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MDUSD's SOAR (Support Office for Access and Resources) program is here to help families get connected with the resources and support they need. We provide basic necessities for all students, whether they are enrolled in the SOAR Program or not — including backpacks, school supplies, clothing, hygiene kits, and referrals to local food resources.

If you or someone you know could use assistance, please reach out to soar@mdusd.org or call 925-685-1011, ext. 62042.

If you’re in a position to help others, please consider making a donation to SOAR this holiday season during our annual drive to support families in need within our community. Every dollar donated goes directly to supporting MDUSD students in need. We are accepting donations through Jan. 20, 2026.

Please see the flyer for details. 

Hundreds of MDUSD parents/guardians and students had the opportunity to meet with representatives from several trades unions during the District's first ever Building Trades Night on Nov. 5 at Concord HS, where they learned about training and career opportunities. The event was presented through a partnership between MDUSD, the Torlakson Whole Child Institute and local trades unions. 

It included hands-on demonstrations, information booths and remarks from MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Mae Cendaña Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, CA Building and Construction Trades Council President Chris Hannan, and a College Park HS grad who is now in a plumber's apprenticeship program, as well as his mom.

Thurmond said California and Contra Costa County need trades workers to build the infrastructure and housing our communities need. Hannan said trades workers can proudly build anything the state or country can imagine, while earning middle class wages without student debt, since they get paid while they are in the apprenticeship programs - and also receive health benefits and retirement pensions. Hannan also stressed the importance of math in the trades, saying: "If you are mechanically inclined, if you like to build things, if you like to be able to see what you've accomplished, if you like to be part of a sisterhood or a brotherhood, the trades are for you!" Rep. DeSaulnier said he was pleased to be part of such a special evening. "In this whole country," he said, "there is nothing like this unique partnership happening."

Second year plumbing apprentice Dylan Woodhall said he enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program at Diablo Valley College before becoming an apprentice, where he uses math every day and works hard, while making great pay. "I'm 23 years old and I just bought a condo right down the street," he said. His mom, Jennifer Woodhall, told parents at the event: "I think it's a fabulous program." 

El Dorado MS math teacher Jodi Masongsong and Oak Grove MS math teachers Jeffrey Juico and Gian De Los Santos talked to parents about the math skills they teach, which are important in the trades, including measuring, converting units such as inches to feet or ounces to pounds, estimation, geometry and fractions. "Some need to calculate voltage and they all need to know how to problem-solve and think critically," Masongsong said. De Los Santos added: "And if your boss asks you for half of something, you need to know how to calculate that half."  

Celeste Sanchez, a member of the Laborers Union, said construction workers do a variety of jobs from pouring concrete to demolition, shoveling, and cleaning up debris. "I love it," said Sanchez, who is a petite 4'11" tall. "If I can do it, anyone can do it!" MDUSD parent Magdalena Rodriguez, who attended the event with her four children, said she came to learn more about options for them after graduation. Her son Oseas, who is a Sequoia MS 6th-grader, said he liked the copper pipe-fitting demonstration. Concord HS Sophomore Arjen Swift-Wade, who attended the event with his father, said he appreciated the opportunity to learn about a variety of jobs and what they entail. He suggested expanding the program to include lesser-known jobs such as mural artists, fine woodworking including furniture making, and music production. He was most interested in drywall, glazier, flooring and painting jobs and said he heard the message about the importance of math loud and clear. Arjen praised his Concord HS math teacher Jose Soltero, saying he explains geometry really well. Parent Juana Cisneros, who attended the event with her children including Concord HS sophomore Juan Villafan, said she enjoyed learning more about the trades and benefits. Juan said he found the laborer job opportunities interesting.   

MDUSD Board President Linda Mayo, who attended the Trades Night along with the rest of the Board members, expressed her gratitude afterward to everyone who organized and facilitated the event, including MDUSD and Concord HS staff members. "Your efforts showed our community and elected officials from throughout the county, and the Trades, what a shining star MDUSD is," she said.  Click here to see a reel highlighting the event. More information about MDUSD's Career Pathways programs is here. 

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• Building Trades Parent-Student Night at Concord High School,
• The Concord High School “Scare Away Hunger” campaign,
• Northgate High art students enter design competition that blends visual art and music,
• Foothill MS student Marcus Lee won the Juvenile Boys Free Skate in the 2026 Pacific Coast Sectional Singles and will move onto the "Development Team;"
• Ygnacio Valley High’s varsity football team is the first MDUSD athletic program to complete Career Pathways Work Readiness Workshops;
• Olympic High School’s festive Halloween activities in partnership with Crossroads HS;
• Mountain View Elementary students take a “selfie from space” thanks to their teacher’s creative outreach,
• Pleasant Hill Middle School 8th-grade STEM trip to Levi’s Stadium,
• Walnut Acres Elementary’s Halloween Parade on their newly paved track;
• Mt. Diablo Adult Education hosts the Contra Costa Central Career Expo;
• MDUSD mourns the passing of EJ Barna, a valued afterschool program staff member at Riverview MS;
• School and Staff Social Media Highlights;
• And more!

You can read it here.

MDUSD invites District staff, students, parents/guardians and community members to nominate a teacher for the 2026-27 MDUSD and Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year.

• Nominations are due by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
• Candidates must have a minimum of 8 years of teaching experience to move forward to the County Office of Education competition.

Click here for the nomination form in English.
Click here for the nomination form in Spanish.

The District hopes to receive at least one nomination from each school recognizing classroom teachers who have demonstrated a passion for teaching, an ability to differentiate instruction to meet students' needs, and teachers who connect with and support their school community.

Selection process: After a nomination is submitted on behalf of a teacher, candidates are asked to respond to a brief questionnaire that speaks to their passion for teaching, their ability to differentiate instruction to meet students' needs, ways in which they provide equitable learning experiences for all students in their class, specific strategies they utilize that directly affect student achievement, and how they connect with and support their school community.

These responses are screened by the Teacher of the Year Committee. Selected candidates are then asked to submit a video of them teaching and to participate in an interview with the selection committee.  Two teachers are then chosen to represent the District in the County Teacher of the Year selection process. 

The Mt. Diablo High School football team will play its next home game on a fully restored home field that has been returned to its previous state-of-the-art condition less than two months after a destructive fire that was started by illegal fireworks melted the artificial turf, forcing the Red Devils to play their first three home games off site.

The team and Mt. Diablo Unified School District are deeply grateful to the Las Vegas Raiders, who pledged a donation of $250,000 to assist with the cost of restoring the field, after learning of the fire and needed repairs.

“As a lifelong Raiders fan and past season ticket holder, I couldn’t be more pleased with their generous contribution,” said MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. “The Mt. Diablo High School student body, alumni and community deserve a learning environment that they can be proud of. With the help of Mark Davis, owner of the Raiders, we have restored the field to its original state!”

Although the turf was repaired last month, the Mt. Diablo High School logo was installed more recently this month, because it had to be special-ordered. Since that installation, the team has played several “away” games.

The team is excited to play on its completely restored home field for its “Homecoming” game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, as it hosts cross-town MDUSD competitors, the Ygnacio Valley High School Wolves.

The Raiders’ donation will cover the cost of the insurance deductible, which the District would have had to pay out of its own funds toward the total repair costs of nearly $350,000.

Restored field with new logo (above).

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• Our "Experience Dyslexia" event,
• National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and National Native American Heritage Month in November,
• Mt. Diablo High receives donation from Las Vegas Raiders to help restore football field,
• Ygnacio Valley High newcomer students supported Red Ribbon Week while learning more about it,
• Oak Grove MS Accelerated Math students represent MDUSD at the Stanford Middle School Math Tournament,
• College Park HS Suicide Prevention Awareness activity organized by the ASB Leadership,
• School and Staff Social Media Highlights,
• And more!

You can read it here.

The following message was sent to all district families and staff on Oct. 24, 2025:

Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Mt. Diablo Education Association Reach Tentative Agreement

Dear MDUSD Students, Staff, and Community, 

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with the Mt. Diablo Education Association (MDEA) on a new three-year contract covering the 2025-26 through the 2027-28 school years.

This agreement reflects the shared commitment of both MDUSD and MDEA to support our educators, strengthen our schools, and continue our focus on student success.

We want to take a moment to thank both bargaining teams from MDUSD and MDEA for the hard work put into these negotiations. 

The tentative agreement updates several key areas of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, including class size, salaries, and benefits.

Some highlights include:

• A 2.3% salary increase effective July 1, 2025.
• Additional salary increases for 2026–2027 and 2027–2028.
• Full District-paid Kaiser CalPERS medical coverage beginning January 1, 2026 through December, 2028.
• Updated class size guidelines.
• Expanded personal necessity leave options for employees.
• No cap on prior years of qualifying experience for initial placement on the salary schedule.

The tentative agreement will now go before MDEA members for ratification and then to the MDUSD Governing Board for approval. Both sides have agreed to recommend ratification and adoption of the full agreement.

This agreement continues our commitment to student learning and achievement, fiscal responsibility, positive labor relations, and long-term stability, while striving to offer competitive compensation and a positive working environment for all employees. 

We look forward to continuing our work together with MDEA to provide the best possible educational experience for every student in Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

MDUSD and MDEA bargaining teams reach a Tentative three-year agreement (Oct. 24, 2025).

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• “Lights On Afterschool” event at Meadow Homes Elementary;
• No school on Monday, October 27 for Teacher In-Service Day;
• The Foundry career pathway newsletter at Olympic HS;
• The Mt. Diablo High School football team made headlines when all four Bay Area News Group sports reporters predicted they would win their game this Saturday at noon against Berean Christian;
• A beautiful garden mural at El Monte Elementary;
• Gregory Gardens Elementary GatorFest featured a Sensory-Friendly hour,
• School and Staff Social Media highlights; and more!

You can read it here.