Dear AUSD Community,

We’re in the homestretch of the 2022-23 school year! In less than a month, the school year will be finished and our seniors will be moving on to college and careers. We are eagerly anticipating our eighth-grade promotions and high school graduations (the ceremony dates appear further down in this newsletter) and are looking forward to what summer and the new school year will bring.

As a school district, our focus is always on student achievement, but there are so many factors that contribute to learning beyond what happens in the classroom. One of the significant barriers to success in school can be mental health challenges. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy refers to children’s declining mental health as the “Crisis of our Time.” We have certainly seen students (as well as adults) in our community face significant struggles this year. With the added stressors students faced as they transitioned out of the pandemic, the mass shooting that upended our community in January, and the new challenges they face as they move into different phases in their lives, students are facing significant obstacles. As a learning community, we are committed to providing our students with access to mental health support and assistance.

In order to support our students’ fundamental needs for motivation, social connectedness, and self-regulation, we will be adopting a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for all students. For those students who need additional assistance, we are partnering with the Los Angeles County Office of Education and Hazel Health to provide students with telehealth mental health services both on campus and at home. Our schools are currently learning about and preparing for this new service, and we will be launching it very soon. A brief overview/video appears in the Student Support Services section below, with more information to come in future issues.

I am very excited to announce a very special opportunity for our high school students in the 2023-24 school year. For the first time ever, the Alhambra Unified School District will have a STUDENT Board of Education member. Current students in grades 9-11 were informed this week that they can run for the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC). The SAC representatives will be elected by the peers at their site and once seated, will select a chairperson who will serve as the Student Board Member for one year. The Student Board member will attend all School Board meetings and will cast preferential votes on all matters (except those subject to closed session confidential discussion). Adding a student Board member has been a goal for our Board for quite some time. We are thrilled it is now coming to fruition and that we will have this powerful way of gathering student input and understanding student perspectives. I strongly encourage our high school students to consider running next month to be a SAC representative and to help us ensure students' voices are heard as part of our decision-making process. We are looking forward to introducing our SAC members and our student Board member to you before the end of summer.

Lastly, I encourage all AUSD families to join us at ATA’s wonderful Read Across America event this Sunday at 11:00 am at Alhambra Park. It should be an amazing community event! See you there!

In Partnership,

Denise R. Jaramillo Ed.D.

Superintendent

• Event Highlight: 2023 Artistic Discovery Congressional Art Competition
  

• April 25th Board Meeting Staff Report Presentation Slides & Resolutions

• - Staff Report: AUSD Adventures Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP)
  
• - Staff Report: Arts, Music and Instructional Materials Block Grant
• - Staff Report: Proposition 28 Arts and Music in Schools
  
• - Resolution: Sexual Assault Awareness Month & Denim Day
  
• - Resolution: Distracted Teen Driving Awareness Month
  

• April 12th Special Board Meeting
  

• - I-10/Fremont Interchange Improvements & 710 Stub Arterial Roadway Conversion - Fremont School Update
• Student Board Member
  

• Educational Services

• - LCAP Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
• - AUSD Adventures Expanding Learning Opportunities Program
  
• - PODER Pursuing Our Dreams through Education and Responsibility
• - Early College Program - Summer Registration
• - Alternative Income Form (AIF)
  

• Student Support Services
• - Coming Soon: Hazel Heart Telehealth
  
• - Registration for the 2023-24 School Year

• Facilities and Construction

• - Facilities Update
• - Construction Update
  
• SMALL SPOTLIGHTS (News and Information from Around AUSD)
• Food & Nutrition Services: Cafeteria Menus
• - School Breakfast Week Grand Prize Winners
• Parent Resources: Community Offerings
• Monterey Park Community Healing Fund
  

• Non-Profit Partner Organizations (AEF, ALA, AAA)

• - AEF: SGHS Football CIF Championship Ring fundraiser
• - AEF: The 58th Pasadena Showcase House of Design
  
• - AEF: Summer School / Programs
  
• - ALA: 2023 Alhambra Latino Association Scholarship Recipients
• Scholarship Opportunities

• Human Resources

• - Employment Opportunities
• - Game Changers
  

• AUSD Calendar
  
• - Upcoming Events and Important Dates
• - Read Across America Event
  
• - 2023 Open Houses
• - Promotion Ceremonies
• - High School Graduation Ceremonies
  
• - High School Athletics Calendars

• Publicity Requests
• AUSD Featured in Local Papers
• Alhambra USD YouTube Channel
• Featured Video
  
• - MKHS Dance Team Showcased on "The Morning Wrap"
• - Highlights of AHS-South Korea Student Exchange Program
  
• AUSD Website & Social Media - Stay Connected with AUSD!
  
• "AUSD Connection" Archive

Throughout the newsletter, please CLICK ON IMAGES AND HEADLINES to access additional information, embedded links, and larger versions of the photographs/graphics.

Congratulations to Alhambra High School junior Mia Lai, who was one of nine finalists in the 2023 Artistic Discovery Congressional Art Competition. Mia was honored by Congressmember JudyChu at a special ceremony on April 13th at the beautiful Huntington Gardens. Mia's artwork, "Chinatown Ghost," was named an Honorable Mention. She earned a $100 scholarship and will have her artwork displayed in Dr. Chu's Congressional Office in Claremont.

Additionally, San Gabriel High School senior Elizabeth Sjafri was given the honor of opening the event by singing the National Anthem.

We are grateful to Congressmember Judy Chu for providing Mia and Elizabeth with a platform to share their artistic talents!

Although the slide decks give you an overview and basic information of each topic, we encourage you to attend our BOARD MEETINGS and listen to the detailed staff reports as they are presented to the Board. Click on the images below to access a PDF of each presentation's slide deck.

At their April 25th meeting, the Board of Education adopted a Resolution Establishing April 2023 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and April 26, 2023 as Denim Day, and a Resolution Establishing May 2023 as Distracted Teen Driving Awareness Month. You can download the resolutions below to read their full contents.

As mentioned in the Superintendent's Message above, the Board of Education is excited to announce the first-ever AUSD STUDENT Board Member. The introductory video below was shared with 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students this week. Incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to run for the Student Advisory Council (SAC) in the fall. We encourage interested students to review the FACT SHEET and to run for the SAC.

You're invited to our Local Control Accountability Plan Parent Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, May 1st from 6:45pm until 8:00pm. The meeting will be an interactive opportunity to provide input and feedback on the 2023-2024 LCAP.

Click HERE for the flyer.

Click HERE to join the meeting via Zoom (Updated Link).

Due to changes in funding and regulations, there will be several significant changes to the AUSD Adventures program next year. We are now required to target the unduplicated pupil population (English Learners, Socio-Economic Disadvantaged, Homeless and Foster Youth) in grades TK-6. For more information, please read the informational letter HERE.

Pursuing Our Dreams through Education and Responsibility!

Our High Schools would love to have all interested incoming 9th grade students apply for the PODER program at their respective high schools, Alhambra, San Gabriel or Mark Keppel. If you missed the informational meeting, please look at the PODER website linked below and consider applying today. The program has been revamped, field trips are back with access to additional tutoring, clubs, monthly activities and it’s A-G approved! It is an invaluable experience and we plan to keep enhancing it to make it worthwhile for all our students. Kindly peruse the PODER Site and apply to become a member of the 23-24 9th Grade PODER Class of 2027 at your high school! We look forward to welcoming our new PODER members!

For additional information and registration for AUSD's Early College Program, please visit www.tinyurl.com/ausd-cte-classes.

Help us 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 thousands of dollars in federal funds for the school that your child attends. All families should complete the Alternative Income Form (AIF), irrespective of their household income. One AIF per student is necessary. Click HERE for flyer with AUSD AIF directions.

We are excited to announce an upcoming partnership with Hazel Health to provide HAZEL HEART telehealth mental health services for AUSD students. We will share more information when we are ready to "launch" Hazel Heart...Stay tuned!

Registration for the 2023-24 school year is OPEN. If your child will be a new student at an AUSD school, it's best to register as early as possible. Permit applications are also open now. To access the enrollment page, click HERE.

The Parent Portal is also ready for returning students to update their enrollment. (Reminder: Parents of returning students need to update their enrollment information in the Parent Portal ANNUALLY! Make sure you complete it before the new school year begins.)

Over the Spring Break Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) units were scheduled to be shutdown at seven of our elementary sites and three high schools. As a result of the equipment being shutdown for the week, the District avoided costs of over $8,000.00!

Solar Array Structure Installation has begun at Baldwin and Marguerita Elementary Schools.

Little Bits of Good News & Information from Around the District

During the week of March 6th - 10th, Food & Nutrition Services promoted School Breakfast week by having contests at both the elementary and high schools. At both the elementary and high schools, students picked up a frequent diner card and had it stamped each day they had breakfast in the cafeteria that week. At the end of the week, the cafeteria team drew a Grand Prize winner at each elementary school. At each high school, one student won an exclusive breakfast party. They were able to select their entrees from a special win their own breakfast party for the winner and three friends.

Please support AEF as they work to fundraise for CIF Champion rings for the SGHS’ football team to commemorate their incredible 2022 season (CIF-Southern Section Division 13 Champions, SoCal Regional Champions, and California State Runner-Ups).

We are approaching the end of the school year, and the team is still short about $7,000. Any size donation will be greatly appreciated! Please spread the word and make your donation HERE or through the AEF WEBSITE. Thank you in advance for your support!

Proceeds from the 58th Pasadena Showcase House of Design will benefit AEF. For more information or to purchase tickets, click on the image or visit their website. To view daily updates and reels follow the Pasadena Showcase House of Design on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pasadenashowcasehouse/.

Registration is OPEN for AEF's summer programs, please visit their WEBSITE.

Congratulations to the 2023 Alhambra Latino Association Scholarship Recipients. This year's recipients are: Jaqueline Lopez - SGHS, Vanessa Gonzalez - Career Tech SGHS, Lauren Sevilla - AHS, David Alcala - MKHS, Laila Becerra - BOLD Academy SGHS, Aava Velasco - Arts AHS and Isabella Hernandez - IHS. The scholarship recipients from each high school will be honored at the ALA Annual Scholarship Dinner & Dance on May 5th. All proceeds from the event will go toward future student scholarships.

Employment Opportunities - Join 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. Make sure to check back often.

• April 30: ATA Read Across America 11:00am-1:00pm (Flyer)
  
• May 1: Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Parent Advisory Committee 6:45pm-8:00pm (Zoom Link)
  
• May 2: Equity Talks with Parents 5:00pm-7:00pm
• May 2: CTE Woodworking Student Awards Banquet 5:30pm-7:00pm
  
• May 3: ATA Food Pantry 9:00am-12:00pm (Flyer)
• May 3: AUSD Employee Service Recognition at Alhambra Park 3:45pm-5:00pm
  
• May 5: Alhambra Latino Association Scholarship Awards Dinner & Dance 5:30pm-10:30pm (Flyer)
• May 7: AUSD Booth at Alhambra Farmers Market 9:00am-11:00am
• May 9: Board of Education Meeting (Agendas & Minutes)
• May 11: CTE 54th Automotive Technician's Awards Banquet 5:30pm-7:00pm
• May 11: City of Monterey Park 39th Annual Cinco De Mayo at Barnes Park 5pm-10pm (For more Information)
  
• May 12: Deadline for May Game Changer Nominations (Nominate HERE)
• May 12: "AUSD Connection" Newsletter Emailed to Parents & Staff
• May 15: AUSD All-District Retirement Celebration 4:00pm-6:00pm
  
• May 17: ATA Food Pantry 9:00am-12:00pm (Flyer)
• May 17: AUSD Parent Webinar 10 (flyer will be forthcoming)
• May 21: AUSD Booth at Alhambra Farmers Market 9:00am-11:00am
• May 23: Board of Education Meeting (Agendas & Minutes)
• May 26: End of Third Trimester (Grades TK-8)
• May 26: End of Second Semester (Grades 9-12)
• May 26: Last Day of School (Grades TK-8 & Grades 9-12)
  
• May 26: "AUSD Connection" Newsletter Emailed to Parents & Staff

Don't forget to join us this Sunday, April 30th, from 11:00am until 1:00pm, at Alhambra Park!

Our final final Open Houses will happen in May. Open Houses will showcase students' learning throughout the 2022-23 school year. Be on the lookout for more information directly from your child's school as your site Open House gets closer! Click HERE to download a PDF of the flyer.

Click here to a download a PDF of the 8th Grade, Moor Field and Lift North & South Promotion Ceremonies Flyer.

Click here to download a PDF of the High School Graduation Ceremonies flyer.

Click on the high school logo to access their current athletic calendars.

Click on the masthead images below to view digital versions of the current issues. AUSD students, staff members, and programs are heavily featured in both papers.

In celebration of National Dance Week, the Mark Keppel High School's Dance Team visited "The Morning Wrap" on April 14th. The award-winning team and their coach Activate Arroyo shared about their recent accomplishments and taught the hosts a couple of dance moves before putting on a show of their own.

In the last issue, we shared some amazing photos of AHS students' adventures in South Korea. Please enjoy this video highlight of the program. All participants contributed to the photos/videos, but we want to give a special shout-out to Aidan Kniess who put everything together.

In order to reduce the number of Blackboard-Connect messages you receive from the District, many of our initial notifications and announcements will now come through this newsletter. Fewer reminders will be sent via Blackboard, so please follow/like us on social media if you want our notifications/reminders to show up on your timeline.

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https://www.youtube.com/@AlhambraUSD

Email: AlhambraUSD@ausd.us
Website: www.ausd.us
Location: 1515 West Mission Road, Alhambra, CA, USA
Phone: (626) 943-3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alhambrausd
Twitter: @alhambrausd