 When MUSD Administrative Secretary Suzette Bromagem is not assisting families with students of exceptional needs, she dedicates time as a delegate for local Chapter 281 for the California School Employees Association.
Bromagem, along with Debbie Narvaes of Berryessa School District, co-authored a resolution at the 2019 CSEA Annual Conference for full Transitional Kindergarten funding for students regardless of age (4 or 5). That resolution then became Assembly Bill 22 and was sponsored by California State Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. It then recently became law when Governor Newsom signed the bill, allocating $3 billion for TK funding to be phased into the state budget. "We will now get the funding to support these TK students whether they are 4 or 5 years old," said Bromagem, explaining that previously students only received funding at age 5. CSEA Chapter 281 President Machelle Kessinger, a MUSD Administrative Secretary in Student Services and the CSEA Area C Director, spoke on the Senate Floor in favor of AB22. "All children deserve an equal education," Kessinger said. "All students in the state of California will have the same opportunity at early education, and that's what is most important." Science Specialists engage elementary students in scientific exploration, experimentation10/23/2021
Snemer Anand bounces around her classroom laboratory at Pomeroy Elementary School with as much joy and enthusiasm as her students who are deeply engaged in the variety of hands-on projects she has at each station centered around Thermal Energy.
“She’s great,” said 11-year-old sixth grader Kevin Yovan. “She does super fun projects. Today, we learned how different types of objects can make sparks and fire.” The excitement and energy around science discovery is just as engaging at Spangler Elementary School, where Sappho Chow has her students learning hands-on about the different functions and parts of the eye. Wearing a white scientist jacket as she instructs her students using a “Mystery Science” video, Chow has their full attention. The students follow steps to create a retina and cornea that they will experiment with the natural light coming in from the window. “It was very cool to learn about the design of the eye,” said 8-year-old fourth-grader Navya Khadloya. “She asks lots of questions to make it interesting.” Anand and Chow, who are two of nine science specialists employed at each of MUSD’s elementary schools, cover the Next Generation Science Standards for all fourth through sixth grade students whose classes rotate into their laboratories on a weekly basis. In her 44th year of teaching science (24th at Pomeroy), Anand holds a Bachelor of Arts in Science and a Masters in Education and English Literature. She leads eight classes in inquiry-based science exploration. On this particular Wednesday, she has sixth graders experimenting with Solar Cookers, Energy Transfer, Kinetic Energy, Heat Energy, Electricity, and more. “All of our stations are based on energy and how they are transferred,” said Anand as she demonstrates how different metals expand and contract at varying rates. “MUSD has always had science specialists, and that’s what makes us special in the Bay Area.” Chow, in her 8th year at Spangler and 12th overall in science education, holds a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences and Masters in Education from UC Riverside. She has been teaching ever since and “it’s great exposing science to kids early on,” Chow shared. Her classroom cabinets are stocked with microscopes, beakers, anatomy parts, and other scientific apparatus for her students. She teaches nine classes, including one Special Day Class. “I enjoy the new projects,” said 9-year-old fourth grader Rick Berry, who shares what he learned about the eye. “Behind the pupil is the retina and that helps the light project images.” Chow captivates her classes with student-centric, hands-on activities centered around lessons in Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Engineering. Her goal is to “build on their curiosity with exploration” and to show them “what scientists do in real life.” MUSD’s nine science specialists meet regularly to exchange ideas and experiences in the classroom and support one another throughout the school year. “I love my team,” Chow said. “We try to support each other in any way that we can.” Anand is overwhelmed with the support she receives from her Pomeroy families who value science in education. She hopes the younger generation of science specialists will continue to be supported at each of MUSD’s elementary schools. “Our community respects that we are able to dedicate funds to science,” Anand said. “It’s truly an awesome program that we have here.”  Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a time to come together to raise awareness, offer support, and reduce stigma around a difficult topic. During this time of dual health and social justice pandemics, the acute and residual effects continue to increase suicide rates and affect communities in disproportionate ways.
According to the CDC, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-34. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ students experience life events or stressors that other students do not, and are linked with greater risk. During the pandemic BIPOC, particularly Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black groups, experienced suicide ideation more than other groups in the 30 days before a survey. The Trevor Project reports that LGBTQ+ youth are 5 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, and 8.4 times more likely than their LGBTQ+ peers when they come from highly rejecting families. These statistics are sobering, however, suicide is preventable! The most effective intervention for suicide is prevention. Acceptance, understanding, belonging, and connection saves lives. According to the Family Acceptance Project, having at least one supportive adult can reduce a LGBTQ+ youth’s risk of suicide. It is essential that as a community we seek to be the person our loved ones and students can talk to without judgment, and that we get help ourselves when we need it. A frequent barrier with suicide prevention is stigma. For example, the language of “commit” suicide is one we use for crimes, where we should instead use the more compassionate descriptor of “died by suicide.” Nobody takes their life for a single reason, and generally when someone dies by suicide, it can be attributed to a combination of various risk factors. It is important to Know the (warning) Signs of a person who is having suicidal thoughts, and for teens, to Seize the Awkward in talking to a friend about their mental health. Talking about suicide is not easy, but there are ways to do it, even while nervous. Assume that you are the only one that will have this important conversation; contrary to popular belief, asking someone about suicide will not put ideas in their head and may actually provide relief. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has created prompts for how to start a #RealConvo to help guide you. Finally, though suicide is preventable, in spite of all we do, not all will be prevented. It’s understandable to feel like you should have done something but when we look at the data, even when we have done everything it can still happen. It is important to give ourselves grace and to keep showing up for each other and ourselves. By Sandra Quintana, MUSD Mental Health Program Manager See below for more information and resources. MUSD created resources: Local Crisis Resources, Self-Care, LGBTQ+, Community Mental Health Services & Resources, District-Sponsored Connection to Mental Health Services National Resources: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454 Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741741 to NAMI: Navigating a mental health crisis guide Veterans Crisis Line: Call, Chat, Text SAMHSA: Helping Your Loved One Who is Suicidal, Recovery After a Suicide Attempt Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Trainings For Suicide Loss Survivors Suicide Prevention Resource Center guide for Survivors of Suicide Loss American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - “I’ve lost someone” Suicide Awareness Voices of Education Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Friends for Survival  A half dozen Milpitas High School students were recently selected as Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. They are among about 16,000 students nationwide in the 67th annual NMSP to earn the designation based on results from the Preliminary SAT exam. In February, these six students will be notified if they have advanced to Finalist standing, which then qualifies them for about 7,500 scholarships worth nearly $30 million.
Let’s find out a little about each of them: Brian Dinh What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? Being named as a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist represents the hours I spent studying and working on myself coming to fruition. In addition, I am elated to possibly get financial relief for my college education through this title. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? My brother motivates me to succeed at a high level, as he taught me how to have a healthy work ethic while encouraging me to explore outside of my parents' interests. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? My favorite subject is social science, because I enjoy learning the stories of the past as a means to represent marginalized groups and figuring out how to prevent these sorts of oppression from occurring again in present society. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? Currently, I would like to attend Northwestern University after graduating MHS, because I believe they have a healthy campus culture that will let me thrive. Also, I think that Northwestern heavily promotes exploration, which would allow me to experiment with other topics I am interested in. Aaryaman Jain What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? I’m proud of myself for being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? I try to motivate myself to succeed at a high level. I’m not satisfied with something until I do it properly. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? I’ve enjoyed history classes because I like learning about the past and how it shaped the future. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? I’d think I’d like to go to college outside of California. Looking forward to experiencing new things. Hirva Shah What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? Being a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist feels great since my hard work paid off. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? My parents have always motivated me to do well in school. I know they have worked hard to be able to come here, which inspires me to do the same. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? My favorite subject is psychology because I loved learning about the different factors that influence human behavior and thinking. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? I’m not sure exactly which school I want to go to, but I am interested in some of the UCs for their neuroscience major. Ryan Teoh What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? Well, it means that I did well, and that's good for me I guess. However, I still have to wait to see if I become a Finalist, and that’s what I’m really looking for. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? Definitely my dad, he sacrificed a lot to come to America and give my brother and I more opportunities than we would have had in Malaysia, and I don’t want that to go to waste, so I’m really working hard to not waste my opportunities for success. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? Definitely social studies, first because I love politics, and second because I love history. History is basically all about politics, and I love learning about historical events and what caused them, because who knows, maybe there’s something I could learn about in order to deal with present issues. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? I want to go to the University of Pennsylvania because of all the talent there, and the great location. I could meet so many different people who are at the top of their fields in whatever major they’re studying, and have already changed the world in some tangible way. Philadelphia is also a great city, and it's located in the tri-state area, meaning there are so many different places I could go from there. I’ve also always wanted to stay on the east coast, and get away from California weather. They’ve also got some sick mountain biking trails over there in the city outskirts, which I’m looking forward to bombing. Chloe Yeap What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? Being a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist is a huge relief to me. I worked really hard to get here, but I still wasn't sure if I was smart enough to achieve my goals. So getting to see all my hard work pay off is really rewarding. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? My parents work hard to give me the opportunities I have, so I work hard so they know I appreciate their love. I also work hard for my grandparents, who've always been so supportive, even though I visit them every few years and they don't always understand what I'm doing. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? My favorite subject is either English or Social Studies because I love reading and thinking about what’s happening. Biology gets honorable mentions because it’s the only science subject I like. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? I’m still figuring out how far I’m going, but my top contenders are: UC Davis for their neurobiology-physiology-behavior major, UC San Diego for their biology program, Carleton College for their liberal arts education style, University of Chicago for their biology and neuroscience majors, and Columbia for their biophysics department. Rachel Yen What does being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist mean to you? To me, being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist means recognition for all the hard work I put in and allows others to see the potential I have. It honestly feels great to know that I’m receiving this award due to all the effort I put in. What / Who motivates you to succeed at such a high level? My motivation started when my mom began to push me to succeed in school. Over time, I adopted that mindset and began to strive to be the best I can be in all areas of my life. At high levels of academics, my classmates also play a role in my motivation to succeed due to my friendly competitive spirit. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? My favorite subjects in school are the STEM related subjects, more specifically calculus or chemistry. I particularly enjoy the definitive answers and the logic it takes to reason my way through each problem. Moreover, I find that I take interest in applying calculus or chemistry concepts in real life situations, which is why these classes truly appeal to me. What college would you like to attend after graduating MHS, and why? Since there are a few months before college decisions have to be made, I can’t say there’s a college I would definitely want to attend. However, the preferred schools I’d like to attend include the top UC schools. Not only do these two colleges have amazing engineering programs, they’re also close to home!  An inaugural group of high school juniors has set out on a career pathway to open the 2021-22 school year, with support from a highly-dedicated and passionate faculty at the new Milpitas Middle College High School.
“It’s just amazing what they’re doing already,” said MMCHS Principal Karisa Scott, who exudes positive energy and a can-do attitude amongst the student body and staff members. “The course work is pretty intense, but they’re doing great so far.” Milpitas Unified School District’s newest college and career readiness program, housed at the San Jose City College-Milpitas Extension, offers three pathways: Education-Social Work, Health Sciences, and Business-Entrepreneurship. Students were selected from a rigorous application process that included submitting a written essay and video as well as participating in a panel interview. “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, they did all that,” said Scott, adding that they target students who would be the first in their families to attend college but also those with an inner drive for success. “These kids were highly motivated to join this school.” Jazmynn Moore, 16, who chose the Health Science pathway with plans of becoming a psychologist or psychiatrist, learned about the program through Principal Scott and immediately took advantage of the opportunity. “The teachers are absolutely amazing,” Moore said. “All the staff are hands-on and outgoing. They make sure everyone feels supported and welcome.” Classmate Karen Lopes, 16, came to Milpitas from Brazil when she was 9 years old. She applied for the MMCHS program to give her an insight into the college experience while still in high school. “I wanted to get a step ahead and this has been a very good opportunity for me to learn more about how colleges are here because they are very different in Brazil,” said Lopez, who originally signed up for Education-Social Work Pathway but switched her focus to Business. “We’ve had a lot of guest speakers and the staff has been very helpful.” As part of the program, Principal Scott lined up a number of guest speakers from different professional realms to share about particular careers and the many opportunities within those pathways. Additionally, students meet with SJCC counselors to get a headstart for college. Instructor Mandy Lau, who teaches Honors English and Advisory classes, was intrigued by the possibilities of MMCHS when she applied for the job and is appreciative to be an integral part of it from Year One. “It’s really a dream come true. The curriculum is tailored more toward students. There’s a lot of student choice,” said Lau, who is especially jazzed about the community impact project requirement that has students identify an issue within the community and environment, develop an action plan, create solutions, and implement them. Junior Madison Gamble, 16, had been in Independent Study since 9th grade when her teacher suggested looking into MMCHS. After learning what the program was all about, Gamble decided to give it a shot. “It is a great opportunity to make connections to the community and people with shared goals,” said Gamble, who chose the Education-Social Work pathway hoping to gain a broader perspective of the field. “I think this is really preparing us for our future.” Principal Scott hopes to grow the program by next school year for a total of 100. The application window opens October 1 for current high school juniors who would like to join the school this Spring. A parent information night via Zoom is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21st at 6 p.m.  A former lead prosecutor with the Tulare and Madera County District Attorney’s Office who now runs his own private law practice, Milpitas High School Class of 1981 alumnus Edmund (Ed) Gil fondly remembers a close-knit circle of childhood friends that motivated one another to reach their fullest potential.
“The person I am today has a lot to do with my values that I got from my parents, but also from my friends. We were all involved in sports and music, while taking advanced classes since we all were trying to goto college,” said Gil, 58, who attended Martin Murphy grade school, Rancho Junior High, Samuel Ayer High School for three years, and then was part of the first graduating class of the new Milpitas High School. “I still keep in touch with my friends, especially those from Murphy,” said the UC Berkeley graduate (a Political Science major) who went on to earn his law degree from the University of Arizona. “I just found that all of us were a product of our environment back then. It was just a lot of fun growing up in Milpitas.” These days, Gil resides in Fresno where his law office focuses on criminal defense, family law, and representing children and parents in Juvenile Child Dependency Court. He recently returned to Milpitas for the Class of 1981 High School Reunion, which includes MHS state champion football coach Kelly King. “Everybody does it differently. There’s just so many ways to accomplish things in life. But, for me, it was to never be satisfied at any level,” Gil explained. “Every level you are at, always seek excellence. That’s the only way to do it for me. I have a strong work ethic. I wasn’t always the smartest in the room, but I always am the most prepared person in the courtroom.” After passing the California Bar Exam to earn his law license, Gil clerked at the courts in San Jose before being hired by the Tulare County DA in 1994. He worked as a prosecutor for 20 years, handling high profile cases including those involving death penalty, murder and gang violence. “I went in with a class of prosecutors who were all very hungry, and I ended up being one of the top prosecutors in the DA’s office,” Gil shared. “I didn’t lose very many cases.” Looking back at his high school years, Gil credited one teacher in particular for having a strong influence on him: English teacher Ms. Taggert who challenged him with a stringent grading system. “She made the biggest impression on me. She made it very clear that the next steps in our life were going to be much harder than her class,” Gil recalled. “She taught us literary terms and got us to think analytically.”  Less than 24 hours following her announcement that rental assistance funds were immediately available to eligible families, School-Linked Services Coordinator Nicole Steward forwarded four applications, impacting 12 MUSD students, to the Silicon Valley Independent Learning Center (SVILC) for review.
Serving students experiencing homelessness is part of Steward's multi-faceted role as MUSD’s SLS Coordinator. In collaboration with SVILC and the City of Milpitas Housing Department, she has facilitated over $130,000 in rent relief to 28 families, serving 70 students. “It’s the job of the educators, the teachers, principals, and assistant principals to make sure students get educated and they graduate,” Steward explained. “It’s my job to see if there are any barriers to that education and then I work with our community groups, parents and schools to remove those barriers so students can focus on their learning and be successful. It’s really a beautiful partnership." In total, 406 MUSD students have been identified under the Federal McKinney-Vento Act, which provides stability and ensures access to a free and adequate education for all children, including preschool-aged children, regardless of their housing status. As part of her team’s efforts, Steward, who received a Certificate of Commendation from the County Board of Supervisors, has made 57 home visits and issued countless family support referrals that assist families in areas of academics, behavioral/mental health, food, health care, housing, student pro-social/community and Tier II behavioral/mental health. During the 2020-21 school year, MUSD Staff has donated over $10,000 for gift cards and family needs, while the Milpitas community has donated an additional $11,000 to help serve local families. Steward has garnered support from groups such as Hope for the Unhoused, which has led a food pickup and delivery initiative; Milpitas Community Educational Endowment, which contributed over $50,000 worth of computer charging stations; Voices of Milpitas, which collected school supplies and winter bags for students; and MUSD’s Travel and Tourism Academy, which organized self-care bags and a GoFundMe for vulnerable families.
New track and field facilities at Rancho and Russell Middle Schools, as well as Phase 2 of the Mattos Elementary School Construction, are among more than a dozen Summer 2021 bond projects underway at multiple Milpitas Unified School District sites. “Our bond program is doing well financially. We have made prudent decisions to create savings so that we are able to do more projects,” said Assistant Superintendent Wendy Zhang of Business Services. “I can assure that all of our bond funds are designated and expended only on District projects.” Measure AA is the $284 million bond measure approved by local voters in November 2018. While construction work has begun on the Rancho track with completion scheduled for late summer, the modernization of the Russell fields is expected to be finished by Fall 2021. Meanwhile, over at Mattos, the summer expansion includes three new classroom buildings and a multipurpose building, with a completion date of Spring 2022. Interim portable classrooms have been set in place for the start of the 2021-22 school year. Additionally, the road widening will be completed by the end of August. A ribbon cutting is planned prior to the start of school at the modernized Randall World Languages School, where bond dollars were allocated for a new, state-of-the-art multi-purpose building with a warming kitchen, a new administration building, a new modular kinder classroom, the relocation of several portable classrooms, a new dropoff/pickup loop, and associated site work. Other summer projects include:
Additionally, projects in the planning stages include:
At an August 4, 2021 Milpitas HS-Calaveras Hills HS summer graduation ceremony, 27 students received their high school diplomas, after making up sufficient course credits in Milpitas Unified School District’s Summer School Credit Recovery Program. In Summer 2021, MUSD had 439 students participate in the first session and 273 in the second session to make up credits so they are on track to graduate with their classmates. Summer School Principal Jonathan Ho headed up the 2021 summer program, which staffed 19 teachers and four counselors (Jonathan Payne, Jennifer Evarkiou, Adrian Hernandez and Valerie Lamb), as well as support from the Learning & Development and Tech Services teams. “I am blessed with an amazing team,” said Ho, a mathematics teacher at Milpitas High School who recently earned his administrative credential. “We are housed here at Cal Hills, and all of our summer school staff are already MUSD employees so they are familiar with what we’re all about here and our Culture of We.” Summer School adopted a Hybrid format, with students participating either online or in-person using a computer-based platform called Odysseyware to recover course credits and get back on track toward graduation. Each student takes an initial assessment and, based on those results, the program assigns individualized classwork with a credentialed teacher supporting them along the way. “It’s nice that these kids get this opportunity to complete the work they weren’t able to do during the school year and move onto the next level,” said Ivy Nguyen, a MHS mathematics teacher who is teaching Math 3 over the summer for 67 students. A Cal Hills/Milpitas HS Summer School Graduation Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 4 at 5 p.m. for those senior students who complete their graduation requirements this summer. Summer School has also provided community service hours for a trio of Student TA’s who have helped out in various capacities with assisting teachers, office staff, custodians, Student Nutrition and Tech Services. Community service is needed to meet MUSD high school graduation requirements. “It’s been great to have a couple of kids helping out while earning those community service hours,” said Ho, who was particularly appreciative to MUSD leaders for allowing him to gain valuable experience as an administrator this summer. He added: “As a teacher, my influence is confined to my classroom. As an administrator, I have the opportunity to really move things forward for an entire school or program, and help spread best practices.”
 With administrator Luis Lopez shifting back to middle school leadership to partner with Principal Casey McMurray at Rancho Milpitas Middle School, Parwinder Johal was named new principal at Spangler Elementary School, after serving as MUSD’s Coordinator of Literacy/Intervention/EL for the last five years.
Johal’s educational path with 25 years in MUSD includes teaching positions at Spangler and Rose Elementary Schools before serving as assistant principal at Joseph Weller Elementary School and eventually moving to the district office. “My greatest joy has been partnering with staff to create affirming and inclusive learning environments for students to learn and families to be engaged in,” said Johal. “Our students’ tapestry of languages, cultures, and experiences are assets that I deeply value and build upon to create culturally responsive and equitable learning pathways for all our learners.” Julianna Flores, who has performed in various teacher leadership roles over her career, makes up the other half of the Spangler admin team as assistant principal. Flores joins MUSD after serving as the First and Second Grade Inclusion Teacher for Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy in San Jose. Flores said she “strives to lead with equity, inclusivity, and collaboration with all stakeholders (and) believes in meeting students where they are, listening to student voices, and working with school personnel to enhance the learning experiences and learning environment for students.” Priti Johari was selected as MUSD’s Executive Director, Learning & Innovation, a new position that will co-lead the L&D department along with recently promoted Executive Director of Inclusive Services for All, Mary Jude Doerpinghaus. Johari, a Bay Area native, comes to Milpitas via Massachusetts, where she served in roles at multiple districts as Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Teacher spanning 15+ years in public education. Johari said she is “passionate about cultivating systems that see, nurture, and affirm the whole child. This means building integrated systems that promote the development of mastery, identity, and creativity across grade levels and subjects in a trauma informed environment.” Michele Sherer, who has two decades of educational experience as a special educator, mentor, principal, and credential instructor, was chosen as the new assistant principal at Rose Elementary School, where she joins seasoned principal Nanci Pass. Sherer comes to Milpitas after serving as Educator Coach and Preparation Specialist with the Santa Clara County Office of Education-Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (EPIC). “It is a great honor to have the opportunity to work with a community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Sherer said. “My passion and purpose: equitable access/achievement for all students, retention of educators, and fostering positive school climates.” |
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
The governing board of Milpitas Unified School District will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Media ResourcesArchives
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