The MPUSD Insider is the weekly internal newsletter for MPUSD all staff.
Of Interest to Staff
Trivia Time | Win a $25 Gift Card! - A big thank you to SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union for sponsoring and providing gift cards for our fun MPUSD Insider trivia this school year. This month's question: What is the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on SchoolsFirst FCU Classroom Supplies and Uniform Loans? Think you know the answer? Submit your answer HERE for a chance to win a $25 gift card to various places (Amazon, Door Dash, or TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Homegoods). One lucky winner will be announced in next week’s MPUSD Insider.
MPUSD Way
Know Someone Living the MPUSD Way? Don't keep it a secret! - See a student, colleague, team, or volunteer making a difference? Let us know! Share a few sentences or bullet points and we’ll do the rest. Submit an MPUSD Way recognition. New this year: Superintendent Diffenbaugh has been visiting staff highlighted in the MPUSD Way and giving them a certificate and personally thanking them for all they do. Take the opportunity to recognize your peers.
Every Person Matters - Isaac Capetillo goes above and beyond what it means to be a custodian! From keeping the La Mesa Elementary School campus beautiful, safe and running smoothly to serving as a sports coach and trusted role model for students, Isaac makes a difference every day. His dedication to La Mesa and the students he serves is a wonderful example of the MPUSD Way in action.Thank you, Isaac, for all you do for the La Mesa school community.
Every Person Matters - Shout-out to Alex Fernandez, custodian at Los Arboles Middle School. Alex was nominated by a colleague who simply described him as “the best custodian!” Sometimes a few words say it all. Our custodial teams play an important role in keeping our schools clean, safe and welcoming for students and staff every day. We're proud to recognize Alex and the difference he makes at Los Arboles Middle School. Thank you, Alex, for all you do.
Districtwide News
National School Bus Safety Week | October 19 - 23- Keeping students safe is a responsibility we all share. This past week, during National School Bus Safety Week, MPUSD reminded drivers, families and students to slow down, stay alert and practice safe habits around school buses and bus stops. We also extend a special thank you to our dedicated MPUSD bus drivers and transportation team for helping students get to and from school safely every day. Read the full story and school bus safety tips on our website.
Celebrating Literacy Excellence Across MPUSD - More MPUSD students are growing as confident, capable readers, and we're celebrating the educators, grade-level teams and schools helping make it happen. Now in its third year, our 2025 - 2026Reading is Key awards recognized outstanding literacy growth and achievement across the district. New award categories also celebrate the progress of multilingual learners and students with exceptional needs. Congratulations to all our honorees for making a difference, one reader at a time. Read the full story on our website. If you're on social media, we will be posting our schools and winners, too. Here are a few moments from last week, and we will visit more sites and staff this week.
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 over the weekend, you may check it out here. Did you know, we also publicize it exclusively in Spanish and send to our designated Spanish language families (noted in ParentVue/Synergy) in case families are not able to access the Spanish translated version from the English version.
Information to Share with Families
Haunted House Fundraiser Open to All- You're invited to Monterey High School's annual Haunted House at Monterey High School this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Share this with your families. All proceeds support Monterey High School's music program.
District English Learner Advisory Council | October 21- MPUSD families are invited to participate in our District English Learner Advisory Council (DELAC) meetings during the 2026 - 2027 school year. DELAC provides parents, guardians, and caregivers with an opportunity to share their voices, learn more about district programs and services, and help shape how we support multilingual learners across MPUSD. All parents, guardians, and caregivers are welcome. Childcare and dinner are provided. Visit our website or see flyer below for dates, times, and location.
Expanding Your Horizons | STEM Conference and Career Fair - Our community partner, The Lyceum of Monterey County, is offering an exciting opportunity for girls in grades 5 - 10 to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Expanding Your Horizons Conference & Career Fair takes place Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Hartnell College in Salinas. Participants will enjoy hands-on STEM workshops led by women in STEM, connect with local professionals and discover exciting career possibilities. Registration is FREE and opens October 27. Space is limited to the first 300 participants. Learn more and register.
Board of Education
Board of Education - The Board of Education met last week at a special location at Monterey High School. If you missed the meeting and want to know what actions the Board takes, you may read Board Highlights or watch Spotlight on Board Highlights below. The next meeting returns back to the District Services Center on October 27.
Hot Off the Reel
National School Lunch Week - Last week was National School Lunch Week and we couldn't be more proud of the hard work and dedication of our nutrition services team. In this video, Seaside High School Culinary students Sophia Villanueva and Victoria Ramos test out some of MPUSD's most popular school lunch items.
Hispanic Heritage Month | Highlight on Marina High Mariachi Band - We’re wrapped up Hispanic Heritage Month on a high note with a special collaboration between Marina High School and Crumpton Elementary School. Marina High School students in the mariachi course brought the music to Crumpton, performing for students in the after-school program and sharing the joy of music across grade levels. It’s moments like these that show what makes MPUSD special: students learning from one another, sharing their talents and building connections across our school communities.
Reminders: Info in Previous Editions Worthy of Repeat
YouthTruth Survey - Each fall, MPUSD participates in the YouthTruth Survey, giving students, families, teachers and staff an opportunity to share feedback about what is working well and where we can improve. The 2026 YouthTruth Survey will take place September 28 through October 30. Students, teachers and staff will participate in surveys designed for their experiences, while families have their own unique survey. MPUSD staff who are also parents/guardians: While you will participate in the staff survey for the school site where you work, we also hope you will complete the family survey for the school site(s) your child(ren) attend. Your perspective in both roles is valuable!
Once a Student. Always MPUSD. - Some of the individuals shaping the future of MPUSD once sat in our classrooms themselves. Through our MPUSD Legacy Employee Program, we’re celebrating employees who attended MPUSD schools as students and later returned to serve our students and community as educators, leaders and support staff. Legacy employees will receive a special gold MPUSD Legacy Pin recognizing their full-circle journey and lifelong connection to our district. If you attended an MPUSD school and now work for the district, complete our Legacy Employee form so we can recognize and celebrate you. More on our website.
MPUSD Branded Art for Use | October Art Available - Much of the art for the month of October is now available in the Communications share drive. As a reminder, the main folder of all art is HERE. Please feel free to use for your communications.
MPUSD District and School Logos - We often get asked for images of the district or school logos. They are in this folder in case you need them. If you don't see what you need, reach out to the Communications department. P.S. - reorder of school logo stickers have arrived and are heading to school sites. Ask your front office or admin team for a sticker!
Help Us Spotlight Your School or Classroom - If you don’t tell us, we don’t know! Help us showcase the great things happening across MPUSD from classroom activities and student celebrations to staff highlights, special events and community partnerships. Have something coming up? Submit each event individually using our School Event Form so our Communications team can track opportunities and, when possible, stop by to capture the moment. Can’t have us there? No problem, we always welcome your photos and videos so we can help share your story.
