Celebration of Newly Permanent Certificated Staff
Several teachers and counselors were honored last night at the Board of Trustees meeting for earning permanent status in our district. This means these staff members have successfully completed their first two years of teaching at MVWSD, and are reelected to serve a third year. Congratulations, and thank you for your dedication to our students!
Mikayla Campbell – Teacher – Graham Middle School
Claire Curvers – Teacher – Monta Loma Elementary School
Bernadette Dunn – Teacher – Graham Middle School
Jordan French – Teacher – Graham Middle School
Elisa Gove – Counselor – Vargas Elementary School
Kiera Henry-Duran – Counselor – Castro Elementary School
Blanca Herrera – Teacher – Mistral Elementary School
Emily Hilkene – Counselor – Stevenson Elementary School
Soyoung Joo – Counselor – Imai Elementary School
Vivien Kong – Teacher – Crittenden Middle School
Joseph Lagano – Counselor – Monta Loma Elementary School
Michaela Lee – Teacher – Landels Elementary School
Kelly Lopes – Teacher – Crittenden Middle School
Mayra Lopez – Teacher – Castro Elementary School
Lisa Perkins – Teacher – Graham Middle School
Vincent Santiago – Teacher – Crittenden Middle School
Leigh Wilson – Counselor – Theuerkauf Elementary School
The MVWSD Way
The MVWSD Way is our shared commitment to high-leverage practices that drive student engagement, deepen learning, and help every student succeed. Throughout the year, our teachers will continue working together on MVWSD Way initiatives to strengthen instruction and ensure every student receives rigorous, high-quality first instruction.
.png) This is a “build” year. Our goal is growth for every student, with a clear and consistent foundation for proficiency and opportunities to achieve beyond it. We will achieve this by developing a consistent set of agreed-upon grade level minimum expectations, supported by standards-aligned instruction, and assessment at the rigor of state standards. In August, teachers met to develop grade-level standards matrices. The Board heard a presentation from staff about teachers’ feedback about the August work sessions.
Teachers’ feedback will be used to improve upcoming professional development sessions. In October, they will use the matrices from the August session to develop assessments that are closely aligned with state standards and student learning expectations. In January and March, teachers will practice using these tools, learn what works, and identify what needs to be refined.
All students benefit when teachers have the time and resources to deepen their practices and improve instructional systems. We can’t wait to see how the MVWSD Way powered by our teachers improves outcomes for all students.
School Site Plans
Each year, all of our schools go through the important process of developing school improvement plans. These data-driven plans outline the means to improve the outcomes for all students. The plans are developed by site administrators with input from the School Site Council (SSC), English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), and staff. Look for a draft of your school’s plan in October/November.
Budget report: Unaudited Actuals
The Board heard a report that MVWSD is in a strong financial position today because of its reserves. However, expenses continue to exceed revenue, and reserves and one-time funds provide only temporary support. Without ongoing changes, projections show reserves falling below the Board’s policy level within four years.
 The budget discussion is part of our efforts to improve student outcomes. It is not simply an exercise in cutting expenditures until the numbers balance. It’s how we will align our limited resources with the educational system that we’re building for students. At the meeting, the Board asked staff to bring back on Nov. 5 recommendations for $8– 8.5 million this year in ongoing reductions. Making reductions now would slow our savings spend-down until revenues catch up in future years. The Board is expected to review potential budget reductions and their impacts throughout the fall, with final Board action planned for January.
As a Community Funded (Basic Aid) district, MVWSD receives most of its revenue from local property taxes. Slower growth in assessed property values means slower revenue growth, even as the costs of serving students continue to rise.
The District made approximately $7 million in reductions last year, primarily in District Office staffing and custodial services, but a structural deficit remains. Because more than 80% of the District’s budget is invested in people, future reductions will require careful consideration of staffing models, programs and service levels.
The goal is to make thoughtful decisions now that protect MVWSD’s long-term financial health while keeping students and high-quality instruction at the center of our work.
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