The Willard Weekly
January 9, 2022 - Volume 22
We'd like to thank you for your patience and support during our first week back. Our students were excited to be back and ready to learn. And, we were happy to receive them!
I'd like to acknowledge that these continue to be challenging times with the Omicron variant, but our staff is working diligently to keep our community safe. We appreciate your continued understanding of the required quarantines. I'd like to encourage everyone, again, to please vaccinate your child (and your family.) Not only will it prevent quarantines, but it will safeguard your family against serious illness.
As always, do not hesitate to reach out to our health office staff if you have any questions. They are ready to help.
Have a wonderful week!
Grants Funded!
We'd like to congratulate Mrs. Rosales and Mrs. Torres for having their Donors Choose Grants Funded. These will be used to directly support classroom learning and projects. Way to go!
Check out Mrs. Torres' grant here:
Check out Mrs. Rosales' grant here:
Increasing Focus, Attention, and Participation with Note Taking Strategies
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Masking Updates
Please see the following updates from the Los Angeles County Public Health Department for employees and students masking.
"Cloth face coverings alone are no longer acceptable, as they do not provide the same level of source control or personal protection as a proper surgical mask or higher level PPE."
“Better Options” are recommended for our students at this time. (Please see below.)
In Person Meetings Suspended Until Further Notice
YEARBOOK on Sale Now!
$20 Standard Yearbook
$25 Personalized Yearbook
For students in grades Pre-K to 4th please order HERE.
Please use this school code to access the site: 095804
5TH GRADE STUDENTS ONLY:
Yearbooks for 5th grade families can be ordered HERE. You will also have the option to order dedications for your 5th grader to commemorate this special milestone.
Cost of Yearbook Ads:
$25 - 1/4 page
$50 - 1/2 page
$100 - full page
Please use this school code to access the site for 5th grade students: 189239
January 12th: PTA Restaurant Night
PUSD Housing Questionnaire/Encuesta de Vivienda
Assembly Bill 27
Under new law, all Local Education Agency (LEA), such as Pasadena USD, must ensure that each of their schools identifies all of their homeless children and unaccompanied youths. LEAs are required to post on their website a list and contact information of their liaisons for homeless students and unaccompanied youths. The bill also requires LEAs to post specific information on homelessness, including information regarding the educational rights and resources available to persons experiencing homelessness. The bill requires the CDE to provide best practices and guidance that assist LEAs in identifying and obtaining accurate data on homeless children and unaccompanied youths enrolled in schools.
In order to obtain accurate data, Pasadena Unified will be disseminating a questionnaire during the weeks of January 10-30, 2022. The survey will ask specific questions about your housing situation. It is not an anonymous survey as it does require verification. The purpose is to further our support both in PUSD and statewide to ensure our students and families are well-served.
This effort will be an annual questionnaire that will be located in the data confirmation at the start of each school year via our Parent Portal. However, since this was just passed, we must participate in the 2021-22 school year. Therefore, we are asking all PUSD families to participate in this housing questionnaire for every child in your guardianship.
The Survey administration will be January 10-30, 2022. There are two ways to complete this survey:
Technology-based access www.pusd.us/housingsurvey
Paper copy-Please complete and return to your school site by January 30, 2022.
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Assembly Bill 27
Bajo la nueva ley, todas las Agencias de Educación Local (LEA), como Pasadena USD, deben asegurarse de que cada una de sus escuelas identifique a todos sus niños sin hogar y jóvenes no acompañados. Se requiere que las LEA publiquen en su sitio web una lista e información de contacto de sus enlaces para estudiantes sin hogar y jóvenes no acompañados. El proyecto de ley también requiere que las LEA publiquen información específica sobre la falta de vivienda, incluida información sobre los derechos educativos y los recursos disponibles para las personas sin hogar. El proyecto de ley requiere que el CDE proporcione las mejores prácticas y orientación que ayuden a las LEA a identificar y obtener datos precisos sobre los niños sin hogar y los jóvenes no acompañados matriculados en las escuelas.
Para obtener datos precisos, el Distrito Unificado de Pasadena distribuirá un cuestionario en las semanas 10-30 de enero de 2022. La encuesta hará preguntas específicas sobre su situación de vivienda. No es una encuesta anónima ya que requiere verificación. El propósito es promover nuestro apoyo tanto en el PUSD como en todo el estado para garantizar que nuestros estudiantes y familias estén bien atendidos.
Este esfuerzo será un cuestionario anual que se ubicará en la confirmación de datos al comienzo de cada año escolar a través de nuestro Portal para Padres. Sin embargo, dado que esto acaba de aprobarse, debemos participar en el año escolar 2021-22. Por lo tanto, estamos pidiendo a todas las familias del PUSD que participen en este cuestionario de vivienda para cada niño bajo su tutela.
Hay dos formas de completar esta encuesta:
-Acceso basado en tecnología: www.pusd.us/housingsurvey
-Copia en papel: Por favor complete y devuelva a la escuela a más tardar el 30 de enero de 2021.
January 18th-20th: Cardboard Challenge
February 17th-25th: Free Dental Care from Young and Healthy
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL
Willard Annual Fund
The Willard Annual Fund is a key source of funding for programs at our school. In the past, the WAF has paid for science lab, language classes, and our library coordinator.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our Annual Fund. Any amount helps. Thank you!
IMPORTANT DATES
January 17th: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL)
January 18th: Virtual School Tour at 9:00am
January 26th: Virtual Coffee with the Principal at 8:30am
January 27th: ELAC at 8:00am
January 27th: School Site Council at 3:00pm
February 11th: Lincoln's Birthday (NO SCHOOL)
February 21st: Presidents' Day (NO SCHOOL)
March 25th: Staff Development Day (NO SCHOOL)
March 31st: Shortened Day
April 1st: Cesar Chavez Day (NO SCHOOL)
April 4th-8th: Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)
IB - PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAM
IB Learner Profile: RISK TAKERS
"We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change."
Now more than ever, let's encourage our students to practice resiliency. We know COVID is disrupting their routines. We are taking advantage of this opportunity to talk to our students about persevering during this time.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
PUSD Food Services Food Shortage Notice
COVID SAFETY AND PROTOCOLS
At Home Screening
Before leaving home all students, employees, and parents must conduct a self-check. Ask yourself these questions:
Do I have a fever?
Do I have a cough?
Do I have a sore throat or runny nose?
Am I experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?
Am I experiencing any other symptoms?
Have I been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
In the last two weeks, have I been directed to quarantine, isolate or take a COVID-19 test?
Upon arrival at school, school staff will perform a brief check-in to verify that students have completed a symptom screening.
Updates from PUSD Health Programs
Pfizer Vaccinations for 5 – 11 year olds:
- PUSD will partner with PPHD to host pediatric clinics. Appointments will be first come first served and completed through myturn.ca.gov.
Quarantine and Notifications:
- Now that elementary students are eligible for vaccinations, we will revise the quarantine procedures for close contacts.
WILLARD UPDATES
- 2 - 5th grade
- 2 - 4th grade
- 1 - 3rd grade
- 2 - 2nd grade
- 1 - Kinder
These results are from testing all week, including any results from testing on Monday and Wednesday and testing that families are doing with their own providers. We are still awaiting more results from Wednesdays tests.
Thank you, Willard families, for working together to keep our students and staff healthy. And, just a reminder, that students who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine if they are a close contact to a positive individual.
Reminders regarding testing at Willard:
- All unvaccinated employees will be tested weekly.
- Willard Elementary school students will be tested weekly on Wednesdays.
- Testing for elementary school-aged children will be a nasal or an oral mouth swab, depending on student tolerance.
RESOURCES
Family Handbook
Cafeteria Menus - Subject to Substitutions
BREAKFAST MENUS (November-January)
LUNCH MENU (November-January)