Now, what really makes a teacher is love for the human child;

for it is love that transforms the social duty of the educator

into the higher consciousness of a mission.

Maria Montessori

This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week an d there is no shortage of amazing teachers in Pasadena Unified School District schools!

Since 1984, National PTA has designated one week in May as a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children. PTA events at the national, state and local levels celebrate the outstanding contributions teachers make.

Join in thanking teachers this week, and every day, for igniting our students’ curiosity for learning. PUSD's talented and dedicated teachers are preparing our children to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Click here to watch the stories of some of PUSD's extraordinary teachers, the 2017 Rotary Club Teachers of Excellence Award winners.

The Vision | The children of Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre all grow up in a safe, stable,

                        and supportive environment that prepares them for success in school and life.

An exciting event for youth is coming back to Pasadena this summer -- l evelUP2 -- a two-day Youth Leadership Conference presented by the Youth Leadership Network, a collaborative group of youth-serving organizations in Pasadena. The conference will be held at the Pasadena Central Library on Thursday, July 26 and Friday, July 27, for youth ages 12-18 at no cost to them, featuring top speakers and trainers in the Pasadena area. Last year, more than 70 young people participated and we anticipate doubling that number this year!

Goals of the conference include:

Events of the 2-day experience will include guest speakers, hands-on workshops, small-group experiences, a College Fair and Resource Fair; lunch will also be provided each day.

All youth may register by clicking here.

On a warm day in April, more than 100 people came together to build "Wally's Playground" on Harkness Avenue in Pasadena. Billed as "an incredible community-wide initiative," the project is a partnership of Pasadena Foursquare Church, Kompan and KaBOOM! (the national nonprofit dedicated to building playgrounds for children in under-resourced areas), and Collaborate PASadena's Supportive Communities Work Group.

The planning process included inviting a group of children to give input and illustrate what their "dream playground" might look like. More than 20 children participated earlier in the Spring, and the results were incorporated into the final design plan.

Another partner in the project was Flintridge Center's Apprentice Preparation Program which trains and prepares formerly incarcerated men and women to work in the construction industry. Students from the program helped with the playground installation.

Why "Wally's"?

A woman named Wally lived in Bungalow Heaven for 89 years and attended Pasadena Foursquare Church for the last 40 years. She loved and cared for both neighborhood children and children of her church. Her backyard and her home on Catalina Avenue were full of toys and books for children, essentially serving as a local park. She received the first Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood Angel Award for her loving care of neighborhood children. When she passed away, she left her home to her church and they used some of the proceeds to create the playground park on the grounds of the church. It has normal park hours and is open to the community. The balance of the funding for the project was raised through private donations of neighbors, friends and other community members.

am-pluh-fahy

v. to make stronger; enlarge; extend