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MCSD Welcomes New Board Member

MCSD Welcomes New Board Member Allen Brooks

(September 24, 2021, MERCED, CA) -- Merced City School District’s newest Board of Education Trustee has always been active in the Merced community, but he says joining the MCSD Board of Education will hopefully allow him to serve even more citizens and make a lasting impact.

Allen Brooks was officially sworn in as a trustee last week during the regularly scheduled board meeting. He said he is excited about the opportunity and excited to serve those who inspired him – the community he loves.

Brooks said he has always been interested in joining the School Board but it wasn’t until recently that circumstances seemed to have presented the perfect time. “Being involved in the community, especially in education, has always been my passion because I believe that quality education helps nurture children to become productive citizens of society. I believe if we want change and to make an impact, education is where it’s at. It all starts here,” Brooks explained.

Brooks was elected during a special election last month, representing Area 3 and completing the five-member Board that includes President Birdi-Olivarez-Kidwell, Dr. Shane Smith, Jessica Kazakos, and Jessee Espinosa.

In his new role, Brooks hopes to not just advocate for parents and students but also to inspire and speak for people who don’t have a voice but often need more help navigating the education system. “A lot of the kids that we talk about, the kids that need help in our education system, I used to be one of them. I'm talking about the kids that are struggling in school that may think there’s no hope for them. I’m hoping that they see me and think that if Allen Brooks can do it, they can do it,” he explains.

As someone who grew up struggling in school, and not having examples to aspire to, Brooks says inspiring the younger generation and the underserved is so important. Growing up from a middle-class family in the not-so-good part of town in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brooks said he did not have an idea of what success could look like or what we could be, “Unlike most kids, I had never even seen a typical man, wearing a suit and going to work every day. I did not have those good examples growing up.”

So, he looked elsewhere. “I saw Eddie Murphy in ‘Boomerang.’ He worked for an advertising agency and went to work every day. He looked very nice, looked important and he looked just like me. I took that and ran with it. I told myself, I want to be that person someday. Now, this has become my life’s work because I want to give kids a real-life example of what they can become and tell them that there’s hope for them.”

He went on to college attending Grambling State University in Louisiana and earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communications. There, he met his wife Sheilah who grew up in Merced. “We visited Merced, I fell in love and I’ve loved this community ever since. We raised our family here and that’s why I want to do my part to make it even better for future generations.”

All three of his children are still in the school systems with his youngest being part of MCSD. He says his experience as a parent and being involved in the community inspired him to join the Board. “I’m looking forward to making a meaningful impact and producing measurable changes. I hope that after my term is done, we can see tangible results that we’ve moved the dial.”

The area he is most passionate about is equity and making sure all students across the district have the same access to facilities that are conducive to learning. “We know that the learning environment is a great part of communication and the overall experience. Some schools are a little outdated. If we can make their atmosphere a little bit better, then we know their results would be better because teachers will be excited about teaching and students will get excited about learning. Having access to things such as robots they can see and touch, it exposes students to ideas and inspires them. The possibilities of what we can do with upgraded technologies and access to updated facilities are endless. All our children should have the same access and experience.”

Brooks says he hopes to bring his experience and skills as a communicator and connector to build trust. He expressed that schools should be partnering with parents to help them succeed and communicate with parents, “not just when things are not going well, but also when things are going well. How about we change it around and talk to them about their child’s progress, what other support can we provide? Maybe their child wants to be a lawyer, how can we start cultivating that interest now, and pave the way for their success? I believe every parent loves their child unconditionally. If we package it and communicate differently, those parents will show up for their children.”

When he is not busy in his real-estate business, Brooks loves to spend time in nature, taking walks, spending time with the family at the park or by the lake. A communicator at heart, he also loves writing books and poetry and working on video projects to unwind.

“We are thrilled to have Mr. Brooks, and would like to extend him a warm welcome,” Interim Superintendent Doug Collins said. “Our Board of Education plays a vital role in serving our communities and helping us to create the best learning environment for our students. We are excited for Mr. Brooks’ contributions to the MCSD Board of Education and continuing to improve education for all those we serve.”

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Students Shop with the Rotary

Students Shop with the Rotary

Rotary International-Merced helped Merced City School District (MCSD) students feel good about being back to school as they took over 30 students shopping at Merced Mall on Wednesday, September 8, helping children pick out shoes and socks during the two-hour event.

Through fundraising, the Rotary was able to provide each student $100 to spend on new shoes and socks. Rosemary Parga-Duran, Rotary president and former MCSD Superintendent, spearheaded the project, knowing how much relief it provides to students and their families. “Back to school is an exciting time for students and their families, but sometimes it can also be a hardship. Between backpacks, new clothes, and shoes, the expenses can add up, and sometimes, families have to make tough choices, especially when you have multiple children,” she explained.

“It was important to us that students felt good about going back to school, especially after the challenging year they’ve had. Now they can go to school excited, prepared to learn, thrive and play,” she added.

According to a survey by LendingTree, parents of school-age children expect back-to-school shopping will cost them an average of $498, and 29% say they're unable to afford their child's school supplies this year. According to the same survey, 1 in 3 parents of school-age children expects to go into debt when shopping for back-to-school. That percentage has consistently risen over the past three years, from 26% in 2019 to 30% in 2020 and now 33% in 2021.

Felicia, a mother of eight school-aged children, including fifth-grader Travys and Lei’Lani, knows the challenge all too well. She says she spends about $3,000 for back-to-school shopping every year, so the Rotary event was a nice surprise and a blessing. “When I got the call, I got excited. Every year we spend a lot on back-to-school shopping and we have to keep doing that throughout the year since they don’t last that long and the kids outgrow their shoes and clothes pretty quickly. This is definitely going to help and you can tell from their faces, they’re really excited to pick out their shoes today. We’re so grateful.”

Rotary members and MCSD staff, including principals, and Board of Education President, Birdi Olivarez-Kidwell, were paired up with students, helping them pick out shoes and socks and, making sure they found the perfect fit. This is the first year that the Rotary has held the event and they hope to do it every year.

For Elijah, 3rd grade student from Sheehy, being able to shop for new shoes means he will have enough to last the whole year. Elijah’s grandmother, Leticia, who cares for him and his brother, being able to have what they need to start school often comes with sacrifices. “I’m their guardian and since I’m on a fixed income, being able to give them everything they need for school is hard. So, this is a true blessing for us. I often have to buy shoes that are too big for him so that they last a whole year. But that can be uncomfortable and make it hard for him to play and they still don’t last all year since they grow fast.”

District staff who knows the struggles families face in preparing for back to school says the event brought so much joy to everyone in attendance. “To see the excitement on our students’ faces as they picked out their new shoes and to know what that meant for them, it’s heartwarming. This will provide them a confidence boost and allow them to start the school year with dignity and joy. To their families, it’s one less thing to worry about. We are grateful for community partners like the Rotary of Merced. It means a lot for our students knowing that their community is behind them and supports their success in school,” concludes Doug Collins, Interim Superintendent for MCSD.

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Costco Donates Backpacks to Stowell

Costco-Merced Gives Stowell Students a Great Start to the School Year with New Backpacks

(September 13, 2021, MERCED, CA) -- Aside from the excitement of seeing their friends and teachers once again, students at Stowell Elementary School had another reason to be excited – they were greeted with a row of boxes from Costco-Merced, containing new backpacks for students to pick out. There were many designs to choose from, from green to pink camo and floral, which was a very popular choice.

This is the fourth year that Costco-Merced has delivered boxes full of backpacks for students at Stowell. Dr. Dalinda Saich, principal at Stowell Elementary, said 95.5% percent of students are on a free and reduced lunch program. The donated backpacks offer families relief, especially those who have multiple students in the family. “Back to school is an exciting time for students but it can be a hardship for families. Providing the variety of needs such as clothes, socks, shoes, and backpacks, it can add up quickly. Our students are so grateful to Costco for their support and partnership.”

“This means that every child will have what they need for the school year. It proves helpful for families throughout the year, due to the wear and tear that occurs. It’s one less thing that our families have to worry about. Anything we can do to make it easier for our students to support their learning, we are happy to do it and grateful for our community partnership with Costco to help make that happen,” Dr. Saich adds.

Merced Costco has partnered with Stowell to include the Reading Buddy Program. “Costco has been such a great partner. We began the Reading Program collaboration three years ago, where their staff comes in to help read to and with their ‘assigned buddy.’ It was amazing and the kids loved it. We’re hoping that we can revive that program when conditions allow.”

Dr. Saich remarked how important community partnerships are and what it means for students, “When students see that their community cares about them, it inspires them, knowing that they have people rooting for them and supporting their success.”

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Dr. Saich said Costco initially reached out to the school three years ago to start a partnership, which was led through the efforts of Learning Director, Richard Alvarado.

Clinton Garcia, membership/marketing manager, said each Costco store aims to support a neighborhood school. He estimated that about 400 backpacks were given to students. “It’s fun to give back to the kids. Our staff live and work here so it’s important to us to take care of our community. We look forward to doing this every year and we hope to find other ways to partner with Stowell,” he said, adding that it’s important, regardless of a family’s financial situation, children can all feel good and ready at the beginning of the school year.

MCSD Opens Community Learning Hubs

Merced City School District Opens Community Learning Hubs to Bring More Resources to Community During the Summer

(June 21, 2021, MERCED, CA) -- In an effort to provide resources to accelerate learning recovery during the summer, Merced City School District (MCSD) has opened Community Learning Hubs. In partnership with local businesses and other community organizations, the learning hubs are located around Merced and staffed by MCSD. The hubs are located at Merced Mall, Boys and Girls Club, Restorative Justice League and Sheehy Elementary Library. Open twice a week, for a few hours each week, the hubs were opened as part of the District’s “Literacy and Learning Backpack Campaign”, which launched before the end of the school year. As part of the backpack campaign, each student in the District, from preschool through 8th grade, received a backpack filled with books and workbooks to continue learning and reading over the summer.

Each backpack contained four books, tip cards, and a “Getting Ready” workbook. The workbooks are specific to each grade level and have been customized to include community-based activities that students and their families can do together this summer.

Students who need help completing their workbooks included in their backpacks can stop by an MCSD Learning Hub and instructional aides are there to provide additional support.

“Learning doesn’t just happen in our classrooms. That's why our team continues to find ways to support students beyond the classroom and provide resources to address learning loss, especially this year,” explains Doug Collins, Deputy Superintendent for MCSD. “The Learning Hubs along with our Literacy and Learning Backpacks will be a great way to help students continue learning and reading over the summer and help students not just catch up but also be ready for the next school year.

Each learning hub is equipped to serve six to ten students at a time with MCSD staff helping kids on using materials in their Literacy and Learning Backpacks. Those who are interested in getting Literacy and Learning Backpack can also stop by one of the hubs to get one.

“Giving back to the community has always been a top priority at Merced Mall. Being able to host a learning hub is a wonderful opportunity to support our community who has always supported us. Providing a safe space for children to continue learning is just one of the many ways we can support children and their families. The Literacy and Learning Backpack Campaign is a great program and we are glad to be a part of it,” shares Nanette Villegas, Marketing Manager for Merced Mall.

Birdi Olivares-Kidwell, Board of Education President shares what it meant to be able to see the project come to life, “It was powerful for me to see the Literacy and Learning Backpacks in person. Approving them in concept was very different than seeing this project come to life. Reading through the books really brought home the impact that we can make for children with culturally relevant material. Seeing the smiles on their faces at our learning hubs, and the joy as they explored the various items in the backpacks was emotional for me. I’m just so proud of our team at MCSD for this innovative program. Bringing access to these resources, putting quality hardcover books in their hands, and providing in-person help through our learning hubs can make a significant difference for our students at this critical time.”

Learning Hubs are open Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Merced Mall, Restorative Justice League and Sheehy Library. The Learning Hub at the Boys and Girls Club is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. To learn more about MCSD’s Literacy and Learning Backpack campaign, visit www.mcsd.k12.ca.us.

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MCSD Inspires Young Readers this Summer through Literacy & Learning Backpacks

(May 26, 2021, MERCED, CA) -- Did you know that it takes just 2-3 hours of reading a week to prevent learning loss? This summer, Merced City School District (MCSD) hopes to address learning loss and cultivate young readers through its Literacy and Learning Backpacks project. Each child in the District, from preschool through 8th grade, will receive a backpack filled with books and workbooks to continue learning and reading over the summer.

Each backpack contains four books, tip cards, and a “Getting Ready” workbook. The workbooks are specific to each grade level and have been customized to include community-based activities that students and their families can do together this summer. The goal is to make learning fun and interactive for the whole family.

District Teacher Librarian, Seanna Haslouer, personally curated the books to make sure they are tailored for each grade level. “I’m excited to roll out this project. Studies show that children growing up in homes without books are on average three years behind their peers in homes with books, even when considering key factors such as income and parents’ education. Our hope is to cultivate our students’ love for reading and learning by putting a wonderful resource in their hands as they transition to summer.”

According to Haslouer, it was important to keep it engaging and fun for the whole family. “Learning starts at home and incorporating reading as part of the family routine ensures great habits that will ensure success in school.”

Schools started distributing the backpacks last week to every student, including those in distance learning.

The backpacks will also provide parents with an opportunity to spend quality time with their child while they help to build their child’s comprehension, vocabulary, and critical-thinking skills. A community guide included in the workbook encourages spending time as a family while learning through local attractions such as going to the Courthouse Museum or exploring at the Applegate Zoo.

To promote engagement and help families get the most value out of their Literacy and Learning backpacks, every student will receive a passport that will allow students to enter to win prizes based on items and activities in the backpack. Prizes will be drawn every week starting the 2nd week of June. To enter, parents can take photos of their child doing the activities and send them to MCSD via their Facebook page, via email at contactus@mcsd.k12.ca.us or by visiting one of MCSD’s Community Learning Hubs located around the community.

More information is available on the District’s website at www.mcsd.k12.ca.us.

Peterson Literacy Backpack