SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 15 IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

OCTOBER IS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

OCTOBER IS DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH

Friday (10/3)

CCMS Noche De Familia

4:30 to 7pm @ CCMS Panther Plaza

More Information Below

Sunday (10/4)

VeniceArts College Day

1 to 4pm @ VeniceArts

More Information Below

Sunday (10/5)

WORLD TEACHERS' DAY

2025 Abilities Carnival and Resource Fair

12 to 3pm @ Culver City Senior Center

More Information Below

Wednesday (10/8)

INTERNATIONAL WALK-TO-SCHOOL DAY

More Information Below

CCHS Boys Water Polo vs Torrance

3:30pm @ The Plunge

CCHS Girls Volleyballl vs Inglewood

5pm @ CCHS

Culver Park High School Back-to-School Night

5:30pm @ Culver Park High School

More Information Below

CCMS PTSA Special Education Fall Meet Up

6pm @ Millcross

More Information Below

Thursday (10/9)

CCHS Boys Water Polo vs North Torrance

3:30pm @ The Plunge

Friday (10/10)

SCHOOL TAG SCANNING DAY

More Information Below

La Ballona Hispanic Heritage Festival

3:15 to 5:30pm @ La Ballona soccer field

More Information Below

CCHS Football vs Mira Costa

7pm @ Jerry Chabola Stadium

Saturday (10/11)

Playa Vista Community Walk

9am @ Bike Attack

More Information Below

Note: The weekly calendar in CulverPride includes CCHS varsity home games only.

To see the full calendar for Centaur athletics, please click here.

Superintendent's Message

Dear Students, Parents, Employees, and Community Members,

There's so much to recognize in our district as part of our #CelebrateCCUSD initiative! I am proud to share that Culver City Unified School District was recently recognized by Niche as one of the top school districts in Los Angeles County in 2026! This recognition, also highlighted in the Patch newsletter, underscores what so many families already know: when parents in Los Angeles County consider where to raise their children, the quality of schools is one of the most important factors. We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community. 

This week, I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our educational partners at Amazon for their generous donation of instructional supplies and $35,000 to our district to support teacher grants ($10,000 through DonorsChoose) and the remaining amount for programs. This gift will directly benefit all of our schools, supporting both teaching and learning in meaningful ways. Our students, teachers, and staff are deeply grateful for their generosity. A special thank you to David Zapolsky, David Ambroz, and the entire Amazon team for making this possible, and to our Culver City Education Foundation Executive Director Wendy Hamill for coordinating the event. We also thank Board President Triston Ezidore and Board member Lindsay Carlson for representing our CCUSD school board and celebrating with our community. Together, partnerships like these make our schools stronger.

As we enter full swing into the college application season, I want to remind our high school seniors that the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is now open at fafsa.gov. Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps toward securing financial aid for college or career training. We strongly encourage students and families to apply early in order to maximize aid opportunities. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your school counselor or college advisor.

We are also excited to announce that CCUSD is one of only seven providers of the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) in California, and the only provider in the Los Angeles area through our Adult Education School. This unique, competency-based diploma program allows adult learners to earn a Culver City Unified School District high school diploma—not just an equivalency certificate. Through real-life, simulated tasks and portfolio completion, students demonstrate mastery of high school-level skills aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards. For more information, please contact the CCAS office at (310) 842-4300.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making CCUSD a place where students of all ages can thrive. We have much to celebrate, and even more to look forward to, especially our students at our Culver City High School Homecoming game on Friday, October 10, 2025! Please join us!

With gratitude,

Dr. Alfonso Jiménez

Superintendent of Schools

___________________

Estimados Estudiantes, Padres, Empleados y Miembros de la Comunidad, 

¡Hay mucho que reconocer en nuestro distrito como parte de nuestra iniciativa de #CelebrarCCUSD! ¡Me enorgullece compartir que el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Culver City fue recientemente reconocido por Niche como uno de los mejores distritos en el Condado de Los Ángeles para el año 2026!  Este reconocimiento, también es destacado en el boletín de noticias Patch, el cual resalta lo que muchas familias ya saben: cuando los padres en el Condado de Los Ángeles consideran donde criar a sus hijos, la calidad de escuelas es uno de los factores más importantes.  Nos sentimos honrados de ser reconocidos por nuestro compromiso a la excelencia académica, innovación, y comunidad.

Esta semana, también quiero extender mi más sincero agradecimiento a nuestros socios educativos en Amazon por su generosa donación de materiales de instrucción y $35,000 a nuestro distrito para apoyar subvenciones para los maestros ($10,000 a través de DonorsChoose) y la cantidad restante para programas.  Este obsequio directamente beneficiará a todas nuestras escuelas, apoyará tanto la instrucción y el aprendizaje de una manera significativa.  Nuestros estudiantes, maestros, y personal están muy agradecidos por su generosidad.  Un agradecimiento muy especial para David Zapolsky, David Ambroz, y todo el equipo de Amazon por hacer esto posible, y para nuestra directora ejecutiva Wendy Hamill de la Fundación Educativa de Culver City por coordinar este evento.  Le damos las gracias al presidente del Consejo Directivo Triston Ezidore y al miembro del Consejo, Lindsay Carlson por representar a nuestro consejo directivo escolar de CCUSD y celebrar con nuestra comunidad.  Juntos, alianzas como estas hacen a nuestras escuelas más fuertes.

A medida que entramos en plena marcha a la temporada de solicitudes para la universidad, quiero recordarles a nuestros estudiantes de último año en la escuela preparatoria que la Aplicación Gratuita para Asistencia Federal para los Estudiantes ((FAFSA®) para el año 2026-27 está ahora disponible en fafsa.gov.  El completar la solicitud de FAFSA es uno de los pasos más importantes para asegurar ayuda financiera para la universidad o para entrenamiento en una carrera profesional.  Firmemente alentamos a los estudiantes y familias de aplicar temprano para poder aumentar las oportunidades de ayuda.  Si necesita asistencia, por favor no dude en comunicarse con su consejero/a escolar o asesor universitario.

Estamos muy emocionados por anunciar que CCUSD es uno de solo siete proveedores del Programa Nacional de Diploma Externo (NEDP) en California, y el único proveedor en el área de Los Ángeles a través de nuestra Escuela de Educación para Adultos.  Este programa único de diploma basado en aptitud permite que los aprendices adultos obtengan su diploma de escuela preparatoria del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Culver City, no solo un certificado de equivalencia.  A través de tareas simuladas de la vida real y la realización de un portafolio, los estudiantes demuestran dominar las habilidades de nivel de escuela preparatoria alineadas con las Normas de Preparación Universitaria y Carrera Profesional.  Para más información, por favor contacte a la oficina de CCAS al (310) 842-4300.

Gracias por su continua alianza por hacer de CCUSD un lugar donde los estudiantes de todas las edades puedan prosperar. ¡Tenemos mucho que celebrar, y todavía más por esperar en el futuro, especialmente nuestros estudiantes en nuestro partido de Homecoming (Regreso a Casa) en la Escuela Preparatoria de Culver City, el cual tomará lugar el viernes, 10 de octubre, 2025! ¡Por favor únase a nosotros!

Con gratitud,

Dr. Alfonso Jiménez

Superintendente

Distrito Escolar Unificado de Culver City

Amazon Supports CCUSD Students

Thanks to a business partnership with the Culver City Education Foundation, our neighbors at Amazon brought significant new resources to CCUSD this week. At an event hosted on the Linwood E. Howe campus, they announced a $25,000 leadership gift to CCEF, a $10,000 DonorsChoose matching campaign that funded 11 classroom projects, and a districtwide school supply drive delivering two truckloads of essentials for students.

From decodable readers and Spanish books to a 3D printer, art supplies, and backpacks, CCEF helped ensure Amazon’s support will reach classrooms from TK through high school. Together, we are making sure Culver City students and teachers have the tools they need to succeed.

Read the full story on CCEF's website.

Education Ranking Service Niche Gives CCUSD an A in Latest Best School Rankings

According to the 2026 Best School Districts in America list recently released by the education ranking service Niche, the Culver City Unified School District earned an overall grade of A.

CCUSD earned top marks in Academics, Diversity and College Prep categories.

The District was also ranked the ninth-most diverse school district in the state.

Niche said its rankings, now in the 11th year, differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

To see the full rankings, please CLICK HERE.

City and CCUSD Celebrate Disabilities Awareness Month

In the month of October, the City of Culver City and Culver City Unified School District celebrate Disability Awareness Month. During this time, we celebrate the achievements of disabled individuals and work on breaking down barriers to create a more accessible and equitable environment for everyone.  Each week, we will share updates on some of the events taking place in our schools.  

Did you know?

• The City of Culver City is hosting an Abilities Carnival and Resource Fair this weekend. Information is available here: https://www.culvercity.gov/Events-directory/2025-Abilities-Carnival-and-Resource-Fair. 

• The Culver City Unified School District Board of Education has an official board policy on Inclusive Practices for disabled students?  View Policy 0435: ^Inclusive Practices https://share.google/zAGz09XLC5rhBO6P1
• Many students at our schools require different kinds of sensory input in order to self regulate. Self regulation helps individuals make better decisions, reduce stress, and build resilience. It may involve releasing extra energy or taking a moment to catch one’s breath when overwhelmed. Several of our schools have designated spaces where students can go if they need a sensory break, and others have boxes which teachers can check out to provide students with sensory tools such as weighted blankets, noise cancelling headphones, or fidgets. For more information what is available at your school site, please email cccptainclusioncommittee@gmail.com Plans to create sensory spaces on all campuses were included in Measure E update plans.  

 Sensory room at La Ballona:

Calling All Artists! The 2025-2026 PTA Reflections Art Contest is Underway

The theme for this year’s annual contest is “I Belong!”

PARTICIPATION IS EASY, EXCITING AND EMPOWERING!

All students attending PTA schools sponsoring the program are invited to participate and submit original artwork in one of six areas:

• Dance Choreography
• Literature
• Photography
• Film Production
• Music Composition
• Visual Arts

Artworks are submitted to school-level PTAs, where they are first recognized, celebrated and judged by grade-level divisions at their school unit. Winning works from the schools units, then advance to the Council PTA level where they are judged among entries from all the local Culver City schools. Winners from the council level are recognized at a school board meeting before advancing to District, and then potentially to State and National PTA Reflections art competition rounds.

To submit a work of art to the Reflections competition, please inquire with your unit’s PTA president or program chair.

Reflections has been bringing the arts to life for more than 10 million students since 1969. California State PTA and its members, families and kids are on the forefront of this amazing program, which increases community awareness of the importance of arts in education.

Reflections encourages students of all ages to:

• Unleash creative talents and be inspired
• Express themselves imaginatively in their artwork
• Experience the fun and joy of making art
• Tap into critical thinking skills to create art inspired by the annual theme
• Receive positive recognition for their original works of art

If you have questions, please contact your PTA president or Megan Oddsen Goodwin of the Council PTA at Megan.Oddsen@icloud.com.

VeniceArts Hosts FREE College Day Tomorrow

Join Venice Arts on Saturday, October 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. for its annual FREE College Day event!

This College Day is open to all high schoolers and their families, offering a fantastic opportunity to explore a variety of options available after high school and receive valuable insights on navigating these transitions. The event will have an exciting lineup of tables, workshops and discussions from institutions such as West LA College, El Camino College, 826LA, Otis College of Art and Design, Woodbury University, and more! 

RSVP to register HERE (event is 100% free!)

College Day Activities: 

• Personal Statement + Writing Support 
• Financial Aid Workshop
• Creative Career and College Pathways Panel 
• Art Portfolio Reviews 
• Raffle Prizes (all attendees who stay until the end of the event will have the chance to win 1 of 5 awesome raffle prizes!)

Backpacks for Kids Program Launches Annual Halloween Costume Drive

CCUSD's Backpacks for Kids program has begun accepting donations for its annual Halloween Costume Drive. Please donate new or gently used costumes by October 13 to help make sure that every child gets to celebrate. Drop offs will be accepted at Tower Insurance (4244 Overland Ave.) weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or at any CCUSD school. Thank you for helping to make this a great Halloween for EVERY child!

For more information or to learn more about the Backpacks for Kids program, please visit:

https://www.ccbackpacksforkids.com/

Safe Routes to School Update ...

Let's get walking ... Walktober is here!

October means Fall is here, temperatures drop and the air just feels different.

It also means Walktober, a month focused on safer alternatives to driving.

To help with encouragement, your family can participate in International Walk to School Day, October 8, your school's walk to school days, October 10, and join Walk 'n Rollers for their first Community Walk on October 11.

Around the country, October also means Pedestrian Safety Month, and Walk 'n Rollers encourages everyone to have family conversations around traffic safety.

For instance, did you know that traffic collisions are the number one reason for accidental deaths of kids under the age of 15? With a little extra awareness and some precautions for all road users, we can reverse that trend.

For safe walking tips, visit the Walk 'n Rollers website

GoPass is Back – Students Ride FREE All Year on Culver CityBus and Most Public Transit

Culver CityBus is pleased to announce that GoPass is rolling into the 2025–2026 school year! That means all K–12 students in Culver City Unified School District AND students at West LA College and Santa Monica College can ride Culver CityBus and most public transit in LA County for FREE!

Whether you are heading to class, a club meeting, your after-school job, or just meeting up with friends across town, GoPass has you covered. Just tap your card and go. No tickets, no cash, no worries.

If you don’t have a GoPass yet, it’s easy to get started:

Pick up your GoPass TAP card kit at your school office 

Your kit includes a TAP card, activation instructions, and Year 5 activation code.

Once activated, enjoy unlimited FREE rides through September 30, 2026!

If you already have a GoPass, just email GoPass@CulverCity.org to get your Year 5 code. It’s that easy!

Why Use GoPass? 

• Saves families money on transit costs and avoids early morning traffic  
• Helps students travel safely and independently 
• Connects students to opportunities across the city 

Learn more about GoPass by calling (310) 253-6500, visiting the GoPass Program Web Page, contacting your school office, or by emailing the Culver City GoPass Team at: GoPass@CulverCity.org. 

Let’s make this school year a smooth (and free!) ride.

GoPass: Tap in. Ride free. Explore more.

LA County Library Bookmark Contest Open Until October 18

Calling all Creative Kids & Teens:

Show off your creativity in our 46th Annual Bookmark Contest! Through October 18, aspiring artists in grades K-12 can submit an original bookmark design inspired by reading, books, libraries, or your own imagination.

Participants will submit designs in the following categories for a chance to be featured at their library and across LA County:

• Kindergarten – Grade 2
• Grades 3 – 5
• Grades 6 – 8
• Grades 9 – 12

Designs must be original (no copyrighted characters). Artists must reside in LA County. Only one entry per person. All entries become the property of LA County Library.

In November, each library will announce a local winner in each grade level. Grand prize winners for each LA County supervisorial district will be selected by the Board of Supervisors in the spring. The grand prize winning designs will be made into bookmarks and distributed across all LA County libraries.

For more information, please visit: lacountylibrary.org/bookmark-contest/