PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! I hope you had a restful and fun time, whether you were with family and friends, enjoying a meal, experiencing the great outdoors, or watching your favorite football teams (or “fútbol” for World Cup fans).

This weekend, PUSD’s All-Star Marching Band performed in the Hollywood Christmas Parade, and hundreds of you walked or ran the Rose Bowl Stadium’s Turkey Trot to benefit our high school athletics programs.

Tomorrow is “Giving Tuesday,” a movement created 10 years ago to spread generosity across the globe to build a world where giving to others is part of everyday life. We encourage you to be part of it. Every generous act, big or small, has a meaningful impact. This can be as simple as a “Thank You” to someone who helped you today, or a random act of kindness for someone.

The next few weeks will be busy! Schools have end-of-semester activities lined up, such as musical performances and celebrations, school tours, and much more. PUSD middle and high school students are preparing for semester final exams this month, too.

Enrollment for the 2023-24 school year begins December 1, 2022, when you can register at your neighborhood school. The first choice lottery of Open Enrollment, when you can apply to attend a different PUSD school or a dual language immersion program, begins January 9, 2023.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Brian McDonald, Ed.D.

Superintendent

The PUSD All-Star Band looked and sounded like superstars on the red carpet at the Hollywood Christmas Parade on Sunday. The band thrilled the crowd with a combination of fanfare, jazz, and pop pieces adding creative, show-style movement. “We are so proud of our incredible All Star Band!” said Karen Anderson, PUSD Arts & Enrichment Coordinator and GATE Specialist. “They brought it to the professional stage last night and wowed the world with their musicianship, dancing, and pageantry."

The parade, which is currently celebrating its 90th anniversary, also featured celebrities, dazzling equestrians, larger-than-life character balloons and colorful floats.

Congratulations to our All-Star musicians, dancers and musical directors on a job well done!

Thank you to all those who came out for the 5th Annual Rose Bowl Turkey Trot! This year’s donations will help pay for equipment, uniforms, and officials for sports at PUSD high schools.

Neighborhood school registrations also begin on December 1, 2022 for:

• New to PUSD TK-12 students who prefer their neighborhood school.

• Current PUSD students who are advancing to 6th or 9th grades and prefer to attend their neighborhood school. PUSD school locator.

The sibling and program priority phase of Open Enrollment has concluded. Eligible families will receive an email offer of acceptance by Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. Families may log in to check the status of their application anytime: pusd.schoolmint.com.

Beginning January 9, 2023, new and continuing TK-12 students who live in Pasadena, Altadena, or Sierra Madre may apply for schools other than their assigned neighborhood school or for a dual language immersion program for Fall 2023 through PUSD’s Open Enrollment lottery. Children of full-time PUSD and City of Pasadena employees may also submit an open enrollment application during this period. Applications for the First Lottery will be accepted from Jan. 9, 2023, at 9 a.m. through Jan. 27, 2023, at 4 p.m. For more information, visit pusd.us/enroll.

If you are considering a signature program like Dual Language or a PUSD school other than your school of residence, PEN (Pasadena Education Network) can help you through the process. PEN will present a detailed overview of the District's Open Enrollment process so you can get all of your questions answered! This program will be offered virtually, with Spanish interpretation available on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, from 7 - 8 p.m. Register here.

Join us Thursday, December 8 at 6 p.m. for a virtual meeting on finding the “right fit” in a PUSD high school! Meet high school principals, learn about College & Career Academies, internships, and more. Come discover how PUSD high schools are developing innovative thinkers and nurturing kind community-minded individuals. Dec. 8, 2022 at 6 p.m. Register here.

Congratulations to all of our students who created decorated rose vases for the Parade of Roses, the annual event sponsored by the Tournament of Roses for elementary and middle school artists. Students created pieces representing the 2023 Rose Parade theme, “Turning the Corner.” The Tournament of Roses committee, led by President Amy Wainscott, selected the top three artists from each division:

In the Middle School Division:

• 3rd place: Lukas De Los Santos, Marshall Fundamental

• 2nd place: Helen Bairstow, Blair Middle School

• 1st place: Tiffany Swarovski, Center for Independent Study

Pictured from left to right: Lukas De Los Santos, Marshall Fundamental; Helen Bairstow, Blair Middle School; Tiffany Swarovski, Center for Independent Study; Tournament of Roses President, Amy Wainscott; and PUSD Arts Coordinator, Karen Anderson.

In the Elementary Division:

• 3rd place: Xaivyen Warren, Altadena Arts

• 2nd place: Ramona Bradford, San Rafael

• 1st place: Jean Tirona, Hamilton

Pictured from left to right: Xaivyen Warren, Altadena Arts; Ramona Bradford, San Rafael; Jean Tirona, Hamilton; Tournament of Roses President, Amy Wainscott; and PUSD Arts Coordinator Karen Anderson.

“Giving Tuesday” is a movement created 10 years ago to spread generosity across the globe, with a shared mission to build a world where giving to others is part of everyday life.

This Giving Tuesday (tomorrow), we encourage you to spread generosity in our community. Every generous act, big or small, has a meaningful impact. This could be a simple “Thank You” to someone who helped you today.

This also includes taking care of yourselves. To give abundantly to others, we first need to care for ourselves. The Pasadena Unified School District has free and low-cost mental health services that support the wellbeing of students, employees, and their family members.

• PUSD Mental Health Services and THRIVE: School Mental Health Services Visit pusd.us/wellness

• PUSD has partnered with Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health or substance abuse treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of circumstance or insurance.

• Call 888-515-0595 available 24/7/365

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

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call or text: 988 or call (800) 273-8255 (TALK)

Today, tomorrow (Giving Tuesday) and every day, we thank the Pasadena Educational Foundation for supporting educational programs in the Pasadena Unified School District for more than 50 years.