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Milpitas Unified official highlights MLK activities, notes attendance dip and drop in suspensions at Milpitas High
Summary
A Milpitas Unified School District staff member told the board that schools marked Martin Luther King Jr. with classroom lessons and events, average daily attendance slipped to just under 96% from about 97% in August, and suspensions and fights at Milpitas High have fallen sharply after restorative and visibility-focused interventions.
A Milpitas Unified School District staff member reported to the board that district schools held Martin Luther King Jr. lessons, student artwork projects and all-school events and that a small dip in average daily attendance has prompted renewed focus on student engagement.
The presenter said schools ran classroom instruction on King’s speeches and that students created artwork and writings; examples included student art at Rose Elementary and a kindergarten performance of the "I Have a Dream" speech. The district’s adult learning and workforce development center also incorporated lessons about King into citizenship and English-language instruction.
The update tied student engagement to attendance and academic success. "When our students are engaged, they are at school," the staff member said, calling attendance "the number one indicator for success in school." She reported districtwide average daily attendance at just under 96% for the current month, compared with about 97% in August, and said the district aims to return to 97% or better.
The presenter highlighted work at Milpitas High School, saying that in 2023–24 the school recorded 142 suspensions, 42 of which were fights. She described a set of campus interventions — increased visible staff presence during lunch and passing periods, teachers greeting students at classroom doors, more campus supervisors, restorative circles and a wellness focus — that school leaders and staff championed to reduce incidents.
On discipline trends, the presenter said suspensions and fights have "decreased markedly" since 2023–24 and congratulated the Milpitas High School team for their work; the transcript did not supply a clear, verifiable percentage for the decline. The presenter credited the team’s focus on relationships and restorative practices for improved campus climate.
The report also noted schoolwide initiatives tied to racial equity and culture-building: Zanker classrooms worked on a "drum major for justice" commitment, Russell Middle School partnered with Dr. Roberts on student projects, and Calver Hills High School is using restorative "peace circles" to sustain behavior changes beyond isolated observances. The presenter announced a Black History Month flag ceremony at Caesar Chavez Plaza at the Town Center on Feb. 1 at 5:00 p.m., led by the MUSD Black Excellence Collective.
The presenter concluded the segment by celebrating staff, students and families for the collaborative work that underpins engagement gains and safer campuses. "That concludes this part of my report," she said.
Next steps described in the update included continuing engagement strategies and pursuing attendance back to the district goal; no formal motions or votes were recorded in this segment.
