| Dear MDES Families,
Spring will soon be here and we are rushing quickly through the
school year. March and April are extremely busy months in the lives
of school children as they focus on mastering content standards
which form the basis of the continuing trajectory of their lifelong
learning. The second trimester ends March 11th and report cards will
be issued by March 25th.
On Friday, March 18th, the PFC will host the eleventh annual MDES
Auction benefit. This is the biggest fundraising activity of the
year and forms the backbone of parent-community school support. We
are so fortunate to have the means and ability to enhance our
children's learning experience, especially in these trying economic
times. Without these funds we would not be able to provide a
reading intervention program, a fully functioning computer lab,
instructional assistants, GATE enrichment activities, and additional
classroom materials and supplies. We are ever grateful to the
generosity of parents and community volunteers who give time, work,
donations and money to make this event happen each year. This year's
theme, "Slip into the Speakeasy," promises a fun and lively evening.
Open House for Kindergarten and Second Grade will be held on
Thursday, April 21st. The Kindergarten time is 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Second Grade time will be 7:00-8:00 p.m. Open House for Grades 1,
3, 4, and 5 will be held on Thursday, May 26th, from 7-8:00 p.m.
Students have worked very hard all year and are delighted to have
you see their academic and artistic achievements displayed in their
classrooms.
STAR testing for grades 2-5 will be held from May 2nd through May
13th. This period immediately follows the week of Spring break which
takes place during the last week of April. STAR is an annual
statewide assessment that measures student performance in English
Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, 4th grade has tests in
Writing and 5th grade has tests in Science. During the two weeks of
STAR testing, please make sure your student comes to school on time
and attends every day. It is important to not schedule
non-emergency medical appointments on the days of STAR testing.
Students should get enough rest and nutrition to make sure they can
perform their best on these tests. STAR test results provide the
school's Academic Performance Index and are the indicator of content
mastery. Therefore, please emphasize the importance of these tests
with your children. Our students usually perform well in state
testing. For more information about STAR and to view released test
questions, go to
www.star@cde.ca.gov.
As we well know, the state budget crisis continues.
Superintendent Steven Lawrence has been making a strong effort to
keep all parents aware of developments in how this budget crisis
will affect our schools. The immediate impact on the next school
year hinges on political choices in Sacramento that have not yet
been decided. All school districts in California are forced to
create multiple scenarios based on various possibilities, none of
which are favorable to public schools. Please stay informed on these
fiscal challenges. Superintendent Lawrence regularly apprises
parents by email of any important developments. If you have given
your email address to the school, you should be receiving these
emails. If you are not, please let the school office know and we
will check to make sure your email is correctly entered in our
student information system database. If you wish to receive updates,
please make sure MDES has your email address. You can also check the
Mt. Diablo Unified School District website,
www.mdusd.org to view all messages and updates from the
Superintendent.
Meanwhile, our wonderful, diligent staff of teachers continues to
work hard to provide the educational experience our students need.
Thank you again for your support and your confidence in MDES.
Other Info:
District Science Fair: 8AM - 3PM March 12th At Willow Creek
Center
5th Grade Outdoor Ed. Camp: April 18th - 22nd at Sly Park
Registration: All new students who wish to enroll in Mt. Diablo
Elementary should do so now. Spaces are still available in
Kindergarten.
Spring Break: April 25th - 29th
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