In this edition ...

• From the Desk of Mr. Baier
• Board meeting review: The MVWSD Way, solar program update, National Arab American Heritage Month
• MVWSD welcomes new principals for next year
• Staff only: Support our students at reclassification April 23
• High Fives

From the Desk of Mr. Baier

Dear Staff Members, 

We had an energizing and inspiring day on Wednesday as principals, administrators, and teachers came together with Orenda to continue shaping the MVWSD Way. The MVWSD Way represents more than a framework—it reflects who we are as educators and our shared commitment to providing every student with an exceptional learning experience.

In the months ahead, you’ll hear more about how the MVWSD Way is coming to life in our classrooms. Our current focus is on strengthening standards-aligned instruction, deepening clarity and rigor in learning expectations, and using common assessments to better understand student progress and respond in real time. By thoughtfully applying the insights from our recent system study, we are building a stronger, more responsive system that supports the success of every student—especially those who need us most.

We are excited about the path forward as we continue to build on this exciting, student-centered work.

Warmly,

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent

Board meeting review: The MVWSD Way, solar program update, National Arab American Heritage Month

The MVWSD Way

Staff presented the MVWSD Way: our district's approach to ensuring every student's success by providing a high-quality, premium education. Simply put, the MVWSD Way is our collective identity as educators in MVWSD and how we serve students with the highest quality education experience. 

Some of what we’ll be continuing to work on as part of the MVWSD Way, with support from Orenda:

• Professional development focusing on building strong, aligned teaching practices across all schools.
• Standards-aligned instruction, and equitable, responsive teaching. This work emphasizes clear expectations and rigor, guided by state standards.
• Teams using data to guide instruction and better support multilingual learners. 
• Grade-level teams working closely together to align core instruction. They plan with the end in mind, ensure alignment to standards, and use common assessments to monitor progress.

Solar program update

The Trustees heard an update on the solar program was developed in 2020 to support several key objectives: generating stable General Fund savings through reduced energy costs, modernizing District facilities, and advancing sustainability goals. The program provides campuses with shade while saving approximately $500,000 in energy savings each year — for a total of $2.1 million to date. We are grateful for taxpayers’ support of Measure T which funded the installation of solar panels.

Arab American Heritage Month

The Trustees approved a resolution marking National Arab American Heritage Month. MVWSD recognizes the importance of honoring the achievements of our Arab American community members.

MWVSD welcomes new principals for next year

We have two new principals for the 2026-27 school year! Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Ms. Aimee Malcolm, principal at Graham, and Ms. Carly Sturm, principal of Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary, who will officially begin their work this summer. Read more about them here. We are grateful for the leadership of Mr. Geoff Chang (Graham) and Ms. Swati Dagar (Vargas) who have served as interim principals this spring.

Staff is invited: Reclassification on April 23

We are excited to invite MVWSD teachers and staff to this year’s Reclassification Celebration, a special evening recognizing the incredible progress of our Multilingual Learners (English Learners) who have achieved reclassification as English Proficient. This joyful and inspiring event honors the hard work of our students, families, and staff, and celebrates the rich diversity of our community.

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026

Time: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Location: Crittenden Middle School Quad

We’d love to have you join us in celebrating this important accomplishment. Your support would mean so much to our students and their families.

High Fives

Film Festival award winners

Congratulations to all students who entered films in the districtwide contest: "Spotlight on Solutions" held April 15. The event showcased 16 short films that explore real-world problems and showcase inspiring solutions. Four films and their creators were selected as finalists. “The Problem with AI” by Ayden S.; “Phishing” by Jack W., Arjun S., Damian H, Elijah V., and Henry S.; “Artificial Intelligence: Who's Actually Doing the Work?” by Ming-Yang J., Devan K., and Steven B. “SOS” by Kavya K, Olivia A., and Agnes P. was selected as the winner. Please support our students by watching their films here.

Celebration of the Military Child

Monta Loma celebrated the Day of the Military Child on April 16 with recognition of the children from military families, and in honor of the sacrifices they make. It was a sea of purple, which is a combination of all of the colors of the military. Our students from military families were recognized for their resilience, who like the dandelions, the symbolic flower of the day, thrive wherever they land. 

Acknowledge Alliance’s Outstanding Educational Leadership honoree, Terri Kemper

Our MVWSD Preschool Director Terri Kemper was named the Outstanding Educational Leadership honoree by Acknowledge Alliance. She will receive the honor at the Forget-Me-Not event on April 29.

She was recognized for her decades-long dedication to early childhood education and for her support of young learners and their families. She is deeply committed to expanding access to high-quality early learning and resources for some of the community’s most vulnerable children. Congratulations, Terri!

Open House Recap 

Last month was Open House month! PreK, Elementary and Middle School families had the opportunity to visit classrooms, connect with teachers and see student work that demonstrated the immense growth and learning happening throughout the year. Evenings like these are possible because of the dedication of our staff and the engagement of our families. It is a privilege to serve a community so invested in its students.

Musical Recap

Last month, our students brought two incredible shows to life on stage! Our Graham Bears performed The Addams Family, and our Crittenden Panthers took the stage with Aladdin Jr. Both were the result of months of hard work building skills in musicality, choreography, memorization and teamwork, all while finding the courage to perform in front of a live audience. Congratulations to every member of the cast, crew and staff who made these shows possible. It truly takes a village!