Board News, MUSD Board of Education

This month the Board of Education held two regular Board meeting on Sept. 2 and Sept. 9. Please see the information below for highlights from the meetings.

At the Sept.2 MUSD Board of Education meeting, Friendly Hills Elementary was celebrated for being named a California Distinguished School last year. Former principal Randy Eigner and current principal Lisa Roach attended the recognition, joined by dedicated staff and proud families. This honor highlights the school’s commitment to academic excellence and student success.

Congratulations to the entire Friendly Hills community!

On Sept. 9 the Board of Education recognized Deputy Lorraine Pinedo who has proudly served with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for 10 years, nine of which have been dedicated to the Morongo Basin. For the past four years, she has served as the CPS Deputy, handling all criminal child abuse cases in our area. In this role, Deputy Pinedo has partnered closely with MUSD administration and our School Resource Officers to visit every school in the district, providing training to staff on recognizing and reporting child abuse.

Through her collaboration with Children & Family Services, SROs and MUSD, Deputy Pinedo has ensured that staff are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to identify signs of abuse and respond effectively.

Summer Programs, AP Success and Staffing Gains

At the Sept. 2 Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Dr. Gracie Gutierrez reported that the district hosted a 20-day summer school program providing academic and enrichment support for elementary students. The district’s Summer Meal Program was also a success, with Nutritional Services serving nearly 229,000 meals at distribution sites.

Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Amy Woods shared encouraging news on student performance, noting improved AP scores and increased credits earned through the Apex credit recovery program. She also highlighted the number of summer graduates and gave a positive update on the use of Yondr pouches at four secondary schools.

Assistant Superintendents Stacy Smalling of Human Resources and David Daniels of Business Services reported that enrollment is on the rise and staffing challenges have declined this year. They credited stronger advertising, recruitment fairs and early hiring efforts with helping to fill positions more effectively.

Measure C Update

At the Sept. 9 Board meeting the facilities department gave an update to the Bpard of Education on ongoing projects funded by Measure C.

This June Morongo Unified School District broke ground on a new kitchen facility at Twentynine Palms Junior High School. Funded in part by Measure C the project will feature modern dining amenities including speedlines, serving windows, outdoor landscaping and expanded covered dining. Completion is expected in March 2026.

The District is also planning stadium upgrades at Twentynine Palms High School and Yucca Valley High School. Improvements will include expanded parking, upgraded visitor and home bleachers, enhanced stadium lighting and new concessions and ticketing facilities, all funded by Measure C.

In addition MUSD will modernize bell and PA systems at multiple elementary, middle and high school sites to provide clear even audio coverage. New shade structures are also planned at several schools to enhance outdoor spaces for students and staff.

These projects reflect MUSD’s ongoing commitment to creating safe, modern and enjoyable learning environments across the district.

Stay Up-to-Date on Measure C

Laptop Giveaway

On Sept. 9, the Board of Education recieved a report of last week's laptop giveaway. MUSD gave more than 1,100 laptops to our secondary students to take home. A big thank you to our IT department for spearheading the effort and refurbishing every device this summer. These laptops will help students stay connected for school, jobs and beyond.

Read more about the distribution at the link below:

Recordings of MUSD Board meetings are available on our website!

Video Recording: BOE Meeting

High School Highlights: Twentynine Palms & Yucca Valley

At Twentynine Palms High School, senior William Sumption shared that the year has started with strong school spirit and renewed focus in classrooms thanks to a new cell phone policy. The return of the music program, growth of the Cadets program, new academic options in dual enrollment biology and a CTE pathway in elementary teaching along with an additional culinary arts section are adding excitement to campus life. Fall sports are underway, the Wildcats will host Indio at Friday’s home football game and students are looking ahead to Homecoming on September 26 with the theme “A Garden in Time.” ASB also hosted a lively Club Rush that gave freshmen a chance to connect and get involved.

Yucca Valley High School ASB leaders Eden Davis and Aiden Shannon reported that orientation events before the first day of school helped welcome students, distribute Yonder pouches, highlight clubs and provide PE clothing packages. Snack Shack sales at football games continue to support student activities with the most recent benefiting the Class of 2027. Homecoming Week is approaching with Spirit Week, the Homecoming game on October 3 and a dance themed “Cloud Nine.” The senior class recently enjoyed their Senior Sunrise while athletics are off to a strong start in football, volleyball and girls’ tennis. Students also report that the new phone pouch system has been working well across campus.

Board of Education Meeting

The next regular Board of Education Meeting will be held on Oct. 14 at Joshua Tree Elementary School. Regular session will start at 6 p.m. Learn more about the Board at the link Below.

Board of Education