students at Copperopolis thanking firefighters. Chelsie Hanson and April Vallino did that as part of the afterschool program and Emily Anderson Mucks has posters ready for kids to deliver to Angels Fire. Gratitude in ACTION!
We received four strong board member applications and appreciate the interest in serving our community! A special board meeting will feature interviews in open session.
Please stay safe and enjoy this beautiful time of year. May every day be more wonderful than the day before and every next day more incredible than the day that just passed.
Sincerely yours,
Louise Simson
Superintendent
650-996-3290
Every Student. Every Day. Every Possibility.