Dear Members of the Alvord Community,

From the Alvord family to yours, Happy Father's Day!

As expected, Governor Newsom's June 15 announcement lifted capacity and distancing restrictions for some businesses and activities and eased masking requirements. The California Department of Public Health released a new state public health officer order that went into effect immediately following the Governor's announcement. The order replaces the previous pandemic public health orders with limited requirements related to face coverings and mega events.

As a result, starting tomorrow, Monday, June 21, masks will not be required in outdoor settings throughout the Alvord Unified School District, including summer school staff and students when outdoors. Masks are still required indoors as the California Department of Public Health requires masks to be worn by vaccinated and unvaccinated employees at K-12 educational facilities. Locally, Riverside public health officials confirmed that children and staff do not need to wear a mask outside because we are not an area of high transmission.

Regarding schools and other settings with children and youth as we prepare for 2021-22, the California Department of Public Health has announced school guidance is pending additional guidance from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Stay tuned.

In last week's message I discussed our alternative programs. Those program choices focused on alternatives to in-person instruction in 2021-22 for families interested in education options, either in light of COVID or as a result of COVID and the success many students experienced in a virtual setting. Stay tuned to the Round-Up for more details on 2021-22 program options in the weeks to come, now that we know that the California Department of Public Health will soon release school guidance, pending additional guidance from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Once we have that guidance we will release more program option details.

Alvord is proud of our CTE (Career Technical Education) programs. This past year was challenging for CTE teachers and their students since most of the programs are hands-on. All of our high schools offer CTE programs, and those programs continued during the pandemic. But teaching skill sets for the trades was not easy in a remote environment. To learn more about our career program options, and to acknowledge all of the hard work and creativity on the part of our Alternative Education Center staff and CTE program staff across the district, see the Year in Review newsletter here from the program's director, Mr. Shiflet.

Part I of "Moving on Up," a webinar focused on helping parents and students prepare for two of the most challenging transitions: entering TK/K and entering middle school (grade 6), was presented this past Monday. The series continues this week and next week. This week's workshop focuses on supporting students' social and emotional development.

• June 21 - TK/Kinder parents: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
• June 21 - Middle School parents: 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Workshops are accessible via Zoom, through Meeting ID 970 5041 4053, which can be accessed at zoom.us/join.

People who read books for 30 minutes daily lived an average of 23 months longer than non-readers, according to a recent comprehensive study reported in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience. Reading can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. There’s a link between exercising your brain and a slower rate of decline in memory. Readers are 21% less likely to report feelings of depression and 10% more likely to report good self-esteem.

When a child develops a love of reading at a young age it will not only help them succeed in school and in life, but it will increase the length of their lives.

READ!!!! Everyday.

On behalf of the Board of Education and our entire team, I hope you and your family are healthy and enjoying the summer even more now that the Governor has lifted many of the pandemic restrictions.

Have a great summer! We will see you when the 2021-22 school year begins, on August 6.

Stay positive. Stay safe. Be well.

Sincerely,

Allan Mucerino