The Merced City School District welcomed students back to class on Wednesday, August 14. MCSD serves approximately 12,000 students in preschool through 8th grade. The district includes four middle schools, 14 elementary schools, and a highly rated state preschool program at 13 of those sites. The preschool program and the district’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) program have both received the prestigious Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association. The district opened a state-of-the-art STEAM Center in 2017 to provide collaborative, hands-on learning experiences for students from all 18 campuses and to serve as a training space for teachers. MCSD also offers a public Montessori program, Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), and a Community Day program. The district employs more than 12-hundred dedicated staff members.
This year, three of the district's schools are under the leadership of new principals. Aaron Alexander is now the principal of Rivera Middle School after previously serving as principal of Reyes Elementary. Chuck Pirtle moved from assistant principal at Hoover Middle School to the new Reyes Elementary principal, and Lil Ayala is now the principal at Sheehy Elementary after serving as learning director at Reyes.
MCSD is looking forward to a great year with a continued focus on ensuring that all students excel academically, build character, and become productive members of our community. #WeAreMCSD