Dear Mt. Pleasant Community, 

I hope you welcomed 2023 with joy and happiness. May this new year bring great opportunities and new goals for everyone! 

Our schools have welcomed students, staff and families with a renewed commitment to advance education.

We are now enrolling new students and are proud to provide excellent academic experiences, including our Dual Immersion Program, designed to provide students with fluency and literacy in English and Spanish. We know that the benefits of bilingual education are plenty! 

The MPESD team continues to work to improve facilities and invest funds from measures approved by voters. Providing the best learning environment is key for our strategy to successfully teach students every day.  

Thank you again for your support. I look forward to working with you to make 2023 a wonderful year for our school community! 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Elida MacArthur 

Superintendent 

Please watch a special message from Dr. MacArthur

A Community School is a “whole-child” strategy where the district and school work closely with teachers, students, families, and partners.

A Community School is the heart of a community, uniting diverse and engaged stakeholders to make the school community stronger and support the whole child— meaning children are not just supported in academics but are learning in environments that make them feel safe, valued, engaged, challenged, and healthy. Community Schools provide not only tremendous opportunities for learning and success for students, but also offer hope, opportunity, and transformation to entire communities. Today, there are more than 5,000 Community Schools nationwide, and this number continues to grow. Currently, we have a planning grant and are beginning the process of getting input from students, families, staff and community members.

What are the benefits of Community Schools? A Community School is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources with an integrated focus on academics, health, social services, leadership, and community engagement. Its integrated focus leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.

Community schools help foster:

• Lower rates of absenteeism
• Better work habits, grades, test scores, and behaviors
• Higher enrollment in college preparatory classes
• Higher graduation rates

Next Steps at MPESD? Our Community Schools planning team meets regularly to work alongside the Santa Clara County Office of Education Community Schools team to begin to build a structure that works for our school community. Our starting point is August Boeger Middle School. With that being said, we know that support and interventions will need to take place before our students begin their middle school years, so we will look at bringing additional resources to our two Title 1 sites (Robert Sanders and Mt. Pleasant/Ida Jew Academy). We have begun the process of getting feedback from students, staff and families at August Boeger, Robert Sanders and Mt. Pleasant Elementary. We look forward to sharing ongoing information with you throughout this journey, and are excited about bringing such a resource to our community! 

You can watch the video below to help explain further.

We wish to thank our amazing school community for supporting the annual tradition of collecting presents for MPESD families and community members, and providing meals, during the holiday season. Your generosity with the donation of unwrapped items made a huge impact! Many families received gifts that made the holidays more special. Danny Patton, MPAS Program Coordinator, organized this wonderful effort. We appreciate everyone’s support, teamwork, and actions for a good cause. 

Bond measures approved by our community have been crucial for our facilities improvement projects at MPESD. Our priorities are student safety, well-being and engagement. We are excited to share an update on the main projects funded by measures passed by voters.* 

Projects Completed:

• Security cameras installed throughout the school district. 
• Ida Jew Academy/Valle Vista Elementary: Security fencing, new restroom added to cafeteria/multi-purpose room, landscaping, restroom renovations and water bottle filling stations. 
• August Boeger Middle School: Security fencing, landscaping and water bottle filling stations. 
• Robert Sanders Elementary: Security fencing, HVAC replacement and water bottle filling stations. 
• Mt. Pleasant STEAM Elementary: Security fencing, HVAC replacement, water bottle filling stations, asphalt replacement and exterior painting. 

Future Projects:

• Ida Jew Academy/Valle Vista Elementary: HVAC replacement, shade structures, roofing, siding replacement, exterior painting and landscaping. 
• August Boeger Middle School: Track and soccer field, Administration office relocation and renovation, HVAC replacement, roofing, exterior painting and landscaping. 
• Robert Sanders Elementary: Shade structures, roofing, exterior painting, restroom renovations, cafeteria modernization, new carpet, field irrigation upgrades and landscaping. 
• Mt. Pleasant STEAM Elementary: Parking lot renovation, Administration building renovation, Kinder room renovations, cafeteria modernization, shade structures and field irrigation upgrades. 

At MPESD, we continue working to advance our students’ opportunities. Thank you for your support to provide the best learning environment for our students to thrive! 

For more detailed information on bond program expenditures please visit www.mpesd.org. 

* Please note that these projects are not listed in priority order. The completion of these projects depends on the availability of funding.

We are welcoming new students! Serving families in the East Foothills, we promote a love of learning by providing a high-quality education in a safe and joyful environment. Our Dual Language Immersion program in English and Spanish (an educational model designed to provide students with fluency and literacy in two languages) nurtures the academic and social experiences for students to maintain their heritage language and for students to acquire Spanish as a second language. The district provides a TK-8th grade Dual Language Immersion program, where they thrive under the leadership of our amazing, accredited teachers. Our students and families engage in a curriculum enhanced by technology and led by an exceptional staff who validate the needs of the whole child. We work towards diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion in a collaborative setting.

Our five public schools offer resources and opportunities for our students to excel. 

August Boeger Middle School 

6th-8th Grade  

1944 Flint Avenue 

408-223-3770 

Ida Jew Academy/STEAM Program 

TK-8th Grade and 6th-8^th Grade Dual Immersion Program 

1966 Flint Avenue 

408-223-3750 

Mt. Pleasant STEAM Academy/IJA ALAS Dual Immersion 

Pre-K-5th Grade 

14275 Candler Avenue 

408-258-6451 

Robert Sanders Elementary 

Pre-K-5th Grade 

3411 Rocky Mountain Drive 

408-258-7288 

Valle Vista Elementary  

TK-5th Grade 

1966 Flint Avenue 

408-223-3750 

Key Programs and Offerings 

• Early Education: Preschool (starting at age 3+), TK and Kinder 
• ALAS - Dual Language Immersion program 
• Extended learning: Before and after school care, and summer school 
• Intervention/Tutoring support 
• Sports (indoor and outdoor) 
• Visual and Performing Arts/Theater 
• STEAM, Science and Technology 
• AVID - Career & College Readiness 
• Instruction by highly trained, experienced certificated teachers 
• Social Emotional Learning/CREW/Mindfulness 
• Standard Based Curriculum/Project Based Learning 
• Designated & Integrated ELD instruction 

To Enroll on Preschool: Linda Marqueda, [email protected]. (408) 223-3785.  

Transitional Kindergarten: Carlene Valenti, [email protected]. (408) 223-3730.  

Kindergarten - 8th grade: Please contact your school site.  

Visit us for more information at mpesd.org.

What makes Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District such a special place to work? Our small school district provides a warm and caring environment for students, staff, parents and guardians. Families know each other and are invested in the success of our schools. Our district is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the lives of our students, and leadership is consistently focused on teaching the whole child.  

Growth opportunities are available for everyone. Education opportunities are available to employees who are interested in becoming teachers, and there are opportunities for teachers to study for an additional credential. As employees earn college units, their salaries are increased as they reach specific landmarks. And as employees show their dedication and skill set, they are rewarded by assuming higher positions within and above their classifications. 

MPESD is an opportunity to be part of a community dedicated to making a difference in the lives of students. The district offers employees a generous welfare and benefits package and an excellent state pension plan, and there are many job opportunities available in our school district that do not require a college degree. 

To learn more, please visit mpesd.org or call the Human Resources Department at (408) 223-3745. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are core values at MPESD. We are committed to creating an anti-racist, compassionate and inclusive school culture where every individual is treated with dignity in our diverse community.  

Our DEIB lessons being shared in January are Jehovah Witness Awareness, German Heritage, Global Family Day/ World Peace Day, New Year’s Resolutions, Three Kings Day, Korean American Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lunar New Year. The character trait being recognized is Initiative. 

For the month of February, the lessons will focus on Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Black Lives Matter, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day. The character trait being recognized is Courage. 

If there are questions or you are interested in learning more about DEIB, please reach out to your school to further the conversation. Thank you for supporting an inclusive school community! 

Our Board of Trustees will meet January 18, 2023 and February 8, 2023.  

The job of the Board of Trustees includes the following:  

• Setting the vision and goals for the district 
• Adopting policies that give the district direction to set priorities and achieve its goals 
• Hiring and evaluating the superintendent 
• Adopting and overseeing the annual budget 
• Managing the collective bargaining process for employees of the district 

To learn more about these sessions, please visit our website.  

Watch our December 14, 2022 Board meeting here.