We are pleased to provide our students, parents, staff, and community with the latest information about our Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District community through this newsletter. Please join us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to connect with us daily!

We are excited to share that our district’s preparation to participate in the County Office of Education Spelling Bee for the first time has been a success and keeps advancing! From December 3rd to 6th, we held spelling bees at different school sites: 

• December 3: IJAVVE (Ida Jew Academy and Valle Vista Elementary) 
• December 4: MPIJA (Mt. Pleasant Elementary and Ida Jew Academy) 
• December 5: August Boeger Middle School 
• December 6: Robert Sanders Elementary 

Each event was successful, thanks to the incredible collaboration of our spelling bee committees. Dr. Alvarado and Ms. Carson have been leading the overall efforts, with support from site coordinators: 

• August Boeger Middle School: Mr. Ketan Banjara 
• IJAVVE: Ms. Geetha Manjunath 
• MPIJA: Ms. Barbara Powell-Padilla 
• Robert Sanders Elementary: Ms. Ashley Martin 

We followed the format established by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, with two categories: Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-8. The top three winners in each category will represent their school at the district-wide spelling bee and the top two winners from the district-wide contest will represent MPESD at the county-level spelling bee, marking a historic first for our district! 

Additionally, as part of our commitment to inclusion and equity, we introduced the Shining Spellers Edition.

This edition provides an opportunity for students in special education classes to compete, ensuring all students can participate and shine. While these students will not qualify for the county level, they will compete at the district-wide spelling bee on January 22nd at IJAVVE. 

The planning and preparation involved have been a tremendous team effort. We’re grateful for the support of ELO-P, Ms. Kattenhorn’s department, for providing the materials and compensation for the committee members. We also deeply appreciate the positive feedback we’ve received from parents and staff around the district. 

We are thrilled about the upcoming district-wide spelling bee on January 22nd and look forward to welcoming our community to celebrate this exciting event. 

Winter Fest at the San Jose Public Library

Fun and educational activities for all ages at SJPL, including holiday crafts and Winter Reading!

Taking Care of Yourself 

As we move into the Winter Break and winter months, a variety of needs and emotions can arise. In the busyness of the season, we encourage everyone to please remember to take care of yourself.

BrightLife Kids: Supporting Families 



BrightLife Kids is an app that provides personalized support for California families. Parents, caregivers, and kids ages 0–12 get free, expert coaching for sleep issues, worry, social skills, and more. Live, 1:1 video session, secure chat, on-demand content, and more. The application is available in multiple languages.

The holidays can be a time of financial challenges for families. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in San Jose, offers a number of free food resources. You can use their Food Locator to find free, nutritious food near you. Choose whether you want fresh groceries or ready-to-eat meals and pick days/times that fit your schedule. They also have a line available to receive your phone calls: 1-800-984-3663. 

Would you like to volunteer at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley? They are in urgent need of volunteers!

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. DEIB lessons in December are about Winter Holidays, Hanukkah, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Years Eve. The character trait is Contribution.  

In January, the focus will be on Jehovah Witness Awareness, Global Family Day/World Peace Day, New Years Resolutions, Kings Day, Korean American Day, MLK Jr. Day, German Americans, and Lunar New Year. The character trait is Initiative. 

If 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!  

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District offers a world of opportunities! 

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming part of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District? MPESD is hiring for a variety of roles.  

Job opportunities are available to individuals interested in becoming teachers and teachers interested in obtaining additional credentials. There are also many positions available in our school district that do not require a college degree.  

The school district offers a generous welfare and benefits package as well as an excellent state pension plan. We are always looking for Instructional Associates (general and special education) and Substitute Custodial Workers.  

We invite you to learn more information on EdJoin for contact our Personnel Office at (408) 233-3720.  

Learn more about an Instructional Aide career and Substitute Custodian at MPESD by reading the flyers below!  

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming part of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District? MPESD is hiring for a variety of roles.  

Job opportunities are available to individuals interested in becoming teachers and teachers interested in obtaining additional credentials. There are also many positions available in our school district that do not require a college degree. 

The school district offers a generous welfare and benefits package as well as an excellent state pension plan. We are always looking for Instructional Associates (general and special education) and Substitute Custodial Workers. 

We invite you to learn more information on EdJoin or contact our Personnel Office at (408) 233-3720. 

Learn more about an Instructional Aide career and Substitute Custodian at MPESD by reading the flyers below!  

Our Board of Trustees will meet January 13, 2025. 

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 18, 2024 Board meeting here.