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Acting Superintendent Message to the Community
March 05, 2024

Dear Staff, Families, and Community Members

As we embrace the second half of the 2023-24 school year, I am grateful to share with you the many resources and opportunities available to students along with events on the horizon here in our school District.

Local Control Accountability Plan; Guiding the Direction for Student Success
Merced City School District’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) guides decisions about actions and services being implemented on behalf of students as well as the cost for those actions and services. Each year, MCSD reviews the progress in meeting students’ needs by looking at data and gathering feedback from our educational partners. Your feedback is valuable in directing how funds are utilized to improve student outcomes.

If you were unable to make it to our February 15 LCAP Community Forum, please consider providing input through the guided survey. The survey can be found here: (English / Spanish / Hmong) – The survey deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024.

We look forward to seeing you at our next LCAP community forum, Thursday, May 16, 2024.

Success Starts Early and Starts Here
A child’s years, ages 0-5, are the most critical in their development and provide foundation for their success.

On February 21 and 28th, virtual information nights were held for our incoming Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) families. During each session, our staff informed attendees of the exceptional programs available to our youngest learners and the District’s commitment to their success. We want to ensure each child has the opportunity learn and practice skills necessary to prepare them academically, socially and emotionally for kindergarten and beyond.

If you know of a neighbor or friend who has a child entering school next year, be sure to share this information with them. You may access the information HERE. Registration is now open for the 2024-25 school year.

Academic Excursions
Through partnerships with local and statewide organizations, the District is excited to offer students opportunities to apply instructional content learned in the classroom and connect them to experiences in an alternate setting. District led field trips to locations such as the Kids Discovery Station, a tour of UC

 

Merced or a nature-filled walk through Yosemite National Park promote student engagement, exploration, problem solving, and much more!

Some of the academic excursions and field trips that are availaible to all students within a grade level are listed below. Opportuntiies for transitional kindergardent, kindergarten, and first grade are specific to each school site based on availiability of trips and transportation. As well, school sites will undertake additional excursions or fielf trips at the schools site’s discretion.

2nd Grade: Kids Discovery Station 3rd Grade: Farm 2U
4th Grade: Yosemite National Park, Merced Symphony
5th Grade: San Jose Tech Museum

6th Grade: Outdoor Education-Camp Green Meadows
7th Grade: UC Merced

8th Grade: Field of Honor-Merced College

Facilities; building a stable foundation for student success
With nearly 12,000 students attending 20 MCSD schools each day, the District strives to provide facilities that serve as optimum educational environments for students and staff.

In 2025, the District will finalize several projects funded through the Measure M Bond, a $60 million authorization, passed in 2014. In addition to the Measure M Bond, the District received nearly $19 million in State-matched funds to date. All monies have been earmarked to improve facilities districtwide.

Below are some of the sites that received significant modernizations and upgrades through Measure M Bond funds:

 Hoover Middle

 Chenoweth Elementary

 Sheehy Elementary

 Rivera Elementary

 Wright Elementary

 Burbank Elementary

 Fremont Elementary

 Tenaya Middle

We are proud of the improvements completed thus far, but recognize there is more work to be done to ensure MCSD can continue to offer optimal educational environments, with a focus on neighborhood schools that support the needs of current and future students of the Merced community.

The District has completed the development of Educational Specifications and work is currently underway with PBK Architects and SchoolWorks to complete a facilities audit, as well as a student demographic study, inclusive of an analysis on school site boundaries and the possibility of 6th grade returning to middle schools. These reports will help inform decision points for the District to make a recommendation to the Board of Education at a Spring Board Meeting. Recommendations may include a new bond measure to be placed on the November 2024 ballot for additional facilities needs and/or the construction of a new school, a possible boundary adjustment, and consideration of returning 6th grade students to middle school. There are many items to consider as we look to provide optimal learning environments for students and staff. I am grateful for the incredible team we have here in MCSD and the overwhelming commitment for improving facilities to support student outcomes.

Exciting Upcoming Events…..

  • STEM Fair: On March 8, the top 20 MCSD STEM Fair finalists will compete alongside other top qualifiers throughout MCOE at the annual STEM Fair located at UC Merced
  • Elementary Back to School Night: March 14
  • Middle School Back to School Night: March 21
  • March Madness Basketball regionals: During the week of March 18, a District wide tournament will begin for 5th and 6th grade students with the Championship Game on Friday, March 22.

I am ever impressed with the high level of work and commitment that all MCSD staff demonstrate to the success of all students. I see so much great work going on across the District and know that our students, staff, familes, and community acknowledge the work as we focus on the growth of the whole child. As we enter into Spring, the focus shifts to preparing for CAASPP testing for grades 3rd – 8th which is the state measurement for the academic growth of our students. It will be important for students, families, and staff to work together to prepare students. Some things to consider is ensuring students attend school each day and on time to maximize learning, communicating with your child’s teacher on their progress, taking advantage of tutoring opportunities, working on basic academic skills at home, and always empahasizing with your child the importantance of school, working to your best, and believing in themselves to do well. Any one of these things or a combinations can have a big imapact on student success.

Thank you all for believing in MCSD and working together for the betterment of students.






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