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.

Building a foundation for innovation in learning

MUSD is home to learners from 3 to 60+ years old, and each is venturing on their pathway towards making a difference in our community as trailblazers known for creativity and ingenuity. Our learners include our MUSD team members who are excited about how we work together to provide each with environments and experiences that allow them to be their best selves in our school community and beyond. Here is a glimpse of what our MUSD Team has to offer our students this year:

• Gaining foundational reading and numeracy skills through play for preschool aged children at our Rose and Sunnyhills Child Development Centers;
• At our elementary schools, new this year is a monthly arts, computer coding, and music appreciation learning block funded thru the CA Prop 28 Arts and Music in Schools grant; 
• Mandarin language has been incorporated at the Randall World Languages School providing our learners with two language development pathways in addition to English, and our inaugural dual immersion class is entering 7th grade -- our World Languages School is now a TK-8th grade school!
• Pathways for secondary students are expanding with career exploration excursions for middle through high school students, virtual design courses, business, education/social work, engineering, environmental science, dual enrollment in college courses, 100+ after school clubs, scholar athletics, Milpitas Manufacturing Day, and more!
• The Milpitas Adult School provides learners with opportunities to gain career technical English language skills, high school diplomas, medical tech certificates, and has launched a career center at the MUSD Innovation Campus.

We are committed to assuring our students have safe and secure facilities, and want to see them in school every day to maximize their engagement in these and other multi-faceted learning opportunities. 

This year we are mapping the blueprint for building on the foundation for innovation in learning that we have established together. This guiding compass will be built on our MUSD Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Strategic Commitments. The document will encompass our new Graduate Aims, Technology Plan, Revenue Generation Strategies, and Facilities Plan. Watch for information in the next month about how you can contribute to the development of our MUSD Education Master Plan.  

In a Culture of We, let’s embark on the 2023-24 journey together strengthening MUSD as a community of learners and building endless possibilities for All!

In Community,

Welcome Back MUSD! Let's build our future together!

It all starts with “good morning.” A good morning to oneself. A good morning to a significant other, a parent, colleague, a sibling. When you arrive to work in the Milpitas Unified School district that good morning will extend to a coworker, and when the first day of school starts that good morning will extend to our students. 

When I wake up in the morning, on most days, I greet myself with a good morning. Now sometimes I don’t respond, but more often than not, I respond in 3rd person: “Good morning, Chris Norwood.”

That first greeting has meaning. I am hopeful we are all are greeting each other with positivity to start our days. Every employee, child, and adult learner of MUSD is a part of our multicultural village, our fabric – our diverse tapestry. 

Over this past summer, we had some amazing summer school programs across the district. We even had a program at the West Valley Campus in Saratoga. For all those who were able to give and share time with our children over the summer, We see you, We thank you. 

We’ve had shifts in leadership at the District office, our school sites, leading our associations, and new leaders from other spaces and places join us. We see you. We thank you. 

I am a firm believer of the saying, “Can’t know where you’re going until you know where you have been.” 

Where have we been? 

The city of Milpitas was incorporated in 1954. Its relationship with public education began 51 years earlier in 1903 with Airpoint School in 1903. 

After Airpoint School there was: Milpitas Grammar School in 1912 (Milpitas Library site) which served all grades until 1956; Weller Elementary in 1956 (formerly Sunnyhills Elementary and was the first school of the school district); Spangler Elementary in 1956; Samuel Ayer, the first high school in Milpitas (1956) originally a part of East Side Union HSD; Rose Elementary in 1959; Thomas Russell 1961; Gertrude Abel Elementary 1962; Burnett Elementary in 1963; Curtner Elementary in 1964; Randall Elementary in 1965; Martin Murphy 1966 (Merryhill); Pomeroy in 1967; Rancho in 1967; Sinnott 1968; Pearl Zanker 1969; Milpitas HS 1969; Calaveras Hills HS 1969; in December 1968 the Milpitas Unified School District was born; and decades later San Jose City College-Milpitas Extension 2016; Mabel Mattos 2018; Milpitas Middle College S 2021; and MUSD Innovation Campus (Phase 1) 2023.

Now Where Are We Going? 

The future of MUSD is in our hands. And when I say our hands, I mean the Milpitas School District Governing Board, Superintendent, each executive cabinet member, classified management and employees, certificated management and employees, contractors, volunteers, regionally elected officials, community leaders, residents and Milpitas families.  

Welcome Back MUSD!

Click to read full version of this SBMOY Blog Post

Chris Norwood

State Board Member of Year Blog

Randall students sell bracelets for Maui fundraiser

When Randall World Languages School third grader Catherine Haughey learned about the devastation of the fires in Maui, she immediately wanted to find a way to help the victims, their families and the local community over there.

“Every year, me and my family go to Hawaii. When we saw what had happened on the news, my mom and dad were so sad,” shared Haughey, who jumped into action and started making beaded bracelets to sell at school as a fundraiser. “I have a bracelet set and hadn't opened the box so my mom helped me make them.”

Haughey now sells the bracelets for $1 during recess and lunch to her schoolmates and Randall staff.

Click to read more about Maui fundraiser

MUSD Alumni Profile: Stacey Boyd, MHS Class of 1987

Building character through competition, specifically in the Milpitas Elementary Olympics (MEO) and on the football gridiron, 1987 Milpitas High School alumnus Stacey Boyd grew into an education leader of today.

As the Superintendent of Maricopa County Community College High School District, Boyd’s leadership position “not only provides me the privilege to oversee the day-to-day operations of our school district, but allows me the provisions to influence change, inspire teachers, and serve my community.”

The now 54-year-old professional educator, who owns a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies, a Master’s of Education in Curriculum & Instruction, and working toward his Doctorate in Education (2025), attended Spangler Elementary, Thomas Russell Middle School and then MHS. Beginning in elementary school, the aspiring track star blossomed in the athletic forum.

Click to read more about MUSD Alumni

MUSD receives $1.5M grant for Innovation Campus

Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) was recently awarded a $1.5 million grant from Assemblymember Alex Lee’s District 24 Office to support local workforce development through the construction of the MUSD Innovation Campus.

“I’m excited to secure $1.5 million in the 2023-2024 state budget for MUSD’s Innovation Campus,” said Assemblymember Lee. “The funding will help MUSD build new learning experiences for high schoolers and adult learners, enriching its workforce development pathways. Doing so will help the school district prepare learners of all backgrounds to enter the dynamic workforce.”

A first-of-its-kind high school through adult, early childhood education research and workforce development center–located on the site of the former Samuel Ayer High School–the MUSD Innovation Campus will be a hub for future-ready learners of all ages to connect with local businesses and partners within classrooms and labs tailored to provide a real-world education.

Click to read more about MUSD Innovation Campus grant

MUSD Alumni Profile: Eric Welker, MHS Class of 1994

As a Director of Learning Development at RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching), 1994 Milpitas High School alumnus Eric Welker develops curriculum support materials such as project guides and hands-on activities for educators.

The 47-year-old, who attended Curtner Elementary and Thomas Russell Middle School prior to MHS, credits his education career pathway to “the rigorous science and math curricula teachers used in my years at these schools helped foster a passion for these subjects.”

Welker’s resume includes a BA-Biology, MA-Education and Single Subject Teaching Credential as well as teaching biology, chemistry and math at Silver Creek High School, Cupertino High School, and for Modesto City Schools and Stanislaus County Office of Education for about 12 years.

Click to read more about Eric Welker

STEMGirls Milpitas HS challenge young learners

with virtual summer program

This summer, 100 Milpitas Unified School District 4th-6th grade students have been immersed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the STEMGirls Milpitas High School’s 2023 STEMpower program.

STEMGirls Milpitas HS partnered with the MHS Math Club, Medical Society, Environmental Society, and Aerotech to organize this ongoing summer program, with a focus on STEM subjects that often intimidate students or certain populations like women are underrepresented in.

Click to read more about STEMGirls

Milpitas Kiwanis Club continues to support

underserved youth in variety of ways

The Kiwanis Club of Milpitas currently has 23 members, all local residents, many of whom have been involved as community volunteers in many organizations and projects over time, most, but not all, with the school district.

Kiwanis International is focused on “serving the children of the world,” and the work that our Club does is part of that mission, according to Ron Lind, Kiwanis Club Secretary.

“I joined Kiwanis because I wanted to make a difference in the community in which I reside,” said Lind, the longest-serving Kiwanis member who has served as the Club President five times over the last 25 years with the Club. “I joined because I found the community-based projects of the Club to be compelling and greatly-needed.”

Click to read more on Kiwanis

MUSD students learn about city's energy infrastructure

Milpitas Unified School District students from our middle and high schools had an amazing tour of City Hall over the summer. They heard from the engineers at Engie about their comprehensive energy infrastructure project. Students visited several energy-efficiency components of City Hall and were guided by the project’s Construction Manager and Project Manager.

City of Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano, an MUSD alumna, greeted the students and shared her history as a student in our schools and discussed her current initiatives to support our city’s efforts to create a carbon-neutral community in Milpitas.

Volunteers sought for Parcel Tax Oversight Committee

MUSD is actively recruiting volunteers for its Measure E Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. WE are on year 1 of an 8-year $84.00 a year parcel tax extension.

The #PTOC is to provide oversight and accountability on the expenditures funded by Measure E to ensure that said funds are spent for the purposes approved by the voters. The PTOC will review the expenditures of these funds by the District and will report to the Board of Education and the community annually on how these funds have been spent.

Click to read more about PTOC

2023 Milpitas Elementary Olympics

The Milpitas Elementary Olympics returned to Milpitas High School in May 2023, with more than 600 3rd-6th grade student competitors representing our 10 elementary schools in a friendly, community-wide competition.