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Foothill MS in Walnut Creek was excited to send its FIRST LEGO League robotics team, called "The GOATed Griffins," to compete in a FIRST LEGO League Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Lowell HS in San Francisco. The team, which includes students in grades 6-8, has been working since August on designing, building and coding a Lego robot that can accomplish 15 tasks in the "Submerged" challenge, which deals with ocean exploration and conservation. Some students are on an "Innovation Team," which presented a solution to a real-world problem during the competition.
The event, open to the public from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., hosted 12 teams with a total of 81 students from seven cities. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global organization that inspires students to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs. FIRST programs foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, teamwork and leadership.
"We will always work together, practice together, and win together," said 7th-grader Oliver Dong. "But, even if we lose, we will do that together, too.” Their team name, GOATed Griffins, combines "Greatest Of All Time" with the school's griffin mascot.
Sixth-grade science teachers Devin Jackson and Adam Thompson coach the team after school. Besides the 10-person competition team, the school has three other recreational teams, with a total of about 60 students participating on one of the four teams. Foothill students have participated in the competitions for about 10 years, Jackson said.
During the competition, the robotics team got three attempts to complete as many tasks as possible in 2-minutes and 30-seconds, presenting their robot design to the judges. The team has come up with three different designs in the past few months, learning through trial and error how to refine the design so it will work most efficiently to accomplish tasks such as pushing and pulling objects, picking them up and placing them in specific areas. The special Lego kits have motors that can move the robot, which the students control through a coding program using their Chromebooks.
The Innovation Team designed a solar and battery-powered boat that could collect water contaminated with oil after an oil spill, filter it and put it into containers. They designed their prototype using Google drawings and created a display board to show their concept to the judges. They interviewed Marine Mammal Center Teacher Engagement Specialist Raquel Rojas via Zoom on Wednesday to get feedback on their idea. She commended them on their creativity and research and encouraged them to continue to spread the word about the dangers of oil spills in the ocean.
Students said they enjoy working together in teams, using their creativity and learning about engineering and STEM, which many of them are interested in pursuing as potential college majors and careers in the future.
Go, GOATED Griffins!
During a heartwarming gathering on Thursday, MDUSD's Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) hosted its "You Make A Difference" Awards ceremony at Concord HS celebrating everyday superheroes who go above and beyond in the lives of students with disabilities. The event recognized 19 people who were nominated by District staff, parents and/or students for their exceptional work and the caring relationships they have built with students, parents and their colleagues.
The award winners are: Keena Armstrong: Special Education Assistant at Monte Gardens Elementary Shawn Carman: Program Specialist at Walnut Acres Elementary Cherie Martin: Speech Therapist at Monte Gardens Elementary Katie Laushman: Deaf and Hard of Hearing early start teacher at Robert Shearer Preschool Sophie Wheeler: Special Education Teacher at Woodside Elementary Valarie Gebhart: Special Education Assistant at Woodside Elementary Deidra Rader: Science Instructional Assistant at Woodside Elementary Angelique Gomez: Special Educational Assistant in the Bridge program Nancy Spier: Special Education Assistant at Robert Shearer Preschool Emilie Paraan: Special Education Assistant at Oak Grove MS Elizabeth Butticci: Intensive Autism Teacher at Ygnacio Valley HS Karen Davis: Resource Teacher at Olympic HS Elizabeth Swanson and Nancy Espino: TK teacher and Instructional Assistant team at Silverwood Elementary Rosa Cornejo: Special Day Class aide at Mountain View Elementary Patricia Coronado: MDUSD Community School Coordinator Gabriella Lejano: Special Education Teacher at Sun Terrace Elementary Janine Payne: Community Advisory Committee Vice-Chair Linda Mayo: MDUSD Board Vice President - Lifetime Recognition Award Thank you and congratulations to all!
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This week's Friday Letter highlights:
- "You Make A Difference" awards recognizing employees who go above and beyond for our students with disabilities,
- Foothill Middle School's FIRST Lego League robotics team heads to competition,
- Northgate HS athlete Symone Jewell recognized for her inspiring athletic talents in Girls Flag Football and Wrestling,
- The Mt. Diablo Education Foundation treats 4th and 5th graders from 11 elementary schools to a special performance by the California Symphony,
- Students from Valley View and Pleasant Hill middle schools visit a trades training center, and
- School and staff social media highlights!
You can read it here.
Following a successful debut last year, Strandwood Elementary special education assistant and parent Preeti Pradhan has created another colorful sand art display known as "rangoli" at the front of the school to help raise awareness of the Indian holiday Diwali, which is celebrated from Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in India and by Indian immigrants and their families in the U.S. The daughter of immigrants from India, Pradhan said her design this year includes 12 overlapping circles, known as "The Lotus of Life" in Sacred Geometry. She also created a border of roadrunners, the school's mascot. The circular design includes repeating "mandala" patterns, as well as flowers and white swirls around the outside, which are also known as "the Golden Ratio." Diwali is a Hindu and South Asian celebration that is known as "the festival of lights."
Pradhan has also been visiting classrooms and offering students the opportunity to create their own mandala patterns on paper, or rangolis, which are made from sand or other materials including flowers or colored rice. Other parents and students also helped Pradhan fill in the design and smooth out the colorful sand. "We just wanted to learn," said Ashley Flores, whose daughter Nora is in Kindergarten They watched some videos about the meaning of Diwali and wanted to see the rangoli taking shape, she said.
Pradhan, who is half Hindu and half Jain, said Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil and the goddess Lakshmi, but its meaning can vary in different parts of India and in different religions. She created the artwork at the front of the school so it would be visible to all Strandwood families and the MDUSD community. "We hope this can be a tradition at the school," she said, adding that the school also celebrated cultural diversity by creating an ofrenda in honor of Dia de los Muertos. Like ofrendas, rangolis often include marigold flowers, as well as bright colors.
Fourth-grade teacher Dylan Brown said he appreciates Pradhan's willingness to create the rangoli for the school and visit his class to explain Diwali to his students, since she can share her firsthand knowledge and personal cultural experiences. "I think it absolutely helps add to a sense of community," he said. Parent Eima Pandher created a beautiful fabric backdrop behind the rangoli, featuring garlands of marigolds to complement the design. And parent Rikita Gakhar helped to stabilize the backdrop so it wouldn't blow over in the wind and said she would also be willing to read books about Diwali or show students henna hand tattoos. "I'm Indian too," she said. "I just wanted to help. I saw this last year and wanted to have a way for my kid to participate in our cultural tradition. It's really nice to be able to help and contribute."
Pradhan, who is the parent of three children, said she plans to purchase even more colored sand next year so that students can make their own mini-rangolis. She is happy that the school community is embracing the celebration of different cultures and said the PTA auction dinner theme this year is: "A world of color."
The rangoli (below) will be on display through November 13th, but since it is made of sand, it may start to blow away due to wind or rain, she added. Strandwood Elementary is at 416 Gladys Drive in Pleasant Hill.
Continuing a tradition they began two years ago, four Latina counselors in the District with Mexican ancestry teamed up with other Latino and Latina District staff members to create a "Día de los Muertos" ofrenda (or altar) at Willow Creek Center to help educate the community about the special importance of Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 in many Latin American cultures, also known as the "Day of the Dead."
Because District students are about 44% Hispanic/Latinx, counselors Angela Ordaz (Holbrook Language Academy and Mountain View Elementary), Marcie Torres (Shore Acres Elementary), Leidi Arias and Yaretzie Amaya (both at Mt. Diablo HS) partnered with Shore Acres Elementary dual immersion 2nd grade teacher Andrea Navarro, and Mt. Diablo HS college and career advisor Erika Ramos to create an ofrenda dedicated to children who have died in recognition of Dia de los Angelitos, or Day of the Little Angels on Nov. 1. Adults are traditionally remembered on Nov. 2.
The ofrenda includes a dedication in the center, along with six framed descriptions of children being recognized, including those who have died in war, of hunger, or in other ways. It also features traditional offerings including some that would appeal to children, such as candy and toys. Visitors can honor their loved ones by writing on paper flowers and placing them in a basket on the ofrenda.
A traditional ofrenda provides a place for the living to reunite with their loved ones, to whom it is dedicated, Ordaz said. Their ofrenda also includes "pan de muerto" - or Day of the Dead bread, fruit, marigold flowers, candles, water, incense and salt, along with written descriptions of the importance of these elements. It is decorated with "papel picado," which means "cut paper" in Spanish and is a traditional Mexican craft with intricate designs. It will be on display through Thursday, Nov. 7 in the Willow Creek Center at 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord.
"For us, the biggest joy we get is to provide Mt. Diablo employees and families an opportunity to learn about the elements of the ofrenda," Ordaz said, explaining that nationwide, only 10% of counselors are Latinx, so it is not the norm for a school District to have four Latina counselors who can share their Mexican culture with the community and help Latinx families feel included and represented. The counselors call themselves "Las Consejeras," which means "the counselors" in Spanish, and they hold "Cafecitas de las Consejeras" throughout the school year as part of their outreach to Spanish-speaking families. "The four of us consejeras choose to intentionally center our ancestral, cultural, ethnic and racial identities because we understand the value of representation for our families and students and our hope is that by being vocal about our identities that they feel seen," Ordaz said.
Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, who visited the ofrenda on Oct. 31, said it's important for our students and staff to understand each other's cultures. "I want to support the ones who are doing this work," he said. Torres said they included the written descriptions to help people understand the meaning of the ofrenda and to provide a model for others who may want to create ofrendas at their schools.
Read more about the four Latina counselors and their outreach to Latinx parents here.
This week's MDUSD Friday Letter highlights:
- The Día de los Muertos educational ofrenda at Willow Creek Center,
- The German American Partnership Program (GAPP) exchange at College Park and Northgate high schools,
- A Strandwood Elementary Diwali rangoli art installation,
- MDUSD and Mt. Diablo High School are mourning the loss of student Mariella Gonzalez,
- Concord High School’s 500 wing has been dedicated to longtime teacher Kathy Koch,
- El Dorado Middle School has unveiled a new mural,
- The Mt. Diablo High School football team won its DAL league championship for the first time since 1962,
- A Pioneer Athlete spotlight on Concord High student athlete Paradise Mahasin,
- Dr. Clark visits TK students at Delta View Elementary,
- Ygnacio Valley High School teacher Joseph Alvarico recognized as one of 75 Most Influential Filipino Americans of 2024 and received The Outstanding Filipino Award in Education,
- YVHS social studies teacher Bryan Shaw selected to serve as a facilitator for the Smithsonian Democracy Dialogue Virtual Exchange program this spring,
- Concord HS students pre-register to vote,
- Mt Diablo Elementary creates an ofrenda to celebrate Dia de los Muertos,
- Mt. Diablo Adult Education co-hosts 2024 Central Contra Costa County Career & Resource Fair,
- Food and Nutrition Services staff get into the holiday spirit for Halloween, & more!
You can read it here.
German language students at College Park and Northgate high schools hosted students and teachers from Germany from Oct. 16-Nov 1 through the German-American Partnership Program (GAPP), which is sponsored by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the US Department of State. College Park students hosted 11 students and two teachers, while Northgate students hosted 20 students and two teachers. In June, 11 College Park students and 20 Northgate students will travel to Germany with their teachers to stay with the families of the students they hosted here.
While visiting, the German students "shadowed" the MDUSD students at school and also tour the Bay Area, to experience an American high school firsthand and also get a taste of American culture and local landmarks, visiting sites such as UC Berkeley, Alcatraz and San Francisco. Those visiting Northgate went to the homecoming rally, football game and dance, and also attended a Marching Band Review in Santa Cruz and helped to organize an Oktoberfest that included German food and games. Those visiting College Park HS enjoyed a school play and gave presentations about "digital agriculture" in Germany, including using AI for farming.
Teachers and students from both schools said the program gave MDUSD students the chance to speak German to teenage peers and to better understand their culture by spending time with them. And likewise, it gave the German students the opportunity to speak English to American teens and learn about our culture by living in students' homes for more than two weeks. The Northgate group attended the Oct. 23 Board meeting and gave a short presentation about the program.
Before the school play at College Park HS on Oct. 24, German student Hailey Klaus, 17, said she liked staying with an American family to see what their daily life was like, including their school routines, such as a fun ceramics class that incorporated glass and mirrors into the artwork. "In Germany, we don't have art classes like that," she said. CPHS senior Bella Alkhoury said she is excited to visit Germany to learn more about the culture, language and school. "And it will be cool to try different food," she said.
At the Northgate Oktoberfest on Oct. 28, German student Sarah Herdzina, 16, said she wanted to come to America to improve her English speaking and get to know new people. "I really like the experience in high school," she said, adding that she also enjoyed visiting San Francisco. Her classmate Nina Amann, 16, said their Oktoberfest included a game where a person holds 1 liter of water out to the side for as long as possible, and a relay game where students walked across the blacktop carrying a golf ball (instead of an egg) in a spoon, then had to recite three German words and their meanings. Northgate junior student Julianne Cullen said it's interesting to compare German and American daily life and school systems. "And the game was fun," she said.
The German students flew back home on Nov. 1st.
An Ygnacio Valley High School team of 12 students led by engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico and math teacher Tabatha Box has been awarded a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam® grant in the amount of $7,500 to create an invention geared towards helping people with limited hand mobility regain their independence and reconnect with loved ones and their community. Ygnacio Valley High is one of only eight high schools nationwide to be selected as an InvenTeam this year, and it is the only school in California to earn this honor. The Ygnacio Valley High School InvenTeam is inventing a solution to assist those with limited ability— whether due to arthritis, cerebral palsy, or other conditions—to use their hands to overcome challenges in their daily lives, such as gripping utensils or using hand gestures to communicate. With more than 50 million adults in the U.S. affected by arthritis and 764,000 people living with cerebral palsy, these challenges are widespread and can become frustrating struggles, leading to feelings of isolation. The YVHS InvenTeam’s goal is to not only improve quality of life for people with limited hand mobility, but also to promote a more inclusive and connected society. Alvarico, who is a 2024 California Teacher of the Year, hand-picked the 12 members, who are both male and female students in grades 9-12 including many who are also members of the after-school robotics club he advises, have taught robotics to middle school students, and participate in dual enrollment engineering classes for which they are earning college credit through Diablo Valley College (DVC). "I thought it would be really cool for students from Ygnacio Valley, with limited resources from low socioeconomic backgrounds, to have the same opportunities that other students do, so we are making this a vehicle not just to help the community, but for the kids to see what’s outside of California," Alvarico said, explaining that the project culminates in a presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The team hopes to attract outside mentors in the field of technology and/or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) support, as well as in-kind donations or monetary support, since the grant will not cover all of the group’s expenses as they develop a working prototype that could lead to a patent. The eight teams were chosen by a respected panel of university professors, inventors, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and college students including former InvenTeam members now working in industry. “The InvenTeams are focusing on solving problems that impact their local communities,” said Leigh Estabrooks, Lemelson-MIT’s Invention Education Officer. “Teams are focusing their technological solutions — their inventions — on inequities in health and wellbeing, environmental issues, and safety concerns. These high school students are not just problem-solvers of tomorrow, they are problem solvers today helping to make our world more equitable, healthier, and safer.” Students on the YVHS InvenTeam were inspired to pursue their invention after meeting a special education student at their school who is nonverbal and has difficulty moving his hands. "We decided to help him by working on a project to improve hand mobility and fine motor skills for people with lack of ability," said senior Leqi Li. The students also met with MDUSD Special Education Department staff members who work with students needing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supports to better understand their challenges. Team members said they are excited to learn how the invention process works and some have personal reasons for joining the team. Althea Danae Vivar, a sophomore, said her grandmother works in a senior care home, where residents sometimes struggle with disabilities. "Sometimes, my grandma would say how lonely they were at the care home and their disability would lead to frustration because they cannot do the things they used to be able to do. This is something that could help." You can follow the team's progress on Instagram here.
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This week's MDUSD Friday Letter highlights:
- The "Experience Dyslexia” event,
- The Ygnacio Valley High School InvenTeam,
- Girl golfers from Northgate and College Park High School celebrate undefeated seasons in the DAL, and recognition for individual girl golfers from Concord and Mt. Diablo high schools,
- The grand opening of the new InFab Lab at Concord High School,
- Career Pathways students from three high schools participate in Manufacturing Day,
- A College Now student earns 2nd place in speech and debate competition at Santa Rosa Junior College,
- Olympic HS students participate in Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee,
- Mt. Diablo Adult Education Surgical Technology Students Receive Scholarships, and
- School and Staff social media highlights.
You can read it here.
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