Three Merced City School District students have accomplished a fantastic feat when it comes to attendance.  They have not missed a day of school in several years!

Lorena Ortiz-Vasquez has attended class every day from preschool through 8^th grade.  She is graduating from Tenaya Middle School Wednesday evening (June 1^st) and was previously a student at Galen Clark Preschool, Stowell Elementary, Reyes Elementary, and Gracey Elementary.  Lorena is looking forward to attending El Capitan High School in the fall.

Madison VanZile has attended Peterson Elementary every day from kindergarten through 6^th grade, for a total of 1260 days.  Her grandmother is a teacher at Peterson and has helped instill the importance of education and being present in class from a young age.  Madison will be heading to Cruickshank Middle School in the fall.

Carlos Gil has had perfect attendance from 1^st through 6^th grade at Fremont Elementary.  He says he’s proud of that accomplishment, and he’ll now take that same dedication to Tenaya Middle School in the fall.

The Merced City School District recently recognized approximately 20 dedicated adults who completed the Community Based English Tutoring (CBET) program.  The goal of the program is to teach English to language minority parents so they can tutor their own children and help propel them toward academic success.

During the “Recognition of Achievement Day,” on May 19^th, several of the participants spoke about their journeys from other countries, the challenges they faced along the way, and their determination to provide better lives for their children.  Many also shared how important it is to them to read, write, speak, and understand English.

The CBET program began in 1999 and has evolved over the past 17 years.  The Merced City School District currently provides three classrooms at the Student and Family Service Center (located at 1180 E Street) for instruction, a computer lab, and babysitting.  The district also provides supplies and personnel, including bilingual aides and community outreach specialists who assist in recruiting, conducting orientation, and providing other technical support.  The CBET instructor is from the Merced Adult School.  Participants turn in tutoring logs at the end of each month to show the work they’ve done with their children.

This program will begin again with new student orientation on August 17^th, and classes will be held Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 2:45 p.m. from August 22^nd until May 18^th.  Lessons include classroom instruction as well as interactive computer programs.  There are also opportunities to learn keyboarding, email, web searching, and Google programs.

Organizers say attendance is critical, which is why babysitting and bus passes are available for students who need them.

For more information about the CBET program, please contact:

• Tzeng Saechao:  209-385-6753, tsaechao@mcsd.k12.ca.us
• Lucas Lopez:  209-385-6752, llopez@mcsd.k12.ca.us
• Fong Her:  209-385-6754, fher@mcsd.k12.ca.us

               Article available in Hmong and Spanish

Hundreds of students from all 18 Merced City School District campuses came together on May 18, 2016 for one fun-filled STEAM Fair at Tenaya Middle School.

This event was a chance for the schools to showcase their work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.  It featured hands-on activities, display tables, and performing groups.  The projects included everything from robots to rockets to flubber-making stations.

All grade levels from pre-school through eighth were represented, and several other community partners were also on hand to show how the subjects of “STEAM” impact their organizations every day.

Organizers say this interactive approach keeps students interested and engaged as they learn important lessons that will help prepare them for bright futures in high demand fields.  The fair also gives the community a chance to see some of the outstanding work being done in classrooms throughout the Merced City School District.