AUSD CONNECTION
NEWS FROM ALHAMBRA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Dear AUSD Community,
Welcome back to the 2024-25 school year! The start of each school year always brings excitement and optimism for all the wonderful things to come. Whatever challenges come up this year, I am confident that the Alhambra Unified School District (voted the BEST in San Gabriel Valley!) will rise above those obstacles and continue to provide a world-class education to our students and a safe & inclusive environment for everyone. I am so proud to be part of this community and am incredibly grateful for the many amazing staff members and wonderful families who make up the AUSD family.
This year, we are focusing on (among other things) increased site communication and family engagement opportunities. All sites are making preparations to send home regular parent newsletters (if they are not doing so already), so please make sure to look for them and read everything thoroughly so you can stay up-to-date with all the latest site events and information. During the pandemic and immediately afterward, most schools saw a reduction in on-campus family events. Slowly but surely, we have transitioned back to mostly in-person activities. We encourage you to join us at the various site- and district-sponsored family engagement events, starting with Back-to-School (BTS) Nights, which will be happening throughout August and early September. (Scroll further down for a complete list of days/times of our BTS Nights.)
On your To Do list for the new school year, please add “Join PTA” to the very top! I’m excited to announce that we will soon have an active PTA (or PTSA) at each of our 16 elementary and high schools. PTAs and PTSAs are integral partners in the success of our schools. Please become a member (click HERE and search for your child’s school) and support their various activities and fundraisers throughout the year. (Please Note: Repetto School recently re-established their PTA and is in the process of activating their online membership platform. If you don’t see Repetto listed on the membership site yet, please check back soon. Granada School is in the final stages of reestablishing their PTA and hopes to complete the process by the end of first trimester. Thank you for your patience and support.)
Thank you to the parents and family members for entrusting us with your most valuable treasure…your children. We look forward to seeing them return to our campuses on Tuesday. Best wishes to the entire AUSD Family for a fantastic school year!
Warm Regards,
Denise R. Jaramillo, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Looking Ahead to the August 27th Board Meeting:
The Swearing-In Ceremony of our incoming Student Board Member Keiko Rakin (AHS junior) and Alternate Madison Kang (MKHS senior) will take place at the Tuesday, August 27th Board of Education Meeting. The ceremony will take place at the beginning of the public portion of the Board Meeting, starting at 6:00pm. Following their Oath, the Board will recess the meeting for a brief reception in Keiko's and Madison's honor (and will call the meeting back to order afterwards). Please join us!
Safer Athletics & Outdoor Activities During Excessively Hot Weather
AUSD is excited to implement a new tool to prioritize student safety during heatwaves. We recognized there may be times that physical activities need to be adjusted or canceled due to extreme heat or air quality issues. Each school will have a Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer (WBGT) -- similar to the one in the accompanying photo -- which measures multiple variables including temperature, air quality, humidity and direct exposure to to sunlight. On extremely hot days, WBGT readings will be taken prior to athletic events and outdoor activities. Based on the WBGT readings and guidance from the California Department of Public Health and/or CIF, site administrators will determine whether normal activities can safely continue or if activities need to be adjusted and/or canceled. More information will be coming soon from your child's school.
Invitation to Join the EDI Advisory Committee
Alternative Income Form
Beginning August 1, 2024 you will be prompted in the Parent Portal to update the Alternative Income Form for the new school year. Help ensure that Alhambra Unified School District receives the maximum amount of federal funds for our schools. The collection of household income is a necessary step to receive millions of dollars in federal funds for the school that your child attends.
Click Here to update your Alternative Income Form
Early College Program - East Los Angeles College Enrollment Fair
For 9th -12th Grade Students & Families
Date: Saturday, August 10, 2024
Location: East Los Angeles College Campus (E3/E7 Quad; 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez)
Event Time: 9AM-1PM
Alhambra USD Staff will be on site from 9:30AM to 11:45AM to support AUSD students with registration for Fall 2024 Early College Program classes.
RSVP Link: bit.ly/EnrollmentFair2024
Early College Program Fall 2024 Class Schedule
📢 NEW FEATURE: Mass Communication System SMS/Text Messages
We are excited to inform you that the SMS / Text feature in our mass communication system, Connect (aka Blackboard) will be officially enabled on August 1st, 2024. This enhancement will significantly improve our communication capabilities, ensuring timely and efficient updates for our staff and families, especially during emergencies. (Please be patient as we transition to this new notification tool. More information to follow.)
Educational Technology Resource Site
We are excited to share our updated Support Site for AUSD families. The site is filled with educational technology resources for all grade levels. You will also find information related to our 1:1 student device program. We believe that by empowering our students with the right technological resources and support, we are setting the foundation for a more engaging, effective, and inclusive learning environment.
New! Damaged/Lost/Stolen Device Informational Video for Families
Permit Applications for the 2024-25 school year
AUSD has fully transitioned our permit process to a new online system. We still have space available at some school sites for families who are interested in applying for a 2024-25 permit for their child. Please share with local families who live near AUSD. Click HERE to begin the process.
LIFT (Learning Independence For Transition) Fundraiser
Student Support Services is supporting our LIFT (Learning Independence for Transition) program with a summer tote bag fundraiser. This is one of LIFT's many entrepreneurial ventures as part of their micro-business elective class.
The tote bags are imprinted with the AUSD logo, are reusable, come in a variety of colors, and are only $5 each! Scan the QR code or click HERE to place an order and support our wonderful LIFT students. (NOTE: The pick-up location is at the District Office. Please contact Jacqueline Valle in Student Support Services at (626) 943-3410 if you have any questions.)
The San Gabriel High School LINK CREW welcomed the CLASS OF 2028 into the Matador family on Tuesday, August 6th at their annual Freshmen Summit. The students were led by upperclassmen leaders as they toured the campus, took their ID photos, received their Chromebooks, experienced a club fair, and met their new friends. Parents learned about the BRAVO way as they sent off their kids to high school.
Congratulations to incoming Alhambra High School freshman and former Emery Park student, Derek Aston, who is an amazing Track & Field star. He competed in the USATF Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, which were held in Texas July 22nd through 28th. Derek placed 5th in discus and also became a Junior All-American for the fourth time.
On Monday, August 5th the AUSD and the Alhambra Teachers Association welcomed the newest group of AUSD teachers to our district. During the 2024-25 school year, our amazing Induction Leadership Team (Ann Wilson, Diana Han, Monica Hinojos, and Monica Yew) will guide 21 Year-1 teachers and 22 Year-2 teachers as they clear their teaching credentials. Congratulations to all our new teachers (and other staff members) and welcome to our team!
Thank you, Costco! On Thursday, August 8th, Andres from the Alhambra Costco stopped by Park School to gift them a $500 gift card to purchase school supplies. We are so grateful to community businesses and organizations who reach out to offer support and donations for our AUSD schools.
August 2024 Menus
What's on the menu for the month of August? Click HERE for the Breakfast and Lunch Menus for this month. All menus are also posted on the AUSD Food & Nutritional Services website.
* Under the California Universal Meals Mandate, ALL AUSD students may receive one FREE BREAKFAST and one FREE LUNCH during each school day.
🌹 2025 Rose Court - Eligibility Area Expanded!
The Tournament of Roses has extended the geographic eligibility to residents of additional areas, including the cities of Alhambra and San Gabriel. We hope to see some AUSD students on the 2025 Rose Court! Please click HERE for more information.
LA County Superintendent Student Advisory Council
LACOE Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo invites Los Angeles County high school students to apply for the 2024-25 LACOE Superintendent Student Advisory Council. The council provides a unique leadership opportunity for students to directly influence educational decisions and shape the future of public education. They are seeking a diverse group of students representing various backgrounds and perspectives. Students will have the chance to engage in meaningful conversations with Superintendent Duardo about critical issues such as educational equity, student well-being and the overall quality of our schools. (AUSD Students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to apply.) The deadline is Friday, August 30th at 5:00pm. Click HERE to apply. (Contact Daisy Esqueda at Edqueda_Daisy@lacoe.edu with any questions.)
Alhambra Educational Foundation (AEF)
Alhambra Latino Association (ALA)
Asian American Association (AAA)
AEF Voted San Gabriel Valley's BEST Non-Profit Organization!
Congratulations to the Alhambra Educational Foundation. They recently won multiple Southern California News Group's Readers Choice Awards, including being voted as the San Gabriel Valley's BEST Non-Profit Organization! This is such a well-deserved honor! Please continue to support the important work AEF does for our students, schools, staff members, and families.
Join the 11th annual Alhambra Pumpkin Run & Halloween Festial to support Alhambra Educational Foundation!
The 2024 Alhambra Pumpkin Run will be held on Sunday, October 27th. Once again, profits will go towards the Alhambra Educational Foundation. Please join the Downtown Alhambra Business Association and the City of Alhambra for this fun-filled day. Proceeds from the run/walk are donated to AEF to help AUSD students and schools. Get more information or register by clicking HERE.
Adopt-A-Camper Program - PLEASE DONATE!
Our sixth graders had an AMAZING time at camp last year...several groups even got to enjoy some snow!
Please help Alhambra Unified School District and the Alhambra Educational Foundation to continue this new tradition by supporting the Adopt-A-Camper program. Use this LINK to donate. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Alhambra USD Employment Opportunities
Be a part of the AUSD Team! Please click HERE for full-and part-time positions. We have competitive salaries and excellent benefits! AUSD posts all job opportunities at EdJoin.com/alhambrausd. Make sure to check back often.
CONTACT US:
Website: www.ausd.us
Address: 1515 West Mission Road, Alhambra, CA, USA
Email: AlhambraUSD@ausd.us
Phone: (626) 943-3000
Facebook: @AlhambraUSD
Instagram: @AlhambraUSD
Twitter/X: @AlhambraUSD
YouTube: @AlhambraUSD