Major General Murray High School

MAY 2026

Campus and Community

Community School Updates

ALTERNATIVE SUMMER SCHOOL OPTIONS:

We're inviting VUSD high school students interested in building trades to join Alt Ed in the inaugural Heavy Metal Summer Experience for north county! tt's a 2-week day camp (9 total days) that leaves from MGM and visits various sheetmetal/building trades locations across San Diego from June 8-June 18, 2026 from 9am-3pm.

Our 3rd annual el summer adventure program is again inviting our English learners to participate in activities throughout San Diego County while receiving English and math lessons for credits. It is a 2-week day camp (9 total days).

GRADUATION CELEBRATION

DURING SCHOOL DAY

2026 Grad Nite SignUp- San Diego Futbol Club- May 13th

CAP DECORATION- Details coming soon.

NEW WORKSHOP- 4 SESSIONS IN MAY- HANDS-ON AUTOMOTIVE SERIES AT North County Ford

DURING SCHOOL DAY (continued)

HEALTHY CAMPUS:

Healthy Campus hosts on-campus lunchtime groups designed to help students navigate the twists & turns of school and teen life. These sessions focus on:

Building Coping Skills: Practical tools for managing stress and anxiety.
Healthy Relationships: Strategies for communication and building positive connections with peers.
Social-Emotional Support: A safe, facilitated space for students to grow and thrive.

STUDENT ADVISORY REP COUNCIL

Meets bi-monthly to make changes in the school, plan events, and leadership activities. MGM Students participate in the Chick-fil-A Leadership Program and are working on implementing an Impact Project. Both sites are currently focusing on gaining student feedback on a new cell phone policy for next school year as well as ways to make our PM Programs & and Internship Pipeline even stronger.

EL ADVENTURES "GANAS" Partnership

EL Adventures "GANAS" collaboration between our Community Schools: Major General Murray, Alta Vista High School, and Grapevine Elementary School. Centered on the shared goal of empowering English Learners, the program has secondary students from alternative education sites serve as mentors and role models for elementary learners.

TUESDAY & THURSDAY PM SCHOOL

TRANSLATION COURSE: BEGINNING April 6thAVHS Tuesdays 5-7 pmStudents, Parents, and Community Members are invited to our community interpretation & translation certification course starting soon.

AVHS Tuesdays 4-7 pm. Contact Russell Gotteman russellgotteman@vistausd.org for more information.

Every Thursday, 4-7pm, Weekly, Garden 31 provides gardening, nutrition, and support in small group and one on one settings in our on campus garden. No cost to the community.

Thursdays 4-7pm at RBV. 16 students are headed into Welding 24 new students have joined Welding 1

This is a full-year, free Thursday PM school program. It runs 30 weeks at 3 hours each week, totaling 90 hours (rounded up to 100) that count toward the 320-hour State of California Cosmetology license requirement. After 100 hours, the student will receive their State of California Pre-Apprenticeship License that allows them to legally work in a business. The cosmetology school will track all student hours. If a student joins later in the year, their program begins at that point and continues into the following year.

AVHS Tuesdays 4-7 pm Over 8 weeks, students will gain real-world, life-saving skills while exploring careers in healthcare and public safety. The goal of this course is to expose students to the EMR field and provide clear next steps after graduation. Students engage in interactive activities, simulations, and team-based scenarios that mirror real emergency situations. (AVHS sister campus location)

HEAVY BREATHING- PERSONAL TRAINING & NUTRITION Every Thursday- 4-7pm, Weekly Amber and Mike Delgado provide nutrition and training in small group and one on one settings. No cost to the community.

Every Thursday- 4-7pm, Weekly, Keli Ross-Ma’u provides small group instruction of steel drums. No cost to the community.

STAND UP FOR KIDS

Biweekly- Thursdays 5-7pm, Stand Up for Kids provides food, clothing, guest speakers and all around outreach for students. No cost to the community.

Please contact Rebekka Kinder, MGM Community Site Leads,

if you have any questions or would like to be connected to any of these programs.

rebekkakinder@vistausd.org

College & Career News

As we move through May, here are some important reminders and opportunities to keep you on track:

FAFSA Deadline - Jun 30, 2026

If you plan to take college classes next year as a senior or are graduating, be sure to complete your FAFSA. If you need help, stop by Room 204 or email me to set up an appointment.

Parents/guardians: If you need help with your portion, please email juanrodriguez@vistausd.org or call 632-2502 ex-89214 to schedule an appointment.

There are scholarships available for students planning to pursue higher education. Come by Room 204 to learn more and get help applying.

If you're interested in working this summer, I can help you get started with applications and résumés.

If you need a college ID number or want to apply to a community college, now is the time.

Palomar College and MiraCosta College both offer great summer programs. Come see me to get started.

I'm here to support you, don't wait until the last minute!

If you need help with any of these opportunities, please feel free to walk into Room 204 or email me at juan.rodriguez@vistausd.org to schedule an appointment. I’m happy to assist you in navigating these opportunities.

Manny Rodriguez, College and Career Tech (760) 631-2502 ext. 89214

A Message from your Community Liaison

I can be reached by email at adrianagaminodiaz@vistausd.org

or by phone at (760) 631-2502 ext. 89008

Happy May MGM Community!

As the end-of-the year approaches please join us for our final school events before graduation in June! Our last CSAC/SSC (Community School Advisory/School Site Council Meeting) will be on May 7th at 4:30pm and our last Coffee with the Principal/Staff will be on May 22nd at 9am, and our last. We will also have our End-Of-The-Year Student Exhibitions from May 19th - May 22nd from 9:30am - 1:30pm.

A friendly reminder that there are resources available to MGM Students and Families, we are here to provide food, school supplies, toiletries, and other essentials for students and families in need through MGM's Basic Needs Pantry. If you'd like to be connected to any of the above resources or additional food opportunities from Frazier Farms or Panera, please reach out to Family and Community Liaison, Adriana Gamino-Diaz at (760) 631-2502 Ext. 89008 or adrianagaminodiaz@vistausd.org for more information.

Attendance News

Message from Ms. Melanie

At Major General Raymond Murray High School, we are committed to supporting student growth—academically, personally, and socially. As part of this commitment, we emphasize the importance of regular attendance and have established attendance guidelines to help all students stay on track for success.

If your child will be absent, please report the absence by calling:
📞 (760) 631-2502 ext. 89005
Kindly leave a detailed message including the following information:

Date(s) of the absence
Student’s full name
Date of birth and/or grade level
Reason for the absence
Your name, relationship to the student, and a callback number

Important Reminders:

Parents/guardians have up to 72 hours (3 school days) after a student returns to report the reason for the absence and to submit any necessary documentation.
After 10 verified excused absences, all future absences must be supported with official documentation from a professional (e.g., doctor, legal representative, etc.).
Documentation must be printed on official letterhead and include the reason for the absence.

Medical and dental notes may be submitted via email or fax:
📧 melaniepagayonan@vistausd.org
📠 Fax: 760-631-2503

Thank you for your continued support in helping our students succeed!

Beatriz Barron: Social Worker Jasmine Suleiman: Counselor Lydia T. Contreras: Community School Counselor

Toni Masciola: Peace Ed Mentor Julie Guo: Pass/Ameri Corps Mentor

If You See Something, Say Something
Is something or someone bothering your student at school?

If it upsets your student, makes them feel unsafe, or affects their safety at school, let us know.

It is a secure, anonymous, and confidential safety tip line.
You do not have to provide your name unless you want to. The report will be forwarded to
the proper staff to help resolve the situation.

Reminder: Tips are only monitored during your school's operational hours. If this is an emergency or your student or someone you know is in danger or harm's way, please call 911 immediately.