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.

The evolving role of technology in education

Recently, I had a conversation with colleagues and researchers about how technology in education has changed, which reminded me of the days when I would take my US history classes to a computer lab to play a simulation game called The Oregon Trail.  Two students per clunky desktop computer inserted a 5-inch floppy disk into the external drive and waited for the game images to emerge after a few moments of whirring and clicks booted it up. The game provided a digital simulation of the journey that pioneers made to Oregon. It required students to use their recall of content learned in class to move the pioneers through their journey while surviving hunger, storms, and treacherous terrain. Juxtapose that to Minecraft, a cloud-based game that can be played anywhere, introducing learners to the global connections of economy and culture. Unlike the first edtech games, Minecraft provides learners with a virtual environment where they can develop skills for careers such as engineering, architecture, computer science, and commerce. Even more, it facilitates the development of soft skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication. Technology has adapted to and facilitated innovation in education.

The evolution of teaching and learning strategies is multi-faceted, and while the pandemic surely accelerated the use of technology in our lives, it also exposed gaps that need to be bridged. In MUSD a clear example of how we are bridging learners for the future of work is our MUSD Innovation Campus and our drive to forge partnerships with business, governance, community organizations, and institutes of higher learning such as SJECCD and SJSU. These collaborations benefit our learners of all ages.  A few of the partnerships that are at work now in our schools are: 

• MUSD Middle College High School and MUSD high school dual enrollment with SJCC; 
• Virtual Design Construction with S4CA in our MHS E-Tech Academy; 
• Science is Elementary at Rose School;  
• Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Safe Passage to School at Randall and Weller; and
• School Linked Services and Wellbeing support with the Santa Clara County Behavioral Sciences Department and Healthier Kids. 

Additionally, our team has secured $865,000 in grants this past year which will support; the development of pathways in advanced manufacturing, business/technology, education, and social services; MHS Wellness Center; Community Schools Planning for Rose, Randall, Weller, Burnett, and Calaveras Hills High School; and TECHcellence -- a summer pilot computer science program.

Our innovation in MUSD is fueled by our collective experiences of these last 29 months and ignited by the promise of what we can accomplish as a community of learners in Milpitas.  

Innovating together,

MUSD Strategic goals come to life in many ways

If you’ve never heard me talk to the community about Milpitas Unified, here are snippets:

In 2018, the voters of Milpitas aligned with the vision of the school district and governing board to finish Mabel Mattos Elementary School; build new track and fields at our middle schools; add a new performing arts theater at Milpitas High School; improve safety and security from intruders; and complete the new MUSD Innovation Campus for high school students, adult learners and professionals.

• Mabel Mattos Elementary: complete.
• Middle school track and fields: complete.
• Safety and security improvements: in progress.
• MHS performing arts theater: in progress.
• MUSD Innovation Campus: in progress.

All of these bond projects encompass MUSD Strategic Goal #3, Develop education pathways that allow students to apply their passion. 

At the beginning of August, I drove from school to school taking pictures of the new and colorful digital marquees at each school site. My heart smiled. Thank you Milpitas PTAs/PTOs for partnering with our schools and community to make this happen. This effort aligns with MUSD Strategic Goal #2, Improve Communications for better outreach to staff, students and families.

Each school year challenges me in new ways and reminds me that human life is short, precious and that Father Time is undefeated. Many of the familiar faces that helped me to grow as the senior governing board member in the district now have new roles in the district or have changed industries. The last of the teachers and other staff members who taught me have retired. Some have transitioned from this human life to the next. This past summer I attended "Celebration of Life" events for several MUSD employees and past retirees. At some of the celebrations, MUSD employees outnumbered the family members or close friends. We sat together, held hands, cried and reflected, exemplifying MUSD Strategic Goal #1, Build a Culture of WE. 

On the first day of school, I felt a true sense of optimism across our district and Milpitas community. I listened to the hope of  parents and students for a school year that is not disrupted by a global or regional health crisis. I listened to teachers, staff and district leadership reflect on the challenges of the past two years, lessons learned and best practices to take forward in order to best serve ALL of the children who attend our schools. It demonstrated that we are following through with MUSD Strategic Goal #4, Focus on services and support systems to ensure all students are engaged in their learning and Strategic Goal #5, Identify creative, student focused strategies... to ensure healthy learning environments.

Exemplifying “what we say IS what we do” is hard work, good work, and fun. Where do the Board strategic goals align with your leadership? 

In Service,

Chris Norwood

Milpitas Adult Education offers opportunities

for adult learners from around the globe

Cynthia Zhang, Ruby Cheng, JoJo Guo and Umran Yildiz may have arrived in #Milpitas under similar circumstances with their partners relocating to the Bay Area for work.

But the four of them have different reasons why they enrolled in English As A Second Language (#ESL) classes at Milpitas Adult Education (#MAE), which offers beginner to advanced courses for adult learners.

“Our main goal is to help them reach their personal, career, health and financial goals that they have for themselves,” said Elsie Chandler, who has taught ESL to hundreds of adult learners in Milpitas over the last decade.

“Some want a new job; some want to get back into the profession they held in their home country; some want to be able to help their kids and grandkids with their homework; and some want to be more active at their children’s school,” Chandler added.

Click to read more about Milpitas Adult Education's ESL Program

Milpitas HS student activist relishes experience

at SVYCA Climate Change Summit

At only 14 years old, Milpitas High School freshman activist Nia Gupte, founder of CliMatter: Because Climate Change Matters, is already rubbing elbows with the likes of State Senator Dave Cortese, who has worked alongside Governor Newsom to pass climate legislation. 

Gupte attended the Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action (SVYCA) Summit on August 6 in Cupertino, where she was able to make contacts with other student climate activists and exchange ideas on future endeavors.

SVYCA is a youth-led nonprofit that empowers teens and young adults to combat climate change with impactful education and policy initiatives. ​The all-day Climate Summit allowed young activists the opportunity to learn more about a wide range of vital environmental topics such as state legislation, green career options, environmental literacy and effective climate change action during a series of interactive workshops and educational speaker programs. Climate leaders from around Santa Clara County and elsewhere attended the event with local student leaders and city officials.

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“I primarily learned about the different pieces of climate legislation that are being passed through the state, and how it impacts the environmental well-being of our state, as well as other states in the country,” Gupte shared.

Click to read more about Nia Gupte's SVYCA experience

MHS Theatre students have amazing opportunity

to perform in Edinburgh, Scotland

By Kaila Schwartz

MHS Theatre Director

A wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits Milpitas High School Theatre students, with a long-awaited performance at the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

And I, Theatre Director Kaila Schwartz, would like to make sure any MHS thespians who are interested will experience this world renowned festival in all its glory.

First a little background: In the early spring of 2020, for the second time, our MHS Theatre students were selected by a board of governors – after an intensive application process – to perform as part of the Festival Fringe in Scotland. Unfortunately, due to COVID concerns, our trip was postponed.

But now, it’s time to start gearing up for summer 2023, when we will once again create an original play and take it to the festival! Who’s with me?

I was in Edinburgh this summer right at the beginning of this year’s festival for a meeting of theatre directors who will be bringing students to perform next year, and it is just as awesome as ever!

Click to read more about MHS Theatre

Trio of Spangler Elementary students

fundraise to give back to school

Spangler Elementary School fourth graders Ouchithya Yadam, Ghugan Sudarvannan and Shivangsh Roy raised nearly $70 selling their old toys and books at a garage sale over the summer.

The funds raised were not for them, however. Instead, the thoughtful student trio donated to…Spangler Elementary School.

“One day during the summer, my son came and told me that he wants to do a garage sale to sell his old toys and other stuff in front of the house and wants to donate all the money to the school,” shared Ouchithya’s mother Srinivas Yadam.

Once Ouchithya’s mother agreed, he recruited two of his friends and arranged the garage sale over a summer weekend. Together, they raised $68.17, by selling their toys and books for as little as 50 cents apiece.

“It really surprised me that the younger kids think like this to give something back to the school and understanding how schools are helping them to grow,” Srinivas, the parent of Ouchithya, said.

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Their kind act is the Spangler way!

MUSD Summer School 2022 programs

extend learning for myriad of students

As a 2022 Summer School site for five different programs, Thomas Russell Middle School (TRMS) has got plenty of engaged students and passionate instructors on campus in July.

Inside Jaime Won’s classroom, rising 5th graders are learning to be entrepreneurs by creating their own products or services, naming their companies, pitching their ideas to investors, and devising marketing strategies.

“We made bracelets and bookmarks,” said 10-year-old Spangler Elementary student Hayden Lasqueti, who works with five of his summer classmates on designing their products as well as advertising posters for their company named Athena. “It’s been pretty fun.”

One door down in Nicole King’s classroom, rising 6th graders are researching the history of Milpitas and presenting a report on their findings in front of their fellow classmates. Meanwhile, rising 8th graders in Abraham Resngit’s classroom are finding their voice with help from folks at the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center, including Executive Director Dr. Roy Wilson.

Click to read more about Summer School 2022

Raising Awareness for National Suicide Prevention Month

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th. It’s a time to share resources and stories, to remember those affected by suicide, to raise awareness, and to focus efforts on directing treatment to those who need it most. 

The new 9-8-8 crisis number has been in effect since July 2022. This number is an alternative national number specifically designed to locally respond to mental health crises. You can call, text or chat for yourself or on behalf of another. Please share far and wide and #bethe1to save a life. Questions? Read frequently asked questions about the 988 Lifeline.

Have you heard or maybe even used the phrase “committed suicide,” “unsucessful/ attempt?” or “threatened suicide?”, I know I have. These are very common phrases and have been part of our vernacular for a long time. However, language matters and we now know that these phrases can cause unintentional harm.

See Facts about Suicide (#4) for suggestions of other language to use, excerpted from the larger informational document: September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Facts, Tips & Resources, 2022

Foklorico Dancers of Randall Elementary World Languages School

Safe Schools Resolution Video Reading by

MUSD Safety Team

MUSD COVID-19 Testing Clinics for All