There were many firsts on Thursday’s first day of school for the Morgan Hill Unified School District.
It was the first day of school for Steven Betando as the district’s interim superintendent. Betando, previously MHUSD’s Director of Human Resources, took over the district’s top role for Wes Smith, who departed in July for a new job.
Central High School students walked onto their new northwest campus at 85 Tilton Ave. for the first time. Formerly Burnett Elementary School and vacant since the summer of 2008 due to state budget cuts, the site underwent $7 million in renovations over the summer – funded by the voter-approved $198 million Measure G capital improvements bond.
Teachers, district-wide, are beginning to implement the Common Core Standards, a new set of academic content guidelines, into their curriculum – something adopted by California in 2010 that will be full-blown in every MHUSD classroom by the 2014-15 school year.
Fifty new teachers opened their classrooms for the first time and Principal Swati Dagar welcomed parents in her first year on the job at Paradise Valley Elementary School.
With an operating budget of about $63 million for the 2013-14 school year, MHUSD welcomed 8,654 students – 15 less students than last year – to its 15 school sites. This includes eight kindergarten through sixth-grade elementary schools; two kindergarten through eighth-grade schools, two middle schools and three high schools.
Incoming seventh graders to Britton Middle School were able to get acquainted with their new campus prior to Thursday’s first day – taking advantage of a three-day orientation camp earlier this week. Campers were welcomed by student leaders from Britton, as well as older Ann Sobrato High School students, who offered advice on how to organize school work for six different classes, as well as tips on joining school clubs and athletic teams and even making new friends.
“The transition is big. They say the transition from elementary to middle school is tougher than middle school to high school,” explained Britton principal Glen Webb, who welcomed 685 students to campus Thursday. “We have a very small, friendly campus.”
On the campus at Barrett Elementary School, Eagle Scout and former student Matthew Hanlon, along with his father, built a set of new garden boxes, which each grade level will use to grow and harvest something that ties into their curriculum. Barrett, with an enrollment of 570 students, had three new teachers join its staff.
“The rooms are set up and ready to go,” proclaimed Barrett’s principal of four years, Moira Barker.
Principal Elvia Teixeira and PA Walsh Elementary School welcomed 585 students for the first day, along with two new third- and fifth-grade teachers and a new reading intervention specialist for the school’s Read 180 program.
“We’re really excited because our enrollment is strong and a couple of the grade levels are completely full,” said Teixeira, whose teachers had an all-day Common Core Standards training session Tuesday, as well as an ice cream social with families later that same day. “Teachers are here working really hard.”
PA Walsh fourth- and sixth-grade teachers also started using Smartboards, a combination of the interactive whiteboard, a computer and projector for the first time this school year.
The ceremonial ringing of the bell heralds the new school year at El Toro Elementary School, where Principal Jennifer Brown welcomed two new teachers and about 500 students.
“Our teachers have been coming all summer long to prepare. They’ve been in and out,” said Brown, now in her second year at El Toro. “Teachers get as excited as kids do about the first day.”
A similar tradition occurs at the Jackson Academy for Math & Music, located at 2700 Fountain Oaks Drive, which is entering its second year as a magnet school. Principal Patrick Buchser opened the first day of school by ringing the school gong.
Fifteen new teachers opened their doors to some of the 1,460 students attending Ann Sobrato High School, which will use a block schedule format this year for the first time. Students will have a three-period day, instead of six shorter periods (something the school piloted last spring) as well as tutorial sessions where they can contact any of their teachers for taking make-up tests or additional help in subject matter. Students can also form study groups or work independently during tutorial time.
For a calendar of the MHUSD school year, visit: http://www.mhu.k12.ca.us/About-MHUSD/Student-Calendar/index.html
