May 27, 2014

Last Day of School Fast Approaching!

Thursday, June 12 is the last day of school for students in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Classes will resume on Monday, August 25. Enjoy your summer!

Summer Activities on the Horizon

Stay active this summer and keep your students engaged by taking advantage of these free educational activities:

Discover and Go Program! Contra Costa County residents have access to free and low-cost museum passes that can be downloaded and printed from their home computers. Anyone with a library card can find the passes on the Programs page of www.ccclib.org.  The passes range from family passes like the ones for Walnut Creek's Lindsay Wildlife Museum to group discounts for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. 

Summer Reading Festival!  June 14-August 23 - Summer Reading is for Everyone! Sign up for Summer Reading Paws to Read Program this summer and use the reading log to track time spent reading; earn prizes upon completion.  Sign up online at www.ccclib.org  

East Bay Regional Parks Kids Challenge: The Kids Challenge program is based on the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, which recommends a fundamental list of experiences that every child would benefit from, before entering high school (like going for a hike or swimming in a lake). This program is self-paced and challenges youth to complete five of 10 activities listed in the Bill of Rights. Some activities require adult participation and/or additional fees. Register online to receive the free guide booklet. A commemorative patch will be sent after completing the challenge. http://www.ebparks.org/kids/kidschallenge

John Muir Historic National Historic Site: Naturalist John Muir is known as the Father of the National Park Service.  Tour his 14-room Victorian mansion and smaller adobe house.  Nine acres of fruit orchards (free fruit is also sometimes available).  Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.  Admission is free. Ranger guided full moon walks at Mt. Wanda free on June 3, July 12, August 10 and September 9.  Call 925-228-8806 for more information.

Blackhawk Museum Cars and Coffee: 8 to 10 a.m. on the first Sunday of every month, automotive enthusiasts gather in the parking lots of the Blackhawk Automotive Museum to share their vehicles and admire the other fabulous classics, exotics, rods and anything else with wheels and a motor for free.  Museum entry is extra.

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front Museum in Richmond, CA offers free admission 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year round. Enjoy the new park orientation film, exhibits about the WWII Home Front and a daily 2 p.m. Ranger Tour.

Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center is free the first Tuesday of each month from 12 to 5 p.m.

Shakespeare in the Park presents Midsummer Nights Dream. Free performances on August 2 and August 3, 2 p.m. at Martinez Waterfront Amphitheater.  

California Symphony August 28, 6:30 p.m. at Todos Santos Plaza, Concord. Join the California Symphony for their 16th annual free concert. Bring blankets, chairs and a picnic dinner.

College for Kids at DVC

Are your students eager to get to college? Diablo Valley College is hosting a special summer school for kids in grades 4-9.

There are two 3-week sessions being offered, and classes are held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Students can sign up for one, two or three classes each session, but classes must be consecutively scheduled. All Classes are $60 with the exception of the two-hour Photographic Exploration, which is $120. College for Kids does not provide supervision outside of class time.

Session 1:  June 17 through July 3 (9 classes)

Session 2:  July 8 through July 24 (9 classes)

Pleasant Hill Campus

Period 1 - 12:50 to 1:50 p.m.

Period 2 - 2 to 3 p.m.

Period 3 - 3:10 to 4:10 p.m.

San Ramon Campus

Period 1 - 12:50 to 1:50 p.m.

Period 2 - 1:55 to 2:55 p.m.

Period 3 - 3 to 4 p.m.

For more information, click here.

Board Votes to Restore Funding for High School Athletics

At its May 14 meeting, the Mt. Diablo school board voted unanimously in favor of restoring funding for high school athletics.

Increasing the expenditure by $535,567 using unrestricted general funds will bring the total funding back to 2008-2009 levels of $743,900.

The board report stated: "During recent LCAP community meetings, there has been strong community support to strengthen our extra-curricular activities to ensure equity and opportunities for all students in MDUSD. This proactive action will support our vision to increase student engagement in school and decrease the high school dropout rate."

MDUSD Superintendent Proposes Leadership Reorganization

MDUSD Superintendent Nellie Meyer presented a leadership reorganization plan to the school board on May 14. She proposes eliminating the chief financial officer position and three assistant superintendent positions.

Instead, she would create three new assistant superintendent positions that would oversee elementary, middle and high schools, respectively, and will be accountable for all academic and operational needs at the schools they oversee.

The complete proposal is at http://esbpublic.mdusd.k12.ca.us Click on May 14, then "Item 18.7 District Reorganization."

The board plans to vote on this proposal on May 28. Full story here .