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MDUSD is excited to have launched a new Teacher Residency program in partnership with St. Mary's College of California, which offers teachers in training the opportunity to work alongside a highly qualified teacher mentor in our District three days a week. This year, 12 teacher residents have been placed in Hidden Valley, Strandwood and Wren Avenue elementary schools; and at El Dorado and Riverview middle schools. They include residents pursuing multiple subject, single subject math, and special education credentials, who receive stipends of $31,400 per year and are given priority for substitute teaching positions while they are residents and for teaching positions after they earn their preliminary credentials at the end of this school year.

"I think it's going really well," said Christina Nelson, MDUSD's Teacher Residency Program Coordinator. "We're hoping to fill hard-to-fill positions and we are focused on diversifying the workforce." 

MDUSD and St. Mary's College are co-hosting a virtual information night from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 for those who are interested in participating in the second year of the program in 2026-27 (see flyer for details and RSVP here). The application deadline to St. Mary's is March 1 and candidates can apply to the MDUSD residency after they are accepted.

At Riverview MS, teacher resident Dre Walker said he feels blessed to have been accepted into the program and paired with Special Education teacher Mary Acebu, a 13-year veteran who teaches Special Day Class students in grades 7-8. "I have to step up my game this year, in terms of lesson planning and being able to group the students strategically," she said, explaining how she is adapting to having another educator in the classroom along with para-educator Kimberley Montano. The students shift from one class to the next because many are mainstreamed for part of the day. "I'm here to show him the ropes on IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), testing, using different technologies to reach the kids, district requirements, and getting him ready for next year, once he becomes a full-fledged special education teacher."

Both Walker and Acebu agree that it is rewarding to teach special education. "Kids light up in the classroom once they understand something - that's always the goal," Acebu said. "They'll say, 'Oh, you taught me that last week,' and it just clicks. Those 'aha' moments - I live for those. I love that the most - being with the kids. I know if I can change even one student's life, I think I've fulfilled my purpose."

Walker sees the strong relationships that Acebu has built with her current and former students and he is working to establish his own connections with students. "She has found the students' superpowers," he said. "Most of our students have a skillset they don't realize. We bring it to light, so they can see it and run with it. These kids need an opportunity to be with quality teachers who believe in them."

One student named Alex said she likes both Acebu and Walker. "She's fantastic," Alex said of Acebu. "She's the fun teacher. She's nice and she's kind. And Mr. Dre - he's kind and he likes my artwork and how I try my best when I'm doing my work." Walker and Alex get along so well that they have created their own handshake, which they excitedly demonstrated.

Both Acebu and Walker are on the same wavelength in terms of blending academic and social and emotional learning by making their classroom a positive place where students feel safe, respected, academically challenged, welcome and valued. "We teach them to love themselves and to love others," Walker said. "Our kids are not afraid to ask questions," Acebu added.

Relying on the Universal Design for Learning, they design lessons to meet students' individual needs. Acebu, who is one of the school's Technology Integration Leaders, uses multimedia, websites and creates her own virtual lessons taking students places they have never been, such as Japan. When they use videos, such as CNN 10 current events, Acebu and Walker stop the program often to talk about it and how it relates to students' lives, explaining vocabulary words that may be unfamiliar. Acebu tries to make lessons engaging by rephrasing questions, alternating between multiple choice, writing and oral lessons. When some students said they didn't know why they were getting Tuesday off, that sparked a discussion about Veterans Day and why it's important - and Acebu learned that some students have military family members.

"She's fluid," Walker observed. "She's constantly changing based on the surroundings and characteristics of her students." By listening to the students, Acebu said she is able to figure out what they are interested in and what they have questions about. She also gives them short breaks during lessons so they don't feel bombarded by too many questions in a row. And she encourages students to ask questions if they don't understand something, which helps them feel confident and prepares them for high school. 

Walker attends staff meetings and is included in Acebu's communications to other staff members and to parents, which include weekly reports about what students are learning. Acebu said teaching life skills is Walker's forte. He loves explaining things like Native American History and Digital Citizenship to students.

Both Acebu and Walker said they would highly recommend the Teacher Residency program to aspiring teachers, as well as to veteran teacher mentors. "It can seem overwhelming to work with another person in the class, but it takes skill, patience and leadership," Acebu said. "When you know what you're able to bring to the table to help someone be the best teacher they can be, this is the perfect program to help people who want to be teachers in the future."

Walker said Acebu welcomed him with open arms and treated him as an equal when he first arrived. "At age 57, I'm learning new things," Walker said. "She's amazing."

 

This week's Friday Letter spotlights:

• Teacher Residency Program in partnership with St. Mary’s College of California,
• Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Delta View Elementary and other MDUSD campuses,
• Pleasant Hill MS 7th grader Charlotte Proctor won the 2025 local Lions Club Peace Poster Contest
• The Ygnacio Valley High School Math Team participated in the UC Berkeley Math Tournament,
• Members of the Beauty for Ashes club at Ygnacio Valley HS led a school cleanup effort,
• Northgate High School art team has been named one of five national finalists in the Crosley record player design contest,
• Board of Education ratified the new contract with the Mt. Diablo Education Association, , social media highlights,
• And more!

You can read it here.

 

MDUSD's SOAR (Support Office for Access and Resources) program is here to help families get connected with the resources and support they need. We provide basic necessities for all students, whether they are enrolled in the SOAR Program or not — including backpacks, school supplies, clothing, hygiene kits, and referrals to local food resources.

If you or someone you know could use assistance, please reach out to soar@mdusd.org or call 925-685-1011, ext. 62042.

If you’re in a position to help others, please consider making a donation to SOAR this holiday season during our annual drive to support families in need within our community. Every dollar donated goes directly to supporting MDUSD students in need. We are accepting donations through Jan. 20, 2026.

Please see the flyer for details. 

 

Hundreds of MDUSD parents/guardians and students had the opportunity to meet with representatives from several trades unions during the District's first ever Building Trades Night on Nov. 5 at Concord HS, where they learned about training and career opportunities. The event was presented through a partnership between MDUSD, the Torlakson Whole Child Institute and local trades unions. 

It included hands-on demonstrations, information booths and remarks from MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Mae Cendaña Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, CA Building and Construction Trades Council President Chris Hannan, and a College Park HS grad who is now in a plumber's apprenticeship program, as well as his mom.

Thurmond said California and Contra Costa County need trades workers to build the infrastructure and housing our communities need. Hannan said trades workers can proudly build anything the state or country can imagine, while earning middle class wages without student debt, since they get paid while they are in the apprenticeship programs - and also receive health benefits and retirement pensions. Hannan also stressed the importance of math in the trades, saying: "If you are mechanically inclined, if you like to build things, if you like to be able to see what you've accomplished, if you like to be part of a sisterhood or a brotherhood, the trades are for you!" Rep. DeSaulnier said he was pleased to be part of such a special evening. "In this whole country," he said, "there is nothing like this unique partnership happening."

Second year plumbing apprentice Dylan Woodhall said he enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program at Diablo Valley College before becoming an apprentice, where he uses math every day and works hard, while making great pay. "I'm 23 years old and I just bought a condo right down the street," he said. His mom, Jennifer Woodhall, told parents at the event: "I think it's a fabulous program." 

El Dorado MS math teacher Jodi Masongsong and Oak Grove MS math teachers Jeffrey Juico and Gian De Los Santos talked to parents about the math skills they teach, which are important in the trades, including measuring, converting units such as inches to feet or ounces to pounds, estimation, geometry and fractions. "Some need to calculate voltage and they all need to know how to problem-solve and think critically," Masongsong said. De Los Santos added: "And if your boss asks you for half of something, you need to know how to calculate that half."  

Celeste Sanchez, a member of the Laborers Union, said construction workers do a variety of jobs from pouring concrete to demolition, shoveling, and cleaning up debris. "I love it," said Sanchez, who is a petite 4'11" tall. "If I can do it, anyone can do it!" MDUSD parent Magdalena Rodriguez, who attended the event with her four children, said she came to learn more about options for them after graduation. Her son Oseas, who is a Sequoia MS 6th-grader, said he liked the copper pipe-fitting demonstration. Concord HS Sophomore Arjen Swift-Wade, who attended the event with his father, said he appreciated the opportunity to learn about a variety of jobs and what they entail. He suggested expanding the program to include lesser-known jobs such as mural artists, fine woodworking including furniture making, and music production. He was most interested in drywall, glazier, flooring and painting jobs and said he heard the message about the importance of math loud and clear. Arjen praised his Concord HS math teacher Jose Soltero, saying he explains geometry really well. Parent Juana Cisneros, who attended the event with her children including Concord HS sophomore Juan Villafan, said she enjoyed learning more about the trades and benefits. Juan said he found the laborer job opportunities interesting.   

MDUSD Board President Linda Mayo, who attended the Trades Night along with the rest of the Board members, expressed her gratitude afterward to everyone who organized and facilitated the event, including MDUSD and Concord HS staff members. "Your efforts showed our community and elected officials from throughout the county, and the Trades, what a shining star MDUSD is," she said.  Click here to see a reel highlighting the event. More information about MDUSD's Career Pathways programs is here. 

 

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• Building Trades Parent-Student Night at Concord High School,
• The Concord High School “Scare Away Hunger” campaign,
• Northgate High art students enter design competition that blends visual art and music,
• Foothill MS student Marcus Lee won the Juvenile Boys Free Skate in the 2026 Pacific Coast Sectional Singles and will move onto the "Development Team;"
• Ygnacio Valley High’s varsity football team is the first MDUSD athletic program to complete Career Pathways Work Readiness Workshops;
• Olympic High School’s festive Halloween activities in partnership with Crossroads HS;
• Mountain View Elementary students take a “selfie from space” thanks to their teacher’s creative outreach,
• Pleasant Hill Middle School 8th-grade STEM trip to Levi’s Stadium,
• Walnut Acres Elementary’s Halloween Parade on their newly paved track;
• Mt. Diablo Adult Education hosts the Contra Costa Central Career Expo;
• MDUSD mourns the passing of EJ Barna, a valued afterschool program staff member at Riverview MS;
• School and Staff Social Media Highlights;
• And more!

You can read it here.

 

In recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month in October, MDUSD is holding two "Experience Dyslexia" events to give participants the opportunity to better understand the challenges that people with dyslexia face every day. In addition, the events describe the District's reading curriculum and screener for reading difficulties in grades K-2, as well as ongoing monitoring and support through grade 12 for those who need accommodations such as audio books to help them work at grade level while learning to read.

During the first event on Oct. 28, MDUSD's Chief of Pupil Services and Special Education Wendi Aghily explained dyslexia during a presentation called "Identifying Dyslexia & Effective Reading Interventions." She noted that the state is now requiring districts to screen students for reading difficulties, which can identify issues with hearing and processing what they hear. Students with auditory dyslexia have trouble sounding out words, she said. Of the roughly 15% of students in MDUSD who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through special education, about 6-7% are identified with a print reading disability, Aghily said. "Our goal is to get kids reading to the maximum ability we can, understanding that not everybody loves reading - and that's OK," she said. One of the reasons dyslexic students may not enjoy reading is because it is exhausting for them to try to decode letters, sound out words, read fluently and comprehend the meaning at the same time, she explained.

In MDUSD, students are assessed three times per year in reading so teachers can monitor their progress. Results of the screening tests, which are administered in January, will be available in February. If students are identified as being at risk for reading difficulties, staff will meet to discuss interventions and may refer the student for a special education assessment, Aghily said. However, the district does not diagnose dyslexia, since that is a medical diagnosis.

After the presentation, parents and others who attended participated in simulations intended to help them understand the immense effort and focus that students with dyslexia need to complete tasks that may be easy for those without dyslexia, as well as the frustration and helplessness they may feel when they cannot complete classwork or homework as quickly as their peers. In the simulations, special education staff members played the roles of teachers giving assignments to students with time limitations. Participants played the roles of students, trying to accomplish tasks while attempting to overcome barriers that made it difficult to process the information they were given.

The simulations included:

• trying to read unfamiliar symbols and decode their meanings based on context and repetition in texts,  
• trying to write down information dictated by the teacher while significant background noise makes it difficult to hear instructions,
• trying to draw a star shape while looking in a mirror to watch their hands moving their pencils under a cardboard tent,
• trying to write letters and unfamiliar symbols with non-dominant hands,
• taking a spelling test three times, once with the audio simulating hearing loss, once with low level sound, and finally with some amplification simulating a hearing aid. 

After each simulation, participants talked about how they felt when they were unable to easily complete the assignments. Many said they felt frustrated and anxious. "I just spaced out," said one parent. "I felt lost," said another. One participant felt so overwhelmed in the simulations with many people talking at the same time and loud background noises that he didn't ever pick up his pencil, said Special Education Administrator Bryan Cassin, who led that activity. He noted that students in these situations often cope by looking at other students' papers to copy their work, becoming disengaged, or acting out. With early intervention, he said, students can transition to assistive technology that can help them process information.

At the end of the event, participants came together to debrief. "Hopefully, you've gotten some empathy and some understanding," Aghily said to the parents whose children have reading difficulties. "When your kids say they're tired, they're not kidding."

After the event, Holbrook Language Academy Resource Teacher Rosie Medina, who participated in the simulations, said she was glad she came and got useful information that she will share with parents at her school. "Parents want more information," she said. El Monte Elementary parent Giusy Dileo said more teachers should experience these simulations. And Valley View MS parent Shanna Santana she the event helped her empathize with her son. "It helps me understand what he's going through," she said. "I'm going to go home and give him a hug." 

The second “Experience Dyslexia” event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Nov. 13 at the District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord. It will include updates on the Universal Screener for students at risk of reading difficulties for all students in grades K-2. MDUSD parents, staff and community members are invited to attend. Registration is required here. (This will be the same program that was presented on Oct. 28th.)

 

The Mt. Diablo High School football team will play its next home game on a fully restored home field that has been returned to its previous state-of-the-art condition less than two months after a destructive fire that was started by illegal fireworks melted the artificial turf, forcing the Red Devils to play their first three home games off site.

The team and Mt. Diablo Unified School District are deeply grateful to the Las Vegas Raiders, who pledged a donation of $250,000 to assist with the cost of restoring the field, after learning of the fire and needed repairs.

“As a lifelong Raiders fan and past season ticket holder, I couldn’t be more pleased with their generous contribution,” said MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. “The Mt. Diablo High School student body, alumni and community deserve a learning environment that they can be proud of. With the help of Mark Davis, owner of the Raiders, we have restored the field to its original state!”

Although the turf was repaired last month, the Mt. Diablo High School logo was installed more recently this month, because it had to be special-ordered. Since that installation, the team has played several “away” games.

The team is excited to play on its completely restored home field for its “Homecoming” game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, as it hosts cross-town MDUSD competitors, the Ygnacio Valley High School Wolves.

The Raiders’ donation will cover the cost of the insurance deductible, which the District would have had to pay out of its own funds toward the total repair costs of nearly $350,000.

Restored field with new logo (above).

 

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• Our "Experience Dyslexia" event,
• National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and National Native American Heritage Month in November,
• Mt. Diablo High receives donation from Las Vegas Raiders to help restore football field,
• Ygnacio Valley High newcomer students supported Red Ribbon Week while learning more about it,
• Oak Grove MS Accelerated Math students represent MDUSD at the Stanford Middle School Math Tournament,
• College Park HS Suicide Prevention Awareness activity organized by the ASB Leadership,
• School and Staff Social Media Highlights,
• And more!

You can read it here.

 

The following message was sent to all district families and staff on Oct. 24, 2025:

Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Mt. Diablo Education Association Reach Tentative Agreement

Dear MDUSD Students, Staff, and Community, 

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with the Mt. Diablo Education Association (MDEA) on a new three-year contract covering the 2025-26 through the 2027-28 school years.

This agreement reflects the shared commitment of both MDUSD and MDEA to support our educators, strengthen our schools, and continue our focus on student success.

We want to take a moment to thank both bargaining teams from MDUSD and MDEA for the hard work put into these negotiations. 

The tentative agreement updates several key areas of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, including class size, salaries, and benefits.

Some highlights include:

• A 2.3% salary increase effective July 1, 2025.
• Additional salary increases for 2026–2027 and 2027–2028.
• Full District-paid Kaiser CalPERS medical coverage beginning January 1, 2026 through December, 2028.
• Updated class size guidelines.
• Expanded personal necessity leave options for employees.
• No cap on prior years of qualifying experience for initial placement on the salary schedule.

The tentative agreement will now go before MDEA members for ratification and then to the MDUSD Governing Board for approval. Both sides have agreed to recommend ratification and adoption of the full agreement.

This agreement continues our commitment to student learning and achievement, fiscal responsibility, positive labor relations, and long-term stability, while striving to offer competitive compensation and a positive working environment for all employees. 

We look forward to continuing our work together with MDEA to provide the best possible educational experience for every student in Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

MDUSD and MDEA bargaining teams reach a Tentative three-year agreement (Oct. 24, 2025).