MDUSD Friday Letter Volume 2, No. 39 - March 26, 2021

Press release from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District:

March 26, 2021

MARCH 26, 2021 FRIDAY LETTER VOLUME 2, NO. 39

MDUSD's Friday Letter—updates and stories prepared weekly for the school district community.

We're Back

Here and Now

Here we are in our, "first days," of reopening, and what a joy it has been seeing students back on campuses. All hands are on deck to ensure safety, make adjustments as needed, and to have some fun along the way. These first days back have been a long time coming. We're so happy to be moving forward together, and we're doing so with lots of gratitude and enthusiasm. Pictures and videos keep rolling in. Share in the joy! If you have first day experiences to share on social media, use the tag #MDUSDisBACK

Our community's health metrics keep improving, and that's thanks to you. Staying consistent with the basics, like face coverings, hand washing, and distancing have resulted in improved health metrics. Keep up the good work. In some good news, Contra Costa has administered now over 581,000 vaccinations, with the goal to reach 1 million by July 4.

• Grades 3-12 begin to return on Monday, March 29.
• Spring break is from April 5 through April 9.
• After spring and summer events, our next school year begins on August 12.

Planning Ahead for Next School Year

A joint message from MDUSD Superintendent Adam Clark and MDEA President Anita Johnson:

03-26-2021

Dear MDUSD Community,

We are pleased to report that by Monday, we will have successfully welcomed over 11,000 students back to our classrooms. It is also good news is that the number of cases of COVID-19 is steadily declining in all of the communities served by our district. In addition, it appears that most of our staff members will be fully vaccinated by the end of April, and California recently announced that all people sixteen & older can begin getting vaccinated on April 15.

We fully expect that these positive trends will continue, and we are currently planning to welcome all students for instruction full time, five days per week when the 2021-2022 school year begins on August 12.

We will also offer families the option to continue in a Distance Learning model in 2021-2022 if they prefer. More details on this option and the application process will be provided later this spring.

While we truly hope that we are putting the worst of the pandemic behind us, we want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that it is still necessary to be vigilant. We encourage everyone to wash your hands frequently, continue to wear masks in public, stay home if you have symptoms, and avoid close contact where possible.

Thank you,

Dr. Adam Clark & Anita Johnson

2021-22 Teacher of the Year Announcements

Put up the streamers and cue the music—the spotlight is on our teacher of the year nominees, finalists, and winners. Chief of Educational Services Jennifer Sachs brings the announcement: "Staff is proud to announce the Teacher of the Year (TOY) Nominees for 2021-22. Thank you to all of the students, parents/ families, and staff members who nominated these talented educators. The five finalists for Mt. Diablo were were Jim Keck from College Park High, Elisa Mendoza from Sequoia Middle, Chelsea Ridenour from Diablo View Middle, Elizabeth McDonagh from Prospect High, and David Hunter from Bridge. The two finalists that will move on to be considered for Contra Costa County Office of Education Teacher of the Year are Chelsea Ridenour and Elizabeth McDonagh. Congratulations to all of our nominees!"

The Teacher of the Year winners are invited to a ceremonial recognition at the April 14 Governing Board Meeting, after which we will share their profiles with our broader community. Although it's true, as Superintendent Clark notes, that most educators are reluctant to hog the spotlight, we hope Chelsea and Elizabeth will be willing to share insights through their classroom journeys this year, especially through these times of change. Congratulations again to our nominees, finalists, and winners!

—You're Invited—
Tuesday's Webinar: When to Get Help Beyond the Home

MDUSD's Open Conversations About Mental Health series continues with a fourth webinar on Tuesday.

Free and open to all - Explore new topics together with our panel of mental health professionals, and pick up practical skills, remedies, and tools that can make all the difference in everyday life. Join us on Tuesday evening, from 5:00PM - 6:15PM on Zoom. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available, and audience members may choose to participate and interact, or watch only. Our panel is also taking questions in advance to help guide future discussions. Webinars of various topics are scheduled now through June. Click here to view the full schedule and watch previous webinars.

• 03/30/2021 - (#4) Recognizing When To Get Help Beyond The Home
  • Click to Register in Advance and preview the panel discussion questions:
    • What are typical symptoms and or signs of depression in children and adolescents? How may they differ from adult symptoms?
    • Are there any strategies I can use as a parent before seeking professional help?
    • What signs will my child show that could signal that I need to get professional help? What signs/symptoms require more urgent care?
    • If my child is suicidal or engaging in self harm what steps can I take to keep them safe, including accessing care?
    • How do I navigate accessing community based therapy/mental health/wellness services?
    • What low cost resources does the district/community have for counseling?
  • When: Tuesday from 5:00PM - 6:15PM
    Ticket Cost: $0.00 - (Free/Sponsored)

Weekly Operations Report

Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark is continuing to publish detailed operations reports on a weekly basis. You can read department updates directly from our district leaders in our weekly Organizational Update to the Board, which is also archived for reference. Click on the document to review this week's Organizational Update:

Greetings All - I write and compile the MDUSD Friday Letter, which is sent to our staff and district community audience each week. If you would sign up for our distribution list, just send an email to breidenthala@mdusd.org. To view an archive of district communications, visit the Superintendent's Office page. Do you have a story or event to share with our community? Contact me (breidenthala@mdusd.org) with your ideas or suggestions, or feel free to leave me anonymous feedback through the surveys below. Thank you. -Austin Breidenthal

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This press release was produced by the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. The views expressed are the author's own.