Superintendent's Monthly Message - November 2016

MUSD Community,

Wow, October is already over, and we are moving full speed ahead into the winter season! Although I guess time does fly by when you are having fun! There are so many great things happening in Martinez Unified each week. Our work in education is never easy, but there is motivation around every corner and success can be found each and every day!

 

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Homecoming week last month. Homecoming is a great example of how our community gets involved and focuses on the success of our students. This year's theme was "A Community of Superheroes". What a great idea by our Leadership class at AHS to recognize the people who put forth a Superhero's effort each year to maximize the benefits of our schools. Parents, employees, community partners, and so many others are responsible for sharing their superpowers for "good" in Martinez Unified.

 

Mrs. Harriet Burt was selected as the Grand Marshal for the Homecoming Parade and it was a pleasure to see her recognized for all that she does for our schools and our community. The night was capped off by a great performance on the field (football, cheer, and band) with a solid victory over Mt. Diablo High School. Go Dogs!

 

If you haven’t already, please Vote! This election season is incredibly important for so many reasons, but especially at the local level. The Board of Education has placed "Measure R" on the ballot for this November seeking a $120 million bond to respond to facility needs in our district. Measure R funds would remain locally controlled and expenditures would be overseen by a Citizens’ Oversight Committee.  No bond dollars can be used on teacher or administrator salaries.  If you are interested in reviewing the Master Facilities Plan to see what projects are being considered for your school site as a part of Measure R, you can click on the links provided on our district home page at the top right corner. 

 

I am thrilled to offer congratulations to members of our Martinez Unified family! The Girls Varsity Volleyball and Girls Varsity Golf teams each earned the title as League Champions for the Diablo Athletic League! Our Boys and Girls Varsity Waterpolo teams are competing this week in the DAL playoffs and we wish them luck in their quest for the title!

 

Vicente/Briones was recommended to the California Department of Education as a “Model Continuation School”. This recognition is a great symbol of the incredible work taking place at Vicente/Briones, by the staff and the students!

 

This month we also had a rewarding visit from Congressman Mark DeSaulnier to John Swett Elementary School. Congressman DeSaulnier serves on the House Education and Workforce Committee and visited each school in his congressional district to gain firsthand insight into what our schools are doing and how the federal government can assist us with addressing challenges. During his visit it was clear how committed the John Swett staff is to finding success for students and how much the support of our parents helps each school site. Congressman DeSaulnier’s visit was limited to John Swett as it is the only MUSD school which falls in his Congressional District (11th District). All other MUSD schools are part of the  5th congressional district.

 

Thanks to the generous support of Shell Oil we were able to conduct our 2nd Annual Essay Contest. Shell awarded some great prizes to the winners and they will be honored at a celebration dinner in the coming weeks. This year students were asked to write, from their own perspective, about what it truly meant to engage in community service and why it is so important. Please join me in congratulating this year’s winners.

 

High School

•         1st Place ($2500) = Aaron Sullivan
•         2nd Place ($1000) = Dylan Gregory
•         3rd Place ($500) = Sam Millson

Junior High School

•         1st Place ($500) = Shauna Wiebalk (7th Grade)
•         2nd Place ($250) = Nivia Buttar (8th Grade)
•         3rd Place ($100) = Aylssa Yearick (7th Grade)

Elementary Schools

•         1st Place ($500) = Kayla Welch  (5th Grade)
•         2nd Place ($250) = Chiara Ke (4th Grade)
•         3rd Place ($100) = Jaap Kaur (4th Grade)

 

Sincerely, 

CJ Cammack, Superintendent 

Progress

Vicente/Briones Construction   Lots of progress on the Vicente/Briones campus!

Las Juntas and John Swett   HVAC installation at LJE and JSE! New work on front landscape at LJE (top).

Alhambra High School   Work for the new classroom building "K", and the adjustments in parking lot to accommodate the new building site.

 

 

 

 

 

Ask the Superintendent

Budget Information Measure "B" Information (Parcel Tax) Measure "K" Information (GO Bond) Strategic Focus Areas for Increasing Student Achievement Technology Integration Plan

 

Follow on Twitter to see the exciting teaching, learning, and events in Martinez Unified School District @CJMUSD

11/8/16      TK-12 Minimum Day     11/11/16     No School - Veterans Day      11/21-11/25   No School - Fall Break   12/22/16       TK-12th Minimum Day    12/23/16-1/6/17   No School Winter Break