PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

This weekend, our community came together at two events to celebrate science and the many ways it can transform lives and create opportunities for our students. We are a community of learning, and the PUSD Science Fest and LEARNs Science Olympiad highlight the power of curiosity and how, by nurturing and celebrating it in our schools, our children can one day transform our world.

PUSD high school students are making history this week with elections for the first district-wide student assembly and council elections that give students a voice on the Board of Education. We’re also celebrating Women’s History Month and the contributions of women locally - and globally. We’re also debuting our new website that reflects the voices of our diverse community.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Blanco, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent

Wondering how to choose the best school for your family? Join Altadena families and school faculty to find out how your preschool to 8th grader can discover joy in art, French, Armenian, Spanish, music, and more. Everyone is welcome to stop by the event from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., Altadena. Participating schools: Altadena Arts Magnet Elementary, Mary W. Jackson STEAM Multilingual Magnet Elementary, Webster Elementary, and Eliot Arts Magnet Academy.

PUSD schools are now enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year.

• PUSD is accepting out-of-district requests and late applications beginning March 25, 2024.

• Results of the second lottery of Open Enrollment will be available March 19, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. Please accept school offers by March 22, 2024 at 4 p.m.

School tours continue! Visit pusd.us/tours for more information.

PUSD high school students will cast their ballots in the first district-wide student assembly and council elections March 20-22, 2024. The PUSD Student Think Tank has been working with district leaders to give students a voice on the PUSD Board of Education. Candidates from four high school campuses (Blair, Marshall, Muir, and PHS) have created videos so that student voters can make informed decisions. Ballots will be distributed at high school campuses March 20-22 and winners will be announced on March 25. Elected students will be sworn in at the March 28 Board of Education meeting.

We’re thrilled to announce that PUSD’s brand-new website launches this week! This has been a labor of love, and we’re excited to share it with you.

Our website is more than just a digital platform; it’s a reflection of the diverse voices of our community. We’ve worked hard to ensure that every visitor, regardless of language and ability, feels welcomed and supported.

Our website is still a work in progress and we’re committed to continuously improving and perfecting it to serve you better. Your feedback and suggestions are invaluable as we strive to make our online space a truly inclusive and accessible resource for everyone.

Explore what we have to offer. We can’t wait to hear from you! Contact us

-The PUSD Communications Website Team

You’re invited to celebrate all things sci-fi at the Octavia E. Butler Magnet School Library Science Fiction Festival on Friday, March 22 from 3 - 6 p.m. Winners of the essay and art contests will be announced. The annual event will also feature writers, scientists, and creators from many local organizations, sci-fi demos, book giveaways, and more. The community can register to attend at: gopusd.com/oebfest2024.

The annual district wide math competition is on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at McKinley School. Student teams in grades 4-8 will compete in problem-solving and computational tests and then compete in math-themed games in the fun zone. 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Students in PUSD middle schools are invited to attend STEM Savvy: Girls Science Day this Saturday, March 23, 2024. The half-day event will be packed with fun activities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and is designed to cultivate middle school girls’ interest in STEM disciplines. It will also connect PUSD students to college students and women in STEM careers. The event is free but registration is required. stemsavvy.eventbrite.com

Please RSVP for an important conference called “Our Children Can’t Wait” presented by PUSD, Pacific Oaks College, and UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools. The event on March 21, 2024 will feature Dr. Joseph Bishop, lead author and editor, who will explain how education policy often ignores critical factors in the lives of students such as: housing, health, air quality, and community safety.

We want to know what you think! To gain insight into your perception of our school and district and ensure that we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners, PUSD invites you to take the annual School Climate Survey. We have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct surveys of students (grades 3-12), families/caregivers, staff, and community members. The online survey asks questions about social-emotional learning, growth mindset, sense of belonging, safety, and more. It takes only a few minutes. You may complete the survey through April 15, 2024. Students will take the survey at school, and we ask that staff and families/caregivers take the survey too.

Family (English): surveys.panoramaed.com/pusd/spring24family

Family (Spanish): surveys.panoramaed.com/pusd/spring24family/surveys?language=es

Staff: surveys.panoramaed.com/pusd/spring24staff

Teacher: surveys.panoramaed.com/pusd/spring24teacher

PUSD is making plans for next year. To assist us with planning, we are asking families to complete a short survey informing us of their current plans for the next school year. We ask that you complete the survey for each student. Take the survey at www.pusd.us/survey by April 1, 2024.

• Regular meeting of the PUSD Board of Education – Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room (Room 236), 351 S. Hudson Ave, Pasadena. Agenda at pusd.us/board.