Mendocino Unified School District

10/29/2021

Superintendent’s Update October 29th

MUSD Community,

First and foremost, we did not have any new COVID cases for the week.

Here are some MUSD tidbits to take you into the weekend:

Did you know:

1. There is an interpretive trail in the woods behind the Mendocino K-8 School? John Moran's 4th and 5th grade classes finished the trail last year and even made a pamphlet for curious hikers.

2. MUSD is comprised of 8 schools.

3. There is an 18-hole disc golf course at Mendocino High School.

4. The MHS Volleyball team made the playoffs and will be hosting a home playoff game at 7:00 PM on October 30th. Tickets are only available online at https://gofan.co/app/school/CIFNCS

5. The main building at MHS was built in 1948.

6. MUSD owns the Old Historic Grammar School on School St in Mendocino. MUSD rents the building to the Community Center of Mendocino (CCM). CCM runs after school programs and also maintains a community dog park and petanque court.

7. The MUSD boundary encompass over 420 square miles.

8. MHS uses reclaimed water from the Mendocino City Community Services District to water athletic fields.

9. The Mascots in Mendocino are the Cardinals (MHS), Mountain Lions (K-8), and the Lizards (Albion School).

10. There isn't a #10. I just thought I end the list on a round number. So, to that end, have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!

Jason

10/25/2021

MUSD Community,

Well, we've been in school for just about two months, and lots of good things are happening. We had another week without any Covid cases reported in the district; Homecoming week has been a success at the high school; and the rain, so needed in our area, has been beautiful (even though it means MHS has canceled the parade scheduled for tomorrow - luckily, the dance is still happening).

As the days grow shorter, I want to again thank the administrators, teachers, staff, students, and families for the ways in which everyone is responding to the continued challenges of this year. It's a joy to see students and adults working together. Please remember to let me know if you have concerns, questions, or appreciations to pass along.

Have a great weekend - stay safe on those wet streets!

Jason

10/08/2021

October 8th, 2021

MUSD Community,

It’s been a busy week in MUSD. The K-8 Schools have been conducting parent/teacher conferences all week. We have always had great participation and hopefully K-8 parents took advantage of this opportunity to learn more about their child’s progress.

This week we had one presumptive positive case at the K-8 School that triggered our response protocols. Notifications were sent out on Monday. That one presumptive case turned out to be a false positive. All subsequent COVID tests conducted at the school were negative.

On a related note, and as I am sure you might have heard, California will be mandating COVID vaccines for kids in schools following full approval from the Food and Drug Administration. For ages 12-18, that means the mandate will go into effect in July of 2022, in time for the start of the 2022-23 school year.

We are facing a severe shortage of personnel in the district. Historically, we have never had a problem finding teachers and aides, but we have had many positions left unfilled this year. Positions include instructional aides, integrative aides, school bus driver (we will pay to train you), intervention teacher, and a COVID safety coordinator. Several of the positions come with medical benefits. If you are interested or would like to learn more, contact me at 937-5868 or [email protected].

Thanks!

Jason

09/24/2021

September 24th, 2021

MUSD Community,

This week we had one positive COVID case at the K-8 School. Notifications were sent out to all staff and student families for possible exposure on Tuesday. All subsequent tests conducted at the school following the notifications were negative. To date we have had 8 cases at the K-8 School and 1 at Mendocino High School. There continues to be no evidence of school spread.

I would like to acknowledge our student and parent community for again doing the right thing and keeping students home when COVID symptoms are present, getting a COVID PCR test, and notifying the school of the positive case. By following school district protocols and California Department of Public Health orders and guidance, we can continue to keep our schools open to in-person learning.

Enjoy the sun!

Jason

09/17/2021

September 17th, 2021

MUSD Community,

It’s Back to School Night season at our schools and I hope you have taken advantage of the opportunity to get a closer look at classroom teaching materials and protocols. Back to School Night definitely has a different look this year, but it is still a worthy event and our teachers have worked hard to make the events safe and informative.

Attending these events might give you a glimpse into the creative ways our teachers are keeping our students safe while providing instruction. Teachers are using outdoor spaces under tents, the shade of trees, and open fields to deliver instruction. I’ve enjoyed driving out of the K-8 parking lot to see Mark Oatney’s class under the pines with their chairs, texts, and notebooks. I recently stopped by to see Amanda Martin’s setup at the Albion School. During the cool mornings, they have school on the basketball court and when the sun comes out they are learning under a large tent on the playground with all of their classroom supplies. Teachers at Mendocino High School have converted every usable space into a classroom as the planned construction at the main campus continues. Tom Sosnovec has transformed the usually dark Matheson Performing Arts Center into a light, dynamic math classroom.

This week we had one positive COVID case at the K-8 School. Notifications were sent out to all staff and student families for possible exposure on Tuesday. All subsequent tests conducted at the school following the notifications were negative. We continue to test all sports teams regularly as a part of our school protocols. It sure is exciting to see our teams competing again!

Stay safe and mask up!

Jason

09/11/2021

September 10th, 2021

MUSD Community,

I’m not sure about you, but I am loving this four-day work week! Just a fun fact, our neighbors to the north in Leggett Unified currently have a four-day week for students. Don’t worry, this is not being considered, but we can dream.

Sports are happening and in full swing in MUSD. Volleyball is offered at the K-8 School, and the cross country, volleyball, and co-ed soccer teams are back in action at MHS. Athletes are required to participate in COVID testing at the schools twice a week in order to play. Sports and all extracurricular activities add so much to the health and well-being of our students. Thanks to all of the coaches who are dedicating their time to our athletes!

This week we had one positive COVID case at the K-8 School. The positive test was an antigen rapid test and we are waiting for the results of a PCR test to confirm the result. Notifications were sent home this evening with a few more coming this weekend. We continue to do routine surveillance COVID testing at our schools.

At this time, one of our biggest concerns is the availability of COVID antigen tests. Although we are good for now, our pending orders are back ordered. This is true for each district in the county, and I would imagine it is true across California. We are actively pursuing every resource we can to increase our supply of antigen tests.

To close, I’ll note that our students and staff have stepped up to the challenge of in-person schooling during a pandemic in a very big way. We have had minimal issues with compliance of mask mandates and testing protocols. Vaccinations, masks, and COVID testing will be the key to hopefully someday returning to normal, whatever normal might be.

Enjoy the weekend,

Jason

09/03/2021

September 3rd, 2021

MUSD Community,

It’s hard to believe that two weeks are already in the books for the 2021-22 school year and given the challenges we are facing this year in terms of COVID testing, guidance and orders from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), re-integrating our students back on campus for full-time instruction, and the modernization of Mendocino High School, things are going extremely well. This update is the first in a series that will be sent out each Friday to inform the school community of general district updates, COVID cases, and COVID testing information.

In spite of the challenges we are facing, our staff has adapted with innovation, creativity, and grace and our students have responded with a great deal of understanding, patience, and a renewed appreciation of in-person learning. We are continuing to utilize new tech tools in the classroom, have created outdoor classrooms and eating spaces, and have converted every possible usable space at the high school for teaching and learning while preparing for construction work on the main building.

During the first two weeks we have had one case of COVID at the high school and five cases at the K-8 level. In each of the cases, parents quickly notified us of positive test results administered outside of school and those students immediately quarantined at home. This is exactly what we are asking of parents – to notify us of possible cases and to keep students at home when appropriate.

We traced the students’ attendance and notices were sent home to possible close contacts at the schools. Our policy is to cast a wide net because it is difficult to identify close contacts within the school setting. COVID tests were conducted as efficiently as possible at the high school and the K-8 School.

This week we tested 109 students at the K-8 School and all tests were negative. In addition, we tested 126 students at MHS and all tests were negative. There is no indication of COVID spread at school.

We follow CDPH guidance and orders for mask mandates, communication, and COVID testing protocols. Click on the link here (https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Schools-FAQ.aspx) for a handy FAQ on school guidance and testing from CDPH or visit www.cdph.ca.gov for more information. When we receive notice of a positive COVID case, we use a matrix of possible scenarios to determine how and when to communicate with parents, who gets tested, how often they are tested, and when quarantine is required. That matrix can be found by clicking here (https://www.mendocinousd.org/files/user/1/file/MUSD%20COVID-19%20scenario%20grid%208%2020%2021(1).pdf) or by visiting our website at www.mendocinousd.org. There is a wealth of information regarding our district protocols and procedures for COVID on our website under the COVID-19 tab.

As always, I urge you to reach out to the school district if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. I would love the chance to discuss any of your school related concerns or questions. Please contact me at [email protected] or 707-937-5868. I stand by promise that I will return your phone call or email within 24 hours.

Many thanks,

Jason Morse
Superintendent
Mendocino Unified School District

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08/20/2021

August 20th, 2021

MUSD Parents,

It has been a busy week here at Mendocino Unified as we prepare for the first day of school on August 23rd. Busy for sure, but also, a week of positive energy and anticipation. We can’t wait to have our students back on our campuses!

At MUSD, we are following all of the orders of the Mendocino County Department of Public Health. First and foremost, this means that masks will be required at all times while indoors at our schools. We are also following all of the recommended protocols for events of confirmed positive COVID cases as well as exposure to confirmed cases.

All of the information regarding our COVID procedures can be found HERE: https://www.mendocinousd.org/District/2934-Untitled.html

In order to keep our schools open, we need to work together. Most importantly, this means keeping your child at home if they are displaying any symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Please remember that opening schools to in-person instruction during a pandemic is no easy task. Information is constantly changing and we are doing our best to provide the safest environment possible for our staff and students.

If you have any questions regarding our COVID procedures or protocols, don’t hesitate to ask! Please contact the main office at your child’s school site and we will work together to get the best information to you as soon as we can.

See you next week!

Jason Morse
Superintendent
Mendocino Unified School District

06/16/2021

Here is how to support the graduating class of 2021.
Congratulations graduates!

04/21/2021

MUSD Board Meeting - Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Agenda here:

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03/25/2021

Positions available at MUSD can be found on our website: https://www.mendocinousd.org/District/Jobs/ #

Temporary Spanish Teacher 1.0 FTE (1 year) – Requirements:  CA Single Subject Credential (with authorization in Spanish) or equivalent; EL certification required; experience teaching HS students Spanish levels 1 - 4; fluent in Spanish; excellent and varied classroom management techniques and diff...

03/15/2021

MUSD Parents,

The MUSD Board of Trustees voted in favor of the following proposed timeline for reopening our schools to in-person instruction. More information will be coming from the K-8 School and MHS on specific schedules.

March 29th – Preschool through 2nd grade
April 5th – 3rd through 6th grade
April 19th – 7th grade through 12th grade

If you have any questions please contact the K-8 School or MHS office.

Thanks,

Jason Morse
Superintendent
Mendocino Unified School District