AUSD Connection

Alhambra Unified School District News for Parents

Message from the Superintendent

Dear AUSD Community,


As we come to the end of another school year, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire AUSD community for your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the success of our schools and students. Together, we have accomplished so much this year and made an incredible impact in the lives of students.


Even during the difficult and challenging moments, our students shone brightly in so many areas – a true testament to the tireless efforts of the teachers, staff members, parents, and of the students themselves. As we head into the summer months, I wish you all a wonderful break filled with relaxation, rejuvenation, and quality time with family and friends. I look forward to seeing everyone when you return in August, ready to continue our collective mission of providing the best education, opportunities, and support for our students.


A special message for the parents of our high school seniors:

As your child graduates from high school, I want to congratulate both students and parents on this significant achievement. This is an exciting time for your family, and I know you are extremely proud of all your child has accomplished. Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education and for your partnership with us throughout their academic journey. It has been a pleasure to watch these young men and women grow and develop over the years, and I have no doubt they will continue to do amazing things in the future. As your child moves on to the next chapter of their life, they will face new challenges and opportunities, but with your love, support, and guidance, they will be well-equipped to navigate them. Once again congratulations to you and your child on this incredible accomplishment. I wish you all the best in the future.


Again, thank you to everyone for a wonderful year…and have a fantastic summer!


In partnership,

Denise R. Jaramillo, Ed.D.

Superintendent

In this issue...

  • FEATURED EVENT: AUSD 2023 Retirement Reception
  • May 23rd Board Meeting Staff Report Presentation Slides & Communication Items
  • - Staff Report: 2023-2024 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Update and Proposed Revisions
  • - Communication Item: Ramona School's Project-Based Learning
  • - Communication Item: Update on Student Advisory Council & Student Board Member
  • Educational Services
  • - LCAP Parent Advisory Committee Meeting - June 5, 2023
  • - AUSD "Untapped Voices" Focus Groups Results
  • - PODER (Pursuing Our Dreams through Education and Responsibility)
  • - Alternative Income Form (AIF)
  • - Technology News
  • Student Support Services
  • - Alhambra Police Department Youth Academy
  • - Hazel Heart Telehealth Mental Health Services
  • - Registration for the 2023-24 School Year
  • SMALL SPOTLIGHTS (News and Information from Around AUSD)
  • Food & Nutrition Services: Cafeteria Menus
  • - Student Visits to the Central Production Kitchen
  • Parent Resources: Community Offerings
  • - Alhambra Parks and Recreation Dept: Summer Food Service Program
  • - Monterey Park Community Healing Fund
  • - ATA Food Pantry
  • Scholarship Opportunities
  • Non-Profit Partner Organizations (AEF, ALA, AAA)
  • - ALA: Highlights from the Scholarship Awards Dinner & Dance
  • Human Resources
  • - CSULA Outstanding Partner Award
  • - Game Changers
  • - Employment Opportunities
  • AUSD Calendar
  • - Upcoming Events and Important Dates
  • - San Gabriel Valley Pride Parade & Festival (see below)
  • - High School Athletics Calendars
  • FEATURED EVENT: West San Gabriel Valley SELPA Prom "Welcome to Paradise"
  • Publicity Requests
  • AUSD Featured in Local Papers
  • Alhambra USD YouTube Channel
  • FEATURED VIDEO: Garfield Mural (with Muralism, Nickelodeon & Turnaround Arts)
  • 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.

FEATURED EVENT

AUSD 2023 Retirement Reception

Congratulations to the Alhambra Unified School District employees who are retiring this year! We are grateful to their years of dedicated service to our students and families, and wish them the best during their well-deserved retirement!

Staff Report Presentation Slides

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.

Communication Items

During the Board Meeting, Ramona principal Dr. Debbie Kotani gave an overview of Ramona's Project-Based Learning, and superintendent Dr. Denise Jaramillo gave the board an update on the process (and progress) of electing our Student Advisory Council members and our first-ever Student Board of Education member.

LCAP Parent Advisory Committee Meeting June 5, 2023

Please join us for our upcoming Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Monday, June 5, 2023 from 6:45pm until 8:00pm. Your attendance and input is valued and greatly appreciated. Join the Zoom Webinar using this link: https://zoom.us/j/97432307228

AUSD Focus Group Voices on Equity

AUSD seeks to better understand the untapped voices of students, parents, teachers, and staff, and explore their perceptions of the district climate and culture, including issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Click HERE to view results in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Pursuing Our Dreams through Education and Responsibility (PODER)

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!

Alternative Income Form

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 millions of dollars in federal funds for the school that your child attends. Effective May 15, 2023, all parents will be required to respond to the Alternate Income Form (AIF) survey in order to gain access to other pages of Parent Portal. Please Note: If you completed the AIF survey prior to May 15, 2023, we need you to respond again in order to accurately gather data for the 2023-24 school year. Click Here for AUSD AIF Directions.

Technology News

Student Support Services

There are many social and emotional health resources on the Gateway to Success website, including a LIST of all upcoming parent webinars.

APD Youth Academy (June 6-16, 2023)

The Alhambra Police Department is a long-standing partner in supporting our youth. They are helping to build a strong and safer community by offering a Youth Academy for students aged 14-18. Read more about it and/sign up by clicking HERE. The registration deadline is Wednesday, May 31st.

hazel heart telehealth mental health services

We are excited to announce our partnership with Hazel Health to provide HAZEL HEART telehealth mental health services for AUSD students. Telehealth mental health services are now available at home for any Alhambra Unified School District student and will be available on campuses during AUSD summer programs. Parents can reach out directly to Hazel to sign the e-consent and to arrange for services for your child.You can get more information and/or sign up at: my.hazel.co/alhambrausd. This service is offered at NO COST to you. Please note: Hazel will still need to collect your insurance information and/or verify your uninsured status, but you will not be billed.

Registration for the 2023-24 school year

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. (Please share this information with friends and neighbors who have school-aged children and are not yet enrolled in AUSD.)


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.)


Click HERE to access the online information page.

LITTLE BITS OF GOOD NEWS & INFORMATION FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT

Food & Nutritional Services: cafeteria menus

Click here to see what we are serving this month!

Field trips to AUSD Central Production Kitchen

During the month of May, three AUSD schools, Fremont, Garfield & Ramona, had the opportunity to tour the AUSD Central Production Kitchen. The students learned about "MyPlate" and the different food groups. They also were taught about the different steps from making the lunches, packing and delivery to the schools.
Parent Resources: Community Offerings

Click HERE to access flyers of non-district sponsored activities.

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AUSD Scholarship Bulletin

Our amazing high school counselors have compiled this extensive list of student scholarship opportunities. They update it regularly, so please check back often!

non-profit partner organizations

Highlights from ALA's 2023 Scholarship Awards Dinner & Dance

(Photos courtesy of the Alhambra Latino Association)

AUSD named CSULA Outstanding Partner

Thank you to Cal State Los Angeles for recognizing AUSD as an OUTSTANDING PARTNER! We are grateful for the strong partnership with CSULA and welcome their credential candidates to our district for both observation hours and student teaching. Many of these wonderful candidates later get hired as teachers in our district. We are happy to continue supporting these future teachers in their career and professional development. At a special ceremony earlier this month, Director of Human Resources Stacie Colman-Hsu accepted the honor on behalf of AUSD.

May 2023 Game Changers

Congratulations to our May 2023 Game Changers: Kimberly Morinaka, Certificated Game Changer from Technology and Information Services and Mary Fang, Classified Game Changer from Northrup School.

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.

Alhambra Unified School District Calendar

Click here to access to the AUSD public calendar and subscribe to receive automatic updates.

Upcoming Events & Important Dates

  • May 31: ATA Food Pantry 9:00am-12:00pm (Flyer)
  • June 1: Elementary Summer Adventures Program (for grades TK-6) Begins
  • June 1: High School Summer School Begins
  • June 3: Third Annual San Gabriel Valley Pride Parade & Festival 10:00am-12pm (Flyer)
  • June 5: LCAP Parent Advisory Committee Meeting 6:45pm-8:00pm (Zoom Link)
  • June 6: Board of Education Meeting (Agendas & Minutes)
  • June 8: AEF Summer School Begins
  • June 9: "AUSD Connection" Newsletter Emailed to Parents & Staff
  • June 14: ATA Food Pantry 9:00am-12:00pm (Flyer)
  • June 19: Holiday: Juneteenth (All AUSD offices and schools are closed)
  • June 20: Board of Education Meeting (Agendas & Minutes)
  • June 23: "AUSD Connection" Newsletter Emailed to Parents & Staff

SG Valley Pride Parade & Festival

Join the City of Monterey Park, Alhambra Teachers Association and the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley in celebrating the 3rd Annual San Gabriel Valley Pride Parade & Festival on Saturday, June 3rd from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Parade starts at 9:15am at Mark Keppel High School. For more information, please click HERE.

High School Athletics Calendars

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

FEATURED EVENT

West San Gabriel Valley SELPA PROM: "WELCOME TO PARADISE"

The West San Gabriel Valley SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) held their Prom at Mark Keppel High School, and it was a beautiful and heartwarming event. (The WSGV SELPA is a consortium of 14 school districts, including AUSD that work together to serve the common needs of our students.)


This year, the SELPA Prom, with its theme of "Welcome to Paradise," was made extra special through the hard work of MKHS ASB, who spent days planning, organizing, and decorating for the prom . he guests were delighted by Polynesian dancers and performances by the MKHS marching band and dance team.

Thank you to EVERYONE who worked tirelessly to make the SELPA Prom such a huge success. It was such a true labor of love and we're thrilled the students had such an amazing and memorable time!

AUSD Publicity Request

Do you have good news about our schools/students/programs? Please click HERE to make a publicity/media request and/or submit information so we can share the good news with our community.

Read about AUSD in these Local Papers:

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.

Featured Video

Garfield Mural (with Muralism & Nickelodeon)

Garfield School partnered with Muralism, Nickelodeon, and Turnaround Arts to create this beautiful mural on the Garfield School campus. It features characters from The Loud House animated series.
Garfield Mural (with Muralism & Nickelodeon)
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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Look for the next issue of "AUSD Connection" on Friday, June 9th!

"AUSD Connection" Archives

Did you miss any past newsletters? All issues of "AUSD Connections" are archived on our website. Click this button to access them.