Message from the Superintendent
Dear AUSD Community,
May is a month of celebrations! If you follow us on social media (@AlhambraUSD on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), you have probably seen post after post celebrating our incredible students, staff members, groups, and organizations!
As we approach the end of the school year, this seems like a good opportunity to give a shout-out to the 2,000+ employees who work tirelessly to run our schools and departments. Many of them, like our teachers, instructional aides, campus security, office staff, and site administrators are familiar faces to our families, but we have a whole army of staff members who may not always be as visible, but are definitely just as valuable.
At our last Board of Education meeting, the Board adopted a resolution designating next Wednesday, May 17th as AUSD Employee Appreciation Day – a day to recognize ALL members of Team AUSD for their important roles in providing a safe/clean/welcoming school environment, connecting with and supporting families, and helping our students learn, thrive, and succeed. Please take a few minutes to say thank you or to write a note of appreciation to an AUSD staff member who has made a positive impact on your or your child’s life.
Recently, we held our annual Employee Service Recognition celebration, where we recognized employees who reached a milestone year with AUSD. At the end of that celebration, we surprised three amazing employees when we announced them as our 2023 Employees of the Year:
Manager of the Year: Dr. Leann Huang, Career Technical Education Specialist - servicing all AUSD high schools (“housed” at Alhambra High School)
Certificated Employee of the Year: Christine Chung, Instructional Specialist for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program - servicing AUSD and the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA (“housed” at Granada School)
Classified Employee of the Year: Rosario (Rosie) Puentes, Elementary Campus Supervisor (Moor Field)
Each one of them is a shining example of the incredible people who make up our district.
At the end of the month, our celebrations turn to our students, especially those who are being promoted from eighth grade or graduating from high school. We are looking forward to commemorating their accomplishments and seeing how they shine as they transition into this next phase of their lives.
Let’s make these last ten days of school wonderful ones!
In partnership,
Denise R. Jaramillo, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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| Thanks to their wonderful PTA, Monterey Highlands students enjoyed a very entertaining performance by the BMX Freestyle Team, who engaged students with an important message about respect, kindness, being a good friend and standing up for others. The performers caught students attention with amazing technical bike and scooter tricks and then shared an important message promoting a positive school culture. | Congratulations to Alhambra High School Senior, Sam (Yusheng) Luo. Earlier this year, we found out that Sam was a candidate to be a U.S. Presidential Scholar. He made it through the semi-finals and is now moving to the FINAL ROUND. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. The 2023 U.S. Scholars will be announced later this month May. | Thank you to San Marino Music Center (SMMC) for their support of music in schools. Early last month, they delivered 60 brand new violins to the music programs to the Alhambra Unified School District elementary schools. SMMC stated they are proud to be able to supply the schools with fine instruments for their program, and they thanked AUSD musica teachers Danika Klebe and Jennifer Quan for reaching out when they did! |
Congratulations to Alhambra High School Senior, Sam (Yusheng) Luo. Earlier this year, we found out that Sam was a candidate to be a U.S. Presidential Scholar. He made it through the semi-finals and is now moving to the FINAL ROUND. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. The 2023 U.S. Scholars will be announced later this month May.
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| Congratulations to Mark Keppel High School Senior, Konnor Luong. In April, Konnor was named a finalist in the prestigious National Merit Scholar Program. Konnor has now been awarded a National Merit Scholarship by the University of Southern California, where he will attend in the fall, majoring in Biology with an emphasis in Pre-Med. USC also selected Konnor as a Presidential Scholar. Congratualtions, Konnor! | The AUSD Career Tech Department held their 5th Annual Wood Banquet on Tuesday, May 2nd. It was a spectacular event, with the students' amazing woodwork projects on display. Congratulations to all the award recipients, with a special congratulations to Derrick Xu from Mark Keppel High School, who won the most prestigious Richard Nicholson Award. Thank you to woodworking teachers Paul Lam, John Mason and Carlos Sanchez for working so patiently and diligently with the students all year long. |
On May 11th, the AUSD Career Tech Department held their 54th Annual Automotive Technicians’ Awards Night at Mark Keppel High School. Three extremely deserving students received the Sherwood Lee Outstanding Automotive Student Award: Quyen “Andy” Pan - AHS, Tyler Minohara - MKHS and Danny Tran - SGHS. Congratulations to Andy, Tyler, Danny and to all the other award recipients for all your hard work, dedication and enthusiasm in the Automotive Technology Program.Thank you to teacher James Horton for representing the auto tech teaching team. |
Congratulations to Mark Keppel High School Senior, Konnor Luong. In April, Konnor was named a finalist in the prestigious National Merit Scholar Program. Konnor has now been awarded a National Merit Scholarship by the University of Southern California, where he will attend in the fall, majoring in Biology with an emphasis in Pre-Med. USC also selected Konnor as a Presidential Scholar. Congratualtions, Konnor!
The AUSD Career Tech Department held their 5th Annual Wood Banquet on Tuesday, May 2nd. It was a spectacular event, with the students' amazing woodwork projects on display. Congratulations to all the award recipients, with a special congratulations to Derrick Xu from Mark Keppel High School, who won the most prestigious Richard Nicholson Award. Thank you to woodworking teachers Paul Lam, John Mason and Carlos Sanchez for working so patiently and diligently with the students all year long.
On May 11th, the AUSD Career Tech Department held their 54th Annual Automotive Technicians’ Awards Night at Mark Keppel High School. Three extremely deserving students received the Sherwood Lee Outstanding Automotive Student Award: Quyen “Andy” Pan - AHS, Tyler Minohara - MKHS and Danny Tran - SGHS. Congratulations to Andy, Tyler, Danny and to all the other award recipients for all your hard work, dedication and enthusiasm in the Automotive Technology Program.Thank you to teacher James Horton for representing the auto tech teaching team.
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| In Observance of Denim Day, Ynez School students engaged in age-appropriate conversations of self-advocacy and the importance of boundaries at an interactive table facilitated by mental health counselor Ruth Baratta, counselors Tam Lai and Bonnie Chan and instructional coach Dr. Jennifer Huang. The students created messages on patches and displayed them on pairs of jeans outside the counseling office. | On Thursday, May 10th the Granada School 8th grade students participated in Portfolio Day. Each student prepared a digital portfolio that best represented themselves as 8th graders. Thank you to the guest interviewers who participated in this wonderful learning opportunity and provided valuable feedback: AUSD Board Member Ken Tang, Deserie Bradvica, Sunny Chin-Look, Lee Hanacek, Ana Haskins, MayMay Lee, Kimberly Morinka and to the Granada Staff. | The students at Brightwood School in grades K-4 observed Earth Day on Friday, May 5th. The students enjoyed presentations and activities at various booths from the Pasadena Audubon Society, San Gabriel Water Municipal Water Department and Athens Services. They also enjoyed a Monarch Butterfly demonstration. Jesse Chang, parent volunteer and Earth Day chairperson, organized all the activities and also applied for a $1,000 grant from the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, which was used to fund Brightwood's Earth Day. |
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| Thank you to CSEA-Alhambra Chapter #295 for organizing such a lovely picnic for AUSD's classified staff members. Our employees enjoyed some delicious burgers and the company of friends and colleagues. The picnic also served an early celebration of Classified School Employee Week (May 21st-27th). | Congratulation to Alhambra Unified School District’s own Dr. Marcia Wilson, AUSD Board of Education Member, who was honored as a 2023 Congressional Women of the Year by Congressmember Judy Chu for her service and dedication to our community. | Congratulations to Geovanny Oliva, Alhambra Unified School District Groundskeeper, who was named a CSEA Unsung Hero for 2023. He serves as a member of the CSEA Negotiations Team and is always ready to help cheerfully and enthusiastically. Thank you Geo, for all you do for AUSD and CSEA! |
Thank you to CSEA-Alhambra Chapter #295 for organizing such a lovely picnic for AUSD's classified staff members. Our employees enjoyed some delicious burgers and the company of friends and colleagues. The picnic also served an early celebration of Classified School Employee Week (May 21st-27th).
Congratulations to Geovanny Oliva, Alhambra Unified School District Groundskeeper, who was named a CSEA Unsung Hero for 2023. He serves as a member of the CSEA Negotiations Team and is always ready to help cheerfully and enthusiastically. Thank you Geo, for all you do for AUSD and CSEA!
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Alhambra Educational FoundationDATE CHANGE: The AEF Service to Education Dinner and Gala has been moved to September 16, 2023. More info. will be forthcoming. AEF Summer School registration is now OPEN. Classes will take place June 8th through July 14th. Register through the AEF WEBSITE. | Alhambra Latino Association Thank you to everyone who joined us at ALA's annual scholarship dinner on May 5th. We had a wonderful time celebrating the ALA scholarship recipients and the AUSD Dream Allies Network. | Asian American AssociationThank you to everyone who supported AAA's Lunar New Year banquet through donations and/or attendance. We are already planning for next year's event (which will be on February 23, 2024). If you would like to be part of the committee, please contact AAA through their WEBSITE. |
Alhambra Educational Foundation
DATE CHANGE: The AEF Service to Education Dinner and Gala has been moved to September 16, 2023. More info. will be forthcoming.
AEF Summer School registration is now OPEN. Classes will take place June 8th through July 14th. Register through the AEF WEBSITE.
Alhambra Latino Association
Asian American Association
Thank you to everyone who supported AAA's Lunar New Year banquet through donations and/or attendance. We are already planning for next year's event (which will be on February 23, 2024).
If you would like to be part of the committee, please contact AAA through their WEBSITE.
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| Rosario Puentes, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Rosie is an Elementary Campus Supervisor at Moor Field School. | Christine Chung, CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Christine is the Instructional Specialist of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program. She services all of AUSD and the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA and is housed at Granada School. | Dr. Leann Huang, MANAGER OF THE YEAR Leann is the Career Technical Education Specialist. She services all AUSD high schools and is housed at Alhambra High School. |
Rosario Puentes, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Rosie is an Elementary Campus Supervisor at Moor Field School.
Christine Chung, CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Christine is the Instructional Specialist of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program. She services all of AUSD and the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA and is housed at Granada School.
Dr. Leann Huang, MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Leann is the Career Technical Education Specialist. She services all AUSD high schools and is housed at Alhambra High School.
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