Superintendent Newsletter

🍎 Making Every Day Count

This month, our schools have been putting a special focus on attendance through our Attendance Awareness Challenge. It has been wonderful to see schools rally around their students and celebrate the importance of being at school every day. Attendance is more than a number, it represents opportunities to learn, connect with classmates and teachers, and be part of the school community. I am proud of the spirit our schools have brought to this challenge!

We are also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, a wonderful opportunity to recognize and honor the histories, cultures, traditions and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Throughout our schools, students and staff are finding meaningful ways to celebrate and learn from the rich cultural diversity that makes our community so special. I am grateful for the families and communities who continue to share their stories, traditions and experiences with us.

I have also enjoyed seeing the continued focus on literacy in our classrooms. Our teachers are putting evidence-based practices into action to help students develop the foundational skills they need to become successful readers. These everyday moments of learning, from phonemic awareness activities to engaging literacy lessons, are the building blocks of long-term student success.

And there is so much more to look forward to! On October 7, we will celebrate our third annual Walk, Ride & Roll to School Day, bringing students, families, staff and local first responders together to promote healthy habits, connection, and safe routes to school. I always look forward to seeing our community come together for this special tradition.

As we head into the fall, I am grateful for the many people who make MCSD such a vibrant community. Every day brings new opportunities to learn, celebrate and connect, and I am excited to continue sharing those moments with you throughout the school year.

Warmly,

Mrs. Julianna Stocking
Superintendent
Merced City School District

Reading starts with listening!

Before students can read words on a page, they first need to be able to hear and work with the sounds in spoken words. That’s where phonemic awareness comes in!

Through daily Heggerty practice, our students are learning to listen closely, identify sounds, blend them together, and play with sounds in words, all skills that help build a strong foundation for reading.

It may sound simple, but these small moments of practice are helping our youngest learners become confident, capable readers.

Please take a moment to watch a Heggerty lesson in Mrs. Paskin's first grade class.

BIG NEWS!

Our very own Pihul Kanungo was named a Top 300 Junior Innovator in the nationwide 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, selected from nearly 2,000 entries across the country!

This is a major milestone, and we couldn't be prouder of her hard work, dedication, and passion for STEM.

Our District-wide chronic absenteeism rate dropped to 13% as of September 11—nearly cutting last year's baseline of 24.3% in half!

Progress at a Glance:

-District Trend: 24.3% (Last Year) → 19% (Sept 4) → 13% (Sept 11)

-Top Performers: Burbank, Gracey, Peterson, Reyes, and Stefani lead the way at 10%.

-Biggest Drops: Stowell (31.8% → 13%) and Tenaya (31.0% → 14%) have made huge early gains.

Thank You to Our Families & Staff!

This initial snapshot reflects the great work of our parents establishing daily routines at home and our school teams creating welcoming spaces every morning.

While these early numbers show fantastic momentum, this is ongoing progress data—not the final outcome. Maintaining strong attendance is a continuous, year-long journey as seasonal shifts occur. Every single day in class matters, and we appreciate your continued partnership in keeping our students showing up ready to learn!

On September 8, 2026, our Preschool Family Specialist hosted our monthly Parent Café at Clark Preschool. The event went wonderfully, providing a great space for families to connect, build relationships, and discover valuable community resources. Look out for details on next month's gathering!

• MARS Internship Program: On September 4 and 5, 2026, Coordinator Kristal Russell hosted successful informational sessions with MUHSD students and CTE teachers. Prospective interns received guidance on how and when to apply for the 2026–27 MARS Internship Program, along with key timelines and requirements.

• 6th Grade CTE Pathways Launch: Our new middle school Career and Technical Education (CTE) afterschool pathways successfully launched on August 31! 6th graders are already diving into hands-on learning with Culinary and Nailtology (with Robotics and Jr. Medical Academy coming soon!). Students are enjoying interactive global cuisine preparation, guest speaker visits—including our very own Mr. and Mrs. Brooks—and look forward to showcasing their skills at upcoming family showcases.

MCSD Afterschool Sports Club: Coach Rachelle Bakken kicked off the MCSD Sports Club recruitment, starting with soccer skill clinics at Peterson and Chenoweth. The clinics are off to a great start preparing 3rd–5th graders with foundational skills for district competitions like the MC Cup, March Madness, and Track & Field!

• Initial ELPAC Testing: We are currently in our Initial ELPAC testing window for potential English Learners. Testing is progressing smoothly—we have completed over 67% of assessments so far. Families will receive official notification letters with results and language classifications once testing is complete.

• Multilingual Learner Network Expansion: In partnership with MCOE, our educator network expanded this year to include dedicated teams from Cruickshank, Hoover, and Rivera Middle Schools. Teachers, counselors, and administrators are collaborating to provide targeted, consistent support for Multilingual Learners transitioning into middle school.

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