This is an exciting time for the Merced School District, as we kick off the 2017-2018 school year and look forward to all of the opportunities that lie ahead for our students and staff. One of those opportunities came on Monday, when students had a chance to observe the great American eclipse. They enjoyed the phenomenon in a variety of safe ways, including approved glasses and pinhole viewers. It was an exciting and powerful learning experience for all grade levels.
As we look ahead, another highlight this year will be further development of our award-winning STEAM program. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. The goal of the program is to prepare all of our students for bright futures in high demand fields through critical thinking and experiential learning. We utilize a combination of classroom curriculum and educational excursions to places such as Yosemite National Park, Farm 2U, and local arts performances. The California School Boards Association recognized our program with a Golden Bell Award last year, and now we are ready to take it to the next level. That includes opening our new cutting edge STEAM Center, which will host students for the first time on August 28. The 5460 square foot facility is located next to Ada Givens Elementary and will provide hands-on learning experiences in a modern, flexible setting. It features a lab classroom and two collaboration rooms, along with a lobby/breakout space and a large outdoor amphitheater. The entire design allows for interactive lessons that can be tailored to various age groups and class sizes. The rooms are separated by glass doors that also function as visual display boards, along with audio-visual technology, and magnetic “wall-talker” surfaces that can be used as projection screens and dry erase boards simultaneously. This center will not only give our students access to a state of the art facility right here at home, but it will also allow groups of teachers to work together and receive valuable support and training so they can take that knowledge back to their classrooms, labs, and makerspaces.
The social and emotional well-being of students is also a top priority, which is why we are expanding our Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports to all 18 campuses. PBIS is a research-based, nationally recognized framework that promotes a positive culture of making good choices on school campuses. It includes clear expectations for the students as well as incentives and intervention plans. This system is part of the district’s effort to reduce suspension and expulsion rates in a safe and sustainable way. We have been implementing PBIS in phases, and this year is the first time it will be in place at all of our sites.
We are also taking additional steps to support our English learners and their families. This year, we will pilot the use of simultaneous interpretation equipment at large events and during Board of Education meetings. In the past, our community outreach specialists who are fluent in Spanish, Hmong, and Mien, have worked directly with families who request their services at those meetings. Now, they will use a new audio booth and headsets to help ensure parents can access information that is important to their children’s education. This is an idea that came directly from our Local Control Accountability Plan community forums, and we are happy to see it come to fruition!
Those are just some of the many highlights as we begin this school year, and we look forward to sharing many more in the months to come. We will be posting photos, videos, and helpful information on our website, Twitter account, Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as our YouTube channel throughout the year. You’ll also notice the hashtag #WeAreMCSD, which represents the collaborative effort between students, staff, parents, and our entire community. Together, we can make 2017-2018 a year filled with success stories.