ALVORD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Distrito Escolar Unificado de Alvord
A Message from the Superintendent...
It's Red Ribbon Week. This year's theme is Drug Free Looks Like Me. Annually, Red Ribbon Week serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate students about the dangers of substance use and abuse. Our schools enthusiastically participate in the education campaign every year, but we don't stop there. We are always educating our children on the dangers of substance use and are always on the lookout for signs of substance use and abuse.
Schools have always been on the front lines of the war on drugs. Educating the whole child extends well beyond academics. We help our students acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. We also provide emotional and other forms of support to distressed families.
Programs like Alvord Cares provides material support to families with food and home insecurity. Our student services team, family engagement team, and school counselors provide direct support to students and their families, as well as connect them to the vast network of governmental and non-governmental agencies that support families in a variety of ways.
The pandemic has produced sustained disruptions to several domains of adolescents’ lives, including increased alcohol and substance use. Children and families with pre-existing disadvantages, or those who have experienced material hardship during the pandemic have been even more vulnerable, as are foster youth and other groups of high-risk children. Furthermore, the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare reports that about 1 in 8 children ages 17 or younger are living in households with at least one parent who has a substance use disorder. While these 8.7 million children will not all experience abuse or neglect, they are at increased risk for child maltreatment and child welfare involvement compared to other children.
Red Ribbon Week is a reminder that the war on substance use and abuse is never over, and we all have a role to play.
Plan Ahead: Family Engagement Office Presents Drug Awareness Workshops on November 3 and November 15
See details below.
Congratulations Hillcrest High School Girls' Volleyball
La Sierra High School Community Harvest Family Festival and Showcase
Saturday Academy at Norte Vista High School...
Students attend Norte Vista High School's Saturday Academy to work on projects, study with classmates, work with tutors, and spend time with friends in a safe and nurturing environment that's designed to support students and help them succeed.
COVID-19 Data Dashboard Update at a Glance....
Positive Cases this past week:
- 17 students (Up from 12 last week but down from 27 the prior week)
- 13 staff members (up from 2 last week and 7 the prior week)
Students Identified Through Contact Tracing:
- 117 students assigned modified quarantine (which means they can continue to attend school in-person as long as they don't develop symptoms and test twice weekly for two weeks)
- 13 students assigned full quarantine (home for at least 10 days)
Overall, we have been serving students in-person for 55 school days. As of Friday, October 22, we have had 83 staff members and 332 students report a positive test for COVID-19. Stay current with our case rate by regularly tracking our COVID-19 Data Dashboard and FAQ here. Cases recorded on the Dashboard are confirmed by Riverside County Public Health officials and remain on the Dashboard for 14 days.
This past week in Riverside County, there were 377 new cases (0.1% increase) equating to 11.5 cases per 100K (7-day average), 11 new deaths (0.2% increase), and a 4.0% positivity 7-day rate (0.2% decrease from 7-days prior). There are currently 271 COVID-19 hospitalized patients, 3 more patients hospitalized from the prior day total (1.1% increase). This data is as October 23, 2021 as reported on the State's tracking web site.
In other COVID news, eight members of our school community addressed the Board of Education during public comments at this past Thursday's Board meeting. The speakers eloquently expressed their concerns about proposed vaccination requirements, which has been a polarizing political topic at school board meetings locally and around the nation.
In California, the proposed state mandate is set to begin either Jan. 1 or July 1 in all public and private schools serving students in-person, depending on when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves the shot for children in each grade span. However, as of this date, the State's proposed vaccination regulation provides a waiver process for families whose children meet exemption requirements for medical reasons or reasons related to personal and religious beliefs. Find all of the answers to vaccination and other COVID-related questions on our FAQ here.
In California, 72.3% of the population is fully vaccinated and another 7.8% are partially vaccinated. In Riverside County, 64.7% of the population is fully vaccinated and another 7.59% are partially vaccinated. In the city of Riverside, 61.55% of the population is fully vaccinated and another 6.71% are partially vaccinated.
Below is a 12-minute video from the RIverside County Department of Public Health with an update on the public's health related to COVID-19. Dr. Shunling Tsang answers questions from the public about vaccinations, COVID-19 variants, flu-shots, seasonable spread, tips for a safe Halloween, and more.
If You Have Moved or Changed Phone Numbers Please Let Us Know...
Family Engagement Workshop: SPED, Part 2, Tuesday, October 26, 4 to 5 PM...
Family Engagement Office Presents a Workshop on Family Stress Management, Wednesday, October 27, 5 to 6 pm
Join the team from Kaiser Permanente for a discussion on family stress management.
See detail in the image below.
In Closing....
On behalf of your Board of Education and our entire team, thank you for your partnership and for your trust in us.
Stay positive. Test weekly. Be well.
Sincerely,
Allan Mucerino
Ms. Lizeth Vega, President
TRUSTEE AREA 2
Arlanza K-5
Terrace K-5
Norte Vista 9-12
Child Nutrition Services
Dr. Joanna Dorado, Vice President
TRUSTEE AREA 1
La Granada K-5
RMK K-5
Twinhill K-5
Valley View K-5
Loma Vista 6-8
Alternative Ed Center
Mrs. Julie Moreno, Clerk
TRUSTEE AREA 3
Collett K-5
Foothill K-5
Myra Linn K-5
Wells 6-8
La Sierra 9-12
Mrs. Carolyn Wilson, Trustee
TRUSTEE AREA 5
Lake Hills K-5
Promenade K-5
Villegas 6-8
District Office
Mr. Robert Schwandt, Trustee
TRUSTEE AREA 4
McAuliffe K-5
Orrenmaa K-5
Stokoe K-5
Arizona 6-8
Alvord High 11-12
Hillcrest 9-12
Dr. Allan Mucerino, Superintendent of Schools
Face Covering & Limited Capacity at Board Meetings
Board Meetings are In-Person at District Headquarters
November 4, 2021 (Regular)
November 18, 2021 (Regular)
December 16, 2021 (Regular)
Meetings are conducted at KPC Parkway, Corona, CA 92879. The Open Session begins at 6 pm. Members of the public may address the Board for up to three minutes on any topic on the agenda or not on the agenda.
Sign Up for Board Meeting Brief
Sign Up for Our Expanded Learning 2021-22 After School Program...
When we return for the 2021-22 school year on August 6, 2021, our two after-school programs, HALF-Time (K-5) and PRIME-Time (6-8), will be available M-F from school dismissal until 6:00 PM. The program provide FREE academic support, homework assistance and enrichment activities like art, crafts, music, sports and STEM (Science Technology, Engineering, and Math) along with a nutritious meal. Please register your Kindergarten through 8th grade students soon as space is limited. Sign up here in English and here in Spanish.
Q: Is Alvord currently requiring students and staff to comply with the new COVID-19 vaccination mandate?
A: No. The vaccine mandate will not take effect until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccine for the different age groups.
Q: When will the vaccine be required and for what age groups?
A: State officials expect the mandate to take effect on July 1, 2022 for students in grades' 7-12, but it could take effect as soon as January 1, 2022.
Q: Will there be exemptions if I do not want my child COVID-19 vaccinated?
A: At this point in time, we anticipate that the vaccine will be required by regulation, not legislation. Therefore, we anticipate that parents may choose to exempt their student due to medical and personal beliefs. (HSC section 120338).
Q: What is the law on medical exemptions for immunizations currently required?
A: Starting January 1, 2021, medical exemptions can only be issued through the California Immunization Registry – Medical Exemption website (CAIR-ME) by physicians licensed in California. Learn more about the medical exemption process here.
Q: What is the law on personal or religious exemptions for immunizations currently required?
A: California no longer offers personal or religious exemptions to immunization requirements for students. However, some students may have their previous exemptions "grandfathered in." If a student received a personal beliefs exemption prior to January 1, 2016, that exemption is valid until the student enters the next grade span. For example, an exemption obtained prior to 7th grade is no longer valid when the student enters 7th grade. An exemption obtained in 7th grade or thereafter is valid through 12th grade.
Q: When will we know what is required, when it will be required, and whether or not there will be exemptions?
A: To be determined. I will update this information as soon as it is released.
Q: Where can I learn more about immunization law?
A: Learn all about California's statutory requirements, Code of Regulations, and public health orders here.
COVID-Testing Sites in the City of Riverside...
CVS Pharmacy
CVS @ 6215 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506
CVS @ 6840 Lincoln Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506
CVS @ 491 E Alessandro Blvd, Riverside, CA 92508
Mobile Van Schedule
Wednesdays @ Bordwell Park, 2008 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Thursdays @ Bryant Park, 7950 Philbin Ave.
Fridays, @ Casa Blanca Library, 2985 Madison Avenue
Saturdays @ Fairmount Park, 2601 Fairmount Blvd.
Sundays, Arlington Heights Sports Park, 9401 Cleveland Avenue
Drive-Thru Locations
La Sierra Park Drive-Thru Location
Make an appointment @ 5215 La Sierra Avenue
7 days a week (except holidays)
Open daily (except holidays)
11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (closed 3 – 4 p.m.)
UCR Lot 26 Drive-Thru
Make an appointment @ 3443 Canyon Crest Dr.
Riverside, CA 92507
Open daily (except holidays)
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed noon – 1 p.m.)
Kiosk Location
Make an appointment @ 3900 Main Street
Open daily (except holidays)
8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
For locations sponsored by RIverside County, visit their COVID-testing location finder here.
Family Engagement Coordinator
Call 951-396-0126 or email Alejandro
Family Engagement Week is November 15-19, 2021
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Alvord Unified School District
Email: 2Superintendent@alvordschools.org
Website: https://www.alvordschools.org
Location: 9 Kpc Parkway, Corona, CA 92879, USA
Phone: 951) 509-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/alvordunified
Twitter: @AlvordUnified