News

A local charter school longing for a more suitable home for its students has found one, and will be ready to move in for the start of the 2017-18 school year.

An estimated $1.6 million plan to remediate contaminated land slated to be the site for a new Morgan Hill Unified School District elementary school will come before the board of education during a special meeting Tuesday.

School officials will host a Celebration of Life ceremony for Britton Middle School’s beloved science teacher George Flores at 4 p.m. July 8 at the Sobrato High School gymnasium, located at 401 Burnett Ave.

Three students, including the creator of a petition that brought to light the mathematical tribulations of classmates at Sobrato High School, addressed the school board June 20 in hopes of generating future conversations for change in teacher practices.

School district leaders have opened a Summer Parent Support Center at the Morgan Hill Unified School District office, located at 15600 Concord Circle, to assist residents.

Students at Gavilan College have new sports facilities to look forward to as the community college moves forward on refurbishing its gymnasium and installing a new pool this summer.

A parcel tax measure to help fund local education has the potential of eclipsing the three-fourths threshold needed to pass if put on a 2018 ballot, according polling results presented to Morgan Hill Unified’s school board at their June 20 meeting.

Many questions about district electionsDear Morgan Hill City Council,At the City Council meeting on June 7, you decided on your own to change to District elections for Council members.You had a very clear example that our residents will step forward on short notice and at a challenging time of the year to prepare applications and attend interview sessions. Over 20 well-qualified residents expressed their interest in filling the vacancy left by Gordon Siebert at the end of last year.Yet you claimed that the short time period and challenging time of the year prevented you from forming a Citizen Advisory Committee. So your direction to staff is to support workshops (which currently have no definition). Historically, most public comment at your meetings and workshops are one-way input to you, not actual discussion and debate.If a district has no candidates, does the council do an appointment? If so, would that be the same process that was used to replace Mr. Siebert?When you have formed districts, under what conditions could we still be sued for bias?How will district boundaries evolve over time? Does this become an issue with the city’s Residential Development Control System?What is the definition of equitable representation?Who represents those who are financially insecure?Who represents those who live in apartments or mobile home parks?Given the very different levels of resident involvement in our last election campaign and the following appointment process, we should have had a city-wide  discussion on how to get more residents involved in selecting who decides how our city operates. Instead, we get a mandatefrom council to go to district elections for council members.More than once, Council member Rich Constantine stated that the city had done nothing wrong. Yet you chose to be stampeded by the lawyer trolls. And it was a choice for you to make, even though you claimed that the outcome was forced on you by the cost/benefit analysis.Thank you for your consideration,Doug MuirheadMorgan Hill Thanks for promoting WorkAbilityThe Morgan Hill Unified School District WorkAbility/TPP office would like to take a moment and thank those business who have signed on to open their doors to our students to assist them in learning and practicing new job skills. Please patronise these merchants and thank them for giving back to our community.If your business is interested in investing in the youth of Morgan Hill in this way, please give us a call at (408) 201-6300 ex. 42217. The student’s salary and workers compensation insurance are paid by the district, so it is a win-win!The following businesses have signed on so far: Ace Hardware/Johnson Nursery, Advance Haircuts, Bargain Hunters Outlet, Community Garage and Towing/Ponzinis, Goodwill of Silicon Valley, Granada Theatre / Willow Heights Mansion, GVA Cafe, Made in Japan/Europe/USA, Massive Sounds with DJ Guy, Maurizio's, Morgan Hill Foods, Prova California Table, Rosy’s at the Beach, St. Vincent de Paul’s Thrift Shop, TJ Maxx, Top Knot Salon and YMCA/CRC.WorkAbility I and the Transition Partnership Program of Morgan Hill Unified is a program for high school students in special education. For five weeks beginning June 19, a group of 14- to 21-year-olds will be hitting Morgan Hill for some Community Based Instruction (CBI).The purpose of CBI is to promote each student’s community knowledge through instruction, participation and real world experience.CBI combines functional academics, social skills and job skills. Students practice essential life skills like how to purchase items, order lunch and make sure they have received the correct change. They learn how to dress for work, fill out time cards complete with proper signature, and how to be independent and confident in their community.We hope to meet you while we are out and about this summer!Catherine CanoMHUSD Job Developer

Morgan Hill Unified School District’s board of education unanimously approved its budget, as well as its Local Control Accountability Plan, for the 2017-18 school year at the June 20 meeting.

Britton Middle School science teacher George Flores, an inspirational educator and pioneer who allowed local kids the ability to explore far away places they may never have reached, passed away in the early morning hours June 20 at Hospice of Stanford Hospital, according to district staff.