Superintendent Newsletter

🍁 Happy November, MCSD Community! 🍂

As we move deeper into fall, our schools continue to be filled with meaningful moments, joyful learning, and the kind of community spirit that makes MCSD so special. This month, we came together for our first District-wide Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, and I was encouraged by the thoughtful conversations it sparked about courage, inclusion, and standing up for what’s right. Watching our students honor Ruby’s legacy with such sincerity was truly inspiring.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, this time of giving and gratitude has been felt throughout Merced. Our District has been honored to support families during an uncertain time by donating food to local food banks, providing students with extra meals, and participating in a community meal distribution effort. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this important work possible.

We are also excited to welcome families to our upcoming Winter Family Wellness Fair on Wednesday, December 10, from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the Tenaya Middle School Gym. Families can enjoy hot chocolate, free standard haircuts (while available), winter essentials, toys, gift-wrapping, and photos with Santa. This first-come, first-served event is open to all MCSD families, and parents/guardians will be asked to show proof of student enrollment.

Thank you to our students, families, staff, and community partners for the many ways you continue to support one another. Wishing you a wonderful month ahead , and plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the fall weather with your loved ones.

Mrs. Julianna Stocking
Superintendent
Merced City School District

Thanks to our strong partnership with the Merced County Food Bank, MCSD welcomed hundreds of families to El Redondo Park on November 7 for a large-scale distribution of breakfast, lunch, juice, and fresh produce. It was a powerful example of our #OneTeamOneCommunity commitment, bringing essential resources directly to the families who need them most.

In total, MCSD donated more than 60,000 food items, including:

• 9,500 breakfast items (oatmeal, cereal, burritos, pastries)
• 12,100 lunch items (from RibBQ sandwiches to plant-based pasta options)
• 13,500 pears
• 12,200 apples
• 12,000 applesauce cups
• 12,000 fruit juices
• 2,000 vegetable juices

We are grateful for the volunteers, staff, and community partners who helped make this event possible. Together, we continue to support, nourish, and uplift MCSD families when they need it most.

• M.A.R.S. (Merced Academy of Rising Scholars): This program is operating at 12 elementary schools, serving about 400 students with academic support and enrichment focused on growth and achievement.

• Extensive Tutoring: Academic support is provided through MCOE's Assets program and several partners, including Bali Tutoring (on 6 campuses), Treehouse Tutoring (on 2 campuses), and Mathnasium (on 3 campuses).

• Hands-On Classes: Our Extended Learning Opportunities now include exciting, hands-on classes like woodworking (where students build birdhouses and snack dispensers), softball skills development, LEGO Engineering, Technovation for Girls, and clubs for choir, chess, art, and theater!

• Intersession Camps: During the November intersession, we are proud to partner with the Boys and Girls Club, Kids Discovery Station, and SWAG to host full-day camps, providing families with educational and safe care options while school is out.

A Big Thank You: We send our sincere appreciation to the MCSD Transportation Department for ensuring our students can get to and from these extended classes, and to our School Nutrition Services (SNS) team for providing nutritious meals and snacks for all participants.

As we strive to make MCSD a safe and welcoming place for all students, we are proud to highlight the meaningful work of our counselors in supporting social-emotional learning, reducing bullying, and helping students learn what it means to be an upstander. Their guidance plays a vital role in fostering the positive, respectful school environments our students deserve.

One way we are strengthening this effort is through our Coffee with the Counselors events, where families can connect with our counseling team, learn valuable strategies, and receive resources to support their children at home. These gatherings are part of our continued commitment to our District-wide message that MCSD is United for Kindness. By working together, we can ensure kindness, safety, and empathy lead the way at every MCSD school site.

Please download the presentation linked below, and be sure to join us at our next Coffee with the Counselors on November 20. We look forward to continuing these important conversations with you.

MCSD is excited to share the most current rendering of our new Engagement Center, a space designed to expand what’s possible for students and families across the District. This two-story facility will feature 3,500 square feet of office space on the second floor and 7,000 square feet of dynamic learning space on the ground floor.

The lower level will include a full commercial kitchen to support culinary arts programming, a large learning and performing space complete with a stage, lighting, and sound for the performing arts, a dedicated tutorial/childcare room, and a flexible classroom that can be divided into two separate learning environments.

The Engagement Center will also become home to our Family Resource & Engagement Center, the Merced Academy of Scholars, and a Teacher on Special Assignment, all working together to strengthen extended learning opportunities and provide meaningful support for MCSD students and families.

This new facility represents more than added space, it represents new opportunities, new creativity, and a new hub for connection and growth in our community.

Construction is moving right along at Franklin! Crews have finished applying the final color coat of stucco and are currently connecting utilities. Inside the classrooms, whiteboards are already in place, and once power is connected, projectors and speakers will be installed. Concrete work is pending completion due to weather delays, with final flooring to follow shortly after. The project is steadily nearing the finish line.

Are you interested in joining Merced City School District's Citizen Bond Oversight Committee?

Please visit the link below to complete an application and/or join us at our upcoming meeting on December 16.

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRjd.../viewform

Merced City School District (MCSD) has successfully completed its Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Infrastructure Project, marking a major milestone in the District’s commitment to sustainability and clean transportation. The project, led by our Director of Maintenance, Operation and Transportation, Dr. Doug Williams, was completed on August 15, 2025, and provides full charging capability for MCSD’s growing fleet of electric school buses.

MCSD currently operates 32 school buses to provide transportation for students throughout the District. In 2024, the District placed 10 electric school buses into service, converting approximately one-third of its fleet to zero-emission vehicles. This transition significantly reduces carbon emissions within the Merced community and contributes to a healthier, safer environment for students and families.

The process to acquire the electric buses and develop the charging infrastructure began in June 2022, when the MCSD Board of Education approved applications to secure grant funding from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The District was awarded 10 separate grants of $400,000 each, totaling $4 million in January 2023, to assist with the purchase of 10 electric school buses, each valued at approximately $495,000.

In August 2023, MCSD received an additional $3.2 million grant to construct the supporting EV charging infrastructure. The project included 15 charging stations, 12 single-port (30 kW) and 3 dual-port (60 kW) chargers, and system enhancements designed to allow for future expansion without major construction costs.

In total, the $8.2 million project positions MCSD to meet the goals outlined in Executive Order N-79-20, which requires all school bus fleets in California to transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

Merced City School District will continue to seek opportunities that will further reduce our carbon footprint as Merced prepares to expand.

Dear MCSD Families, Staff, and Community,

Last month, our District continued an exciting initiative with the Center for Model Schools (CMS), focused on strengthening teaching, learning, and leadership across all schools and throughout the district.

As part of this work, principals, teacher leaders, and District administrators participated in professional development together, exploring ways to create supportive school environments, foster positive work cultures, and support students’ social, emotional, and academic growth. Each school also has a teacher leader helping connect this work across classrooms and schools, ensuring that every student benefits from coordinated, consistent efforts.

You may notice CMS partners visiting campuses. They work closely with principals to support school goals and help educators continue learning and growing together. This collaboration is part of a multi-year plan to strengthen leadership and instruction, creating a meaningful, lasting impact for students, families, and staff.

We are proud of the dedication and teamwork shown by our staff and administrators, and we are excited about the positive impact this work will have on our students. Thank you for your support as we continue this journey together.

Sincerely,

Francisco Romo

Deputy Superintendent

Azua is the type of teachers that creates a classroom full of encouragement, support, and community, helping every student feel seen and valued. She leads AVID, organizes student leadership groups, and played a key role in bringing back the Character Counts program, giving students the opportunity to be recognized for their positive behavior—a tradition that is especially meaningful to her because she remembers receiving the same recognition as a Gracey student.

Azua’s connection to Gracey runs deep. She attended the school herself, her mom and aunt work there, and many of her past teachers are still on staff. Beyond the classroom, she serves on the PTC and Social Committee, bringing her energy, positivity, and love for the school to everything she does. Azua’s passion and dedication make a lasting difference for her students, colleagues, and the entire Gracey community every day.

Wendy Alvarez has been a valued member of MCSD for 23 years, and her dedication to students and staff is truly remarkable. She consistently creates a positive, supportive learning environment where students feel safe, encouraged, and empowered to succeed. Wendy provides exceptional one-on-one and small group instruction, skillfully adapting lessons to meet the unique needs of each student, while also supporting the lead teacher with classroom management and administrative tasks.

Beyond her instructional expertise, Wendy brings energy, professionalism, and a positive attitude that uplifts both students and colleagues. She anticipates needs, solves problems creatively, and volunteers her time to ensure the classroom and school run smoothly. Her collaborative spirit extends across the school community, as she builds strong relationships with staff, students, and families, always ready to lend a helping hand.

Lisa is a constant pillar of support for the Chenoweth Beagles going above and beyond to support students and staff each day. She spends her morning greeting students with a big warm welcome at the front gate, and the remainder of her time serving students with special needs. It does not matter what takes place in each school day, Ms. Hoffman confidently shared her favorite part of her job is giving students a hug (especially those going through a tough time) and treating them like her very own

For 75 years, Hoover Middle School has been more than a place of learning. It’s been a community, a launchpad, and a home for thousands of students, educators, staff, and families.

To be a Forever Husky is to carry the spirit of Hoover wherever life takes you—a lifelong bond built on shared experiences, lasting friendships, and the values that have guided us for generations.

Huskies are known for their loyalty, strength, and resilience—and so are we.

Whether you walked these halls decades ago or just this morning, whether you taught, learned, or supported from the sidelines, your story is part of Hoover’s legacy.

Being a Forever Husky means:
• Working hard and never giving up
• Supporting one another like family
• Embracing learning, leadership, and kindness
• Taking pride in where you come from—and using it to shape where you’re going

As we celebrate this special milestone, we invite our Hoover community to help us honor our history.
Share your favorite photos and memories from your time at Hoover—send them to jrivard@mcsd.k12.ca.us to be part of our 75th Anniversary celebration!

This anniversary honors everyone who has helped make Hoover what it is today.
Even as times change, our Husky pride remains as strong as ever.

Once a Husky, always a Husky.
Forever Hoover. Forever Husky.

Did you know??....

MCSD is on social media. Come hang out with us daily as we share exciting photos, videos, and information about current and upcoming events. If you are a parent, you might just see your little one get featured!

Instagram & Facebook: @MercedCitySchoolDistrict