Long Beach Unified School District School Bulletin

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In this issue:

Student Becomes First Youth Poet Laureate
14 More Teachers Earn National Certification
Retiring Employees Served for 57 Centuries
School Nurse of the Year is Lupe Jimenez
U.S. Secretary Becerra Visits Renaissance
Student Support Staff Accept District Honors
Eighth Graders Earn College Scholarships
Names in the News
Board of Education Meeting Highlights: June 7, 2023

And more...

June 9, 2023

Student Becomes First Youth Poet Laureate

Congratulations to Claire Beeli of Wilson High School! As the city's inaugural laureate, Beeli will serve as a representative for literacy, arts and youth expression in Long Beach along with her cohort of poet ambassadors — which also includes three LBUSD students!

14 More Teachers Earn National Certification

The newly certified teachers are among 181 educators from LBUSD to earn National Board Certification, the highest professional distinction in teaching!

Learn More

Retiring Employees Served for 57 Centuries

Thank you for your invaluable contributions and lasting impact! A total of 235 LBUSD employees with a combined 5,762 years of service are retiring in 2022-23.

See List of Retirees

School Nurse of the Year is Lupe Jimenez!

Congratulations! Lupe Jimenez, a school nurse at Lindsey Academy and Lindbergh STEM Academy, is the recipient of this year's award from the Long Beach School Nurses Association.

“I find it to be a blessing to have intertwined my love for kids and nursing with being able to provide resources to families and kids," shared Jimenez.

Xavier Becerra visits Renaissance High School for the Arts

Xavier Becerra, third from the right, visits with students and staff at Renaissance High School for the Arts.

U.S. Secretary Becerra Visits Renaissance

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra visited Renaissance High School for the Arts this month for a roundtable discussion on LGBTQ+ mental health.

View Video

Student Support Staff Earn District Honors

Join us in celebrating the winners of the School Counselor of the Year, Psychologist of the Year and Social Worker of the Year awards presented by the LBUSD Office of Student Support Services.

See the Winners

Eighth Graders Earn College Scholarships

Congratulations to these outstanding young scholars! The students will receive $500 college scholarships, courtesy of the Lyman W. and Nancy E. Lough Eighth Grade Scholarship Fund.

Learn More

Names in the News

A round of applause is in order for these exceptional LBUSD students and staff! Find out who was recently recognized by our local community for their remarkable achievements and contributions.

Board Meeting Highlights: June 7, 2023

The Board of Education held two meetings on June 7. A special meeting began at 3 p.m., and the regular meeting began at 5 p.m.

At the 3 p.m. meeting, staff presented three reports:

At the 5 p.m. meeting, after a report on administrative assignments, the Board heard a report from Tamia Morris, a senior at Lakewood High School, before recognizing retiree Agnes Amores for many years of service. Also recognized were:

The Board then held two public hearings:

After public testimony, the Board approved Vision 2035, which will guide strategic planning.

After approval of the consent calendar, the Board heard a staff report on the Budget and Local Control and Accountability Plan.

The Board approved Revisions to Board Policy 5123, Promotion/Acceleration/Retention.

View the Report of Board Members and Announcements here.

View the Superintendent’s Report here.

For more on this week’s meetings, see the 3 p.m. special meeting agenda here and the 5 p.m. regular meeting agenda here. View the full videos of the meetings here.

COVID Testing and Vaccination Clinic Available Saturdays at Cabrillo High School

The Long Beach Health and Human Services Department will operate a free COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinic for the public this summer at Cabrillo High School, 2001 Santa Fe Ave.

The clinic will open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m. through August 19. No appointment is needed. PCR and antigen rapid tests will be available. Click here for more details.

Please note: Friday, June 9 will be the last day of the COVID testing clinic available for only LBUSD students and staff at Cabrillo (previously offered Monday through Friday).

*In the event of inclement weather, the clinic will move inside a Cabrillo gym area and provide directions to participants.

LBUSD's Monthly Health Topic

Click here to watch a brief video message from LBUSD's Wellness Committee regarding the latest health topic: Preventative Care.

Employee Benefits

June is Skin and Sun Health Month

A message from Aetna: Many of us enjoy the sunshine for too long and get a sunburn. A sunburn means that the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays have damaged your skin. Learn more on the LBUSD Benefits Facebook and Instagram pages!

WeightWatchers (WW)

Did WW help you find success? Share your story and receive a gift from WeightWatchers! Submit your story here.

Life’s best moments include food – don’t miss out!

Our partner, WeightWatchers^®, helps you improve your relationship with food so you can eat what you love and still lose weight.

Dine out (or drive through) with ease. WW’s award-winning app has a restaurant database with more than 450 popular spots.

Share meals – without feeling left out. Discover over 12,500 recipes that your whole family will enjoy.

Celebrate what makes life fun. Learn how to plan ahead for date nights, vacations and anything else that brings you joy.

WeightWatchers members tell it best. Stefanie D. lost 65 pounds and gained an appreciation for good food. “WeightWatchers helped me enjoy food. I used to look at it as the enemy but food is what brings us together. It’s nourishment for my body and keeps me energized. That’s been a beautiful thing to learn.”

Join WeightWatchers through the Long Beach Unified School District for as low as $8.05 per month** on select plans – 50% off the retail price! All benefit eligible employees and spouses, as well as medical plan enrolled retirees and retiree spouses are eligible. Learn more at WW.com/LBUSD.

Sign up by July 31 and receive a $25 credit to spend in the WW Shop, plus free shipping!** Then, keep an eye on your email for your WW Shop credit.

Living with diabetes?

WeightWatchers also has a clinically tested diabetes-tailored plan.

Already a WeightWatchers member?

Sync your current account or call WeightWatchers customer service at 866-204-2885.

Reminders from the Employee Benefits Team

Three letters were mailed out to you in April. If:

You are missing a beneficiary designated for your basic life insurance, please make sure to update your records by calling our Employee Service Center at (866) 844-9744 and dial 4 to speak with a representative. Even if you didn’t get this letter, you can make a change to your beneficiary any time your relationships change.

A dependent's Social Security number is missing or incorrect, please take action and update as requested.

You currently have an Flexible Spending Account, any unused balance must be used by Sept. 15. Final reimbursement requests must be submitted to WageWorks by Sept. 28.

Annual Enrollment for health benefit changes is now closed. If you are eligible for health benefits, you will be mailed your confirmation statement for the July 1, 2023 effective date in the coming weeks (whether or not you made any changes by May 31).

Did you move? To ensure that we send communication to you in a timely manner, it’s important to keep your address updated. If you recently moved, please log into your “myLBUSD Portal,” select the “Self Service” icon and update your “Employee Contact Information.”

Don’t lose out on free money! If you have either Kaiser or Aetna medical insurance, make sure to get your reward(s) for any of the appropriate wellness actions you’ve taken by the end of this plan year on June 30.