Message from Superintendent Amerson |
|
Dear Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
Welcome back! I hope you had a restful winter break and enjoyed the holidays as best as possible under the circumstances. Classes resume for our students on Monday, January 4, 2021. As a reminder, we will continue 100% Distance Learning for students in Grades TK-12 at least through March 1, 2021, and continue the supports already in place that are listed below.
- 1:1 Assessment of ELL and SPED students in-person, ongoing as needed.
- Full-Day/Full-Year Preschool in-person instruction for qualifying students.
- Learning Centers with limited in-person enrollment during the school day for students in Grades TK-8 facilitated by Think Together.
I want to share with our Duarte Unified community that I have high hopes for 2021, and believe that we will achieve much together this year. But, my feelings of optimism are also combined with the need for extreme caution. We are not on the other side of the pandemic yet, and we must continue to take the steps necessary to keep all members of our district and Duarte community healthy and safe. Please resolve to continue to follow all public health orders for LA County, wear a mask, socially distance, and wash your hands.
Our district will continue to monitor all guidance provided by our public health partners, and we are eager to receive further information about when our employees and community will have access to the approved COVID-19 vaccines. We will share this with you as soon as we are notified. In the meantime, I am looking forward to reconnecting with our scholars, educators, staff, and parents/caregivers as we kick off this new year and second semester. Welcome back everyone and have a great week!
Best wishes,
Gordon Amerson, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Duarte Unified School District
#ProudSuperintendent
|
|
Understanding the Reopening Tier Framework |
|
Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its test positivity and adjusted case rate. At a minimum, counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving forward. Data is reviewed weekly and tiers are updated typically on Tuesdays. To move forward, a county must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks. In addition, counties must meet the health equity criteria to demonstrate the county’s ability to address the most impacted communities within a county. If a county’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will be assigned a more restrictive tier. Public health officials are constantly monitoring data and can step in if necessary. See how tiers are assigned and change, as well as county historical data (California Blueprint Data Chart), at the California Department of Public Health guidance page.
The implementation of programs currently by DUSD is listed below:
Grades TK-12: 100% Distance Learning at least through March 1, 2021.
1:1 Assessment of ELL and SPED students: In-person, ongoing as needed.
Full-Day/Full-Year Preschool: In-person instruction for qualifying students.
Learning Centers: Limited in-person enrollment during the school day for students in Grades TK-8 facilitated by Think Together.
High School Sports Conditioning: Return to Play Plan postponed.
|
|
Board of Education President and Vice President & Student Board Members for 2021 |
|
At the annual organizational meeting of the Duarte Unified School Board, the members elected Reyna Diaz, President, and Ceci Carroll, Clerk/Vice President of the Board. Ken Bell, James Finlay, and Jacqueline Ku will remain Board members. Congratulations also to our Student Board Members: Arianna Serna (DHS) and Olgalivier Garcia (MIT).
The Board also adopted the following dates for the Board Meeting Schedule for 2021: 1/14/21, 2/11/21, 3/4/21, 4/15/21, 5/13/21, 6/10/21, 6/24/21, 7/15/21, 8/19/21, 9/16/21, 10/21/21, 11/18/21, 12/16/21 (Organizational Meeting)
Board meetings are currently being held remotely on a Thursday of each month until further notice. However, public participation continues to be welcomed and encouraged. Closed Session begins at 6:00 p.m. and open session begins at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Please visit our district website for meeting agendas, www.duarteusd.org
|
|
 |
Reyna Diaz, DUSD Board President |
|
|
|
Ceci Carroll, DUSD Board Vice President |
|
|
|
|
Student Board Members: Arianna Serna (DHS) and Olgalivier Garcia (MIT) with Superintendent Amerson |
|
|
|
DUSD Curbside Meals FREE this School Year |
|
Even though Curbside Meals are FREE,
We NEED Your APPLICATIONS
|
|
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reversed its decision and will now allow school districts to offer curbside meals for free this school year. This will make it possible for Duarte Unified to once again provide all children who are 18 years old and under a breakfast and lunch combination daily, Monday - Friday.
Children do not have to be students of DUSD and do not have to be in the car at the time of pick-up. The monthly menu options, locations, and times for service previously provided will stay the same as listed below:
TIMES:
Meals will be distributed Monday - Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. except for major holidays. You will be notified in advance as to the days of curbside meals service closure.
LOCATIONS:
Andres Duarte Arts Academy (1433 Crestfield Drive, Duarte, CA 91010)
Maxwell Academy - IB World School (733 Euclid Avenue, Duarte, CA 91010)
Royal Oaks STEAM Academy (2499 Royal Oaks Drive, Bradbury, CA 91008)
Parents can pick up meals from the location that is the most convenient for them.
Any questions regarding the above information can be directed to the Duarte Unified Food Service Department at 626-599-5022 or 626-599-5023 or by email to bvolz@duarteusd.org.
|
|
Even though we are able to provide FREE curb side meals this school year, we ask that families still submit an application. The application will not be used to determine eligibility for school meals, but it will help our district qualify for additional programs and resources that can be used to help our students.
You may have already been notified in the mail by Duarte USD Food Service Department of your status whether you were automatically approved for free or reduced price meals. If you don’t receive this letter, then please fill out an application in person or online.
Online Free & Reduced meal applications are available at www.schoolcafe.com. If an application is to be filled out in person (Paper Application), then it will need to be turned in curbside during meal distribution hours.
If you have any questions about creating an online account, please call the Food Service Office at 626-599-5022 or 626-599-5023 or you may call the school café help line at 855-Pay – 2EAT or 855-729-2328.
|
|
CSArts-SGV Virtual Preview Day |
|
Prospective families be sure to check out our Virtual Preview Day! Interested students are invited to learn more about everything CSArts-SGV has to offer through this new online experience! |
|
Student Chromebook Repair/Replace Plan |
|
Duarte Unified School District is offering a district repair/replace plan to protect school-issued devices given to students. Duarte Unified will protect the device against an assortment of damages. This district repair/replace plan will provide full replacement cost coverage and will protect the item worldwide (on and off school grounds). This policy is transferable to a temporary replacement unit unless the original unit is a total loss, in which case a new repair/replace plan will need to be purchased for the new device. |
|
Free Online Tutoring for DUSD Grades 6-12 |
|
No-Cost or Low-Cost Health Insurance Information |
|
Download the Free WIN APP for Resources |
|
Please help us to share that a Mobile App for LA’s Homeless and Struggling Youth, Families and Adults is in the APP Stores TODAY! With it you can search for food, shelter, jobs, and other services near you! |
|
Mental Health Support Offered by D'Veal |
|
LGBTQIA+ Parent Support Group |
|
Keep these Distance Learning Tips Handy! |
|
Please click on the links below to view the written guides and videos that contain helpful information and instructions to navigate our Distance Learning platforms. |
|
Email our Tech Support for IT Assistance |
|
100% Distance Learning Website Hub |
|
We have created a dedicated section within our website to serve as a hub of information for our 100% Distance Learning Model. Included within this section are the schedules, contact information, technology support and services, Aeries navigation directions, instructional guides and videos for Google Classroom, and much much more. It is our goal to have all of the information you may need for distance learning within just one click. Start by visiting the 100% Distance Learning Hub.
|
|
DUSD Social Media Directory |
|
As you know, you can follow @duarteusd on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. But, we have also put together a DUSD social media directory of all the official sites operated by our district, schools, and staff for your convenience. In addition to following @duarteusd, we encourage you to follow these other sites too for important information and updates during distance learning.
|
|
COVID-19 Safety and Public Health Information |
|
The best protection against COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face mask whenever in public. Also avoid the three C's: crowds, confined spaces and close contact with people outside your own household.
The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website.
Always check only trusted sources for the latest accurate information about COVID-19:
|
|
|
|
Download it Today for FREE |
Stay up to date with everything that is taking place at every school across our district by downloading the DUSD APP. Check your child's grades, attendance, lunch balances, sports scores, notices from teachers, calendar of events and more all in one place! Download our free app from the Apple App and Google Play Stores. |
|
Download the ParentSquare APP |
|
School Flyers Available Via Email |
|
|
|
Save Paper & Stay Informed |
DUSD uses Peachjar to send home school-approved flyers digitally, saving our schools time and money while eliminating paper waste. This means that now our parents can opt to receive flyers via email. |
|
See Why YOU Belong at DUSD |
|
Submit Your Newsletter Ideas |
|
Have an idea, information or a suggestion for a story for our newsletter? |
|
DUARTE UNIFIED | 626.599.5000 | communications@duarteusd.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
