Mavericks Memo

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Upcoming Events

Family Communication

April 22, 2026

cup of coffee and notebook with brief written and a set of glasses

April 22, 2026

Dear Monroe Families,

I hope this message finds you well. Please check out our website at monroe.campbellusd.org for up-to-date information, as well as be on the lookout for our communication that comes out on Wednesdays every two weeks.  For a student perspective on school news, please check out the Monday Minutes, our weekly student broadcast.

 

Upcoming Events

  • Del Mar High School Cultural Fair, May 24th from 5-8 PM.  Please visit there website for more information.

  • Our final Cafecito for the year is May 6th at 8:30 AM- “Dreaming Big with our Teenagers” by 

De Colores Collective: Join us for an inspiring presentation focused on reconnecting with your parenting journey and strengthening positive relationships with your teenager. Led by an experienced psychologist who will share powerful tools to support your family.

  • Spring Testing Schedule begins May 4th for all students.  8th-grade students begin on April 27th with the Science test. (See below for more details)

 

Reminders:

As we approach the midpoint of Trimester 3, we encourage you to check in with your students about their academic progress. This is a great time to log into PowerSchool together to review current work completion, grades, and upcoming tests.

It is especially important to stay on track during these final months, as many of our end-of-year activities and celebrations have specific grade and behavioral requirements for participation. We want every Maverick to have the opportunity to join in these special events, and staying proactive now ensures they remain eligible.

Quick Check-In Tips:

  • Review Grades Weekly: Ask your student to show you their current progress every Monday.

  • Discuss Deadlines: Check if there are any missing assignments that can still be submitted for credit.

  • Celebrate Growth: Acknowledge the hard work they’ve put in so far this trimester.

  • Support with PowerSchool: Please check in with our office team with questions.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your student’s success! 

 

Health and Safety

Report an absence, please call our 24-hour voicemail line at 408-341-7022 or monroe_attendance [at] campbellusd.org (when leaving a message or sending an email please let me know the student's first and last name, grade, and the reason for the absence)

For information regarding the CUSD Attendance policy please click here

ATTENDANCE MATTERS - REPORT STUDENT ABSENCES
Students that are marked unexcused are unable to receive credit for assignments missed that day. If you call the school to verify your child’s absence with an allowed reason, your child can receive full credit for assignments missed that day. Please call the main office to report your child’s absence and refer to our student handbook for additional school policies.


The Tdap vaccine and 2 doses of the chickenpox vaccine are required for all incoming 7th graders. 

Please check your student's immunization records and/or check with your doctor. Please email murquhart [at] campbellusd.org () if you have any questions. 

 

Principal's Corner

We want to provide you with a clear roadmap for our upcoming state assessments. By now, you should have received a formal notification from the district regarding these evaluations, but we want to ensure you have our specific school-site details and dates.

  • 8th Grade Science (CAST): Begins April 27. Students will complete this assessment during their regular science periods with Mr. Pizzica or Mr. vanAken.

  • ELA & Math Assessments: These will be administered during a special block schedule to allow students ample time to focus.

Date

Testing Window

May 4 & 5

9:38 AM – 11:18 AM

May 7 & 8

9:38 AM – 11:18 AM

May 11 & 12

9:38 AM – 11:18 AM

To help your student perform their best, we recommend:

  • Consistency: Ensuring they arrive at school on time, especially during the 9:38 AM testing block.

  • Rest: A good night’s sleep makes a world of difference for focus.

  • Tech Ready: Please remind students to bring their fully charged school-issued devices and headphones.

  • Appointments: Please try to schedule appointments outside the testing window.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting our students during this season. If you have any questions regarding the schedule or specific testing accommodations, please feel free to reach out to the main office.

Regards,

Ruth Stephens Radle                     

rstephensradle [at] campbellusd.org       

Principal

Pat Sieler 

psieler [at] campbellusd.org

Assistant Principal        

 

Laura Hammersmith

lhammersmith [at] campbellusd.org

Dean of Students

 

 

Spring Fling This Friday!

A fun activity night for all Monroe students.

spring fling title in bright colors

We will have a fun activity night Friday, April 24th  from 4-6 p.m. in the amphitheater and surrounding courtyard.  This form will be used to purchase tickets.  Tickets will be $10 and sold  at lunch April 20th-24th at lunch.   We will not be selling tickets at the door.  Students can start checking in at 3:45.  Doors will close at 4:45 and students will be dismissed at 6 p.m.  Only students personally picked up by a parent/guardian at the door will be allowed to leave early.  Payment will be made in CASH ONLY.  Exact change only will be accepted.  Any additional money will be considered a greatly appreciated donation.  Please feel free to donate any additional funds to help cover the costs as well.  Please attach money to this form or put form and money into a sealed envelope.

 The cost of the ticket INCLUDES the following options:

●     DJ music and activities

●     Photobooth

●     2 henna artists

●     Inflatable obstacle course, soccer darts and basketball

 Students will need to PAY ADDITIONAL money for the following options:

●     Kona Ice Truck ($5-8 at the event)

●     Snack Shack (candy, sodas, water, etc. $1-2 at the event)

●     Homemade tamales and beef tacos ($3 each) and flautas (2 for

$5) includes all of the fixings to go with each item.

IMPORTANT: This is for 6-8 Monroe students ONLY.  Students must have appropriate behavior and CANNOT have any F’s.  The dress code for the dance is the same as it is for school (torso covered, no undergarments showing, appropriate footwear).  This is NOT an event that you need to have a date or someone to go with.  It will be a lot more fun to go with a group of friends.  No school backpacks or large bags allowed inside.

Permission slip is linked below.

Monroe Students Give Opinions on School Lunch

Students share what they dislike and like for lunch as well as offer suggestions.

picture of the salad bar

School lunch is an important part of the school day because it gives students energy to learn and focus in class. In a student survey conducted by the leadership class, students shared their opinions on school lunch. The students provided honest feedback about what they enjoy and what they would like to change.

The students’ favorite school lunches include pizza, grilled cheese with tomato soup, ramen, fruit, salad, parfaits, Taco-nadas, and carne asada tacos. They especially enjoy pepperoni pizza and would like to see it served more because pepperoni pizza often runs out more than cheese pizza. They also like having fruit and would enjoy more variety, such as fruit bowls and olives. The students mentioned that they prefer food that is fresh rather than frozen or overcooked.

Some foods students do not enjoy include wings, hot dogs, corn dogs, pancakes with sausage, gravy with mashed potatoes, and leftover apples. They also said they would like fewer oranges served at lunch because many students do not like them or often leave them uneaten.

When asked what they would like to see added to the menu, students suggested more tacos and a wider variety of cultural foods. They also think it would be nice to have Tajín packets available for fruit. In addition, they would like more side dishes, chips, and a greater variety of drinks instead of just milk.

Overall, the students’ feedback shows that while they enjoy many school lunch options, there are clear areas for improvement. Adding more variety, cultural foods, and fresh options could make lunch more enjoyable and satisfying for everyone.

By: Arianna M. and Azul A.

 

Bright Spots in CUSD

Highlights of exciting news within the Campbell Union School District.

Castlemont teacher, Hailey Robinson, and the Navy pilot she flew with in the F-18 (pictured behind them).

Students and staff are living our values of learning, collaborating, and community building. Students at Village have been learning about local waterways and in January helped the South Bay Clean Creek Coalition remove 2,680 pounds of trash from Guadalupe Creek. In addition to helping make the waterway and accompanying trail more inviting with the trash removal, the students’ work also helped the salmon thrive. Students will continue their studies about the local waterway and its inhabitants throughout the remaining school year and are planning another day of service with the South Bay Clean Creek Coalition.

At Castlemont Elementary, third grade teacher, Hailey Robinson, was the recipient of the Key Influencer Award, As part of the recognition, Hailey was scheduled to fly with the Navy’s Blue Angels during Fleet Week which was cancelled due to the government shutdown at the time. In February, Ms. Robinson was given the opportunity to fly with the Navy in a FA-18 Super Hornet. Congratulations, Hailey!

Santa Clara County Supervisor, Susan Ellenberg, honored Campbell Union School District and Youth Art Month at the Arts, Innovation, and Music (AIM) Showcase with a Proclamation. Additionally, ten student (grades K-5) projects were selected for display at the County Building, 70 W. Hedding Street, 10th floor, San Jose. Visitors may view the student pieces during regular business hours. Congratulations to:

School 

Student

Grade

Project

Blackford

Delilah Velasquez Espino

5

Grand Canyon

Oil Pastel

CSI

Shiori Doi

5

Rainbow Weaving

Recycled Weaving

Capri

Aivy Troung

4

Treasure Island Map (Innovation project)

Castlemont

Freddie Marmarou

K

Arctic Hare

(Art project)

Forest Hill

Julian Chiu

5

Tempra paint value with chalk pastel Northern Lights

Lynhaven

Noor Ahmed 

5

Grand Canyon

Oil Pastel

Marshall Lane

Henrietta “Etta” Makepeace

4

Mehndi art on watercolor (India)

Rosemary

Emily Nicolle Jimenez Salcedo

2

Bald Eagle (Art Project)

Sherman Oaks

Ximena Cruz

5

Guitar

Village

Cole Pearring

4

A "Cheesy" Success: Student Chefs at Rolling Hills Secure Second Consecutive Cook-off Title

Rolling Hills Middle School wins second Expanded Learning Lunchroom Cook-off student cooking competition.

The winning team from Rolling Hills Middle School pose with their awards and Expanded Learning staff.

And the winner is…..Cheesy Pasta (a paccheri pasta dish) from the Rolling Hills Middle School team composed of Amy, Liya, and Serena.

Student culinary teams from the Expanded Learning programs at Campbell School of Innovation (CSI), Monroe Middle School, Rolling Hills Middle School, and Sherman Oaks Dual Language Immersion School competed April 1, 2026 in the fifth annual Campbell Union School District (CUSD) Lunchroom Cook-off. 

Not only did the team from Rolling Hills Middle School earn a trophy and bragging rights as the defending champion, but their winning recipe will be added to the school lunch menu.

Leading up to the competition, students representing their school and Expanded Learning program learned about nutrition, food handling and safety, and basic culinary techniques. Additionally, they spent time putting together presentations and practicing their public speaking and presentation skills. The competition was judged by Superintendent, Dr. Viramontez; Board President, William Slade; former Le Cordon Bleu instructor, The International Culinary Center Coordinator, and season three Chopped winner, Chef Marc Pavlovic; and student representatives from Monroe, Sherman Oaks and CSI.

Past winners have included:

2022 - Spicy Chicken Ramen - Monroe Middle School

2023 - Tortas de Asada - Sherman Oaks

2024 - Enchiladas Verdes - Sherman Oaks

2025 - Pesto Pasta - Rolling Hills Middle School

The paccheri pasta dish included all five main food groups: dairy (cheese and heavy whipping cream), protein (Italian sausage), fruits (tomatoes), vegetables (onion, garlic, and fennel), and grains (paccheri pasta). The students also had to ensure the recipes met the required nutritional guidelines and limitations on sodium and fats. When asked how the team decided on a name for their dish, with a giggle they told the story of how one iteration of the dish ended up with more cheese than the recipe originally called for, “it was an accident and that became really popular, so we kept it”, noted the young chefs.

The livestream from the Lunchroom Cook-off may be viewed at https://youtu.be/KTXeGjOhu_M