The Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) kicked off another school year on Aug. 13, with thousands of students flooding into the district’s 31 schools. This school year marks the start of Dr. Damon J. Wright’s tenure as SCUSD’s new superintendent.
Hundreds of cars poured onto Zanker Road in North San Jose on Wednesday morning, where Agnew Elementary School, Dolores Middle School and MacDonald High School all started school. It’s a very special year for the students and staff at MacDonald, where this spring, the school will celebrate its first-ever graduating class.
In addition to its inaugural senior class, MacDonald also welcomed nearly two dozen new staff members to the school to help support those students, including a new principal, Nelson Hori. Hori was front and center on the first day, working the crosswalk with a crossing guard sign to make sure students, staff and family members made it across the parking lot safely as cars in the drop off zone drove through.
“I’m honored to be their principal. The seniors, the first class that came to MacDonald, they had this vision of trying something new. They really took a chance on us because they’re creating this whole brand new school,” said Hori. “I want to make sure that they have all the programs and all the activities and all the sports that they’re able to participate in. And enjoy an amazing senior year. That’s what I’m here for.”
“I really love the campus. It’s like huge and all the facilities are great,” said ninth grader Suhani Mehra, who came to MacDonald from Stratford Schools.
“I’m excited to bring her into the public system. We were in private school through elementary and middle, so I think this will be a very good, enriching experience for her,” said Suhani’s father, Sumat. “I think the teachers are great. We’ve been having a good discussion with all the faculty, and the facilities are awesome. I’m sure that she can take good advantage of that and also contribute herself into the system and the community. So, it should be all good.”
The 2025-26 school year in SCUSD will conclude on June 5. The date and time of MacDonald’s Class of 2026 has yet to be set.
