Merced schools celebrate the past year while looking to the future

It’s hard to believe we’re less than a week away from the last day of school, but the rising temperatures (and the Merced City School District calendar) make it very clear that summer is almost here! May has been an especially busy month with state testing on top of the regular classroom curriculum, but it has also been a time to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students and staff.

That was certainly the case at our third annual district-wide STEAM Fair on May 18. Hundreds of people gathered at Tenaya Middle School to enjoy student work done throughout the year in the areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. The campus was covered with vibrant displays, engaging activities, and simultaneous performances on three different stages. As visitors made their way through each area, they had a chance to see everything from solar energy experiments to virtual architecture technology to mini art galleries. It was the perfect way to showcase the creativity and critical thinking happening in our classrooms every day.

We were thankful to have participation from community partners such as BEAT, ASSETS, El Capitan High School’s robotics team, and PG&E. Harris Construction helped with a booth featuring visual displays of our new STEAM Center. Students and their families could even sign a beam that will be incorporated into the facility next to Ada Givens Elementary, which is nearly complete.

Our schools have been holding their own celebrations this month, including dance festivals at Reyes and Givens, a multicultural day at Sheehy, a talent and art show at Tenaya, and awards ceremonies at several campuses. Each of these events drew large crowds full of cheering family members and friends.

We had a great turnout for the annual staff-appreciation picnic last week as well. About 1,000 MCSD employees and their loved ones came together at Lake Yosemite for an evening of great food, games, music, and camaraderie. It was also a chance to recognize our retirees and those who have served the district for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and even 40 years!

We’re now looking forward to our eighth grade graduation ceremonies on May 31, but all of the hustle and bustle won’t end there. More than 1,900 students have already signed up for our Summer Academy, which runs from June 12 to July 14. They'll get to enjoy hands-on lessons in STEAM subjects plus learning excursions and special presentations. This year we're also offering an online foreign language program, along with an online math program over the summer.

You can expect to see extensive school modernization work happening this summer as well, thanks to voter-approved Measure M funding. Several schools will be getting 21st century makeovers to support student learning and safety. The improvements will include everything from upgraded classrooms with state-of-the-art technology to new parking areas. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on those projects in future columns.

Some of our schools will also be welcoming new administrators as we head into the fall. Stowell Elementary principal Tara Bright will trade campuses with Givens Elementary principal Dalinda Saich. Burbank Elementary principal Jarod Garst will become the principal of Cruickshank Middle School, while current Cruickshank principal Jill Settera will take the reins as principal of Burbank. Peterson Elementary learning director Tammy Fischer will move to Fremont Elementary, Stowell learning director Josy Pulido will go to Peterson, and Gracey Elementary learning director Richard Alvarado will join the team at Stowell. Meanwhile, teacher Amber Hall will become the learning director at Gracey. These moves are designed to create new opportunities for our school site leaders, while continuing to build a cohesive team district wide.

But before we move on to the next chapter, we want to once again congratulate our students and thank all of our parents and staff for an outstanding 2016-2017 school year. We hope you all have a great summer!

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 8:25 AM with the headline "Merced schools celebrate the past year while looking to the future."