PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

Students make connections with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in PUSD schools every day and have opportunities to demonstrate their ideas and growth through districtwide festivals and competitions. On Saturday, mathletes in grades 4-8 competed in the annual Math Field Day that put their knowledge to the test in classroom activities and outdoor field games. Congratulations to the student participants and the many volunteers who make this annual celebration possible.

In this week’s Update, we celebrate the election of high school students to the Council and Assembly, the endurance and determination of marathon runners, and share highlights of PUSD’s Women’s History Month event and the showcase of our schools in Altadena.

Friday, March 29, 2024, is a school holiday as PUSD joins California in commemorating Mexican-American labor leader César Chávez who, along with Dolores Huerta, co-founded what later became the United Farm Workers.

PUSD is on spring recess from April 1-5, 2024. Have a great break!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Blanco, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent

Congratulations to 19 Blair students for completing the LA Marathon and to the coaches who helped them cross the finish line – Veronica Yepez, Eric Glenn (both from Blair), and Linda Ortega (McKinley). The team of 14 high school and five middle school students started training in August, running in the heat, rain and winds and reaching new levels of physical, mental and emotional growth. Only a small fraction (about 0.17 percent) of the population has run a marathon. We are #PUSDproud of these student-athletes!

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

• Starting today, March 25, 2024, PUSD is accepting out-of-PUSD requests! Visit pusd.us/enroll.

• Late applications open today! In case you missed the first and second lotteries of Open Enrollment, you can apply starting today, March 25, 2024 at pusd.us/Enroll.

• Families who have not yet secured a space for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) must also submit applications, as TK programs are full or nearing capacity. Apply at pusd.schoolmint.com.

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

• Neighborhood school enrollment for new-to-PUSD students in grades K-12 also continues online via pusd.us/register.

Spring break is next week (April 1 - 5). Enjoy the break! The PUSD Update will also be on break and return April 8, 2024.

The Octavia E. Butler (OEB) Magnet Library Science Fiction Festival on March 22, 2024, featured film trailers, a photo booth, fantasy fiction, artwork, book giveaways, and all things sci-fi. The annual event honors the school’s namesake, the renowned author who started writing science fiction when she was a student at the school, then known as Washington Junior High. Congratulations to all the essay and art contest winners!

On April 8, 2024, we will experience a partial solar eclipse in our community. It’s part of the total solar eclipse that crosses a swath through Mexico, across the eastern half of the U.S., and into Canada. In Los Angeles, there will be a partial eclipse. See more information at science.nasa.gov/eclipses. In the Los Angeles area, a partial eclipse is expected to start at 10:06 a.m., with the maximum at 11:12 a.m., and end at 12:21 p.m. We’ll be using the event as a learning opportunity for our students throughout the day, including the time when the eclipse is occurring. See NASA Eye Safety Information.

Check the PUSD Summer 2024 Catalog for learning activities at pusd.us/summer. PasadenaLEARNs offers the Summer Spark program June 5 - July 18, 2024. The application deadline is March 31, 2024. For more information, call (626) 396-3614 or visit www.pusd.us/learns.

Dozens of guests enjoyed a panel discussion last week about joyful learning at PUSD schools in Altadena. Principals from four PUSD schools – Altadena Arts Magnet, Eliot Arts Magnet, Mary W. Jackson STEAM Multilingual Magnet Elementary, and Webster Elementary – explained what makes each of their schools so unique. Students shared their first-hand experiences.

The 7th Annual PUSD Celebration of Women’s History Month honored this year’s theme: “Building Community through Sisterhood and Friendships.” Mujeeba Batool, organizer of the Aurat March in Pakistan, Congress member Judy Chu, and L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger delivered the keynote speeches. Congratulations to the students who participated in the essay and art contests!

PUSD is piloting K-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Spanish Language Arts (SLA) materials for possible implementation in the 2024-2025 school year. Please view the materials virtually Pilot Demo Account Logins and provide feedback.

You may also view the materials in person at the address below:

Where: 351 S. Hudson Ave Room 214, Pasadena, CA 91101

Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Dates: March 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024

If you are getting ready to go to college, make sure you have filled out your FAFSA to help you find ways to pay for college. Every high school student should speak to their Counselor or Career Financial Aid Advisor about completing their FAFSA.

All families are invited to attend the PUSD Community Advisory Committee’s (CAC) Resource Fair on Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. All families are welcome! Come and learn from amazing service providers. Hear about resources and information that prepare and support the growth of students with Individualized Education Plans. Families can find resources for social and emotional support, connect with student services, get early childhood information, career guidance, and more. Register now for the free event.

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

• 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.