ALVORD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Last November, Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 28, which will annually fund arts education in California schools. In Alvord, we have steadily grown our visual and performing arts program in the last decade and will continue to strengthen it now that the State of California has committed to provide ongoing funding. The arts, in its many forms, provide students with a safe way to express their feelings, explore their thoughts, and share their stories. The arts help to amplify student voices, engage them in critical conversations, and encourage action.

The arts are more important than ever in the post pandemic era. Since the United States surgeon general declared a mental health crisis among children and youth in 2022, educators, parents, and health professionals have all been on high alert. Data collected by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System has consistently shown that persistent sadness and hopelessness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among young people continue to be on the rise. Art is not the answer to our mental health crisis, but it's part of a solution with students at the center.

Our commitment to arts education is part of our comprehensive approach to build on brain science and decades of research on teaching the whole child. Helping our students of all ages develop the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that will help them manage their mental health and school and life responsibilities is part of our promise to prepare our students for today and tomorrow.

In addition to our arts program during the school day, we also offer a variety of opportunities to engage directly with the arts through our Expanded Learning Opportunity Program, which is available at no cost to all students after school and at other times outside of the regular school day,.

For example, on Saturday, October 7, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, all TK - 8 students are encouraged to participate in our Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Saturday Series. Students will have the opportunity to develop their artistic voice by exploring, learning, creating and producing within multiple Visual and Performing Arts disciplines. This event is on Saturday, October 7, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. See the announcement below and sign up today!

CALENDAR ALERT
Staff Development Day: 10/9/23 (No School)
Veteran's Day: 11/10/23 (No School)
Thanksgiving Break: 11/20-11/24 (No School)
Winter Break: 12/15-1/2 (No School)

National School Attendance Awareness Month is intended to remind parents of the high correlation between attendance and school success. Chronically absent students without a valid excuse are referred to the District Attorney's School Attendance Review Board if our efforts to work with families to improve attendance are not successful.

Did you know:

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay on track to graduation.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with mistreatment or facing other serious problems.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is a sign that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, regular attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.
• Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
• Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from college and keep a job.

What parents should do:

• Make school attendance a priority.
• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
• Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomachaches may be signs of anxiety.
• Help your child stay engaged. Talk to teachers about how to do it.
• Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from mistreatment. Make sure he/she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
• Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary.
• Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Communicate with the school.
• Know Alvord's school's attendance policies.
• Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
• Check Aeries daily to monitor your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
• Ask for help from our Attendance Office. Email our Child, Welfare, and Attendance Officer, Ian Fish ian.fish@alvordschools.org , or phone him at 951 509-5038 for support.

Year-round, the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign works to empower and educate the public on the importance of recognizing and reporting the signs of suspicious activity in our communities and schools. September 25 is If You See Something, Say Something Awareness Day, also known as #SeeSayDay. On this day, partners across the country will come together to remind the public, If You See Something, Say Something.

On behalf of the Board of Education, thank you for choosing Alvord as your education partner. We strive to be our best, so that your children can be their best.

In partnership,

Allan Mucerino

MR. ROBERT D. SCHWANDT
President
Trustee Area 4

McAuliffe K-5

Orrenmaa K-5

Stokoe K-5

Arizona 6-8

Alvord High 11-12

Hillcrest 9-12

MRS. CAROLYN M. WILSON

Vice President

Lake Hills K-5

Promenade K-5

Villegas 6-8

District Office

MS. GEORGINA RAMIREZ

Clerk
Trustee Area 1

RMK K-5

Twinhill K-5

Valley View K-5

Loma Vista 6-8

MS. LIZETH VEGA
Member
Trustee Area 2

Arlanza K-5

La Granada K-5

Terrace K-5

Norte Vista 9-12

Alternative Ed Center

Keller Administration Site

Child Nutrition Services

MRS. JULIE A. MORENO

Member

Trustee Area 3

Collett K-5

Foothill K-5

Myra Linn K-5

Wells 6-8

La Sierra 9-12

Sign Up for Weekly Notifications in Aeries & Follow Your Student's Progress

Visit the Aeries Parent Portal frequently to check on assignments and grades. You can also sign up to receive a weekly notice in Aeries for a quick summary of the grade book, missing assignments, attendance for the week. Here's how to sign up:

• Login to Aeries Parent Portal
• Click on the down arrow on the top right corner after your email address
• Select “Parent Notification Preferences”

• Check the box next to “Receive Weekly Progress Email”
• Select the day and time for notification
• Click “Save”

Alvord provides an extension of the school day and school year through its Expanded Learning Program. The focus is on academic, artistic, social, emotional, and physical development for students in elementary and middle school, including middle school sports. The program does not replicate learning activities that take place during the regular school day. Instead, it builds upon them. The program is offered everyday after school, as well as intercession, including summer and extended breaks for holidays. Learn more about it here. Or call (951) 358-1682, Monday - Friday, 9:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Did you know we offer a full year of middle school sports? We kick off the program with Track and Field just a few days after the school year begins. Specific information regarding clinic and team tryouts will be distributed by each individual middle school site. The link to register to participate in any our middle school sports programs will be sent via Parent Square next week once our registration website goes live. All interested students will need to register and students trying out for any of our competitive teams will need to provide a sports clearance physical form completed by a medical doctor prior to their tryout. Forms can be obtained in the main office of any of our middle schools. Soccer follows the Track & Field season. Other sports include volleyball, flag-football, basketball and pep squad. Make sure your child is registered to participate. The website link is coming soon!

Parent Square is a safe and secure platform for school-to-home and home-to-school communication. All of our schools rely on it to keep parents informed. Instead of a one-way communication tool, Parent Square provides two-way communication. But to fully utilize the two-way feature of Parent Square, you have to activate your account. Sign in here and activate the two-way tool.

Date: September 16

Hours: 10am to 2pm

Location: Cal Poly Campus outside of the Bronco Center

Learn how to navigate through the college process for students and parents. There will be food, festivities, education, a STEAM Pavilion, a Health and Wellness Pavilion, and more. It's fun for the entire family. Watch the 2-minute video below to learn more about the event.

Email: AUSD@alvordschools.org
Website: https://www.alvordschools.org
Location: 9 Kpc Parkway, Corona, CA 92879, USA
Phone: (951) 509-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/alvordunified
Twitter: @AlvordUnified
Instagram: alvordunified