PUSD’s Annual Open Enrollment Begins January 9th, Offers Families an Opportunity to Apply for Early College, Dual Language Immersion, STEAM, Arts Programs

When Nate and Kelly Bradley went on a tour of John Muir High School Early College Magnet last year, they knew immediately that it would be a good fit for their daughter. “We’re very active and involved with the schools, so we were pretty familiar with our options. When we visited the Early College Magnet at Muir, we were blown away by the sense of community, the pride shared by the staff and students, and the number of AP classes and other electives. It’s also the only PUSD high school with a block schedule, which means our daughter can take an extra elective. This year, she’s already taking an elective for college credit.”

They’re fortunate that Muir is their assigned school of residence, but families who don’t live in the neighborhood may apply for the Early College Magnet through PUSD’s Open Enrollment process from January 9 – 31, 2020. Open Enrollment is PUSD’s school choice process, which enables families to apply to attend any school in the Pasadena Unified School District. Families are urged to tour their neighborhood schools, which offer high quality instructional programs including instrumental music for all students starting in 3rd grade, project-based learning, and small group instruction that supports each child’s unique development. Families may also choose to apply to a PUSD school outside of their neighborhood that offers the thematic programs or options that best meet their child’s unique talents or interests.

“Even though we live outside of the Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy (WSMA) boundaries, we got the best of all worlds because of Spanish Dual Language immersion, STEAM, Math Academy, and the school’s focus on social emotional development,” said Rebecca Corona, the parent of a 6th grader. “My daughter was especially excited because she didn’t have to choose between Spanish or advanced math, and she could also experience the design lab, where students create projects using power tools and other materials, as one of her core classes.”

Math Academy, where Ms. Corona’s daughter is enrolled, is a highly accelerated program for gifted math students where they complete Calculus in 8th grade and take college level pure and applied mathematics during high school. No other school district or private school offers a similar program for advanced math students.

All Pasadena Unified schools provide a rigorous curriculum and enrichment opportunities for every student. Additionally, some schools have a signature program, magnet theme, or specific focus:

• Arts Magnets that integrate music, dance, theatre, and visual arts across the core curriculum
• Computer Science Immersion
• Dual Language Immersion in French, Mandarin, and Spanish
• Early College Magnet where students can complete up to two years of college credit during high school
• International Baccalaureate Program that develops students intercultural understanding so they can create a better and more peaceful world
• STEM/STEAM that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, & math across the core curriculum
• Vanguard, an online platform that enhances classroom instruction and allows students to work at their own pace

For more information about all the choices available in Pasadena Unified School District schools or to submit an application visit www.pusd.us/enrollment.