Message from the Superintendent

Dear PUSD Community,

The next few weeks of school will be busy as we near the end of the school year. I would like to express sincere gratitude to our teachers, staff, and principals who have continued to serve our students with a smile despite ongoing obstacles. Our students’ amazing accomplishments are evident every day. High school students are preparing for internships, seniors are presenting their portfolios, and students of all ages will soon be showing off stunning works of art at the “No Boundaries” exhibit. Student success is clearly on display at Pasadena Unified this spring.

The California Department of Public Health announced earlier this month that the COVID-19 vaccine will not be added to other required vaccinations for in-person attendance before the upcoming academic year. Any new vaccine requirements will not take effect until after full FDA approval and no sooner than July 1, 2023. Multiple safety measures remain in place and we are working together to protect our community by: masking when required or at risk of exposure, frequent hand washing, and making sure students stay home when sick. Getting vaccinated and boosted is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Check PUSD’s updated COVID Safety Plan.

PUSD is making it easier for students to stay healthy and continue in-person learning. In recognition of Every Kid Healthy Week, please come visit your PUSD Health Programs Team and community partners at the PUSD Every Kid Healthy Resource Fair. This is an opportunity for PUSD families and employees to receive information about best practices regarding overall good health and prevention AND get a COVID-19 vaccination. Please join us as we improve and strengthen our health and wellness together. Community partners include the Pasadena Public Health Department, the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, Huntington Hospital Community Outreach, Young & Healthy, and DayOne.

To get a COVID-19 vaccination, register here: https://myturn.ca.gov/screening?config=34d450e2-079d-4bdd-8974-6ffdb3580e30

Saturday, May 7, 2022

8:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m.

Pasadena Unified School District Education Center

351 S. Hudson Ave. - North Parking Lot, Pasadena, CA
Parking is available in the south parking lot off Oak Knoll Avenue.

We want to hear from you. PUSD is building a communication plan with the help of feedback from our students, families, employees, and community. We would like your input on the type of information, the frequency of communications you’d prefer, and the best method to communicate with you. The survey will take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and the information will be used to determine what areas the district should prioritize in the development of communication in the next school year. Thank you in advance for your time and thoughtfulness in completing this survey. The link will be sent out this week.

Get ready to witness endless creativity at “No Boundaries 17,” PUSD’s annual student art exhibition starting this Friday. The 17th annual exhibit kicks off with a grand opening reception on April 29 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Paseo in historic downtown Pasadena. The event will showcase hundreds of works by students from all District schools and will be free to the public through May 8. “No Boundaries” is presented by the PUSD Arts Education Department, in collaboration with community arts partner Side Street Projects. It is produced in partnership with the City of Pasadena’s Division of Cultural Affairs, the Pasadena Educational Foundation, Art Night Pasadena, and The Paseo.

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday: 3-6 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday 1-4 p.m. For more information, go to gopusd.com/noboundaries.

Last week, we had an opportunity to highlight the powerful contributions of public school volunteers in supporting student success.​ April 27 is National Administrative Professionals Day and we celebrate the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, and other office professionals for their contributions to our schools. Sunday, May 1, is School Principals Day and we all know that they’ve had more challenges during the pandemic and yet, our principals have remained upbeat, focused, and fun. Please take a minute to share your appreciation for our fearless school leaders.

Every year, PUSD high school seniors complete a Senior Defense Portfolio which provides a comprehensive look at each student’s work, learning, and personal growth, highlighting their skills related to the PUSD Graduate Profile. Seniors are asked to reflect on their strengths and discuss college and career goals. It culminates with a substantive presentation to a panel of experts made up of business leaders, the PUSD Board of Education, and parents.

Many of our high school juniors are also preparing for the future by seeking summer internships. Junior Academy students have been working on resumes, conducting practice interviews, and getting constructive feedback in hopes of landing that perfect summer internship, an incredibly valuable experience for our future college applicants.

Congratulations to the 2022 Middle School Coed Basketball Champions, Octavia Butler Magnet LEARNs! We are so proud of the teamwork, sportsmanship, and dedication of all the students who participated. A special thank you to David Ibarra, Dr. Shannon Malone, and Dr. Lawton Gray for hosting our basketball games this season. We truly appreciate your support for PasadenaLEARNs Sports. Thank you to all the LEARNs staff, custodians, coaches, and parents who helped make the 2022 basketball season successful. We are especially grateful for the hard work and dedication of Francisco Guzman and the entire PasadenaLEARNs Sports Committee who make such great opportunities available for our students. Soccer season begins this week. We hope to see you there!

The 2022 Summer Learning Catalog is here! The catalog provides information on programs available for PUSD families this summer. Program spaces are limited, so please encourage your families to enroll in their selected programs as soon as possible. For more information, go to pusd.us/learns; you can find the pdf version here: PUSD Summer Learning Catalog 2022.

As we head into the last few weeks of school, we’re excited…and a little stressed. April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the deep pervasiveness of stress and how to spread awareness about healthy ways to cope. Stress can affect anyone at any time, regardless of current circumstances or situations. Stress can also cause physical health problems from headaches and stomach aches to stroke and heart disease. With healthy coping mechanisms, however, we can all take better care of ourselves.

Seek professional help if needed. If you or a family member would like help finding a mental health care or substance use treatment provider, contact Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential coordination service provided by Pasadena Unified School District:

• Call 888-515-0595. Support is available 24/7/365 in any language.

• Visit caresolace.com/pasadena and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

April is observed as Genocide Awareness Month because some of the worst atrocities in history occurred in the month of April. These include the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide, and the Rwanda Genocide.

Students from Blair School and Webster Elementary, home to PUSD’s Armenian world language programs, walked and attended a commemoration event at Pasadena Memorial Park.

As we observe these events, we must also think of those who are currently under attack because of their identity.

As Dr. Kori Street of the USC Shoah Foundation says, “In every place and time that we have seen horrendous suffering, we have also seen extraordinary resilience and resistance. And we will continue to record and share stories of survivors and witnesses as we work toward building a world of more empathy, understanding, and respect.”

Thank you for everything you do for PUSD. Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Brian McDonald, Ed.D.

Superintendent