PUSD UPDATE

Dear PUSD Community,

Welcome to the new school year! It was so exciting to welcome students back to school today! Seeing children arrive for the first day of school and the way that teachers, administrators, and other staff welcome them, the pride and hope in the faces of parents/caregivers, and seeing the commitment of every District employee to do their best for children in our schools was truly inspiring.

This morning, I visited Madison Elementary School, where a special backdrop for student photos was set up; John Muir Early College Magnet, where Councilman Tyron Hampton and community members lined up to give students a rousing welcome (for the 10th year); and Blair School, where middle and high school students in the Armenian and International Academies are supported by faculty, staff, and community members.

It promises to be a great year. PUSD is launching new magnet programs at three schools: Washington Elementary STEM Magnet, Longfellow Elementary and Eliot Arts Magnet Academy. PUSD now has seven magnets. We have added four new transitional kindergarten (TK) locations, bringing our total to 15 TK programs to bridge the gap between preschool and kindergarten. Eight community school sites provide tutoring, health, and mental health support with a holistic approach.

Have a great week. And welcome back to school!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Blanco, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent

With robots, a ribbon cutting, Folklorico dancers and stunning new murals, Washington Elementary STEM Magnet (WESM) kicked off the new 2023-2024 school year on August 11, three days before classes officially began.

Students, parents, staff, and community members helped celebrate the creation of two new magnet programs: Spanish World Language and Environmental Studies at the school. The new World Language Program allows children to deepen their knowledge of their own culture or to begin to explore the language and lives of those in Spanish-speaking countries. At the same time, Washington is also giving students real-world learning experiences in the STEM Lab, Technology Innovation Lab, Imagination Lab and outdoor garden spaces.

"There are so many components that go into making something like this happen and I am so happy that our students are going to get to have this experience," said Michelle Richardson Bailey, PUSD Board of Education President, who attended Washington Elementary.

Spanish classes will take place twice a week for kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade students. Students in every grade will visit the Imagination Lab every week. Created in collaboration with the nonprofit reDiscover Center, the WESM Imagination Lab was designed and built in the summer of 2023 with funding from the Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP).

Washington STEM also has new school colors: green and khaki, which reflect the school’s environmental theme.

The Board of Education adopted new vision and mission statements for PUSD.

Mission

The Pasadena Unified School District prepares students for success in an ever-evolving world. We are committed to cultural responsiveness and academic excellence.

Vision

We will transform education to empower students to succeed.

PUSD students, who completed their high school coursework over the summer, are proving that persistence pays off. Despite various challenges which prevented them from graduating in June, 12 students have now received their 2023 high school diplomas. District leaders, principals, and counselors helped make it official at a graduation ceremony at Sierra Madre Middle School on August 1, 2023.

Four students (from Hamilton Elementary School, Madison Elementary School, Sierra Madre Middle School and CIS Academy) should be filled with PUSD pride. They are among six winners in the 2023 Water is Life Art Contest. The contest, sponsored by Pasadena Water and Power, honors artwork conveying a water-wise theme. Congratulations to all the amazing young artists whose work can be seen here.

• A special meeting of the PUSD Board of Education is Thursday, August 17, at 6:30 p.m. Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room (Room 236), 351 S. Hudson Ave, Pasadena. Agenda at www.pusd.us/Page/639

• The regular meeting of the PUSD Board of Education is Thursday, August 24, at 4:00 p.m. Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room (Room 236), 351 S. Hudson Ave, Pasadena. Agenda at www.pusd.us/Page/639