PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

At a special ceremony last Friday, PUSD celebrated high school students who completed internships this summer through the district’s College and Career Academies. We heard from their teachers and host organizations, such as Huntington Medical Research Institutes, where students got hands-on experience in biomedical research labs. We also heard from students like Andrew Glover of John Muir Early College Magnet, a student leader in the district’s summer bridge program for incoming ninth graders. This young student was inspired by the words of author E.M. Kelly who said, "A boss says 'Go!' A leader says 'Let's Go.'"

Our students are clearly extraordinary and the teachers, faculty, and administrators who create conditions for them to succeed are truly impressive. They teach us that leadership truly begins and ends with the goal of service to others.

In this spirit, I encourage you to join us in wearing the color orange on National Unity Day (Wednesday, October 19) to celebrate PUSD as a community that promotes health, kindness, and acceptance of differences.

Please take a minute to read about what’s going on in the District and have a great week!

Sincerely,

Brian McDonald, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Whether they’re tasked with monitoring the fish population through the Arroyo Seco Foundation or brightening up their resumes with work at the Pasadena Chalk Festival, PUSD summer 2022 interns have gained a wide variety of valuable experience. Students enrolled in PUSD College and Career Academies from Blair, Marshall, Muir, and Pasadena High schools were recognized for their outstanding on-the-job achievements at a celebration at Brookside Golf Club held on Friday evening. Congratulations on your hard work and a job well done! Find out more about our Academies here.

Discover your child’s path to greatness! From academics to life skills, see for yourself how PUSD equips your child to thrive. Sign up for a tour today!

What does it mean for a student to be truly prepared for life beyond school? With the Summit Learning program, McKinley School (TK-8th grade) equips its middle school students with the knowledge, habits, and skills they need to be successful. Summit Learning is a personalized approach to teaching and learning that extends the classroom beyond the school day to help students, parents, and teachers stay connected.

McKinley students are not only preparing for high school, they are also gaining the tools necessary to lead and succeed in the 21st century.

To learn more about what makes McKinley unique, sign up for a campus tour. Open Enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is happening now at PUSD, please visit pusd.us/enroll to learn more.

We’re celebrating John Marshall Fundamental Secondary School Class of 2022 graduate Julia Franco, who earned a rare perfect score on a college-level Advanced Placement® (AP®) Capstone Research Exam in spring 2022. Julia is one of only 306 students in the world to earn every point possible on the 2022 AP Research Exam, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam. The AP Research exam is the culminating assessment for the AP Capstone Diploma. Julia’s 5,000+ word academic research paper was one of nearly 27,000 papers submitted to the College Board from secondary schools around the globe. Julia is majoring in music at UC Santa Barbara.

Congratulations to Julia, her parents, her teachers, and the entire Marshall Fundamental family!

On Wednesday, October 19, join PUSD and wear orange on Unity Day this Wednesday, Oct. 19. Unity Day takes place during National Bullying Prevention Month to promote healthier communities through kindness, acceptance of difference, and inclusion. This is PUSD’s fourth year in a row participating in Unity Day and it also coincides with America's Safe Schools Week Oct. 15–21. But no matter what day, week, or month it is, we believe every PUSD student deserves a safe space for learning and self-expression. So why orange? It’s commonly identified with the autumn season, it’s connected to safety and visibility, and considered to be warm and vibrant, just like PUSD! For more information regarding Unity Day and ideas for school-wide activities, please click HERE.

This Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 10:20 a.m., PUSD will join millions of people worldwide to

practice earthquake drills for International ShakeOut Day. The drill provides an opportunity for

all staff and students to simulate a disaster response in order to test and evaluate our schools’ and

districts’ emergency procedures plan. For more information, go to www.shakeout.org/california.

Also on October 20, PUSD will test our emergency communications systems by sending emails, texts, and phone messages to all parent/guardian and staff contacts.

Add Wednesday, October 26, to your calendars for two iconic PUSD events - the annual College Fair and the highly anticipated Turkey Tussle between John Muir and Pasadena High School varsity football teams.

First, PUSD will host over 100 colleges and universities at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium 300 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA from 4-7 p.m. for the annual Annual College Fair. All ages are welcome to this free event.

Then, you board a free shuttle that will take you to the Rose Bowl for the 75th Annual Turkey Tussle at 7 p.m. The annual varsity football game determines whether the John Muir Mustangs or the PHS Bulldogs take the Victory Bell home this year. Tickets are available at the school links below. Please note that the Rose Bowl is a cashless venue and their clear bag policy will be enforced.

www.pusd.us/phsgofan

www.pusd.us/muirgofan

Feeling overwhelmed in our 24/7 digital world? Digital Citizenship Week (Oct. 17 - 21) might be a good time to reboot, reset, and rethink how we use technology. Digital Citizenship Week highlights the importance of making safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. The week was created 10 years ago by the California Department of Education in collaboration with Common Sense Education and the California State legislature. PUSD teachers at each grade level are using guidance, games, and resources which are compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act and are also designed to help kids become responsible digital citizens. For more information and family conversation starters, see https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-resources.

A reminder that November 4 - 18, the District will administer the California Healthy Kids Survey to students in grades 6, 7, 9, and 11. The survey includes questions regarding local youth health risks and behaviors, school connectedness, school climate, and school violence. It is voluntary yet highly encouraged so please keep an eye out for consent forms and/or opt-out requests. Please visit www.pusd.us/survey and follow the instructions depending on your child’s grade level by October 28, 2022.