Northgate High School was named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools rankings for California and the nation, according to the Mount Diablo Unified School District’s Friday Letter on Aug. 21.

Northgate earned a score of 94.46, ranking 28th in the Bay Area, 166th in California and 995th nationally. College Park High School also made the list with a score of 84.93, ranking 59th in the Bay Area, 437th in California and 2,704th nationally. Both schools ranked in the top 40% of public high schools nationwide.

Wellness Centers reach every MDUSD high school

The same Aug. 21 announcement confirmed that MDUSD's Wellness Centers now serve students at all five comprehensive high schools and three middle schools. The district did not name which middle schools received centers. The centers are designed to provide students with support and referrals when needed.

The expansion comes with significant new staffing. For the 2026-27 school year, MDUSD appointed five districtwide Wellness Administrators: Christopher Carlay, Jamie Jackson, Emilio Perdomo, Miriam Rubel and new hire Sarah Aldama. The district also added Mental Health Clinical Specialists and Mental Health Specialist IIs.

Student board member Armando Soto, a Mt. Diablo High School junior sworn in at the Aug. 12 Governing Board meeting, has made mental health access a top priority. "By prioritizing mental health and wellness, the district can create safer, more supportive learning environments where students are better prepared to succeed academically, and personally," Soto said at the meeting.

That's a shift felt across the district's five high schools: Northgate, College Park, Concord, Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley.

What's next

The MDUSD Governing Board meets Wednesday, Aug. 26, to hear preliminary student academic performance data in Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark’s report and consider several administrative appointments.