
The Glendora Connection
January 2023
Dr. DiGrazia's Digest
GUSD Families,
Happy New Year to each of you!
2023 is certainly off to a great start, and GUSD students returned from the holiday break ready to tackle the challenges that await them in the second half of this school year. Thank you for your support in making this a reality, and we look forward to celebrating their future success.
GUSD, in conjunction with school districts across the state of California, is also celebrating January as School Board Recognition Month.
This month we take a moment to recognize the value of our School Board's work with our students and our community, knowing that their commitment extends to every month throughout the year.
Please join me in thanking our GUSD Board of Trustees for their dedication and service to our community's greatest resource, your children.
Wishing you and yours only the best in 2023!
Respectfully,
Dr. DiGrazia
Interim Superintendent
Dual Language Immersion Interest Survey
Engaging Instruction and Activities
Goddard Middle School Students of the Month
Sellers Elementary band students performing for district office staff
Cullen Elementary students enjoyed a BMX character assembly, especially when the presenter jumped over Principal Ferronato
Sutherland Elementary students are enjoying their new playground activities thanks to Girl Scout Troop 1574
5th grade students working with their kindergarten buddies on holiday cards
Elementary students enjoying an engaging game of chess at recess
Glendora High School getting the jump on their opponent
Middle school students practicing hands-on science
Sandburg Middle School students working together to "break the box"
Working hard at Whitcomb High School
Using manipulatives to practice mathematics skills
Elementary students engaging with each other and their lesson
Glendora High School students learning through the creative efforts of ceramics.
Goddard Girl's Basketball team going for the point
Members of the School Board helping to recognize the hard work and efforts of Whitcomb High School students during their Recognition Breakfast
California Dashboard
The California School Dashboard is a tool used by Districts and school sites to measure progress toward State and local goals. The dashboard reports data for all students and student sub-groups of 30 or more in the areas of academic performance, academic engagement, conditions and climate. The reports show five status levels ranging from very high, high, medium, low, and very low. Below is an overview of Glendora USD’s data. For additional information, please visit the website linked here, California School Dashboard.
Student Recognition and Activities
American Sign Language Students at Glendora High School Introduce Children to the Language
Glendora Community Coordinating Council Youth Award Recipient
Student Recognition Opportunity
Award criteria are explained in more detail in the nomination form below.
School District Display
Below are some wonderful photography examples from Glendora High School.
Community Connection
Glendora Education Foundation (GEF)
The Glendora Education Foundation is sponsoring a FREE Financial Literacy class on February 7th for grades 8-12 students (parents/guardians are also welcome). Space is limited.
If you would like to attend, please visit the link to register. https://tinyurl.com/k2kz5zwz
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Cyber Safety Family Education
Safety Corner
Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
Social media has given us a platform to connect with the world. We keep up with friends and relatives, learn about different cultures and ideas, and share our thoughts with a broad audience. While there are several benefits to social media, it can also be harmful to our community.
Social media can distract our students, disrupt their sleep, expose them to unrealistic beauty standards, bullying, and rumor-spreading. The more we educate ourselves on warning signs and how to monitor students, the better we can help prevent them from these adverse effects.
There are healthy ways to find a balance with social media and mitigate the related risks. Here are a few tips on how to protect students:
- Set boundaries. Ensure your student has a phone use routine, so their phone does not interfere with their sleep, homework, or other responsibilities.
- Have open discussions. Ask your child why they are using social media and ask if they understand its risks. Ask them how social media makes them feel and have a plan if they start to have negative emotions associated with their use.
- Teach social media etiquette. Discuss appropriate behavior on social media. Ensure they carry their core morals on how to treat others as they interact with others virtually.
- Set social media rules. For example, consider making their account private, do not allow them to accept friend requests from strangers, and have restrictions on what type of content they are allowed to post, consume, and share.
Here are some helpful websites for more information on how to protect our students:
- The Family Dinner Project How to Talk to Teens About Social Media
- Child Mind Institute Social Media Effects on Teens
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Social Media and Teens
At Glendora USD, we believe in the power of working together to create a healthy, thriving community and hope you find these tips helpful. If your child is struggling due to the harmful effects of social media, we encourage you to reach out for help. As a reminder, Care Solace is a mental health care coordination service that can find an available mental health care provider for you. To access our complimentary coordination services, call 888-515-0595 or visit www.caresolace.com/glendoraparents to get started.
Local Resources
CLICK HERE to download the flyer.