Due to Poor Air Quality from Wildfires, Pasadena LEARNs Canceled, 6 Grab & Go Food Centers Open
Dear PUSD Community:
I hope that you are staying healthy and safe as we cope with the air quality and smoke from wildfires. Our firefighters are doing heroic work in containing fires across the state.
Wildfires
Last week, poor air quality from the fires meant that PUSD had to modify the services we offer for our students and community. Starting Monday, September 14:
• PUSD’s Grab and Go Food Centers will reopen Monday at all school sites with reduced hours. Curbside meals will be served from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Pasadena LEARNs supervised care programs are canceled on Monday, September 14
• Curbside Tech Support resumes service. Curbside Tech Support is available by advance appointments only.
Thank You, PUSD Team!
I want to thank teachers, administrators, and staff who are, like many of you, juggling a combination of work and family responsibilities during the wildfires and the continuing pandemic. With skill, energy, and enthusiasm, our teachers, administrators, and staff have been engaging students in meaningful learning in extraordinary circumstances. Schools are hosting virtual back to school nights and helping students and parents learn and navigate our online learning systems. PasadenaLEARNs began offering in-person supervised care for K-8 students during the online learning day, providing support for our most vulnerable students and families. And our Food Service staff continues to provide meals for students.
Tech Support
I hope that you have had an opportunity to check the array of tech support that our team has put together. We are continuously updating information and resources on our website at https://www.pusd.us/Page/8416
Specialized In-School Services
In collaboration with our labor partners and families, we are developing plans for a potential start date for specialized in-school services for small cohorts of students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), students requiring instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL), or students needing assessments or specialized in-school services. Once the plans and protocols are in place, we will inform parents/guardians about a potential start date. Specialized in-school services will not begin September 14.
According to the L.A. County Public Health and Pasadena Public Health, schools may offer in-school specialized services as early as September 14, as long as the school is able to fully implement the L.A. County Public Health Officer’s re-opening protocols. As such, the Pasadena Unified School District is working diligently to make sure that schools are physically ready to safely welcome students who need specialized services and the staff who will support them. This will take a thoughtful process of planning and collaboration with our labor partners and parents/guardians.
Additionally, the L.A. County Public Health Department stated that they will not be granting waivers for in-person instruction of students in grades TK-6 as the department monitors the implementation of this effort to safely get students needing specialized in-school services back to school.
School Reopening
In August, Governor Newsom announced a four-tiered, color-coded system for reopening counties that replaces the county watch list. At this time, Los Angeles County Public Health is not considering applications for waivers to physically reopen schools and has stated that schools are unlikely to open until November. Once the Los Angeles County and City of Pasadena Department of Public Health tells us we can return to in-person learning, we will work with our labor partners and families to launch our hybrid learning plan. Until then, PUSD remains online in a distance learning format.
Preparing for Hybrid Learning
We are working diligently and in collaboration with our labor partners to make sure that schools are physically ready to safely welcome students, teachers, and staff. PUSD has taken proactive steps to acquire personal protective equipment, install signage and plexiglass barriers, and upgrade air conditioning filters. Supplies of personal protective equipment such as face-coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizers have already been delivered to schools and offices for use by a limited number of teachers and other staff who are currently working on school campuses. The bulk of these supplies will be delivered to school campuses in the days before students physically return to school campuses.
Sincerely,
Brian McDonald, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Updates
• Virtual College Fair 2020 – PUSD 2020 College Fair is online this year, with virtual fairs and information sessions about UC and CSU, independent and public colleges and universities. Events begin September 13 and continue through October. Please check the College Fair schedule of events at https://www.pusd.us/Page/8768 Some events require pre-registration.
• Student Meals – PUSD distributes Grab & Go meals curbside Monday-Friday at ALL PUSD school sites. See details
• Tech Support website
HelpDesk – PUSD students, families and staff can contact the PUSD helpdesk for help with PUSD-managed devices and applications by calling 626-396-3699. More information here
Curbside Tech Support – An advance appointment is required for our Curbside Tech Support. Schedule an appointment through the HelpDesk.
• How Parents Can Support Learning at Home – Check PUSD’s Family Engagement Canvas Page for an archive of videos and workshops.
Parent University: “How to” Tech Assistance Videos about Canvas, Webex, and more. Please visit the Family Engagement Canvas Page to access videos.
Virtual Parent University Workshop: Take it Outside, presented by Young & Healthy, Thursday, September 17, 10:00 am. For details and to participate, please visit the Family Engagement Canvas Page
English as a Second Language ESL Classes: Started on September 8. Please see visit: https://www.pusd.us/twilight
Virtual Parent University Workshop: Tips and Protocols on How to Help and Support your Child’s Classroom Distance Learning and Meetings, presented by Jennifer Pringle with PUSD Adult Education Department, Thursday, September 17, at 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. For details and to participate, please visit the Family Engagement Canvas Page
• PUSD Adult Education – See the Fall 2020 Adult Education Catalogue
• Please review our School Opening Guide for more information.
• See a Glossary of Terms
• Visit pusd.us for the latest updates
