If this email is clipped—or photos are not displayed—click the "View entire message" link at the bottom of the email. School LIFE is the newsletter of the Milpitas Unified School District. If you have stories for our next issue, please send them to Scott Forstner.
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Beauty lies within the diversity of our human family |
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The World Economic Forum cited in its October 2020 report that Emotional Intelligence is one of the top 15 job skills our future graduates must develop by 2025 in order to succeed in the future of work. Emotional Intelligence skills competencies, according to the report, include, “Awareness of the wider world, of history and of social justice issues that result from historical inequalities.”
While the 4th Industrial Revolution has accelerated how we work, learn and live, these last 15 months have spotlighted the need for human connection at a deeper level of consciousness. Violence against people based on their religion, ethnicity, race, gender, age, and more elevates the need for us to recognize the gifts and strengths of one another’s diversity. The month of May offered recognition opportunities such as Cinco de Mayo, Jewish American Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, National Older Americans Month, and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Many of our students experienced virtual celebrations where they learned through story and other activities about our MUSD family members who are of Asian, Pacific Islander, or Desi descent.
MUSD’s Strategic Goal #1, Build a Culture of We, is about diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies, practices, and especially, in our relationships with one another. Striving for this goal requires a commitment to learning about others, and ourselves, which is why we have established a Culture of We Equity Team this year to accelerate our growth.
Every month there are dedications to remind us of the beauty within the diversity that makes up our human family. As we move forward through the pandemic and to new ways of living, let us keep focused on the awareness we have gained in the last 15 months. The dignity of each person and their culture, history, ethnicity, race, gender, age, religion -- all that makes up who each of us is, that is precious. On May 31, Memorial Day, we honor those who have given their lives for our own, they fought for who WE are as a nation.
Dedicated to the WE in all of us,
Cheryl Jordan
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State Board Member of Year's blog |
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'I love Milpitas. I grew up in Milpitas. It's helped raise me.' |
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Straight from the pages of the Spring 2021 CSBA Quarterly Magazine is our very own Milpitas Unified School District Board of Education President, California School Boards Association State Board Member of the Year and Milpitas HS alumnus Chris Norwood, who is featured in the Membership profile (page 19).
What inspired you to become a school board member?
"I love Milpitas. I grew up in Milpitas. It's helped raise me. I wanted to pay it forward. I had been involved it tutoring, coaching and volunteering in the community for over 20 years. Word of my leadership and passion for kids and education reached the ears of the school board president at the time, Mrs. Marsha Grilli. She asked me to run and I said no about five times. She said she wouldn't stop calling me until I said yes. I also wanted to make my mom and wife proud. I wanted to set a unique example for my kids. I know it sounds cliche: we strive to be what we see."
What advice do you have for new or aspiring school board members?
"Elected school board officials are part-time fiscal managers, community liaisons, representatives of the non-voters, voters and taxpayers of the district. Within a four-year term there are roughly 100 and 120 meetings. Often, the decision made in these meetings immediately impact lives and livelihoods for years. It is an amazing opportunity to listen, learn and lead. At the beginning of my CSBA Board Member Golden Gavel acceptance speech during the CSBA 2020 virtual Annual Education conference, I said, 'Be the work. Do the work. Love the work. See the results.'"
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Weller Elementary celebrates Asian Pacific Islander
Desi American Heritage Month
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Principal Deanna Sainten and her Weller Elementary School team organized of host of activities celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month.
Superintendent Cheryl Jordan, Board of Education President Chris Norwood and Board of Education Vice President Kelly Yip-Chuan were among guest Story-time readers as Weller students were introduced to the diverse cultures and historical figures.
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Pair of Sinnott students presented with Award of Merit for Reflections Program |
Two students from Sinnott Elementary School were awarded the Award of Merit (2nd Place) for Reflections Program by CA PTA.
Kashvi Agarwal won the Award of Merit in the Intermediate Photography contest and schoolmate Emaan Talukdar won the Award of Merit in the Special Artist Film Production category.
There were over 25,000 art entries in various categories from all over CA and of those 30 won the 1st Place and moved to Nationals whereas 90 kids got the 2nd place and were given the Award of Merit.
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Milpitas HS's NJROTC program builds student leaders |
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When Milpitas High School senior Andrea Alatorre signed up for the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, better known as NJROTC, she was quiet and uncertain like many incoming freshmen.
Four years later, the 18-year-old cadet is full of self-confidence, leadership skills, and set to attend De Anza College as a biology major in the fall. “I learned how to use my voice and just communicate better,” Andrea shared. “It actually helped me come out of my shell.”
Junior Mehtab Kang, 16, now in his third year of the NJROTC, was shy and nervous when he first started the elective class at MHS. Kang, who comes from a military family and is a varsity basketball player, plans to parlay the leadership and organizational skills he’s developed into a software and computer science pathway at a Naval Academy.
“I’ve created bonds with people I would never have expected to meet,” said Mehtab. “The biggest thing is my growth as a leader, my organizational and management skills, and team building skills.”
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Images from the Milpitas HS Seniors Drive-Thru Parade |
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Alumni Profile: Lisa (Do) Hofflich, Class of 1990 |
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As the Regional Director and Special Advisor for US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and previously a Legislative Advisor to two members of the NYS Assembly, Hofflich—who now acts as the Senator’s representative for eight counties and 3 million people in the Lower Hudson Valley—has written 28 New York State bills that have been signed into law, including this Walking While Trans.
“I am her liaison to the community… I help shape policy in the U.S. Senate,” said the 28-year-old policymaker who has lived in New York since 1990 and is happily married with five wonderful kids. ”Life is good. It's challenging but good.”
Prior to her legislative accolades, Hofflich’s career path took her through television news production, social justice activism and advocacy.
Hofflich fondly remembers her years at Milpitas High School. “I loved my time at MHS,” she said, vividly recalling her History teacher Henry Robinson and others who impacted her to this day.
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Randall World Languages School |
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MUSD Innovators on the Move! video series |
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MUSD educators are a talented bunch, reaching our learners with their passion, knowledge, and innovation. When faced with a pandemic, our MUSD team members rose to the challenge creating MUSD EducatEveryWhere.
We’ve always been a sharing, collaborative crew. That’s why we’ve begun this video series "MUSD Innovators on the Move!" highlighting the practices, methods and approach of our teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and classified team members.
At MUSD, we move forward together and this is how we do it!
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What are your plans after graduation: college/university, trade school, military, travel, or other?
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Thomas Phung
After graduating from high school I plan on enjoying my summer break until school at UC Davis starts. I’ll spend as much time with my family as I can before I go to college because I would not be able to see them as much in college. College is expensive and I still want to be productive over the summer break so I am going to look for a job to help my parents pay for my tuition.
At UC Davis, I am planning on double majoring in economics and statistics. I want a career/job that gives me a good work life balance and a salary which allows me to support my family. I also hope to one day be able to find something that is fulfilling and meaningful to me that I could do for the rest of my life.
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Juan Francisco
Beas Flores
After graduating high school I plan to travel to Mexico, start to work, and have a somewhat unusual post-secondary education. This pandemic has stopped me from visiting my family members living in Mexico as I would normally do. Every year I would have the privilege to visit the places in Mexico I hold so dear to my heart. The warm homes of my extended family where I remember laughing until I grew tired or the beautiful beaches I swam in with my father. It is for these reasons, why I have chosen to travel to Mexico.
After enough time of traveling, I am planning to find a job related to the construction field; something I am truly passionate about.
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Shivali Gulati
After high school, I plan to pursue a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Business Management at UC Santa Cruz. However, I am on several waitlists due to the dramatic increase of applicants from test-optional admissions and the persistence of the pandemic. As a result, I am not sure where I will be officially attending college next year.
Despite my college uncertainty, my goal at university is to further explore my interests in product marketing, social media strategy, and possibly user experience inside and outside of the classroom. ...My work at college-run startups, such as the Trill Project and Explorastay, has sparked my interest in joining more youth-led organizations in the realms of female empowerment, mental health, and education equality.
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Janet Le
After I graduate, I plan on attending San Jose State University to major in business finance. By going to San Jose State, I am hoping to save money since I live close enough to live at home and commute. I intend to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in four years and try to look for an internship after.
Once I have gained some real world experience, I aim to return to school and complete a Graduate’s program. My goal is to obtain a Master’s degree in Business Administration, also known as an MBA. I hope to travel much more in the future since the pandemic has greatly reduced my opportunities to explore the world in the last year. ...I want to visit more of the United States, like the national parks in Washington or the Great Lakes of Michigan.
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Marlena Ngim
After graduation, I will be moving to Atlanta for college. I’ve never been to Atlanta and I cannot visit due to COVID and schedule restrictions. When I visit Atlanta for the first time, I will be moving there. ...The college I’m attending generously sends all freshmen abroad for a week. I’m still thinking about where I want to travel to, my top choices are either Italy, Morocco, or France.
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Latest community activities from our District Calendar |
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Have a look at our District Calendar for information on more upcoming events, meetings and more. Here's the link.
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MUSD | Phone: (408) 635-2600 |
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