Goodbye 2020 and welcome 2021! What a difference a year makes! One year ago, our District was so excited about our three high schools participating in the Rose Parade presented by Honda on January 1, 2020, students were playing sports, clubs were actively involved in school and community events and the senior class was looking ahead to graduation and college. Then COVID-19 entered our lives and changed everything we do from shopping to working from home or not at all and for our students, distance learning via Zoom. None of us foresaw how this disease would upend not only our personal lives, but the world. I am so grateful for the many community members and especially the employees of AUSD who have stepped up to support those in need and continue to provide a rigorous, engaging instructional program for our students.

This past August, the Alhambra Teachers Association and numerous other local groups along with AEF supported a food drive to assist our community. On December 19th, 2020 AEF partnered with the Alhambra Fire Department, Rotary Club of Alhambra, Alhambra USD, Tzu Chi and The Ratkovich Company to ensure that over 300 children and families were able to celebrate the holiday through the "Spark of Love" drive. It was great to see so many children smile when they received toys, gift cards and food to brighten their day. It truly is a collaborative effort in our community.

Summer School information will be in our February issue newsletter and on our web page.

It is with great sadness that I share the news about the loss of two wonderful individuals whom I was honored to serve with on the Alhambra Board of Education from 1988 - 1996. These two ladies were always strong advocates for children and well-respected by many including myself.

Former School Board Member Phyllis J. Rutherford passed away on December 26, 2020 due to complications from COVID while in the hospital. She served for 16 years on the AUSD Board and worked for the District for another nine years as an employee & volunteer. She always put children first and was an advocate for special education and needs of students by continuously championing for additional state and federal funding. Phyllis served on the Board from 1994 to 2000.

Former School Board member Dora S. Padilla was a true fighter for the underdog. Her motto was "To love a child - is to educate a child." Those words are what she told me back in 1988 when she called to congratulate me on my win for a seat on the Board of Education. I have never met a person who truly advocated for every child. Her passion was visual and performing arts. She wanted to ensure every child had the opportunity to participate in the arts during her 20 years on the School Board. Dora passed away on January 8, 2021 due to COVID complications. Dora served on the Board from 1978 - 1998.

These two ladies were instrumental in making AUSD what it is today.

Thank you to all of you who donated your Gala sponsorship and/or dinner tickets to AEF. This has helped our Foundation tremendously to continue to give back to the community and allow us to maintain our operations to support the students of AUSD. In our February e-newsletter, we will recognize all of our donors and give more details about our March virtual fundraiser.

I hope you all had a safe and wonderful holiday season and New Years with your families. I know for many of us, we had to limit the number of family members we could get together with due to the pandemic. Hopefully, you were able to connect with one another via Zoom, FaceTime or whatever technology allowed you to spend time together virtually.

Continue to stay safe & healthy and here is a great resource for parents to assist with dealing with your children during the pandemic.

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/helping-children-cope-with-changes-resulting-from-covid-19

Sincerely,

Stephen R. Perry

President