The San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees will meet in person on Thursday, February 8 at 7 p.m. Closed session begins at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public may attend in person or via Zoom. 



Read What's Coming Up for a meeting preview.

View the agenda.

View Zoom login information and see how to make a public comment in person or via zoom.



If the Zoom webinar reaches maximum capacity, the meeting may also be viewed on our Board Meeting YouTube channel.

January 18: Update on Goals and Objectives

The SMUHSD Board established ambitious goals and objectives in its 2021-24 Local Control Accountability Plan. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Julia Kempkey and Director of Curriculum and Assessment Brian Simmons reported on the District’s progress in achieving those goals and metrics transparently. The following topics were presented in detail: 

• 2023 Graduation Rate
• College and Career Readiness
• Access to College-Level Courses; and 
• College Matriculation
• Back to School Survey of Students (October 23, 2023)

View the presentation.

Pride Prom is February 23: Students RSVP by February 11

High school students who attend school in San Mateo

County are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Pride Prom on Friday, February 23. The free event will once again be held on the College of San Mateo Campus.

Learn more and RSVP by February 11: www.smuhsd.org/prideprom

SMUHSD is proud to partner with the following organizations on this event: San Mateo County Office of Education, College of San Mateo, Coast Pride, San Mateo Pride, and the San Mateo County LGBTQ+ Commission.

Get Help Filling Out Financial Aid Applications

In-person workshops offer hands-on assistance in completing FAFSA or CADAA / Dream Act Applications

These workshops are open to all SMUHSD 12th Graders and their families.

Attend a workshop to get hands-on support in filling out the FAFSA or California Dream Act applications.

We plan on having a bilingual staff member on hand to help Spanish speaking families with the application process.

Remember, it is now a graduation requirement that you have to file for financial aid!

No RSVP required - just show up! Bring your school-issued Chromebook or a personal laptop. You might also need to bring tax returns, net worth of investments/businesses and current balances of cash and bank accounts.

Remaining workshop dates and locations - any student can attend any workshop:

• Thursday, February 8, 6-8 p.m., Aragon High School Library
• Tuesday, February 13, 6-8 p.m., San Mateo High School Library (Rescheduled to March 18)
• Wednesday, February 21, 6-8 p.m., Mills High School Career Center
• Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Capuchino High School College and Career Center
• Monday, March 18, 6-8 p.m., San Mateo High School Library

Questions? Contact your school’s College, Career and/or Financial Aid Advisor.

Middle College Enrollment Application for 10th Graders Closes February 23

10th Grade Students and Families: If you missed the Family Information sessions about Middle College, please see the slides (English | Spanish) for an overview.

10th grade students interested in learning more about Middle College are invited to shadow a group of Middle College students to learn about the program and what it's like to be a student at the College of San Mateo. Please sign up for the in-person, one day shadowing opportunity.

As a reminder, the Fall 2024 enrollment application for Middle College closes on February 23. 

Learn more about Middle College by visiting: www.smuhsd.org/middlecollege

If you have any questions, please contact Middle College Program Coordinator Alison Block at ablock@smuhsd.org.

San Mateo County Transition to Independence Fair is this Saturday, February 10

The San Mateo County Transition to Independence Fair, hosted by the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities, will be held Saturday, February 10, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the San Mateo County Office of Education in Redwood Shores.

This event provides resources, support, and options for youth with disabilities that are transitioning into adulthood. Come and enjoy live entertainment, free food, interesting panels and speakers, informative workshops, and keynote speaker Tryn Miller, a commissioner on the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities!!

Learn more: https://www.smctransitionfair.org/

Board Updates Policy on Civility

The SMUHSD Board recently approved a revision to Board Policy 1313. The SMUHSD Governing Board recognizes the impact that civility has on the effective operation of the District, including its role in creating a safe and positive school climate and enabling a focus on safety, student well-being, learning, and achievement. The Board believes that all people should feel safe and protected and be treated with dignity and respect in their interactions within the school community. 

Read BP 1313 in its entirety (in English and Spanish) on our website.

Upcoming Student Performances Across the District

San Mateo High's The Wedding Singer remaining show dates are February 8-10

Save the dates for these upcoming performances!

Learn more at www.smuhsd.org/vapa

Aragon Drama

• March 21-24: Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express

Aragon Music

• February 8: San Mateo Public Library Showcase (see below for details)
• March 1: Double Exposure Concert with Hillsdale

Burlingame Music

• February 7: Joint Concert with BIS and Crocker Middle Schools

Burlingame Drama

• March 15-17 and March 22-24: Footloose the Musical

Capuchino Drama

• March 21-23: Chicago (Teen Edition)

Capuchino Music

• March 28: Pops Concert
• May 2-3: Spring Concert

Hillsdale Drama

• March 21-24: Clue

Hillsdale Music

February 15: Choral Pops Concert with participating Middle Schools

• February 16: Instrumental Pops Concert
• March 1: Double Exposure Concert with Aragon
• March 29: Jazz Concert with Friends
• May 16: Spring Concert Series #1
• May 22: Spring Concert Series #2

Hillsdale Dance

• Knight Moves: April 25-27

Mills Drama

April 19-27: Bye Bye Birdie

San Mateo Drama

• The Wedding Singer, February 8-10
• William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or What You Will, April 18-21

San Mateo Library Pre-Valentine's Day Showcase

Aragon Jazz and Strings will participate in the San Mateo Public Library's Pre-Valentines Showcase on Thursday, February 8 from 4-5 p.m. The showcase will take place in the Oak Room of the San Mateo Public Library's main branch located at 55 W. 3rd Avenue.

The Black Parents Association of SMUHSD Needs You!

The Black Parents Association of the San Mateo Union High School District is a 501(c)(3), volunteer-led association that supports equitable and inclusive learning environments for our students. The group is dedicated to cooperatively promoting quality education for students of African, African American, or multiracial descent while offering the best level of support and information to both students and parents. Through collaboration, participation and support, they help to enrich our students’ high school journey preparing them to reach their fullest potential.

In order to continue to be operational, the group needs a Board of Directors, including a president, treasurer, and secretary. These individuals need to be at least 18 years of age, so the opportunity could be extended to recent high school graduates who have an interest in learning more about non-profit management. 

We are currently looking for SMUHSD and partner district families to help fill these roles within the BPA. Please see the attached flyer for more information and fill out the survey if you are interested in joining the board or just want to learn more.

February is Career Technical Education (CTE) Month

All students should graduate from high school ready for college and career. This February, we celebrate Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs where students can explore various career options and get the experiences and skills they need to succeed in the career of their choice. 

Learn more about CTE in the San Mateo Union High School District: www.smuhsd.org/cte

San Mateo High 11th Grader promotes to USA Computer Olympiad's Highest Division

San Mateo High 11th grader Trisha Sabadra achieved an impressive milestone, promoting to the USACO Platinum division in the December 2023 USA Computer Olympiad contest, placing her in the top 5 percent of pre-collegiate competitors globally.

The USA Computing Olympiad (USACO) aims to identify and support high school students with exceptional computer science skills. Through challenging algorithmic coding competitions, the USACO fosters computational thinking and problem-solving abilities. Exceptional performers in the USACO have the opportunity to represent the United States at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), a prestigious global computing competition.

Black History Month Proclamation

This National Black History Month is an opportunity to teach students about racial progress and our shared and collective responsibility to address racial injustice towards the Black community.

Check out an extensive list of resources on Black History Month for ways to celebrate and learn more: www.smcoe.org/bhm.

Read the Black History Month proclamation, presented at the January 18 Board Meeting by SMHS student Kaya Jimenez.

February 5-9: National School Counselor Week

February 5 - 9 is National School Counselors Week (NSCW)! The San Mateo Union High School District is incredibly proud of our team of school counselors! Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), NSCW highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. The 2024 theme is "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused."

Mills and Burlingame High Students Honored in Sustainability Challenge

Mills High School 12th grader Kazuki Hensley and 11th grader Yessica Souza Ayala (pictured to the right) and Burlingame High 12th grader Vseslav Kazakov (pictured below with fellow BHS Service Commissioner Mason Rosales) produced runner up campaigns in the 2023 People and Planet Challenge hosted by SEI: Building Leaders for a Resilient World.

Kazuki's campaign goal was to reduce the harmful emissions produced by vehicles around Mills, by encouraging others to begin walking, biking, or carpooling to school at least twice a week.

Yessica's campaign served to educate the community about what can be done to assist people who have been affected by unhealthy air quality.

Thanks to Kazuki and Yessica's campaigns, Mills High School will receive a $700 prize that will go towards the continuation of the incredible sustainability work they have already begun in Mills High School teacher Anthony DiLemme's “Innovation in Green Technology" CTE class.

Vseslav's campaign, taught about greenhouse gasses through an interactive videogame experience. His campaign was completed as part of his class work in the BHS Service Commission, and the Commission will receive $350.

Learn more.

Burlingame Student Wins "Step Into the Light" Contest

Congratulations to Burlingame High Student Jeanine Chiang - she was the winner of the Cow Palace's "Step Into the Light" contest in the essay category.

The contest celebrates and builds on Dr. King’s historic Cow Palace appearance in 1964 when he addressed the Republican National Convention on matters of housing equity.

This creative competition called on local high school students to share their own concerns through art, photography, language arts and video. Jeanine's award-winning essay was titled, "Students bypass AI detection with novel forms of cheating."

Photo: Cow Palace Board President Chris Corgas, Daly City Mayor Juslyn C. Manalo and BHS Student Jeanine Chiang

Aragon Students Honored at Harvard Model Congress San Francisco Conference

Chaperoned by Aragon Teachers Vicky and Jim Daniel, a group of 20 Aragon High Students participated in the Harvard Model Congress San Francisco (HMCSF 2024) conference this past weekend.  

HMCSF is a civic engagement conference under the umbrella organization of Harvard Model Congress, the nation’s oldest government simulation conference run exclusively by undergraduates at Harvard College. HMCSF 2024 offered students the unique opportunity to dive into the issues and debates facing the United States Congress today.

Participating Aragon students made up 12 groups of House and Senate Committees as well as Special Programs. At the closing ceremonies, each of those committees and programs recognized one outstanding delegate and one to three honorable mentions. 

Aragon students were recognized with four awards. Congratulations to: 

• Eesha Gupta: Best Delegate, World Bank
• Leo Levitt: Best Midnight Crisis Delegate, Presidential Cabinet
• Luke Phillips: Honorable Mention, Presidential Cabinet
• Marlee Cherkas: Honorable Mention, House Oversight and Government Reform

Learn more about HMCSF: https://www.hmcsanfran.org/

Mills Robotics Team Celebrates 25 Years of STEAM

In the spring of 2024, Mills High School’s Robotics Team - the Boba Bots - will celebrate 25 years. Founded in 1998, the Boba Bots are the First Robotics Competition (FRC) team from Mills High School. The student-led team is currently composed of over 60 members that collaborate to build and fundraise for a robot to compete with in annual FRC competitions. 

Beginning with just four friends, the Boba Bots (originally named Team Themis 154) was the very first robotics team in the San Mateo Union High School District. 

Team highlights over the years include:

• 2004: Autodesk Visualization Award Winners - Silicon Valley Regional
• 2018: Judges Award - San Francisco Regional
• 2018: Invited to compete in Texas at FRC Championships 
• 2023: Collaborated with Taylor Middle School to help form Robotics Team (88 club members)

This spring, the Boba Bots are excited to extend an open invitation to their 25th anniversary celebration which will be held in March at Mills High School along with a showcase of their latest robot design. 

Learn more about the team:

• Website: bobabots253.org 
• Instagram: bobabots253 
• Subscribe to a weekly online newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/bobabots-newsletter

Adult School Partners with Each Green Corner to Cultivate Community Garden

The San Mateo Adult and Career Education's (SMACE) school garden is coming together smoothly. Fellows and volunteers from Each Green Corner have leveled the ground, built new garden beds, and organized the shed with new tools and equipment.

Each Green Corner is partnering with SMACE to build an outdoor education space for students

Thank you to the volunteers and fellows who built seven new raised beds for the garden!

Learn more about how this garden continues to grow on the Each Green Corner Blog.

Free Webinars for Parents and Guardians

Super Belonging: Helping Kids Connect and Find Their Place in the Pack

• Tuesday, February 6, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
• Phyllis Fagell, LCPC, Licensed Clinical Counselor, Author of “Middle School Superpowers”
• Register: https://phyllisfagell2024rcsd.eventbrite.com
• Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available

Author and licensed clinical counselor Phyllis Fagell, LCPC, offers practical, evidence-based, and compassionate guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators who want to help kids make connections and "find their place in the pack."

This free presentation is sponsored by Redwood City School District, Redwood City Together, and Sequoia Healthcare District, in partnership with The Parent Venture.

A Strength-Based Approach to Learner Variability and Neurodiversity

• Wednesday, February 7, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
• Presenter: Barbara Pape, EdM, Senior Director, Learner Variability Project, Digital Promise, and co-founder of The IEP Project
• Register
• Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is available.

How can we incorporate research-based concepts into supporting our students with learning differences? We begin with defining terms such as learner variability, whole child, and universal design for learning (UDL). Barbara Pape, EdM, will discuss how these terms can be applied to create strength-based teaching and learning for students.

The Neurodiversity Speaker Series is presented by a consortium of Silicon Valley-based nonprofits including The Parent Venture, Children's Health Council, Compass High School, REEL2e, and The RILEY Project, with major funding from the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA).

Jewish Family and Children's Services Opportunities

Seeds for Smiles: Planting Succulents for a Sweet Home

• Sunday, February 11, 1-3 p.m.
• JFCS San Mateo
• Register.

Families living in temporary housing don’t always get the chance to decorate their living spaces. Bring a smile and embody the Jewish values of recycling and acts of loving kindness by creatively repurposing material into potted succulents as gifts for families living in San Mateo’s largest family shelter. Bonus if you can bring small, cleaned-out, recycled containers (i.e., yogurt, pudding, etc.).

Bring a Holocaust Survivor to your Home 

• Monday, February 12, 6-7:30 p.m. via Zoom 
• Register

YouthFirst Impact Year teens and the JFCS Holocaust Center’s Speakers Bureau invite you to join them as they welcome survivor Anita to tell her story. As we near 80 years since the end of WWII, our opportunity to hear the experiences from Holocaust survivors themselves dwindles. YouthFirst is fortunate to be able to share this unforgettable experience virtually to the entire Bay Area teen community. There will be time following the presentation for teens to ask questions and share their reflections. This event requires you to have a working camera on your computer.

Webinars presented by Jewish Family and Children's Services

Parents/guardians of teens and preteens: Jewish Family and Children's Services presents a special series of mental health-focused workshops in the new year, each one focusing on a different topic:

• Thursday, February 22: Drug Use - what it might mean for your teen
• Wednesday, March 13: Supporting your Teen with Body Image Resilience

These interactive sessions will be facilitated by experts in their fields who will provide foundational knowledge, share insights, and offer parents a chance to share experiences and ask questions.

Learn more.

Careers at SMUHSD

We are Hiring

Check out the following notices of vacancies at our school sites, District Office and Transportation Department. Applicants need to register for an EdJoin account and apply online. View all current openings: www.smuhsd.org/careers

Classified Positions  

Adult and Career Education Opportunities

Visit the Ed Join website to see open positions at San Mateo Adult and Career Education (San Mateo Adult School).

Student Nutrition Jobs



Contact Denis Vorrises at 650-558-2479 or dvorisses@smuhsd.org if you are interested in applying or want more information or apply on EdJoin today. 

Highlights

• Work five hours a day, Monday-Friday
• Summers off and paid holidays 
• Health benefit opportunities
• Starting pay is $24.17
• Employees with minimal experience in food services may be trained on all duties to be assigned.

Need more flexibility? We also have substitute student cafeteria opportunities.

Transportation Jobs

Please also check out the following openings in our Transportation Department:

School Bus Driver

• Part-time, 32.5 hours per week 
• Application open until filled.

Special Education Van Driver

• Part-time, 20 hours per week 
• Application open until filled.

Substitute Positions

Visit www.smuhsd.org/substitute for more information about substitute teaching.

Substitute Classified (Non Teaching) Positions



Need a Flexible Work Arrangement? Try Substituting with Us!

Learn more about the following substitute opportunities and apply online on Edjoin today!



• Substitute Utility Worker
• Substitute School Plant Operations Employee
• Substitute Office Assistant II
• Substitute Instructional Assistant I, Special Education

To see a complete list of current vacancies - permanent and substitute, visit www.smuhsd.org/careers.