ABC Community Update

The ABCUSD Board of Education selected new officers and swore in recently elected members at the December 13, 2022, regular meeting. Board members Ernie Nishii, Dr. Olga Rios, and Soo Yoo were welcomed back and sworn in after having been recently reelected. The Board then selected Brad Beach to serve as President, Sophia Tse as Vice President, and Ernie Nishii as Clerk for the coming year.

Were those Gonsalves Grizzlies you saw on KABC7 TV’s Spark of Love toy drive at the Los Cerritos Center mall? The school’s student council organized a holiday toy drive to brighten the season. They collected more than 260 toys and delivered them at the Spark of Love collection event. Principal Mr. Benko and students were interviewed and appeared on the morning news. Great job, Grizzlies!

For the last 24 years, with the exception of the past two, schools have invited ten parents each to attend the ABCUSD Parent Leadership Conference. The PLC, as it’s known, offers parents the opportunity to take classes to help them remain engaged in their child’s academic journey. This year, Ovi Vasquez from OvInspires provided a motivating keynote presentation, followed by two sessions covering topics from student social-emotional well-being to how best to help students in math. Thank you to Artesia High School for hosting the event and the ABC Adult School for organizing this event.

The Schools of Choice program has changed for the coming school year. It will take place earlier in the year, in January, and include only students who reside in the Distirct. You can learn more about the program at the new Schools of Choice website. The District’s Child Welfare and Attendance Department will hold a virtual Parent Information Meeting on December 15, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. See the website for more information and the meeting link.

ABCUSD will be offering free COVID-19 tests for students at two drive-through locations next week. You can pick up test kits on Monday afternoon at the District Office and on Wednesday at Artesia High School. Click here to register. Also, the federal government is offering free test kits at covidtests.gov.

Mr. Ruben Valles, the Chief Academic Officer for the L.A. County Office of Education, visited the ABCUSD Migrant Education Saturday School Program last weekend. ABC’s Migrant Education program is one of the largest in the state, and the Saturday School program gives students academic support. Thank you, Mr. Valles, for visiting our program!

Gahr High School students are participating in the Music Notes Online program. The contest showcases the talents of students, giving them a creative outlet. Music Notes is a program developed to increase student engagement. Check out the songs submitted online, and feel free to vote. The students are recording songs about the dangers of tobacco and drug abuse. The District’s Tobacco-Use Prevention Education, or TUPE, program funds Music Notes at Gahr.

The ABCUSD Board of Education took the following actions at the December 12, 2022, regular meeting:

• Approved community member and student appointments to Board Advisory Committees

• Ratified the District’s grant application submitted for the School COVID Prevention Partnership program for the 2022-2023 school year

• Nominated Board Members Soo Yoo and Ernie Nishii to serve on the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly
  

• Adopted the calendar of Board meetings for the 2023 calendar year

• Adopted Resolution 22-42 acknowledging January 23-27, 2023, as the Great Kindness Challenge Week

• Approved Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5141.21 - Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions to allow for the anti-overdose medication Narcan to be used at schools

• Conducted a Public Hearing and approved Resolution 22-43 authorizing the granting of a partial fee acquisition and temporary construction easement to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the expansion of the 91 Freeway

• Approved a contract for a compensation study with Ewing Human Resources Services for the 2022-2023 school year

• Approved a request to contract with Advantage Communications, Inc. to provide speech and debate enrichment classes to students in the ABC EXCELS expanded learning and after-school programs for the 2022-2023 school year

• Approved a request to contract with Scratch DJ Academy LLC to provide visual and performing arts activities for students in the ABC EXCELS programs at Aloha, Cerritos, and Melbourne Elementary Schools for the 2022-2023 school year

• Approved a request to contract with Bollywood dance choreographer and dancer Nakul Dev Mahajan to provide Bollywood dance enrichment classes for students in the ABC EXCELS programs at Bragg, Burbank, Carver, Elliott, Furgeson, Gonsalves, Hawaiian, Juarez, Kennedy, Leal, Niemes, Nixon, Palms, Stowers, Willow, and Wittmann Elementary Schools for the 2022-2023 school year

• Approved the First Interim Report for the 2022-2023 fiscal year with a positive certification and budget adjustments as reflected in the report

• Approved RFP ABC-1599 to Leadership Associates for superintendent search services

• Approved Bid Award ABC-1602 Interim Classroom Portables to William Scotsman as the lowest responsible bidder

December 15 - Schools of Choice Information Meeting

December 23 - January 6, 2023 - Winter Break (No School)

2022-2023 ABCUSD School Year Calendar

The ABC Community Update is a weekly e-publication

produced by the ABC Unified School District.

ABCUSD

16700 Norwalk Boulevard

Cerritos, CA 90703

(562) 926-5566

www.abcusd.us

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