Superintendent Newsletter

🎉 Happy January! ❄️

As we begin a new year, I want to warmly welcome our students, families, and staff back to school. While the calendar may have changed, our commitment to caring for students, building strong relationships, supporting wellness, and fostering learning remains the same; new year, same us.

January offers an opportunity to reset routines and refocus on what matters most. Across our District, we remain dedicated to creating safe, supportive school environments where students feel connected, healthy, and ready to learn. When students’ social, emotional, and physical well-being are supported, they are better able to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

As we settle back into the school year, I encourage families to prioritize wellness at home by maintaining healthy routines, staying connected, and making time for reading and learning together. These small, consistent moments help strengthen both academic growth and overall well-being.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. Together, we look forward to a strong start to the year and the meaningful work ahead as we support every student, every day.

Wishing you a healthy, happy, and productive new year.

Warmly,
Mrs. Julianna Stocking
Superintendent
Merced City School District

Merced City School District proudly recognizes the Tenaya Middle School Leadership students for volunteering their time and energy to support the Winter Family Wellness Fair on December 10. Their positive attitudes, teamwork, and commitment to serving others played an important role in the success of the event. We are proud of these students for demonstrating leadership, responsibility, and community pride.

Merced City School District proudly recognizes our local Merced barbershops for generously volunteering their time and talents to provide free haircuts for MCSD students during the Winter Family Wellness Fair on December 10. Your kindness, professionalism, and willingness to serve made a meaningful impact on our students and families, helping them feel confident, cared for, and supported. Thank you for being an essential part of our community.

Work is moving full steam ahead on the 2026-27 Grade 6-8 Transition! A dedicated committee of teachers, administrators, classified staff, and parents is working on two parallel tracks to ensure this isn't just a move, but an upgrade for our students and staff.

Our Programmatic Team is focused on supporting staff and exploring new opportunities for students.

• Teacher-Centered Planning: We’ve proactively surveyed 6th-grade teachers to align site preferences with the MCTA agreement, ensuring a fair process for our educators.

• Exploring CTE Foundations: We are currently conducting needs assessments to identify potential Career Technical Education (CTE) experiences. The goal is to provide foundational exposure to various industries, ensuring students gain the understanding they need to make informed, confident choices when selecting their high school pathways later on.

• Family First: We are developing a plan for "Welcome" events and feeder school visits to ensure a seamless transition for our current 5th and 6th-grade families.

Our Operational Team is ensuring our campuses are ready for day one.

• Room Readiness: We are actively auditing classroom availability to ensure every teacher has a space that meets our District educational standards.

• Tech Upgrades (Coming Soon): To support future learning needs, Principals will soon be collaborating with technology teachers to identify hardware requirements, while IT prepares to assess network capacity for increased student traffic.

This is a collaborative effort. As we move from assessment to planning, we will be reaching out for feedback from parents and staff. Together, we are building a middle school environment where every student can thrive.

MCSD students returned to classrooms on January 5 following winter break, and for TK and Kindergarten students at Franklin Elementary School, the new year brought an exciting milestone — learning in brand-new classrooms.

Construction on these new educational spaces began at the end of last school year, and nine modern classrooms have now replaced seven outdated portable classrooms, providing students with improved, high-quality learning environments.

These classrooms represent an important first for the district, as they are the first facilities project designed and delivered by MCSD following the adoption of the district’s Educational Specifications and Building Standards in October 2023.

Work at Franklin Elementary is still underway. Crews are currently grading the new TK/Kindergarten playground area and preparing footings for a new entrance canopy. In addition, the school’s six remaining portable classrooms are being modernized with new carpet, tack boards, energy-efficient lighting, exterior repairs, and fresh paint to enhance both durability and appearance.

Final project additions will include a new flagpole and digital marquee near the school office, further enhancing campus functionality and communication.

Construction is expected to continue through February, with an official opening celebration planned for March.

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