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March 3, 2017
Volume 1, Issue 4
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Superintendent's Message: Joy in Service
In the last three weeks, two people I did not know well, but who have close connections to those I care about, have passed away.
The first was one of my son’s friends, 16 year-old Daniel passed away in his sleep. What stood out to me about this young man was that he inspired others who knew him, and, as I listened to those who stood to speak about him at his Celebration of Life, I understood why. Daniel was one who put his whole self in all of his endeavors, he had no patience for the word “can’t,” and he took time to listen to others so that he might help them through their own struggles. Daniel was described as someone who lived his life with joy.
Coach Mike was the football coach at Kennedy High School for 46 years, and after retiring in 2010, he found himself back on the football field supporting our Milpitas High School team. While I was not able to attend his Celebration of Life, I was told by those who did, that the impact of his life on others was amazing. He was a person who built capacity in those he served, he was gregarious and quick to smile, and one person wrote that he made her feel she was important.
These two generous people had two things in common, joy and service to others. They valued life and the unique contributions that each of us can make in our community.
When he retired, Coach Mike told reporters: "‘When I get to the Pearly Gates, I don't think St. Peter is going to ask me how many games I've won,’ he said. ‘He's going to ask if I did anything for mankind.’" (SFGate.com)
Daniel’s mother read to us his beliefs essay that he had written earlier this year, and he wrote that he believed we come to know ourselves when we “find the beauty within” and live it each day.
While one was at the dawn and the other in the dusk of life, they modeled for us the importance of finding joy in serving others. That is what I love about my work in Milpitas. I have the opportunity to serve our MUSD community, to make a difference in the lives of our students and those who care for them. Thank you Coach Mike and Daniel for reminding us to be fully present in all that we do for one another; after all that is what matters most.
Cheryl Jordan
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Classrooms celebrate Read Across America
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Classrooms across Milpitas Unified School District were among the thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers celebrating Read Across America this week in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2.
Photographed are activities from Rose,
Spangler, Weller, and Zanker elementary schools. In addition, on Thursday
Milpitas High School Art Exploration students visited seven of the District's elementary schools to deliver children's book sculptures and read to 10 classes.
Now in its 20th year, Read Across America (created by the National Education Association) focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. Continue the celebration of reading and literacy March 2 and every day. For more information, activities, or resources, visit
www.readacrossamerica.org.
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Zanker student advances to oral round
of CBS Bay Area Local Spelling Bee
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Zanker student Arav Musale will compete with top spellers from around the Bay Area for the chance to go on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee this May in Washington, DC.
The oral round of the CBS Bay Area Local Spelling Bee will be held
12 p.m. on
Saturday, March 18,
and will air live on KBCW-TV (Channel 44, Cable Channel 12) and online at
cbssf.com
.
Zanker sixth graders plan to perform a cheer in support of Arav's accomplishments and will be recorded by a CBS producer/photographer, according to Principal Trisha Lee. "
He loves Reading,
He is from Zanker,
He is in the Spelling Bee...
A-R-A-V."
In the week leading up to the big event, and during the event, the news station intend to play a compilation of all the finalist's school cheers on the internet and on TV.
Arav advanced to the final after
scoring high enough during the local, written Scripps Spelling Bee. He was also a Zanker Spelling Bee finalist, and one of two of students from the school who went on to the inaugural District Spelling Bee in January.
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Science fiction becomes Virtual Reality
in Milpitas Unified School District
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On any given day, students across Milpitas Unified School District are setting off on Apollo missions alongside Neil Armstrong, visiting different countries they have only ever read about in their history books, creating and taking tours in homes they create, and reducing their speaking fears by presenting in front of a virtual audience.
What once seemed like science fiction has now become reality, Virtual Reality (VR), since the District kicked off its efforts in 2016.
“VR is the next progression of technology that students are being introduced to experience learning in an immersive way,” said Chin Song, the district’s Director of Technology Services.
He explained that, currently, two versions of VR exist: fully interactive and partially interactive. Oculus is full immersion, which couples a powerful computer with handheld controls while cardboard VR requires users to hold a mobile unit (usually a phone with limited processing power) with both hands.
“We’re starting our collaboration with Oculus (Facebook) to imagine what VR will look like in K-12 education,” Chin said. “Today, the primary purpose for students and staff is for them to be exposed to VR and its possibilities.”
Since the experience launched last year, Chin said a few teachers have used VR while teachers at multiple sites in all levels have utilized cardboard VR in some way and several teachers have had Google Expeditions to participate in a whole class virtual field trip experience.
On February 6, fifth graders at Burnett Elementary School went far beyond using VR as a tool to bridge an experience to one that is building intimate understanding, human connections, and empathy with others.
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Spangler class hosts Biography Wax Museum
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By Vanessa Lorenzana
First/second grade combination teacher at Spangler Elementary School
Students have learned that a biography is the true story of someone's life, written by someone else. Each student was assigned/selected a famous or important person in history to research, learn about, and ultimately "become" during our Biography Wax Museum event (pictured above).
The students embraced the assignment head on and were very eager to learn all about their historical figure's early life, later life, important accomplishments, fun facts, and what they were remembered for.
In the weeks leading up to the Biography Wax Museum event, the students read several sources about their assigned hero, including a chapter book, picture book (if available in the school library), and an online resource (Ducksters or Biography.com). Students were encouraged to read their sources multiple times to learn all that they could about their assigned hero. Many of our students even chose to look up their historical figure at home, and had even more valuable information to add to their written biography reports.
Part of the students' homework was to find four to five pictures of their person and to write captions to go with each picture. The other homework portion was for students to gather props/attire to dress up for the culminating event. While in class, the students learned how to research and take notes on the life events of their assigned hero.
The students spent a few days focusing on learning all about the early years (who was part of their family, where did they go to school, what were they like as a student, where did they grow up, what was their childhood like). Then the students focused on the later years (where did they go to college, who were some important people that they met -- inspirational teachers, wife/husband/family of their own, etc., what were some big things that happened in their later life, what did they discover or do that made them so important, etc.). Once we were done looking at the early years and later years, the students looked at the whole picture of their assigned hero, and took notes on their accomplishments, discoveries, inventions, contributions, or how they helped the world.
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Student Voices: Justin Tso
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Editor's Note: This editorial was written by Milpitas High School student Justin Tso for the campus newspaper, "The Union." Newspaper staff have authorized its use here, to share the newspaper's view on immigrants and refugees.
***
The sky is black, blacker than anything you’ve ever seen. The moon is nowhere to be found; the light of any stars did not choose to make the journey with the refugee. He waits sleeplessly, pushed to the rail by the mass of passengers along the deck, as the boat sails through the night.
A heavy wave makes the tiny wooden craft shudder, and the man’s thoughts churn as he thinks about his family. The last time he’d been on the ground of his home, there’d been eight of them. One by one, they’d made their goodbyes, and taken their own boats. Now it’s just him, his older sister, strangers, and the sea.
He doesn’t know what had happened to them: whether their ships had sunk, broken by the ocean, or whether they’d been attacked by the pirates who preyed on those who fled. Perhaps they had all made it safely across, but at the moment, with nothing but the ocean and and other lost people around him, the thought is too crushing to entertain.
He doesn’t know where they are; he doesn’t know where he is, either. In the darkness around him, he doesn’t know where he’s going. As the boat rocks on, all he knows is that he’s going away from everything he’s ever known. In that, there is hope. We know this story. People like that refugee are going through that terror right now, on the other side of the world. But this narrative isn’t theirs; we’re not going to take their story for our own. The story that we’re sharing is the truth of some of our fathers and mothers, one that took place forty years ago. This isn’t the story of the Syrian refugees-—it’s the story of the Vietnamese boat people.
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From Behind the Dais: Robert Jung
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Editor’s Note: This is the third article in an ongoing series about our dynamic and diverse Board of Education. The new feature is an opportunity to gain insight into their stories of success and the reasons they enjoy serving Milpitas Unified School District.
***
Robert Jung may be the newest member to join the Board of Education, starting just two months ago on January 3. But the long-term resident has been a familiar face across Milpitas Unified School District for nearly 15 years.
As an involved parent of two children, Robert has volunteered his time through a variety of different means through the years including with the Parent Teacher Association, School Site Council, and the Milpitas Community Educational Endowment, which was conceptualized in Spring 2009 after budget cuts to the school district. Robert has also served on the Community Board Advisory Council, Bond and Parcel Tax committees, and the Family Engagement Task Force.
“For me, the reason to be involved hasn’t really changed,” he said. “It has always been about giving back and contributing the community that I live in. It is just a different role to contribute.”
Robert admits his new role as a Board Member hasn’t altered his perspective of the school district, but has required a shift of sorts.
“Probably, the biggest challenge for me is not to be ‘hands on’ given my previous experience and be strictly participate with governance and direction setting,” he said. “I think that as a Board member, I hope that I can help to nurture and offer a vision to help the district continue to grow.”
Read more >
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Milpitas High School (MHS) Principal Phil Morales will be the guest speaker at the next Sunnyhills Community Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 4. Phil has been at the helm of the school for just over six months, and will brief attendees on programs and practices in use - and what community support they need. As the only comprehensive high school in Milpitas, MHS has an enrollment of well over 3,000 students.
The free breakfast is co-sponsored by the Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association and the Sunnyhills United Methodist Church. It is held in Jones Hall at the Sunnyhills United Methodist Church, located at 355 Dixon Road (across from the Weller Elementary playground). Everyone is welcome, and donations are accepted. The Community Breakfast occurs the first (non-holiday) Saturday of the month except July and August. For more information, call (408) 262-0420.
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Thomas Russell Middle School is seeking volunteers for Career Day
Wednesday, March 8. The goal of Career Day is to provide each classroom with individuals who are willing and able to share information about their education, career path, and job experiences to help students learn about possible career opportunities. Volunteers are being asked to give 40-minute presentations between 8:30 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. that day. If you can present for a portion or the whole time, please contact Career Day Coordinators Dr. Latisha Roberts at
[email protected], Chanae Wami at
[email protected], or Valarie Lamb at
[email protected], or call (408) 635-2864, extension 3210.
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Milpitas Unified School District will hold its annual Music Concert
Thursday, March 16 in the Milpitas High School theater, located at 1285 Escuela Parkway. The event will feature symphonic bands/winds, choir, and orchestras and wind ensemble/symphony and orchestras. Burnett, Randall, Rose, Sinnott and Zanker elementary schools and Rancho Milpitas Middle School will perform as Group A from 5:30-6:30 p.m. They will be followed by Curtner, Pomeroy, Spangler, and Weller elementary schools and Thomas Russell Middle School in Group B from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
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On
March 25,
Milpitas Unified School District will participate in the
Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) Teacher Recruitment Fair
, an opportunity for those seeking positions as educators to meet with those who hire teachers in Santa Clara County.
The need for qualified teachers is strong as a large number of teachers are at or near retirement age, and districts are working hard to replace them, according to the SCCOE. Past years have resulted in more than 300 open teaching positions each year.
This fair is designed for credentialed candidates, including those with a California preliminary or professional clear teaching credential; candidates with at least one year experience in a teaching intern program; those who will have a credential by this fall; and candidates who have a credential from outside California.
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