Monday Message: 12/18/2023

Dear PYLUSD Community,

It’s a common misconception that public schools only serve students in grades K-12. Actually, here in PYL, we serve students ages 2 years old to 22 years old. In fact, one of the crown jewels of PYLUSD is our Venture Academy, helping young adults ages 18 to 22 succeed in school and life. Our amazing staff and job coaches train and place many of these students in local jobs; moreover, this year we began a program where we train and hire Venture Academy student graduates as PYLUSD-paid employees.

Recently, it came to our attention that one of our Venture students Larry was in serious need of assistance. Larry was unable to attend school because his wheelchair broke. Getting chairs fixed can be a long and tedious process through the state, so we called a local charitable organization, Muriel’s Angels, which specializes in supporting students with special needs in Southern California. These amazing folks showed up the very next day with parts to fix and replace Larry’s chair so he could come back to school. They are also working to order him a custom one!

Muriel’s Angels recently did a van conversion for one of our George Key students as well. The organization worked with Haruka and his family back in May, helping them with their van conversion needs. Haruka is a 14-year-old child who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy. Fast forward to today and the family’s van conversion is complete! Haruka's mother Masami shared the following: "I want to thank you for your generous contribution towards our new accessible family van. We are so excited and ready to have many memorable journeys in comfort thanks to all of you at Muriel's Angels!"

Thank you Muriel’s Angels for Putting Kids First! It's an honor to serve as your superintendent of schools.

Respectfully,

Dr. Alex Cherniss

Superintendent of Schools

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District

Putting Kids First

acherniss@pylusd.org

Hello PYLUSD Students, Staff, Parents, and Community Members,

I am excited to be selected as the PYLUSD Board President. As the mother to three sons, one who graduated in 2020 and two sons who attend high school in our district, I’m proud to have a unique vantage point. While I know PYL has always represented The Advantage, these past seven months have brought about significant and targeted decisions that have put students first. As we recover from the massive impacts of COVID, our Board has been able to see the return to the fundamentals where they are needed, in areas like math and reading instruction, while innovating in areas of significant need like technology and the arts.

I want to thank Shawn Youngblood for his outstanding leadership as our Board President in 2023. He partnered with our Superintendent and Board to put kids first. We saw this in action through the unprecedented amount of after-school support and math intervention. Our expanded middle school sports program has been wildly successful and we just finished a successful high school fall sports season.

Across the district, instrumental and vocal concerts are bringing holiday cheer thanks to our TK-12 students. Our parents are engaged and informed more than ever before through our Superintendent Advisory Councils and our parental notification policies. I look forward to seeing what 2024 will bring and wish you all a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Leandra Blades

President, Board of Education

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District

In case you missed it, we announced the opening of the Orange County School of Computer Science at Bernardo Yorba. The Orange County School of Computer Science, or OCSCS, was unanimously approved as a conversion charter school by the Board of Education on December 12, 2023. It will be the first charter school to exist in PYLUSD boundaries, opening at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. It will serve students in 7th and 8th grade. Read the full announcement at https://www.smore.com/c63tm.

Two of our high schools, Valencia and El Dorado, recently exemplified the district’s core value of collaboration! El Dorado’s varsity football team recently competed in the CIF Southern Section Division 7 Championship Game at Bradford Stadium. The event was broadcast on NFHS Network, and thanks to the collaboration with Valencia’s Sports and Event Broadcasting class and teacher Rod Boaz, and El Dorado’s Digital Media Arts Academy and teacher Mark Switzer, the live stream was enhanced with multiple cameras, instant replays, and even sideline interviews! Although El Dorado didn’t win, everyone benefitted from an immersive live stream experience. The collaboration showcased the power of teamwork and expertise. Congratulations to the Golden Hawks for a memorable season and both schools for a memorable broadcast!

The Placentia Police Department recently equipped our parents, staff, and community members with essential knowledge about fentanyl during three evening presentations. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug that has become a significant public health concern across the nation in recent years. High school students across the district received similar information during assemblies in late October and early November. Couldn’t make it to one of the presentations? Watch a recording of the events in English or Spanish using the following links: English Presentation / Spanish Presentation

As part of our efforts surrounding fentanyl awareness, the City of Placentia put together a collaborative video to highlight the issue and provide information in a public service announcement format. The video, linked below, highlights our collective commitment to combatting the fentanyl crisis. By providing crucial information and resources, our organizations seek to empower individuals to make informed decisions, prevent drug use and overdoses, particularly among young students, and foster a supportive local environment that promotes well-being and resilience in the face of this growing threat.

December 25-January 5, 2024 — Winter Recess

January 10, 2024 — School Choice Request Period Begins

January 11, 2024 — Dual Language Academy Parent Information Night

January 15, 2024 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Non-Student Day)

January 16, 2024 — Board of Education Meeting

January 17, 2024 — Deadline for 150th Anniversary Logo Contest for High School Students

January 26, 2024 — End of the First Semester

February 9, 2024 — School Choice Request Period Ends

February 12, 2024 — Lincoln’s Birthday (Non-Student Day)

February 13, 2024 — Board of Education Meeting

February 19, 2024 — Presidents’ Holiday (Non-Student Day)