WEEK OF MAY 3, 2021
Official newsletter of the Santa Ana Unified School District, designed to inform the community about District related news, opportunities, and resources. 
Please share and follow SAUSD online!
DISTRICT NEWS
WEEKLY UPDATE FROM SUPERINTENDENT JERRY ALMENDAREZ: MAY 3, 2021
In his weekly newsletter to the community, Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) Superintendent Jerry Almendarez provides information on National Teacher Appreciation Week, local COVID-19 rates, vaccine opportunities for community and staff, a forum honoring Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage and more. To read it in English, click here. To read it in Spanish, click here
BOARD OF EDUCATION TO HOLD SPECIAL MEETING MAY 4, 2021
The Board of Education is scheduled to hold a special closed session meeting telephonically at 5 p.m. on May 4, 2021. Click here to access the agenda.
STATE NAMES SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT A 2021 MODEL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD WINNER
SAUSD is among 20 School Attendance Review Boards designated as model programs in California for their attendance strategies during distance learning. The announcement of these Model SARB Awards comes after an unprecedented disruption of in-person attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Honorees “worked hard” “to help students stay engaged in their education — all during the unprecedented closure of our schools due to a global pandemic,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. To read more, click here.
SAUSD’S SIERRA PREPARATORY ACADEMY NAMED 2021 CALIFORNIA EXEMPLARY ARTS EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENT
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond recently announced that Sierra Preparatory Academy has been named a recipient of the 2021 California Exemplary Arts Education Award. The awards celebrate successful efforts to engage students in arts through exposure to a variety of disciplines. Sierra is a partner school in Turnaround Arts: California. To read more, click here.


SAUSD’S MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL NAMED 2021 CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL
SAUSD’s Middle College High School (MCHS) has been named a 2021 California Distinguished School. The California Department of Education identifies and awards eligible schools based on performance and progress on state indicators specified on the California School Dashboard, including test scores, suspension rates, and conditions and climate. MCHS is in its 24th year of continued partnership with Santa Ana College, which allows students to receive a personalized high school experience in a college setting. To read more, click here.
SANTA ANA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION AWARDS NEARLY $40,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS
Each year, the Santa Ana Public Schools Foundation solicits applications for scholarships to support graduating seniors of the Santa Ana Unified School District. This year, 31 students, including two students from the class of 2020, have been selected to receive scholarships totaling $38,200 for the 2021 school year. For a full list of winners and more information, click here


SAUSD ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TAKE TOP HONORS IN STATEWIDE SPEECH CHAMPIONSHIP
Dozens of SAUSD students took part in the Michael Leigh California State Elementary Tournament speech championships over the weekend, securing top spots in the competition. Muir Fundamental Elementary was named the new state champion, as the Gold Medal school. In addition, Martin Elementary was named a Silver Medal school, and both Garfield Elementary and Greenville Fundamental Elementary were named Bronze Medal schools. SAUSD students also took home individual honors, with many being named Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists. For a full list of winners, click here.
DISTRICT LAUNCHES #SAUSDCLASSOF2021 SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
SAUSD is looking to highlight high school seniors through the new #SAUSDClassof2021 social media campaign. Do you have college, career, military or other post-graduation plans that you'd like to share with our community? Tell us all about them here using your sausdlearns account.
CHECK SAUSD WEBSITE FOR FREE COVID-19 TESTING, VACCINE INFORMATION
As a service to the community, the District has posted information about free local COVID-19 testing and vaccine opportunities to its website. For testing information, visit www.sausd.us/coronavirus. For vaccine information, visit www.sausd.us/vaccines.
SAUSD NOW SERVING FREE WEEKEND MEALS TO CHILDREN
To increase support to our SAUSD community, the District has begun serving weekend meals to all children. Every Friday, children are served a breakfast, lunch, snack, and a “super snack” for both Saturday and Sunday in addition to Friday’s meals. Parents, guardians, or other family members are still allowed to pick up meals for any child under the age of 18. Click here to view the distribution schedule.
ENROLL NOW IN SAUSD SCHOOLS
Looking to enroll in SAUSD schools for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school years? Click here to access important questionnaires, enrollment timelines, lottery guidelines and more.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR SAUSD STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
Did you know that SAUSD offers a list of mental health and wellness resources that students and families can connect with during weekends and after-school hours? Click here to learn more about the agencies that can be contacted during these times for help. 

DOWNLOAD PARENTSQUARE APP TODAY
SAUSD is now using the ParentSquare app to increase communication among families, schools and the District. Download the app today at the Apple AppStore or Google Play to begin receiving important news and updates from SAUSD teachers, schools, and departments. Click here for more information.
UPCOMING EVENTS