Superintendent Dr. Medrano used her first formal superintendent’s report at the Dec. 16 Duarte Unified School District board meeting to describe early priorities: listening to staff and families, improving communication and transparency, investing in professional development, and launching preliminary work to assess where the MIT program might be housed.

Dr. Medrano said she had completed 14 working days in the district and had visited multiple schools. “I have been working to increase transparency by engaging in open dialogue, sharing broader district updates,” she said, adding that trustees and district leaders had participated in the CSBA annual conference and would hold a governance workshop on Jan. 24, 2026.

On the potential relocation of the MIT (Magnet/Innovation/Technology) program, Dr. Medrano told the board the review is at an early conceptual stage. She described a recent walkthrough at Duarte High School to identify possible spaces, stressed that no decisions had been made and said the district will gather input through surveys and site meetings with students, staff and families before returning recommendations to the board.

“This work is still very preliminary and no decisions have been made,” she said, urging a collaborative process and noting concerns about co-locating two programs on one campus. The superintendent said principals from Duarte High School and MIT will be asked to provide initial feedback and that the district will prepare a presentation reflecting community input.

The superintendent also provided a facilities update during later business items: construction work on the Beardsley project will commence Jan. 5, and the Duarte High School gym leak repairs are ongoing with contractor follow-up and warranty coverage in place for items with one-year warranties.

The board did not take immediate action on the MIT exploration; Dr. Medrano said she will return with recommendations based on the forthcoming community engagement work.