High school athletes aren’t the only ones making commitments as part of National Signing Day 2017. Hundreds of elementary students in the Merced City School District signed their names on posters and banners this week as a symbol of their commitment to education.
At Gracey Elementary, staff members called out the name of each student who signed on Wednesday, and their classmates clapped and cheered for them. UC Merced students were also on hand to offer materials about the university and a little extra inspiration. They asked the children what they want to be when they grow up and spoke about how education can help unlock those opportunities. The Signing Day event was an extension of an assembly Gracey held on Monday, which focused on higher education.
At Reyes Elementary, students enjoyed a similar event on Thursday. They were invited to sign their names on large banners featuring motivational phrases, which were displayed in the multi-purpose room. The students and staff members were also encouraged to wear clothes representing their favorite college or university, and they took part in a door decorating contest to show their spirit as well. Staff members also made special announcements throughout the week and showed video clips highlighting college and career readiness.
Administrators say it’s important to get children thinking about their futures at an early age so they will embrace the idea of continuing their education in order to achieve their goals and dreams.
Students at Peterson Elementary School in Merced enjoyed a special science lesson Tuesday morning. Representatives from the Merced County Mosquito Abatement District visited three classrooms to teach third graders all about mosquitoes. They spoke about the diseases the insects can spread, their life cycle, and how our immune systems respond to being bitten.
Students had a chance to see one of the pests under a microscope and to examine samples of their egg rafts, larvae, and pupae. The presentation also included an animated movie with facts about mosquitoes in the Central Valley, along with a booklet full of puzzles and other games related to the lesson.
One of the goals of this ongoing educational program is to spread awareness about the importance of removing standing water around homes to keep insects from laying eggs in those areas. Biologist Jason Bakken is one of the presenters who travels to schools across the county. He says, “Backyards are the most difficult areas for us to reach. We hope by educating the students, they will share that message with their families to help prevent the spread of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.”
The Merced County Mosquito Abatement District has been collaborating with school districts throughout this area since 1992. Staff members expect to reach their 100,000th student later this year.
Hoover Middle School teacher Rebecca Currin hosted an AAUW (American Association of University Women) coding class for girls on Saturday, January 28.
A total of 24 mothers and daughters enjoyed learning about block programming, and a computer science major from UC Merced also spoke to the group.
Research shows women are underrepresented in computing and engineering, but events like this one aim to support female students' interest in those fields.
Merced Sun-Star Column
by MCSD Public Information Officer, Sara Sandrik:
Looks can be deceiving when it comes to food. You may have seen the stories about how certain salads can be higher in fat and calories than a cheeseburger, and some protein bars are comparable to candy. Well, I recently had a chance to learn a lot more about the food we serve at Merced City School District campuses, and I’m happy to share that in this case looks can be deceiving in a GOOD way. That’s because some of the items are made to appeal to kids’ palates while still meeting strict nutritional guidelines.
Before I delve deeper into that topic, let me first take a step back and share more about our school meal program as a whole. Our district serves lunch to approximately 8,200 students a day and breakfast (which is free for all students) to about 4,700 a day. Lunch options always include fresh fruit and vegetables from a produce bar, and every breakfast also includes fresh fruit. Students have choices when it comes to their entrée, but they must take at least one serving of fruit or veggies. I should also mention the company that provides all of our produce is supplied by dozens of farms within 250 miles of our district, including sweet potatoes from Livingston and citrus from Delano.
To go along with all of that produce, there are different entrée items each day. As I look at the menu for January, I see lunch offerings such as barbecue chicken, deli sandwiches, hamburgers, drumsticks, and pizza. At first glance, you might think some of those items are high in calories or fat, but that’s not the case. All of the food for our schools is made with whole grains, reduced/zero trans fats, low fat dairy, and nothing is fried. For example, that slice of cheese pizza has a whole grain crust, low fat cheese, and reduced sodium sauce. Chicken drumsticks that have a “deep fried” look are actually baked. Even breakfast cereals that look just like the brands you buy in the store are modified with healthier ingredients, such as whole grains, and less sugar.
I also learned from the director and supervisor our Nutrition Services department that calories are limited based on the age of the children being served, and they use a special computer program that allows them to calculate the nutritional content of each meal to ensure they always meet federal requirements. That information is posted on our website, along with menus for lunch and breakfast (which are also available on the Merced City School District mobile app). It’s also worth noting that USDA research indicates children who participate in the school lunch program have superior nutritional intakes compared to those who do not participate.
All of this is important for the health of our students and for their parents’ peace of mind. We also want families to feel comfortable signing up for free and reduced meals because it impacts funding that can be used to support our students. That information can be found on our website as well: http://www.mcsd.k12.ca.us/District/Department/4-Nutrition-Services
As dedicated as this district is to providing the best possible meals for our students, we also recognize there is always room for improvement. Our Nutrition Services department is constantly looking for ways to offer even better options, including more food that is prepared in a kitchen as opposed to pre-packaged. As those efforts continue, we hope our community will see beyond the wrappers and know that there’s much more to school meals than “meats” the eye.
Link to Sun-Star Column: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/education/article127740044.html
The cafeteria at Gracey Elementary was filled with special guests Friday morning as the school hosted a breakfast for all of their students’ fathers, father figures, and role models.
The adults could enjoy doughnuts, pan dulce, coffee, and juice provided by the Parent Teacher Club or purchase a school breakfast (which is always free for all students). Then they sat down for some quality time with their children and a chance to interact with other parents.
Principal Jose Munoz said he and his staff held this event because Gracey has great participation from mothers and other female relatives of their students, but they want to make sure fathers and other male relatives feel comfortable being involved as well. He explained, “We wanted to encourage dads to come to school, come and visit their kids, see the school, be with their kids, and learn a little more about what their kids are doing at school.”
Fourth grader Catalina Ramirez was one of the many children who enjoyed spending the morning with her father. She said, “It feels fun, and it feels like a lot of company with him…I love him for coming.”
