Schools

One of the stated goals of Measure K, the $45 million bond extension Martinez voters will consider on the November ballot, is to expand the technological capabilities of the Martinez Unified School District.

“We are behind the times as far as technology is concerned,” said Assistant Superintendent Rick Rubino on Friday. “The [IT] infrastructure at all of our schools is outdated. I spend a lot of time in the [Alhambra High School] classrooms, and I just don’t see kids using laptops in a way they are at colleges, where a laptop is almost an essential [learning] tool these days.”more...

When Martinez Unified School District students begin the 2010/2011 school year on Tuesday, they will encounter some new faces at various schools.more...

With additional reporting by Greta Mart, Staff Reporter

California schools are about to receive $213 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Jack O’Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, announced Thursday.

In Martinez, the MUSD Board will decide how to use the funding, Assistant Superintendent Rick Rubino said Thursday. 

“We have to wait until we have an idea of how much money we are receiving,” said Rubino, explaining that there are a number of spending options included in the U.S. Dept. of Education’s rules.more...

Receiving individual contributions from $5 to $1000, the $20 for 20 campaign topped out at nearly $76,000 by its deadline of July 30, although last-minute donations have yet to be added to the final tally, said Martinez Unified School District Superintendent Rami Muth on Monday.

Dozens of parents with children enrolled in MUSD schools joined forces earlier in the year in an attempt to prevent Kindergarten through third grade classes from increasing from approximately one teacher for every 20 students to a ratio of 30 to one due to forced budget cuts district-wide.more...

The Gazette ran a special Graduation 2010 section in our June 12-13 print edition. Here are some highlights from that issue…

Exchange student enjoys best of both worlds

By Greta Mart, Staff Reportermore...

Thanks to the $20 for 20 Campaign,  kindergarten students entering Martinez schools in the fall will have a little more elbow room than predicted. 

To date the grass-roots fundraiser has earned $71,000, enough to limit kindergarten classes district-wide at 20 students to each teacher, MUSD Superintendent Rami Muth said Wednesday.

At Monday’s Board meeting, the 2010/2011 budget received final approval, which included $2.6 million in cuts. more...

Marisa Rangel, the first-year John Swett Elementary School teacher issued a pink-slip, along with five other temporary educators, just around the time she was named Educator of the Year by the Martinez Chamber of Commerce, received a prestigious statewide award this week.

The California Association for Employment in Education (CAEE) chose Rangel out of all the nominated California teachers, from over 1000 school districts, for its Outstanding Teacher Award. more...

Oversight Committee vacancies

MUSD is looking for individuals to fill a two-year term on the Measure B Citizens’ Oversight Committee.  The committee meets quarterly and their objective is to advise the Board of Education on spending priorities and to monitor implementation of plans and priorities under the Measure B Parcel Tax.  The application can be found on the MUSD website:  www.martinez.k12.ca.us (under Budget Information - Parcel Tax Information). The Committee’s next scheduled meeting is August 25.

 more...

Without a glimmer of hope that the State’s fiscal crisis will reverse course in the foreseeable future, Martinez Unified School District administrators may ask the community to increase the parcel tax, approved by local voters in 2008, in November’s general election.

Another option under consideration is the extension of a 1995 bond measure slated to expire in 2012. This route would not only provide continued operating capital from augmented bond sales, but would allow the District to plan

for inevitable growth in coming years, said Superintendent Rami Muth on Monday.more...