Message from the President
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Message from the President
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Message from the President
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.
Sincerely,
Stephen R. Perry
President
Message from the President
Good afternoon to our AEF, AUSD and community families. As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have some exciting updates and news to pass along.
AEF will be supporting both the City of Alhambra and Monterey Park drive up Halloween Festivities (see fliers below). In Alhambra AEF Board Members will be in costume to hand out trick or treat bags prior to you entering the Haunted Parking Structure on October 31, 2020 on South Second Street from 11:00am - 2:00pm. In Monterey Park AEF will partner with Monterey Highlands School and PTA to hand out trick or treat bags on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Get dressed up and come drive thru for spooky time. Please remember to be safe and follow Health Department guidelines for Halloween activities. AEF and along with both cities are following LA County Health Department guidelines;
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/docs/community/GuidanceHalloween.pdf
Our Keiki Camp has been successful and supportive for our students and families. The fee based program has benefited many families in the area and assisted with our students mental and social well-being. As we look forward and with the current unknown return to in-person learning at our schools, this is a wonderful option for parents to look at. https://www.aef4kids.com/keikicamp
I would like to welcome our newest Director Thomas Wong. Thomas comes to AEF with a wealth of volunteer and community involvement for many years and is a great addition to our Board. https://www.aef4kids.com/board-of-directors
We are currently selling tickets for the annual Shopping Extravaganza at the Citadel. The Citadel has taken extreme measures for COVID-19 guidelines so that you may have a safe shopping experience. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shopping-extravaganza-social-distance-style-tickets-117597745021
I know we all are dealing with stress and anxiety during the pandemic which impacts our children. This pandemic impacts not only us as adults, but also impacts our children. We need to explain and model for them the need to physically distance from one another, wear a mask, not congregate in large groups and ensure we are washing our hands frequently. This can take an emotional toll on a child and as parents, we need to watch for symptoms of distress. We must continue to focus on the positive and be a role model. I have attached a link for a resource: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
I want to thank the City of Alhambra, Alhambra Unified School District, Alhambra Teachers Association and especially our Board of Directors who supported and participated at the first annual food drive on August 29, 2020. At the event, over 1200 families were given food during the drive up event. Many AUSD students and staff members were present to assist with loading the food and other items for our community needs. The Tzu Chi Association distributed backpacks and school supplies for our students as well. This was a great community event that brought together many different organizations for the betterment of everyone who lives in our school district area.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to thank each and every one of you as we deal with this pandemic. I am hopeful that soon, this will pass and we can all get back to our normal daily routines.
Stay safe & healthy,
Stephen R. Perry
President
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Good morning to our AEF, AUSD and Community Families. As we all are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to reassure our AEF Community that we are collaboratively working with and in communication with AUSD Administration on several key points that impact several of our programs and events.
First, we postponed our Service to Education Awards Gala and hopefully will be able to celebrate in late May 2020 to honor those who give back to education.
Secondly, fifth grade Outdoor Science Camp sponsored by AEF in conjunction with AUSD is canceled. I know this is very disappointing for this year's fifth grade students, but the safety of our students is our first priority. We will partner with the District to see if we can reschedule Science Camp in Fall 2020 for the current 5th graders who will then be 6th graders.
Lastly, here is an update on AEF Summer School Program for Elementary and High School. Enrollment is open and classes are filling up. We are hoping there is no disruption to our summer programs and will work with the District to ensure summer school sites are fully sanitized prior and during our program operation. We know these classes are very important to our students and the community and I want to assure parents that AEF will never sacrifice a child's or staff members' well-being at any time. We are prepared for a great learning experience for our students.
If we should have to cancel our Summer Enrichment classes, full refunds will be given to all families who have already signed up without penalty.
All of us at AEF know this is a very challenging time for our school community and especially parents. It is very important that we all follow the guidance from our public health professionals and ensure we are washing our hands, social distancing and if not feeling well, staying home and checking with our doctor.
Remember to be a good neighbor and help someone that may not be able to get out to the pharmacy, grocery store or other personal needs outlet. This is a time for us to be kind and help one another.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to thank each and every one of you as we deal with this pandemic and hopefully soon, this will pass and we can all get back to our normal daily routines.
Stay safe & healthy,
Stephen R. Perry
President