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.

Expanding opportunities and access for MUSD learners

On my way to the MUSD Innovation Campus, this news podcast caught my attention: “How a Ford Plant Changed Milpitas.” “What?! Ford changed Milpitas?” I exclaimed to myself. That is not the nucleus of the ingenuity that, in ‘54 forged a new model community for what could be possible everywhere. While Ford needed to assure it had a workforce to run its factory in Milpitas, it was UAW civil rights leader Ben Gross who established the first planned integrated neighborhood in the US -- Sunnyhills. The podcast weaves the history of Sunnyhills with the metamorphosis of the Ford factory to the Great Mall of today. Similarly, the legacy of the Sunnyhills vision is the foundation of our #1 MUSD Strategic Goal; build a Culture of We that engages MUSD partners, families, team members, and community in supporting learner success. 

Our community celebrated Juneteenth at Sunnyhills Augustine Park on June 21st, and it filled my heart to reconnect with students and families who are part of our MUSD history, present, and future. Escuela Parkway is a testament to the transformation in educational pathways we have created. Without ever leaving Escuela, a student can spend their educational years from 4 to 54+ years old attending school at Pomeroy, TRMS, MHS, MUSD Middle College High School, and San Jose City College Extension. At the same time, an educator can spend their career on Escuela experiencing a kaleidoscope of opportunities in MUSD such as parent volunteer, paraprofessional, community liaison, campus safety expert, teacher, principal, board member, or superintendent. We are a community of learners thriving through change and drafting our future together. 

Reflecting on our year, I am inspired by how our learners, team members, and community continue to reimagine what education can be. This spirit of innovation and excellence—rooted in the inclusive vision of Sunnyhills—was recognized across our district in powerful ways this year.

Sinnott Elementary earned the 2024 California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award for its Gold Standard Project Based Learning, demonstrating how curiosity and collaboration can ignite student success. At the MUSD Innovation Campus, MHS Extension educator Sejee Kim was named a 2024–25 KQED Youth Takeover Teacher, empowering student voice through media and civic storytelling. Vincent Tran of Rancho Milpitas Middle School received the 2024 RAFT STEAM Educator of the Year Award, a testament to the minds-on learning happening across our campuses.

We celebrated WASC accreditation awards for MUSD Middle College High School, Milpitas High School, and Milpitas Adult Education, and recognized Curtner, Mattos, TRMS, and Rancho with top rankings amongst elementary and middle schools. Milpitas High School again ranked among the Best High Schools in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report, underscoring our district wide commitment to high expectations and meaningful learning experiences for all.

From classrooms to competitions, our learners shined on local, state, national, and even global stages. MUSD teams earned top honors in badminton, soccer, basketball, volleyball, track, wrestling, cross-country, baseball, marching band, art, speech & debate, Skewb, spelling, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiads, Robotics, and the Silicon Valley Tech Challenge. These victories speak to the range of passions and talents our students cultivate with the support of caring MUSD team members, families, and students.

And as we look ahead, we’re expanding access and opportunity through the launch of three new pathways: Mustang Academy at Calaveras Hills High School, Engineering and Graphics with dual college credit at MHS Extension, and a Tech Elective with AI at Rancho Milpitas Middle School. These initiatives are more than programs—they’re bridges to the future our learners are already shaping.

Together, we are living our mission to empower every learner. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey in MUSD✨

In community, 

The Uncertain Future

WE Are Stronger Together

As WE look ahead to the future of public education in Milpitas, throughout California, and across our nation, WE must recognize the uncertainties with our eyes wide open, hearts connected, and a shared commitment to use our anger, disappointment, and fear as the fuel to poWEr our work together of purpose and unity. WE all wear different hats, have different views, and come from different backgrounds. 

WE are entering a period that will test the strength of our systems, values, and the resilience of our will. Federal support for public education, diversity, equity, and inclusion is shrinking. Our immigrant and international families—who represent the cultural and economic backbone of the Bay Area—are facing new waves of fear and instability. Rising inflation, healthcare costs, and reduced services are challenging how WE care for ourselves, each other and our students. And the era of increasing school funding year after year is giving way to new fiscal realities: the demand to do more with less.

In times like these, the simple path is to assign blame and retreat. The opportunistic and harder path—but more courageous— is to lock arms, recognize our shared humanity, and push forward together.

What Does “Stronger Together” Mean in Milpitas?

It means empathy.

It means listening deeply—to the caregiver struggling with job loss, to the student silently navigating hardship, to the teacher carrying the WEight of both the classroom and their own household. It means recognizing that our site administrators, district leaders, and support staff are balancing countless responsibilities while trying to meet the diverse needs of our school community.

It means respect.

Respect for each other’s lived experiences, professional wisdom, and cultural perspectives. Healthy dialogue is WElcome—but division is not. Disagreement should never distract us from our shared mission: the success of our students. Our students are our children.

It means keeping children at the center.

Every conversation, every challenge, every decision must ansWEr the question: Will this build or destroy? Will it open minds or close hearts? Will it help students learn, grow, and thrive? If the ansWEr isn’t clear, WE find clarity—together.

It means courage.

The courage to speak openly about what isn’t working. The courage to recognize how to use the past to build our tomorrow. We must have the courage to have open ears and stay in the room, even when it’s difficult—because WE are fighting not just for our own children, but for every child in our district.

A Collective Call to Action

To our Superintendent, Executive Cabinet, and Association Leaders:

More than ever, you must lead by example. Our culture, our climate, and our commitment to students will be measured by how WE treat one another. Let us center this work on shared values of faith, hope, and love.

To our classified staff, teachers, and school site teams:

You are the foundation of every success in our district. You are the faces our caregivers and students know and trust. I believe your strength, adaptability, and compassion are the heartbeat of MUSD. Thank you for showing up every day for our kids.

To our caregivers and parents:

WE need your support, patience and presence. Your children are watching everything both of us say and do. They are  learning to lead (or not) from how WE respond. When families, schools and communities work together, our humanity shines.

To our students:

You are the reason WE do this. You push me to grow. You push us to grow, and your brilliance gives us hope. WE see you, WE believe in you, and WE are here for you—always.

The Road Ahead

I consider myself an optimist—and I hold tightly to that optimism, even as the road ahead feels uncertain. I won’t let it go, because I believe in our MUSD leaders, MUSD educators, MUSD classified team members, Milpitas families, amazing students, and the collective poWEr of “WE.”

A good friend of mine once said to me, “Focused persistence is systemic resistance.” None of us can navigate these challenges alone. But together, WE can do something extraordinary together. WE must do something extraordinary together. Every crisis presents a choice—and every choice creates an opportunity. Let us choose to lead with courage and resolve. Let us choose to serve with compassion. Let us choose to build a future grounded not in fear, but in human excellence. WE must be stronger together. The choice is ours. 

In community,

Chris Norwood

President, Milpitas Unified School District Board of Trustees 2024-2025

State Board Member of Year Blog

Making Connections! Milpitas HS seniors share advice with Zanker 6th graders moving forward to middle school

Over at Zanker Elementary School, a new tradition is burgeoning that connects current 6th graders with former Zanker students who are now Milpitas High School seniors to offer guidance and advice as they prepare for the transition to middle school.

“The (high school) seniors were thoughtful in their responses, provided some great advice, and eased some of the anxiety that the sixth graders have before they move into secondary education,” shared Zanker Elementary School Principal Hetal Patel of the inaugural Zanker Senior Breakfast on June 2.

Click to read more about Zanker Senior Breakfast

MUSD teams win half dozen Tech Challenge Awards

Six teams from seven different Milpitas Unified School District schools earned awards at this year’s 38th Annual Tech Challenge Final Showcase, which took place May 3-4 in San Jose. More than 600 teams of 4th-12th grade students put their creative solutions and engineering journals to the test in front of judges.

MUSD Tech Challenge winners were:

• Judge’s Choice Momentum Team #24 Rolling Ducks Randall Elementary School;
• Outstanding Engineering Journal Team #203 Quantum Queens Sinnott Elementary School;
• Outstanding Device Performance Team #191 Burnett Elementary School;
• Outstanding Engineering Design Process Team #425 Navitas Explorers Zanker Elementary School;
• Jerry Lovelace Love of Engineering Award Team #190 Tech Titans Burnett Elementary School; and
• Judges’ Inspiration Award Team #93 Milpitas Explorers Pomeroy Elementary School, Curtner Elementary School, Thomas Russell Middle School.

Click to read more about Tech Challenge

Pair of MUSD Odyssey of the Mind teams

place in top 7 of World Finals

Two Milpitas Unified School District problem-solving, creative teams placed in the top 7, while three other teams finished amongst the top 25 at the 2025 Odyssey of the Mind World finals, which were held May 21-24 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

• 4th Place: Sinnott Elementary School’s Wildcat Crusher Squad (Ananya Chava, Anika Pasuparthi, Bhuvan Tej, Maanvi Vasagiri, Nandita Gautam, Riya Sirsi, Sparsh Mittra)
• 7th Place: Curtner Elementary School’s Mech Marvels (Krisha Praveen, Ananya Madabusi, Ahana Mathur, Isha Srinivasan, Vihaan Mathur, Shanaya Agarwal, Mahathi Gopalakrishnan)

Click to read more about Odyssey of the Mind

Students explore STEM with Zanker's GirlStart program

With 30 students signed up and actively participating, the Zanker Elementary School GirlStart program flourished during the 2024-25 school year. Girlstart’s mission is to empower girls to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through fun, hands-on learning experiences. The program engages students in nationally recognized informal STEM education activities designed to spark interest, deepen understanding, and build confidence. Throughout the program, two GirlStart leaders cultivated a culture where risk is rewarded, curiosity is encouraged, and creativity is expected.

Some of the STEM careers the girls explored during their time in GirlStart, along with the hands-on activities that brought them to life:

• Petroleum Engineers: Students explored renewable and nonrenewable resources by "mining" chocolate chips from cookies, aiming to cause as little environmental damage as possible. They used various tools to determine the most effective method for extracting the "coal" (chocolate chip) deposits while maximizing profit and minimizing environmental impact.

Click to read more about GirlStart

MHS Extension at MUSD Innovation Campus student projects selected for KQED Youth Takeover

A talented trio of MHS Extension at #MUSD Innovation Campus student creators, Bryan Nguyen, Patrick Laszczyk and Sameer Sharma, were among select youth chosen for the KQED Youth Media Takeover, with their media projects broadcast on KQED. Nguyen, Laszczk and Sharma are students in Ms. Sejee Kim's 10th grade ELA class.

Each spring, Bay Area youth take over KQED’s TV, radio and digital channels and have their say about the issues affecting their lives. Now in its 8th season, this year’s cohort of Youth Takeover participants includes more than 300 students, from 14 high school classrooms in 7 Bay Area counties, who will work with KQED Youth Media staff in their classrooms and on field trips to the recording studios at KQED headquarters.

Watch:

• Bryan Nguyen - Martial Law in South Korea: A Nation's Fight for Freedom
• Patrick Laszczyk & Sameer Sharma - How to turn Ideas into Reality

Thomas Russell MS

Rancho Milpitas MS

Milpitas High School

Calaveras Hills HS

MUSD Middle College HS

Milpitas Adult Education

MUSD Post Secondary

More images from all of our end of year ceremonies can be found on our MUSD Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor and X.

Milpitas Adult Ed ESL