Board Highlights April 22, 2016

Transcription

Board Highlights
April 22, 2016
Table of Contents
Save the Date!...................................................................................................................................................................2
School Events with attachments ...................................................................................................................................4
Marketing Postcard ..........................................................................................................................................................8
MUSD New Hire Social Strives to Make the Best Match .........................................................................................9
Candice Lao Recognized as the Top Female Valley Oak League Student-Athlete at the A. Dale
Lacky/CSEA Scholarship Awards Breakfast............................................................................................................ 12
Great Learning Grows in the Labs at Manteca High School ................................................................................. 14
Seventh Annual Planet Party Day Welcomes MUSD 6th Graders ........................................................................ 20
Brock Elliot, Ripona Set Gold Standard (Manteca Bulletin) .................................................................................. 21
East Union High Celebrates The Arts (Manteca Bulletin) ..................................................................................... 23
Vick Scores Spot in Hall of Fame (Manteca Bulletin) ............................................................................................. 26
50 new teachers joining MUSD (Manteca Bulletin) ................................................................................................ 28
William Penn, Colorado State Land EU Standouts (Manteca Bulletin) ............................................................... 30
Fun Run Saturday Marking JROTC’s 100th Anniversary (Manteca Bulletin) ...................................................... 32
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Community Outreach & Innovative Programs
Save the Date!
 EUHS’s JROTC will be celebrating the 100th birthday of the JROTC program with a
5k run. JROTC was first established on April 23, 1916.
April 23, 2016
EUHS Front Yard
7:00am / 7:30 am cake cutting ceremony
 2016 MUSD District Art Show “Best of the Best”
Manteca Unified District Office
April 26, 2016
4:00pm-7:00pm
 FFA Drive Thru BBQ
Behind the Sierra High Ag Department
May 4, 2016
4:40pm – 7:30pm
Click here for flyer
 Weston Ranch FFA
Drive Through BBQ- ALL MEALS ARE PRE-ORDER
Contact: Chris Livengood clivengood@musd.net
Weston Ranch FFA Advisor / Agriculture Educator
May 18, 2016
3:00pm – 6:00pm
Gold Member Supporters: $40 Whole Family Meal- Includes Whole tri tip, 16oz baked beans, Bag of
Salad, & 5 rolls.
Silver Member Supporter: $22 Couple Meal- Includes 1/2 tri tip, 8oz baked beans, half a bag of salad, & 3
rolls
Single Survivor Member: $12 Lonely meal: Includes 1/2lb of tri-tip, serving of baked beans, serving of
salad & 2 rolls.
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
Weston Ranch High School Performing Arts Presents: Cinderella The Musical
Weston Ranch High Theater
April 28, 2016 - Preview Night / 6:00pm
April 29, 2016 – Opening Night / 7:00pm
Click here for additional dates and times
 2016 STEM Summer Camps
2016 STEM Summer Camps are on the horizon! Starting June 6th, Secondary Education has weekly camps
offered to current MUSD students entering jr. high or high school.
Lunch is included, and classes are free! If your student wishes to take home their project, a project fee will
be required.
Join MUSD this summer in discovering more incredible ways science, technology, engineering and math
affect our everyday life.
To Register, or for more information, please visit http://mantecausd.net/schools/melsgarage or email
melsgarage@musd.net
Click here to view flyer
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Community Outreach & Innovative Programs Dept.
School Events with attachments
Friday, April 21, 2016
Woodward Says Farewell to Retiring Educators
Congratulations to three amazing educators, who have been an integral part of
the Woodward family, who are retiring at the end of this school year! A warm
thank you to teacher Christina Frederick, who has given 26 years with MUSD,
teacher Sharon Papineau with 15 years, and teacher Rebecca Robinson with 20
years given to MUSD. They will be greatly missed as we wish them many
adventures. Once a mustang, always a mustang! #wwmustangpride
Mustang Teacher Martha Martinez named MUSD Jr. High Educator of the Year
Woodward Elementary is extremely proud of 7th grade teacher Martha Martinez. Named MUSD Jr. High
Educator of the Year, Martha is greatly innovative with her language arts students incorporating technology
at every opportunity. Martha also teaches social studies and a language arts elective class. Woodward will
be celebrating her success with our Board of Trustees, at MUSD’s approaching Board meeting.
Congratulations Mrs. Martinez! You are commended and supported by all fellow Mustangs.
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School Events
with attachments
Attention Lathrop Warriors and
Supporters!
The April edition of the Warrior
Express, with a sneak peek into May,
is here!
The warriors have been busy prepping for eighth grade promotion,
raising money for the American Cancer Society, celebrating Mission
Madness, ELAC meetings, welcoming author Michael Elsohn Ross
for Family Night, and honoring the character pillar of the month,
Fairness.
Principal David Silveira is very proud of his Warriors; together they
look forward to a Staff and Volunteer Appreciation Week, Walk-JogA-Thon Fundraiser, Trimester Awards, and Promotion Day.
Take a full view of the Warrior Express, here.
EU Collects Votes and Raises Funds
East Union is celebrating and promoting
cancer awareness by paying one dollar to vote
for their favorite teacher to perform in an
epic rap battle! During the week, Lancers are
wearing a different color each day to
represent a cancer ribbon color. Every dollar
raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
Best of luck to the two brave teachers who will be voted in to show
their rhyme and rhythm; may the best Rappin’ Lancer win!
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School Events
with attachments
WRHS SDC Class goes for a Rockin’ Jump
Mrs. Aubrey Lewis’ Special Day Class organizes the daily operation of the
Cougar Café selling bagels, muffins, coffee, and hot chocolate to WRHS staff.
Students are able to raise funds for special outings, while learning on-the-job skill
sets. To end this school year with a bang, the class visited Rockin’ Jump in
Modesto where students participated in a rock
climb, foam pit, dodgeball court and more.
“Mrs. Lewis does an excellent job of providing
her students with opportunities to grow and
practice the kills they are developing on our
campus”, Francine Baird, WRHS Principal.
Cougars Celebrate Autism Awareness
Month
“As a staff and family, WRHS is proud to promote
Autism awareness for the month of April. By doing
so, we hope to encourage respect of those affected
by Autism as well as knowledge of Autism on and
off of our campus. We would like to sound the
alarm to everyone that Autism awareness isn’t
enough; we are promoting Autism acceptance! Go
Cougars!”, Francine Baird, WRHS Principal.
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School Events
with attachments
Sierra’s very own art teacher, Mrs. Devon York, has a ceramic sculpture on
display as part of the Turlock Regional High School Teachers Art Exhibition,
sponsored by SCU-Stanislaus. In addition to teaching at Sierra High, Mrs.
York also serves as the District Art Coordinator.
Visit the gallery April 21st-May 5th to view Mrs. York’s work. Here for more
information.
Nutrition Education Farm to
School Supervisor Cole Dutter
and his students Captured a bee
swarm at Manteca High School.
The last photograph is called ‘fanning’, bees do this when
the Queen Bee is in the hive.
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Marketing Postcard
District Office
Operations
Nutrition Education
4/19/16
In an effort to reach more families, the meal tracking software was used to identify households whose students
had not eaten school meals since the beginning of the calendar year. A postcard was designed using photos
of actual meals offered at MUSD and listed some sales points to consider. These included cost savings, the
fact that fresh local produce is served with every meal, and that breakfast is offered every school day.
Preliminary results show 12% of students who reeicved the mailing participated in the school meals the
first week after mailing.
Click here to view attachment
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NEWS RELEASE
Contact info:
April 18, 2016
Bonnie Bennett
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Director of Certificated Personnel
Photos attached
209.858.0794
bbennett@mantecausd.net
MUSD New Hire Social Strives to Make the Best Match
Second only to the stress of landing a job for a new teacher, can be the stress over feeling comfortable at
your newly assigned school site.
As a follow up event to the Manteca Unified School District Job Fair, held February 20th at the MUSD
district office, 50 newly hired teachers for the 2016-2017 school year were invited Tuesday to Sierra High
School for a chance to get to know the principals at each school site with openings.
Bonnie Bennett, the MUSD Director of Certificated Personnel, explained, “We creatively put in place a new
and efficient way that would allow principals to have input on which new teachers would be best fits for
their sites as well as hire quickly so as not to lose out on the top teaching candidates in the field. We had
screening interviews at the job fair, and principals were able to interview some candidates, but not all. Those
candidates who were given tentative offers have a chance tonight to meet more principals, have a few
minutes of conversation and see if it is a good fit or not. The candidates are prioritizing the top ten sites on
their wish list of MUSD schools.”
New hires to the district can only get so much from looking at a website. On February 13th, the teachers had
a chance to talk with several principals and feel more comfortable.
Bennett believes that this is the first time MUSD has tried this approach. “I was excited about it because I
believe a teacher who is placed at his or her school of choice will be inclined to fully participate in the
school. So, when we are looking for long-term commitment during a teacher shortage, giving new hires a
voice in their teaching assignments and building positive relationships from the start is essential,” said
Bennett.
One dedicated new hire, Constance Blackmon, said “I took a driving tour of the district because it is nice to
know the location of the school and get a feel for the community around the school. I’m not from Manteca,
and it took quite some time to look at every school site in all three cities. I’m from Turlock and was
educated in Modesto at Brandman University.”
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Explaining how she was recruited, Blackmon said, “I chose Manteca because Bonnie Bennett came and
spoke to my credential class and really pulled me in. I just love her! I then saw her at the job fair, and she
interviewed me and I got the job. I couldn’t be more excited!”
Many of MUSD’s newly hired teachers will work at one of the district’s K-8 schools and talked to many of
the principals present at the event. Some had a more targeted approach.
Bennett explained, “In ten job fairs I have been to, there has only been 1 physics candidate and two math
candidates.”
That newly hired physics teacher, who will be starting at Weston Ranch High School this fall, has a unique
path to Manteca. Csaba Hegyi, (pronounced Chaba Agee) shared, “I am Hungarian and this is my fourth
year in the United States. My wife is from Modesto. I have some friends who are teachers here and I have
heard lots of good things about the district.”
“(Manteca employees) just seem that they are so happy all the time. It seems like they are happy with their
job and in their private life. They are my climbing partners; I do all kinds of climbing,” said Hegyi.
Another new hire who has a unique journey is James Gray, from New Orleans. Gray explained, “I
transferred from Southern University, as a junior, when Hurricane Katrina hit. I was born and raised in New
Orleans. I was one of the people who fled from the storm, the day before, and we lost everything in the
storm. Losing everything makes you work a lot harder.”
He continued, “I came to Manteca Unified because I believe that there is growth here. I am interested in
going into administration and looking for more opportunities to be there when I’m ready to make that
transition. They are very friendly here, which is right up my alley. Being southern, we like talking to people.”
Not one to let his difficult journey get him down, Gray also shared, “I try to bring a little southern culture to
the classroom. One year we made beignets in the classroom and parents came in to help. We even threw our
own little Mardi Gras and told them what that is about.”
The event welcomed some local talent as well. Devanée Quaresma said, “I’m really excited and so thankful
for this opportunity. I have really wanted to work with Manteca Unified School District for a while now. I
just actually moved from Idaho. I graduated from Boise State, but I grew up here in Manteca, so I’m so
happy to be back. I wanted to get out of the area when I graduated from high school because California was
hit pretty hard with the economy.”
Another local is headed to Lathrop High School to teach biology. Megan Smith explained, “Yes, I’m excited
to be a Spartan. It helps because I am an East Union Alumni and my husband is a Sierra Alumni, so we are
going to find some neutral ground here in Lathrop.”
“I grew up here in Manteca and got my bachelors from UC Davis in Genetics. I’ve been teaching with the
One Program with the County and Teacher’s College for two years and working through my intern program
there. I am finishing up my credential there in a month, and decided to make a move over here to Manteca.
I have also started my Masters in STEM Education through Teacher’s College,” said Smith.
Another local, Erika Mallory said, “I love this event because we get to meet and get a good feel for whether
or not we will fit with the schools. I really like Lathrop elementary. I like the small school feel. I grew
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up in Tracy but now live in Lathrop. I graduated from Tracy high school. I chose Manteca Unified because
of the technology program and it is close to home.”
To explain this mix of teachers coming to MUSD, Bennett further commented, “Approximately two-thirds
of our applicants are new to the profession and one-third are veterans. Teachers seem to want to work in
Manteca because of the top salaries, the digital opportunities for students and staff, and because Manteca
has an excellent reputation for being both innovative and yet stable.”
The voice and opinion of friends can certainly be compelling as MUSD teachers refer others to our dynamic
district. Crystal Fielder said, “I have subbed at the district for over a year, and I’m glad that I got the
opportunity to see some of the different schools before joining the team. I have two good friends over at
Joseph Widmer.”
Praising the professionalism of MUSD site administrators and the dedication of her team in the MUSD
Personnel Department, Bennett is, without a doubt “Proud to Be MUSD!”
-- ### --
The Manteca Unified School District (MUSD) serves more than 23,000 students. MUSD School Board envisions students
experiencing the highest level of excitement and engagement while being supported and realizing their pinnacle of academic and emotional
success. This occurs when every school day is relevant, rigorous and leads them to become productive and engaged members of society.
College..Career..Life…
www.mantecausd.net
www.facebook.com/proudtobemusd
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Sierra High School
1700 Thomas Street, Manteca, CA 95337
(209) 858-7424
PRESS RELEASE
From the Office of the Principal
Office: 209.858.7413
Office E-mail: soliver@musd.net
FAX (209) 858-7553
April 20, 2016
Pictured: Candice Lao, Mario Lao (Father)
Candice Lao Recognized as the Top Female Valley Oak League Student-Athlete
at the A. Dale Lacky/CSEA Scholarship Awards Breakfast
Candice Lao, Sierra High School Senior, was honored at the annual A. Dale Lacky/CSEA Scholarship breakfast in
Lodi on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. The Lacky scholarship recognizes the top female and male student-athletes
from each of the twenty-six Sac-Joaquin Section leagues. The award is a combination of academic and athletic
achievement at the varsity level. Ms. Lao has been a member of the SHS track and field team for four years and
for the cross country team for the past three years. In cross country, she received the “Mike Thomson Character
Counts” Award, was named All-VOL twice and was the team’s MVP her senior year. In track and field, she was
the Most Improved runner and qualified for the Section Masters meet her junior year.
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Candice doesn’t just display her talents on the athletic field, as she is also a big part of Sierra’s marching band,
concert band, symphonic band, County Honor Band, Interact Club, Relay for Life and Link Crew. She volunteers
her time for community service projects through the Interact Club, Habitat for Humanity and the St. Anthony’s
Harvest Festival. Despite her busy extra-curricular activity schedule, Candice has earned a 4.21 GPA, which has
garnered her Valedictorian honors for the Sierra High School class of 2016! She will be taking her talents to the
University of California at Los Angeles in the fall, where she will major in global health or biology with the future
goal of becoming a medical doctor.
Perhaps Candice’s greatest attribute is not one in which accolades are awarded, or medals adorned, or
something that can be placed on a résumé, but that she is a genuinely compassionate and motivated individual
who cares about those around her. She has donated many hours of community service serving meals to those in
need and providing them with hope during the holidays. Candice is truly one of Sierra High School and the
Valley Oak League’s finest! Congratulations Candice!
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NEWS RELEASE
Contact info:
April 21, 2016
Peter Gale
Community Outreach and Innovative Programs
Photo attached and available on site
209-858-0811
@peterngale
pgale@musd.net
Great Learning Grows in the Labs at Manteca High School
Following their initial foray into “green” construction with the Regional Environmental Studies Center
(RESC) building at the district office, Manteca Unified School District established their first eco-friendly
classrooms at Manteca High School in January of 2015. A year later, students learn great things in these
classrooms.
Transitioning from his lecture to the lab portion of the lesson, Troy White—Science department chair and
AP Biology teacher at Manteca High School—reviews some of the concepts his students learned in
preparation for this lab.
“What happens when we place the sample on ice?” asked White, looking around the room. After listening to
his student’s response, he said, “Yes, that’s right. The reaction, or growth, slows down.”
Students worked in pairs or small groups following the lab directions independently. In this kind of
environment, precision is important. “This lab tasks them to grow E.Coli bacteria and try to get a plasmid,
which is a section of DNA that has a gene to make the bacteria glow from a jellyfish,” said White. “So, we
are actually transforming the bacteria to get it to do something that it would never do in nature.”
As students alternated between the back of the room, where the heat and ice baths are kept, and back to
their group tables to see the next step, White commented, “The nice thing about it is that with a lab like this,
the students actually learn more from their failure than their success, because they are able to backtrack and
see what procedure was missed and what happened.”
Turning to the class again, White instructed, “Whenever you use a sterile loop to spread bacteria into your
plasmid, be sure to put that loop into the bleach when you are finished with it. We do not want to carry
bacteria around the room.”
As students moved back to their tables, White commented, “Lab stations are mobile so that we can adjust
the classroom however the teacher wants to adjust it, but we also have the more convenient electrical
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and gas outlets. Before, I had to switch classes with the other chemistry teacher to run a lab and I didn’t
really have the ability to run Bunsen burner labs in my classroom.”
White moved around the room and monitored progress. “So, we want to put it in the hot bath to get the
reaction going,” announced White. “But this is one of those things that I want you to use your cell phones
to time precisely. It must be exactly 5 minutes, no more and no less. This type of heat shocking loosens the
cell membrane and allows the glow gene to enter the DNA.”
“These experiments have definitely opened my eyes to the different opportunities there are in the science
field,” said Andrew Brunn, junior and AP Biology student. “Learning how to use different tools and
techniques early gives me an advantage over students who may not have had the same experience I did in
the classroom.”
Aside, White commented, “It is almost better when mistakes happen because then they go back and see and
learn from their mistakes.”
Working with four different samples with different lab conditions, students would then hypothesize what
happens to the bacteria. Will it grow? Will it glow? Or will it die?
Labs like these are possible both because of a partnership with Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, and
because of the building the class is held in.
For some students, this AP Biology class was not their first exposure to a modern energy efficient
classroom. Five years ago, American Modular Systems (AMS) closed down their entire plant to allow the
first class of 6th grade Environmental Stewards, Manteca USD Students, to come experience what these
modern eco-friendly learning environments look like. Andrew Brunn was one of those Environmental
Stewards students five years ago. Today, he learns in one of these eco friendly classrooms.
“The difference between the science classrooms and standard classrooms is that it feels like you are actually
in a laboratory doing these experiments,” said Brunn.
In partnership with Manteca Unified’s L.O.G.I.C. (Leadership on Green Initiatives Committee), these sixth
grade students donned hard hats and took a tour of the factory. The learned about modern modular
construction and how the use of design and materials work together to produce an eco-friendly building.
During their visit, students completed a variety of tasks to help reinforce their understanding of the need for
sustainable energy, recycling, and the long-term cost savings inherent to energy efficient design.
Some students presented their poster projects, showing with their own designs the scope of their learning
from this exciting day.
American Modular Systems (AMS) created a classroom wing with unmatched energy efficiency. This new
science wing features easy maintenance and versatile building design. The Gen7 classrooms are the ideal
platform for integrating technology and science education in a quiet, healthy learning environment.
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“We are switching to the NGSS standards which is more project based learning. We are working with the
PASCO equipment. They are using their tablets to collect data, in biology that has been really nice,” said
White. “They can take real time data. Let’s say they are running an experiment to measure the amount of
oxygen a leaf is giving off. They can stick this probe in there, shine a light onto that leaf, and the probe can
measure that oxygen is being produced instantly by that leaf. Or, when they turn off the light, they can see
the oxygen level going down as well.”
AMS worked closely with the design team to future-proof the customized interior and exterior space,
masterfully blending modern clean-lined architecture with the rich history of the past. An elongated wing
houses six science classrooms and three lab prep areas, each with wireless access and efficiently clustered
into three two-classroom lab sections.
“The store rooms are great. It is set up really well and the class seems to be fairly spacious,” said White.
“When I looked at the dimensions, I thought these rooms are not big enough, but they are actually set up
really nicely. The cabinetry is great for storage and we have the chemical shower. Everything is just nice
here.”
Aaron Bowers, who was the Coordinator of Construction Management for MUSD at the time, explained,
“Building a ground-up science facility on an active campus, in a tight construction area, with limited access
and minimal disruption to students and staff, was certainly a significant challenge. AMS delivered, giving us
a beautiful building that uses every foot of educational space to satisfy the needs of school curriculum while
still respecting the environment, student culture and the historic attributes of our existing campus.”
In addition to the natural ventilation system, these Gen 7 science classrooms utilize an innovative smart
lighting system. Its Energy Star skylights help take full advantage of daylight harvesting while preventing
heat gain and loss. Light sensors even measure the amount of natural light in the room and automatically
dim interiors to minimize waste. It is common for these classrooms to need zero artificial light during the
school day.
“The feature that is really neat is the natural lighting. Most of the time we don’t even have to turn on the
lights in here. The students seem to like the natural lighting a whole lot better than the fluorescent lights,”
said White. “Their moods seem to be better. Most of the time I can get away with just the natural lighting.
We can shut the light vents if we need to. The projector is great and sound system is great as well.”
“As a part of Prop 39, we will but putting solar panels on the building later this year,” said Bowers, current
Director of Operations. “The solar panels on this wing will help offset our second largest meter on campus.
It should offset all of the electricity consumption of that wing, making it pretty close to a zero net energy
wing of classrooms.”
Another amazing thing is that all of these features do not add up to a noisier science lab because the AMS
Gen 7 design limits outside noise and absorbs echo. While a typical classroom will have an acoustical range
of 55 – 77 decibels, Gen 7 classrooms with their canted ceiling and indoor acoustical design achieves a
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whisper quiet environment of only 35 decibels. This reduces strain on the teacher’s voice and helps maintain
an effective lab atmosphere.
In a space where quiet concentration can make a huge difference, this building provides an ideal space for
learning.
Watching these engaged students work on their lab, it seemed as if they felt more peaceful and focused in
this environment. A few of them quietly gave each other a high five, as they finished the lab and appreciated
the silent smile of Mr. White.
Tomorrow, they would be back to see the fruit of their experiments. As they clean up, Mr. White adds, “Just
wait, next Monday we will do a lab with DNA fingerprinting.”
As the students began to clean up, White explained, “In the DNA fingerprinting lab, they learn real life
techniques that they would use in a forensics lab. They have to learn about not cross contaminating their
samples. They have to learn how to store their samples in the proper way.”
“The hands on learning gives me an idea of what the science field will be like if I take an interest in that
career in the future,” said Brunn.
“They have to really learn what is going on in order to do this lab,” said White. “They have to holistically
think about why they are doing each step.”
Moving from rooms spread out on the campus to the new science wing at Manteca High School has made a
huge difference. These future scientists learn in an eco-friendly place that helps their learning thrive.
-- ### -The Manteca Unified School District (MUSD) serves more than 23,000 students. MUSD School Board envisions students
www.mantecausd.net
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Troy White, AP Biology teacher and science department chair, coaches students in correct usage of lab
equipment.
Back in 2011, 6th grade students Andrew Brunn and Alexis O’Donnell—who are present day juniors at MHS—proudly
display their finished Environmental Stewards project.
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Andrew Brunn and his lab partner carefully prepare their samples for the E. Coli bacteria transformation lab in the new
science wing at Manteca High School.
An exterior view of the new Gen 7 Science Wing at Manteca High School.
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NEWS RELEASE
Contact info:
April 21, 2016
Victoria Brunn
Director of Community Outreach & Innovative Programs
Photo available on site
209.858.0845 @logicmusd
vbrunn@musd.net
Seventh Annual Planet Party Day Welcomes MUSD 6th Graders
In keeping with their tradition of taking Earth Day seriously, Friday, April 22, 2016, Manteca Unified School
District (MUSD) is hosting their 7th annual Planet Party Day Event. Over 2000 excited 6th graders attend a
carnival of presentations on the topics of Water, Clean Air, Conservation/Agriculture, Energy, Recycling
and Green Innovations.
With tents filling the district office parking lot and a fluid convoy of bus arrivals and departures, students
interact with members of the community, county, and district to learn about the many efforts in the crucial
movement to improve the health of our planet.
Sponsors of the event include: Gen7, IEC, IES, PG&E, Cisco, AMS.net, SSJID, Simplot, Office
Depot/Office Max, the City of Manteca and the City of Lathrop. These district partners contribute time,
supplies, presenters, and most of all—new awareness—each year to all sixth grade MUSD students.
In addition to all district 6th grade teachers who promote environmental education in the classroom, this
event is also supported through several district programs with the unified goal of educating our students on
making the best choices for their own health and the health and the health of our planet. The Planet Party
committee deeply thanks the MUSD departments of: Information Technology, Community Outreach &
Innovative Programs, Health Services, and Nutrition Education for their continued dedication to this event.
The committee also thanks contributors from Manteca High School, Joshua Cowell Elementary, and be.tech
Vocational Academy for their crucial support of this event.
-- ### -The Manteca Unified School District (MUSD) serves more than 23,000 students. MUSD School Board envisions students
www.mantecausd.net
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Brock Elliot, Ripona Set Gold Standard (Manteca Bulletin)
Brock Elliott School students gathered for an assembly in August during the first week of school.
Vince Rembulat
vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com
209-249-3537
April 15, 2016
These are special times for two local elementary schools.
Brock Elliott of the Manteca Unified School District and Ripona of the Ripon Unified School
District were both honored as California Gold Ribbon Schools.
The announcement was made Wednesday by State Superintendent of Public Instructions
Tom Torlakson.
Brock Elliott and Ripona were among the 772 elementary schools throughout the state to
receive this prestigious honor that replaces the California Distinguished Schools Program.
“We were extremely excited about the news,” said Debbie Ruger, who is the longtime
principal at Brock Elliott.
The state awards at this level are conducted on a four-year cycle. Based on that, Brock
Elliott is now a three-time winner of this award – the Distinguished Schools Program is on
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hiatus as the state looks to create a new assessment and accountability system – earning
Distinguished School honors in 2010 and 2006, according to Ruger.
A reception to celebrate the event is planned for Wednesday at Brock Elliott beginning at
3:30 p.m. District officials including Superintendent Jason Messer are scheduled to be in
attendance.
Folks at Ripona were also thrilled upon receiving the honor. This year is already special
given that the school is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.
“This was icing on the cake,” said Principal Dante Alvarez, who, along with teachers,
parents and staff, helped take Ripona from Title I Program Improvement to the
distinguished Gold Ribbon in three years.
The school will have a day-long celebration honoring the past five decades on May 12.
“We’ll also incorporate the Gold Ribbon Award that day.”
Ripona was a Distinguished School in 1987.
The Gold Ribbon Awards recognizes state school that have made gains implementing the
academic content and performance standards as adopted by the State Board of Education.
Included were English Language Arts and Mathematics, California English Language
Development Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards.
Brock Elliott, for example, was recognized for its efforts in working with English Learners.
Torlakson praised the Gold Ribbon schools.
“These schools shine as bright beacons for others, putting forth an exemplary effort to
ensure that every student is ready for 21st century colleges and careers,” he said.
“California teachers are developing an education model for the nation, training the
students of today to be the problem-solvers, inventors and pioneers of tomorrow.”
Nearly 6,000 elementary schools were eligible this year to apply for the Gold Ribbon
Schools Award.
Brock Elliott and Ripona were the only two schools from the San Joaquin County Office of
Education to receive the honor.
The awards will be given out in Sacramento on June 1. Four representatives from each of
the Gold Ribbon sites and four from the school districts are invited to attend to special
event.
The full list of Gold Ribbons schools can be found by logging on to www.cde.ca.gov.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/1/article/133979/
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East Union High Celebrates The Arts (Manteca Bulletin)
Senior Mariah Jeffrey talks about her oil painting that won Best of Show.
Vince Rembulat
209-249-3537
April 15, 2016
Mariah Jeffrey is a defender on the East Union High soccer team.
She’s also a talented artist.
Her Advance Art teacher Jeff Moring calls Jeffrey “one of his best students ever” during
the eight years at the school.
At Thursday’s annual Visual and Performing Arts Show in the Black Box Theater, Jeffrey
earned Best in Show for the event with her “Elephant” oil painting.
“I just finished last night,” she said of the piece that will be exhibited at the Manteca
Unified District Art Show on Tuesday, April 26.
The top five places in each category – Digital Art, Intro Art, Advance Art, 3D Art, Advance
Ceramics, Intro Ceramics, and Computer Animation – will also be featured there,
according to Kim Ray, who is the Ceramics teacher not to mention organizer of the East
Union art show.
For Jeffrey, the oil on her painting hadn’t quite dried. “It takes a couple of days (to dry),”
she said.
She credits her brother Brennan Jeffrey, who is also an artist, for inspiring her to do the
elephant painting. He introduced Mariah to works of an artist who does paintings of
elephants.
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Mariah Jeffrey mentioned that she usually takes her time when he tackles a project. In the
case of her Best-in-Show painting, she started that project earlier in the school year.
“I’m slow – that’s not normal,” said Jeffrey, who will be attending Dixie State in St.
George, Utah to play soccer in the fall.
She’s leaning towards doing her studies in a health career field, with hopes of continuing
on with art but only as a hobby.
Jeffrey will have four pieces featured in the District Art Show.
Her stamp project and the multiple faces paintings took first place while her strawberry
jar piece placed second.
She took time out from her elephant painting, resuming work not too long ago. The break
paid off as Jeffrey was able to “change it up a bit” on the award-winning piece.
“Her work is phenomenal,” said Moring. “She does her time on every project but, as it
turns out, is well worth the wait.”
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Vick Scores Spot in Hall of Fame (Manteca Bulletin)
Dennis Wyatt
dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
209-249-3519
April 19, 2016
Walker W. Vick — a coach and athletic director at Manteca High for 38 years — is being inducted into the
Manteca Hall of Fame.
The dinner and induction ceremonies are taking place Saturday, May 21, at the Manteca Senior Center, 295
Cherry Lane. Tickets are $60 apiece and are available through the Manteca Boys & Girls Club, 545 W. Alameda
St., or by calling 239.5437.
Other inductees Phil Waterford, Special Recognition; Richard Moon Yee, Health Care; Randall K. Yee, Health
Care; Michael Bruce Mallory, Business; Peter P. Dalben, Government; Arnita Marie Yepez. Community Service;
George (Joe) Handy, Education; and Henry C. Long, Agriculture.
Vick is being inducted in the field of athletics.
“There are very few people, who in their profession have touched as many lives as Coach Walter Vick did,”
noted Jack Thomson in nominating Vick. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to play for Coach Vick, and also
teach and coach alongside him later at Manteca High. (Vick) was one of the most respected coaches, athletic
directors, and basketball officials in the valley. His awards and recognition at both the local and state level are
second to none.”
Among Vick’s accomplishments:
uHead varsity baseball coach at Manteca High from 1964 to 1972 with four league championships and
recognition as Valley Oak League Coach of the Year four times.
Assistant football coach at Manteca High 1960 to 1968.
Head varsity football coach at Manteca High 1969 to 1981. He has the second highest amount of wins of all time
among Manteca High football coaches at 76 wins, 42 losses and 4 ties. His tenure included five league
championships and five VOL Coach of the year awards.
Lions All Star head football coach in 1976.
Athletic director of Manteca High for 17 years from 1985 to 2002.
Sac-Joaquin Section board service from 2002 to 2014.
Sac-Joaquin varsity basketball official from 1961 to 1988.
Manteca High physical education department chair from 1965 to 2002.
Manteca field house named the Walker Vick Field House in his honor in 2005.
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American Legion baseball coach.
Manteca Babe Ruth baseball coach.
Member of Manteca Lions Club.
He is in the Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame. Vick also was the section athletic director of the year in 1987, the
California State Athletic Director of the Year in 1989, and the Western Regional Athletic Director of the Year in
1989.
The 1954 Oroville High graduate earned his degree in physical education and teaching credential from Chico
State University.
Vick was the manager of the Tuolumne Meadows Pack Station in Yosemite National Park from 1990 to 2014. He
started working for the Park Service in 1981. He was hired to teach in Manteca in 1959.
His hobbies include watching high school and college sports. He also likes taking backcountry horse trips as well
as golfing, and fishing.
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50 new teachers joining MUSD (Manteca Bulletin)
April 20, 2016
Second only to the stress of landing a job for a new teacher, can be the stress over feeling comfortable at your
newly assigned school site.
As a follow up event to the Manteca Unified School District Job Fair conducted Feb. 20, the 50 newly hired
teachers for the 2016-2017 school year were invited last week to Sierra High School for a chance to get to know
the principals at each school sites with openings.
“We creatively put in place a new and efficient way that would allow principals to have input on which new
teachers would be best fits for their sites as well as hire quickly so as not to lose out on the top teaching
candidates in the field,” said Bonnie Bennett, MUSD Director of Certificated Personnel. “We had screening
interviews at the job fair, and principals were able to interview some candidates, but not all. Those candidates
who were given tentative offers have a chance tonight to meet more principals, have a few minutes of
conversation and see if it is a good fit or not. The candidates are prioritizing the top 10 sites on their wish list of
MUSD schools.”
New hires to the district can only get so much from looking at a website.
“I was excited about it because I believe a teacher who is placed at his or her school of choice will be inclined to
fully participate in the school,” Bennett said. “So, when we are looking for long-term commitment during a
teacher shortage, giving new hires a voice in their teaching assignments and building positive relationships from
the start is essential.”
Bennett believes that this is the first time MUSD has tried this approach.
“I took a driving tour of the district because it is nice to know the location of the school and get a feel for the
community around the school, said one dedicated new hire, Constance Blackmon. “I’m not from Manteca, and
it took quite some time to look at every school site in all three cities. I’m from Turlock and was educated in
Modesto at Brandman University.”
Blackmon said she chose Manteca because Bennett “came and spoke to my credential class and really pulled me
in. I just love her! I then saw her at the job fair, and she interviewed me and I got the job. I couldn’t be more
excited!”
Many of MUSD’s newly hired teachers will work at one of the district’s K-8 schools. They talked to many of the
principals present at the event. Some had a more targeted approach.
“In 10 job fairs I have been to, there has only been 1 physics candidate and two math candidates,” Bennett said.
That newly hired physics teacher, who will be starting at Weston Ranch High School this fall, has a unique path
to Manteca.
“I am Hungarian and this is my fourth year in the United States,” shared Csaba Hegyi, (pronounced Chaba Agee).
“My wife is from Modesto. I have some friends who are teachers here and I have heard lots of good things about
the district.”
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“(Manteca employees) just seem that they are so happy all the time. It seems like they are happy with their job
and in their private life. They are my climbing partners; I do all kinds of climbing,” said Hegyi.
Another new hire who has a unique journey is James Gray, from New Orleans. “I transferred from Southern
University, as a junior, when Hurricane Katrina hit,” Gray said. “I was born and raised in New Orleans. I was one
of the people who fled from the storm, the day before, and we lost everything in the storm. Losing everything
makes you work a lot harder.”
“I came to Manteca Unified because I believe that there is growth here,” Gray added. “I am interested in going
into administration and looking for more opportunities to be there when I’m ready to make that transition. They
are very friendly here, which is right up my alley. Being southern, we like talking to people.”
Not one to let his difficult journey get him down, Gray also shared, “I try to bring a little southern culture to the
classroom. One year we made beignets in the classroom and parents came in to help. We even threw our own
little Mardi Gras and told them what that is about.”
The event welcomed some home-grown talent as well.
“I’m really excited and so thankful for this opportunity,” Devanée Quaresma said. “I have really wanted to work
with Manteca Unified School District for a while now. I just actually moved from Idaho. I graduated from Boise
State, but I grew up here in Manteca, so I’m so happy to be back. I wanted to get out of the area when I
graduated from high school because California was hit pretty hard with the economy.”
Another local is headed to Lathrop High School to teach biology.
“Yes, I’m excited to be a Spartan,” Megan Smith said. “It helps because I am an East Union Alumni and my
husband is a Sierra Alumni, so we are going to find some neutral ground here in Lathrop.”
“I grew up here in Manteca and got my bachelors from UC Davis in Genetics,” Smith said. “I’ve been teaching
with the One Program with the County and Teacher’s College for two years and working through my intern
program there. I am finishing up my credential there in a month, and decided to make a move over here to
Manteca. I have also started my Masters in STEM Education through Teacher’s College.”
Another local, Erika Mallory said, “I love this event because we get to meet and get a good feel for whether or
not we will fit with the schools. I really like Lathrop Elementary. I like the small school feel. I grew up in Tracy but
now live in Lathrop. I graduated from Tracy High School. I chose Manteca Unified because of the technology
program and it is close to home.”
About two-thirds of the teacher applicants are new to the profession and one-third are veterans.
Teachers seem to want to work in Manteca because of the top salaries, the digital opportunities for students
and staff, and because Manteca has an excellent reputation for being both innovative and yet stable,” Bennett
said.
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William Penn, Colorado State Land EU Standouts (Manteca Bulletin)
From left, Michelle Castro and Taylor Ward sign their letter of intent to play college softball next year with William Penn and Colorado
State, respectively, at the East Union High band room.
Vince Rembulat
209-249-3537
April 21, 2016
It was a celebration of sorts for two East Union High teammates.
Michelle Castro and Taylor Ward signed letters of intent Wednesday to play college softball next year.
Castro, who is the daughter of Selena and Hildo Castro, agreed to play for William Penn University, an NAIA
school in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Ward will play for the NCAA Division I Colorado State University Rams in Ft. Collins, Co. She is the daughter of
Cyndi and Deon Ward, who is also an assistant coach for the Valley Oak League-leading Lancers (7-0, 15-0
overall).
Both had interesting journeys prior to the signing event, according to East Union coach Brian Goulart.
“Taylor and Michelle are like two peas in a pod,” he said.
For Castro, who plays multiple positions including first base and the outfield, she was constantly challenged by
her coach to the point she nearly transferred to Lathrop High. Goulart, in particular, was upset with her poor
grades during Castro’s freshman year.
“Coach G made me a better person – he made me grow up,” she said.
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Castro then quit softball altogether following her junior year with the Lancers.
“I was tired, mentally and physically – I had played softball since I was 5,” she said.
It took her travel ball coaches, among others, to help re-invigorate Castro’s love for the game. Her exile from the
game lasted all of one month. Her parents were there to support her decision. She is now in the middle of a
breakout season, leading East Union with a robust .596 batting average to go with four homers and 31 RBIs.
“It was tough for me to pick up the softball and glove (again),” said Castro, who knew that the game would be
her ticket to college.
One of her coaches described her as a “Division I player going to an NAIA school.”
Ward, by contrast, was a smooth ride, Goulart said.
Quiet and unassuming, Ward has been a low-maintenance standout player during her years with the Lancers.
But growing up, she was dogged for her size.
Goulart remembered his centerfielder at age 8 having great technique in swinging a bat despite her small
stature.
In January, Ward, who was being recruited by several schools, was invited to attend the Colorado State softball
camp thanks to the support of a rival coach.
Paulie Gabales of the NorCal Firecrackers based out of Modesto – he’s also an assistant softball coach at St.
Mary’s High – is longtime admirer of Ward’s strong character and skill set.
“She came ready to play,” Gabales said. “You can see that she has a lot of the intangibles in her game.”
Ward is batting .400 with 15 RBIs.
In the end, Goulart applauded his two star players.
“Both have worked hard and are one in the same – Michelle has been my challenged superstar and Taylor is my
quiet superstar,” he said.
Castro and Ward are joining two other Lancers in the college ranks. Shortstop Sam Owen (Pacific) and catcher
Alejandra Rascon (Cal State Northridge) signed in the fall.
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Fun Run Saturday Marking JROTC’s 100th Anniversary (Manteca Bulletin)
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Board Highlights April 22, 2016

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