CONNECTIONS
MT. DIABLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
MDUSD FRIENDS AND FAMILIES
We are so excited to have the 2018-2019 school year underway - and if the first days and first couple of weeks are any indicator of what's ahead for Mt. Diablo Unified students, it's going to be a fantastic year.
It's been especially rewarding meeting so many new families, especially those who are new to our district. We have 2,435 new kindergartners this year - our future Class of 2031 if you can believe it!
We are also welcoming new employees to Mt. Diablo. We have hired 114 new teachers for the new school year, and of the more than 50 new district and school site administrators, 44 are new to their positions; 13 are new to MDUSD. Welcome all!
In talking with parents across the District, a common conversation took place....and that was how parents can help their children succeed in school. Below, you'll find some tips for at-home support. Thank you for all you do at home to help your student as our most important partner in education. Thanks as well to all of the families who attended our Back-to-School parent conference last month - we had more than 600 in attendance (including kids!)
While summer may mean some well-deserved downtime for many, it's one of the busiest times of year for our hard-working facilities and maintenance and operations staff. More than $28 million was budgeted for repairs and improvements over the summer - including nearly $15 million in roofing projects and more than $5 million in restroom modernizations.
Over the summer, our Board of Education approved plans to develop a comprehensive Facility Master Plan, designed to fully assess the conditions of all of our schools and district facilities. The Board also voted to place a $150 million general obligation bond measure - Measure J - on the November 6, 2018 ballot. The measure, if approved, would provide for important safety upgrades and classroom improvements to create safe, quality 21st century schools. You can learn more about both of these initiatives below.
Sincerely,
Dr. Nellie E. Meyer
Superintendent
DISTRICT NEWS
On July 25, our Board of Education voted to place a $150 million general obligation (GO) bond measure on the November 6, 2018 ballot to repair and improve our schools. If approved, the bond would cost approximately $15 for every $100,000 of assessed value - not market value - per year, and would provide locally-controlled funding to upgrade and improve schools throughout our District.
In order to properly prioritize facility needs, we are asking for input from our staff, families, community members, and other stakeholders. A mailer was sent to all homes within the District's boundaries and included a short survey form. If you are interested in completing the survey, you can do so online.
While the District cannot advocate for the measure under state law, we do have the right to provide factual information about the measure. Please visit our bond information web page to learn more. We also have a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help provide information about the measure and what it could fund.
Mt. Diablo Unified is moving forward with the development of a comprehensive Facility Master Plan. A Facility Master Plan, sometimes referred to as a Strategic Facility Plan, is a document that describes an organization's facilities alongside their purpose and plans for the future.
The Plan is designed to fully assess the conditions of all of our school and district facilities. The assessment will be closely reviewed to determine capital and operational needs for each location, beyond what we have and continue to accomplish with Measure C and other facility-related funding resources.
In May, the Board issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to secure the services of a firm to develop the Master Plan. Of the three proposals considered, LPA, Inc. was recommended by the selection committee. A contract was awarded to LPA in June.
The first phase of the Master Plan is underway now, and involves the data collection component and facility needs assessment. Meetings began last week with LPA and school principals and other administrators to gain a more thorough understanding - from the principals' perspective - of the features within the learning spaces and overall school facility that they believe are the most crucial in supporting educational program needs and goals, teacher and staff satisfaction, and student engagement and achievement. Phase I will be completed later this fall.
Phase II is scheduled to begin in November, and will include 'town hall' type meetings to solicit input and priorities from the community, work with focus groups, and design "charettes," collaborative sessions with designers and users to promote solutions to design issues or concerns. We will also have a website dedicated to the FMP up by the end of the year and will include all of the documents and focus group information for your review.
More than $28 million was budgeted for construction and modernization projects to start over the summer, using funds from Measure A and Measure C. To date, $16.7 million worth of upgrades have been completed and another $11.9 million soon to follow as we complete close-out reviews and final items from project punchlists - documents prepared near the end of a project to detail the final activities or changes.
The total summer projects by type are as follows:
- Total Restrooms $ 5,480,000
- Total Hardscape Repairs $ 1,540,000
- Total Door Repair/Replacements $ 250,000
- Total Playgrounds $ 415,302
- Total Field Improvements $ 1,400,000
- Total Roof Projects $ 14,944.640
- Total Tennis Courts $ 2,826,287
- Total Athletics $ 1,226,000
- Total Facilities Relocation $ 532,000
- Total Security Fencing $ 10,000
Thanks to voters for supporting these two measures and to our dedicated facilities team for their hard work getting so much accomplished over the summer break.
Concord High
Highlands Elementary
Bancroft Elementary
The involvement of parents, grandparents, and guardians in the education process is essential to helping students do well academically and socially. Some key activities include:
- Attend back-to-school nights and parent-teacher conferences to stay actively informed about your school(s) and your child's progress
- Support homework expectations to reinforce and extend classroom learning
- Send your child to school ready to learn, being well-rested and fueled up with a nutritious breakfast
- Help them develop organizational skills at an early age
There are extensive resources available online with additional tips and tricks. Here are a few:
High School
- 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in High School
- A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teen Get the Most Out of High School
- Five Ways to Help Your Teen Be Successful in High School
- 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School
- 13 Tips for Success From a Middle School Principal
- 7 steps to succeeding in middle school
- 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School
- Helping Your Child Succeed in Elementary School
And something applicable to all students - establishing good study habits to ensure success in the new year. The California State PTA also has extensive resources on how to help your child succeed, along with tips for getting the most out of parent-teacher conferences and strategies for advocating for your child.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Mt. Diablo Unified is always looking for potential team members. Please check our Human Resources website and our LinkedIn page for updated classroom positions and other positions we’re looking to fill, such as Special Education Assistants, Instructional Assistants, and a variety of administrative and clerical positions.
Right now, we’re looking to hire more school counselors, elementary school noon duty supervisors, Physical Education teachers and coaches, along with Special Education teachers, and credentialed school nurses! And we are always recruiting for Custodian Trainees, School Bus Driver Trainees, and Clerical Substitutes A $5,000 signing bonus is offered for Speech Language Pathologists.
- Check here for classified (non-teaching) openings!
- Check here for certificated openings!
Come join #TeamMDUSD! Together, we make a difference!
SCENES FROM SCHOOLS
El Monte Elementary School
Our El Monte Bulldogs are pledging to make healthy snack choices! Our CARES after-school program nutrition education team did a wonderful job promoting #HealthySnackDay and even handed out samples of the Harvest of the Month recipe for this week!
Sequoia Middle School
Oak Grove Middle School
College Park High School
Gregory Gardens Elementary
Bridge Program
Holbrook Language Academy
Olympic High School
Shore Acres Elementary
ABOUT US
Email: mdusd@mdusd.org
Website: https://www.mdusd.org/
Location: 1936 Carlotta Dr, Concord, CA, USA
Phone: (925) 682-8000
Facebook: facebook.com/MDUSDnews
Twitter: @MtDiabloUSD
DATEBOOK
September 12, 2018
Regular Meeting - Board of Education
1936 Carlotta Dr., Concord, CA 94519 (Get Directions)
- Closed session - 6:00 p.m.
- Open session - 7:00 p.m.
- View Agendas and Meeting Documents here!
COMING UP
- September 24, 2018 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
- October 8, 2018 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
- October 22, 2018 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
- November 5, 2018 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
- December 10, 2018 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
View the 2018-2019 Testing, Assessment and Reporting Calendars