PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

This week’s celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy reminds us that creating an equitable society is an ongoing journey. We're proud of the work we’ve done together to build equity, access, and opportunities to meet the holistic needs of our students, including the Black Student & Family Task Force that launched last fall.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our work is possible because of the dedication of parents/caregivers and community members who volunteer to work hand-in-hand with us to uplift our students and to support every learner. A special thank you to PUSD parent leadership groups:

District level

• The African American Parent Council (AAPC)

• Black Student & Family Task Force (BSTF)

• The District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)

• The LCAP Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)

• The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that supports activities on behalf of individuals with exceptional needs

• The Foster Youth Council (FYC)

• The District Advisory Council (DAC)

• The PTA Council of PUSD

• The Pasadena Education Network (PEN)

• PACTL

School level

• English Learner Advisory Committees (ELAC)

• School Site Councils (SSC)

• Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Blanco, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent

Thank you to all those who turned out yesterday to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Robinson Park Recreation Center during the annual celebration hosted by the Pasadena MLK Community Coalition.

We are so proud of our PUSD educators who led the annual “Teach In,” a time dedicated to updating the community about how PUSD educators are making Dr. King’s vision come to life in the classroom. Congratulations to all the winners whose work illustrated this year’s theme: “Defining and Living the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” #PUSDproud!

ELEMENTARY ESSAYS

• Abraham Choi - Hamilton

• Jonathan Reyna - Longfellow

• Nick Liao - McKinley

MIDDLE SCHOOL ESSAYS

• Alani Hatcher - Blair

• Christian Jason Hodges - McKinley

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAYS

• Jewel Bradford, Muir

ELEMENTARY ARTWORK

• Jayla Perez - McKinley

• Genesis Aguilar - Longfellow

• Donovan Tejeda - Longfellow

MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTWORK

• Mia K. De León - Sierra Madre

• Jasmine Ung - Sierra Madre

• Tiffany Swarovski - CIS Academy

HIGH SCHOOL ARTWORK

• Melina Chavez - Blair IB

• Delilah Simmons - Blair IB

• Alina Rodriguez-Gould - Blair IB

PUSD schools are now enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year and the first Open Enrollment Lottery is going on now through January 26, 2024!

California has launched free transitional kindergarten programs for all four-year-olds in the state -- and that’s excellent news for families in PUSD!

PUSD Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teachers are credentialed and bring expertise that nurtures your child with a healthy blend of play and skills development, including social, intellectual, and academic skills. Our youngest learners are nurtured in joyful learning environments with the facilities they need. PUSD TK blends fun and academic learning and is designed to nurture well-rounded students who can problem-solve and navigate our changing world.

TK in PUSD is free, full-day, and fun!

To enroll, visit your neighborhood school or apply to your PUSD school of choice through Open Enrollment lotteries. The first lottery of Open Enrollment is now open through January 26, 2024. Learn more and enroll at pusd.us/Enroll

What do Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alexander Hamilton, and Taylor Swift have in common? They all use cursive in their signatures. Longfellow Elementary Magnet School teacher Tyara Brooks’ 4th-grade class is learning how cursive handwriting can be an opportunity to explore an art form and strengthen connections to family and history. Students are also learning that signing their names in cursive is their imprint on the world, a part of their identity, and will be necessary when they grow up and sign important documents in their work as the next president, artist, or superstar. Ms. Brooks, her students, and Principal Erica Ingber have been featured recently in the Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio (NPR) Weekend Edition.

(Above) A fourth grade student at Longfellow Elementary Magnet practices cursive.

(Above) Longfellow Elementary Magnet teacher Tyara Brooks in her classroom.

The Pasadena Unified Board of Education is asking for your help in selecting our next

superintendent. To ensure this is a collaborative and inclusive process, the Board is providing an anonymous online survey and encourages your participation. This is an opportunity for the Board to receive input from parents.

The Survey will be open from January 17, 2024, to January 24, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. at

www.pusd.us/suptsearch. If you wish to participate in this survey in writing, please visit your child’s, school ask for a survey envelope, and return it to the main office.