The MPUSD Insider is the weekly internal newsletter for MPUSD all staff.
Of Interest to Staff
Trivia Time | Win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card - A big thank you to SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union for helping sponsor breakfast at our Back-to-School Kickoff last week, and for providing gift cards for some fun MPUSD Insider trivia this fall. This week’s question: Q: What is the current Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on the liquid Summer Saver account with SchoolsFirst? Think you know the answer? Answer here for a chance to win. One lucky winner will be announced in next week’s MPUSD Insider. Action Required: Complete Your Delta Health Systems Registration to Keep our Health Benefits Stable - Employees who received an email regarding Delta Health Systems (DHS) registration are asked to complete their registration as soon as possible. MPUSD must meet a required participation threshold by the end of August to qualify for Preferred MCSIG rates. If the threshold is not met, District rates could be approximately 5% higher. Please have your Blue Shield ID card available when registering and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. For complete details and registration instructions, please refer to Dr. Manny Nunez’s email sent Saturday, August 8 at 11:06 a.m.
MPUSD Way
Know Someone Living the MPUSD Way? Don't keep it a secret! - We know amazing things are happening every day across our schools and departments, but we can't celebrate what we don't know about. If you've seen a student, colleague, supervisor, team, or volunteer making a difference, demonstrating the MPUSD Way, or creating a memorable moment, let us know. Big or small, we'd love to hear about it. Provide a few sentences or a couple bullet points and we'll do the rest. MPUSD Way Submission Form.
Every Person Matters - The MPUSD Way comes to life through the dedication of employees who ensure every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. Recently, a Marina Vista Elementary family recognized Katie Rivera and Heather Cheatham for their advocacy, leadership, and unwavering commitment to supporting students with special needs. Their collaborative approach and student-centered focus helped create an environment where one student, and many others, could build confidence, thrive, and reach their full potential.
Every Person Matters - Renee Corbishly in Educational Services embodies what it means to put service into action. Not only does she excel in her own role, but she consistently steps in to cover for school office secretarieis when they are out, helping ensure our schools and offices continue to run smoothly. Organized, efficient, dependable, and always willing to help, Renee makes the work of those around her easier. As one colleague shared, “My job would be much harder without Renee." Service Mindset - A big shoutout to Thomas Schultz, Manny Zamudio,and the IT Team for their tremendous support at Ord Terrace Elementary as the school year got underway. Following summer construction and classroom moves, Thomas worked diligently to ensure every classroom had a working phone, while Manny helped resolve Wi-Fi issues and restore connectivity to an entire wing. Thank you, IT, for being responsive, solutions-focused, and helping keep our staff connected and campuses safe!
We're Better Together - Thank you Human Resourcesand District Office teams for working together to make important information easier for our schools and staff to access. From updated District Office phone lists and department directories to an HR website with clear points of contact, job descriptions, salary schedules, employee resources, and more, your organization and collaboration help everyone work more efficiently. Thank you for making it easier for our teams to find what they need!
Districtwide News
Back-to-School Night Dates and Times - Families and community members are invited to join us as our schools welcome the new school year with Back-to-School Nights. These special evenings provide an opportunity to meet teachers, learn about classroom expectations and curriculum, connect with school staff, and discover the many ways families can partner in their child's education. Whether you're a parent, guardian, grandparent, or community member, we encourage you to attend and experience the excitement of a new school year. We look forward to seeing you on campus as we continue working together to support the success of every student.
Plan Ahead! MPUSD Calendars Available - The 2026 - 2027 district calendars are posted on MPUSD’s website. Find the full districtwide calendar, plus specific calendars for preschool, elementary/TK-8, and high school, including early release days and parent-teacher conferences. Looking further ahead? The 2027 - 2028 districtwide calendars is also available.
MPUSD Community Updates - Each week on Saturdays at 10 am, the district sends out a weekly MPUSD Community Updates. If information is pertinent to all staff we pull it into The MPUSD Insider, but in case you would like to see the actual community/family publication we shared last week, you may check it out here.
Information to Share with Families
Families prefer to hear from their teacher and school site over the district. We often send our community partner fliers out on Peachjar (the district's electronic flier system) and district information in ParentSquare. Occasionally we will put community partner information in our district ParentSquare. Each week, if there is information of interest for families, we will add it here for you to share to families.
Board of Education
District Budget Update - The MPUSD Board of Trustees received the district's 2026 - 2027 45-Day Budget Revision, a routine update that aligns the district's budget with California's finalized State Budget. The revision includes approximately $3.8 million in additional state funding to support student services, special education, professional development, and district operations. These updates help ensure MPUSD's budget reflects the latest state funding available to serve students and schools. View the full Board presentation here and join us at the August 11 Board of Education meeting to learn more.
Board of Education Meeting- The Board of Education meets this evening, Tuesday, August 11. The agenda may be found here and you are invited to attend the meeting in person or via Zoom. You can also watch it live on AMP-TV. Can't make it? No problem, check out Board Highlights later that evening or watch Spotlight on Board of Education later this week.
Hot Off the Reel
Back to School Video Reels - The Communications team has been making its way across the district to capture short video reels of the first week of school. If you're not on social media and want to see some of the fun reels, check out our MPUSD YouTube page and see if you can spot your school. Provided below are a few samples, but be sure to check out YouTube for more. (NOTE: For some schools we posted candid photos only and did not have a reel.)
MPUSD Staff Back to School Kickoff Celebration- In case you want to check out last Monday's Back to School Kickoff with all staff, provided below is an archive of the event.
Reminders: Info in Previous Editions Worthy of Repeat
Car Week: Plan Ahead for Increased Traffic - Monterey Car Week returns August 7 - 16, bringing thousands of visitors to the Monterey Peninsula. While increased traffic can make commutes more challenging, Car Week also provides a significant boost to our local economy and supports many charitable organizations, including some of our own schools, as students and extracurricular groups volunteer at events to earn donations. With more than 30 events taking place throughout the week, families and staff are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. The County of Monterey offers real-time traffic updates through its website and social media channels, and provides an interactive event map, schedule, and helpful traffic tips to assist both residents and visitors.
MPC and CSUMB Start Dates: Plan for Increased Traffic - As the new academic year begins, expect heavier traffic throughout the Monterey Peninsula. Monterey Peninsula College begins its fall semester on Monday, August 17, and California State University Monterey Bay starts classes on Monday, August 24. These start dates typically bring increased congestion on Highway 1, Highway 68, and surrounding roadways. Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and travel safely.
ParentSquare Changes - Each new school year, staff may change from one school site to another. While they may be attached to their new site, they may still be receiving information from their former site. We have received several requests to delete a staff member from one site and/or add them to another. We are working through the many change requests we have received over the past several days. Thank you for your patience as we work through these. Your school site administrator and school office secretary should also have access to the Frevvo form created by IT that can either add staff to multiple sites and/or delete a staff member if they are no longer at that school. Once the form is completed it takes one evening to activate and sync with ParentSquare to add/remove staff.
Communications Resources at Your Fingertips - To support your planning and promotion efforts throughout the year, the Communications Department has created a master calendar highlighting key breaks, holidays, and recognition months celebrated across MPUSD. Custom graphics for each of these are also available for districtwide use. Also available is the MPUSD Branding Guide developed to ensure consistency in how we represent our district. All of these resources are housed in the School Leaders Toolbox and will be regularly referenced in The MPUSD Insider.
