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| | THIS WEEK IN CULVER CITY SCHOOLS... | | |
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SCHOOL SUCCESS MONTH
SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH
SEPT. 15 THROUGH OCT. 15 IS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
2026-2027 CCUSD School Calendar Available HERE
Friday (9/25)
California Native American Day
CCHS Football vs Mira Costa
7pm @ Jerry Chabola Stadium
Saturday (9/26)
Culver City's Second Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration
noon to 3pm @ Tellefson Park
More Information Below
Tueday (9/29)
CCHS Girls Tennis vs Beverly Hills
2:30pm @ CCHS
Wednesday (9/30)
CCHS Girls Volleyball vs Leuzinger
3:30pm @ CCHS
Thursday (10/1)
CCHS Boys Water Polo vs Mira Costa
3:30pm @ The Plunge
Saturday (10/3)
Culver City Walk 'n Rollers Walk to School Sign Making Day
10am to noon @ Syd Kronenthal Park
More Information Below
LOOKING AHEAD ...
Monday (10/5)
WORLD TEACHERS' DAY
Final Day to Purchase CCUSD Inclusion Apparel
More Information Below
Tuesday (10/6)
CCUSD Board of Education Candidates Forum
6:30pm via Zoom
More Information Below
Wednesday (10/7)
International Walk to School Day
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.
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Dear Families and Community,
It was another great week in Culver City Unified School District! As we close out September, we have now completed all of our Back to School Days and Nights across the district. I want to thank our parents and families for the tremendous participation we have seen at these events. Your presence and partnership with our schools make a meaningful difference in supporting the success of our students.
This week, it was great to spend time at Culver City High School both during the school day and in the evening for Back to School Night. I enjoyed seeing our students engaged in learning during the day and then welcoming so many parents and families to campus that evening. These opportunities to visit our schools and connect directly with students, employees, and families continue to be a highlight of my work.
I was also honored to attend the launch of West Los Angeles College’s Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) program in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente. It was especially meaningful to meet one of our Culver City High School alumni, Linda Rodas, who is currently a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and is beginning the LVN program. We are proud to see our alumni continuing their education and pursuing their professional goals. Linda, your CCUSD community is proud of you, and we will be rooting you on all the way to the finish line!
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It was also a pleasure to attend a gathering hosted by Japanese Consul General Kosei Murota that brought together educators and leaders from Japanese immersion programs. Our El Marino Language Academy Principal, Dr. Mike Perez served on a panel and Culver City Middle School Principal, Dr. Crystal Lane, represented our programs and joined other school leaders in sharing successes and best practices. Our teachers also participated and had an opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas with fellow Japanese immersion educators. We are proud of the strong continuum of language learning we provide our students and the opportunities these programs create to develop language proficiency, cultural understanding, and global awareness. I also want to thank our Board members and district administrative staff who were able to attend and support this important partnership and our educators.
Finally, I was honored to attend the Los Angeles County Office of Education Teacher of the Year program on Friday with our district team and celebrated Zaida Martinez from El Marino Language Academy, along with outstanding educators representing school districts throughout Los Angeles County. For more than three decades, Ms. Martinez has dedicated her career to helping students embrace their languages, cultures, and strengths while developing the confidence to succeed. Congratulations, Ms. Martinez! We are proud to have you representing El Marino and CCUSD.
We also know many members of our community are looking forward to viewing our State of the District presentation. Our team is working to finalize the video so that we can share it with everyone. We appreciate your patience and look forward to making it available soon.
As always, we recognize that families have choices when it comes to their child’s education, and we are grateful that you have entrusted us with serving your students. We remain committed to providing a high-quality educational experience and to partnering with you every step of the way.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Alfonso Jiménez
Superintendent
Culver City Unified School District
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Estimadas Familias y Comunidad,
¡Fue otra excelente semana en el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Culver City! A medida que concluimos el mes de septiembre, hemos finalizado todos nuestros Días y Noches de Regreso a la Escuela en todo el distrito. Quiero darle las gracias a nuestros padres y familias por la extraordinaria participación que hemos visto en estos eventos. Su presencia y alianza con nuestras escuelas marcan una diferencia significativa en el apoyo al éxito de nuestros estudiantes.
Esta semana, fue un placer pasar tiempo en la Escuela Preparatoria de Culver City, tanto durante el día escolar como por la noche durante el evento de Regreso a la Escuela. Disfruté ver a nuestros estudiantes participando activamente en su aprendizaje durante el día y, más tarde, dar la bienvenida a tantos padres y familias al plantel escolar esa noche. Estas oportunidades de visitar nuestras escuelas y conectarme directamente con estudiantes, empleados y familias continúan siendo uno de los aspectos más destacados de mi trabajo.
También tuve el honor de asistir al lanzamiento del programa de Enfermería Vocacional con Licencia (LVN, por sus siglas en inglés) del Colegio de West Los Ángeles, en colaboración con Kaiser Permanente. Fue especialmente significativo conocer a una de nuestras exalumnas de la Escuela Preparatoria de Culver City, Linda Rodas, quien actualmente es Asistente de Enfermería Certificada (CNA, por sus siglas en inglés) y está comenzando el programa de LVN. Nos enorgullece ver a nuestros exalumnos continuar su educación y perseguir sus metas profesionales. Linda, tu comunidad de CCUSD está orgullosa de ti, ¡y estaremos apoyándote durante todo el camino hasta alcanzar la recta final!
También fue un placer asistir a una reunión organizada por el Cónsul General de Japón, Kosei Murota, que reunió a educadores y líderes de programas de inmersión en japonés. El director de la Academia de Idiomas El Marino, Dr. Mike Perez, participó en un panel, y la directora de la Escuela Intermedia de Culver City, Dra. Crystal Lane, representó a nuestros programas y se unió a otros líderes escolares para compartir logros y mejores prácticas. Nuestros maestros también participaron y tuvieron la oportunidad de colaborar e intercambiar ideas con otros educadores de programas de inmersión en japonés. Nos enorgullece la sólida continuidad en el aprendizaje de idiomas que se le ofrece a nuestros estudiantes y las oportunidades que estos programas brindan para desarrollar el dominio del idioma, la comprensión cultural y una perspectiva global. También quiero agradecer a nuestros miembros del Consejo Directivo y al personal administrativo del distrito que pudieron asistir y apoyar esta importante colaboración y a nuestros educadores.
Finalmente, tuve el honor de asistir el viernes al programa de Maestro del Año de la Oficina de Educación del Condado de Los Ángeles junto con nuestro equipo del distrito, donde celebramos a Zaida Martínez, de la Academia de Idiomas El Marino, junto con destacados educadores que representaban a distritos escolares de todo el Condado de Los Ángeles. Durante más de tres décadas, la Sra. Martínez ha dedicado su carrera a ayudar a los estudiantes a valorar sus idiomas, culturas y fortalezas, al mismo tiempo que desarrollan la confianza necesaria para alcanzar el éxito. ¡Felicidades, Sra. Martínez! Estamos muy orgullosos de que represente a El Marino y a CCUSD.
También sabemos que muchos miembros de nuestra comunidad están ansiosos por ver nuestra presentación del Estado del Distrito. Nuestro equipo está trabajando para finalizar el video y así poder compartirlo con todos. Agradecemos su paciencia y esperamos poder ponerlo a su disposición muy pronto.
Como siempre, reconocemos que las familias tienen opciones en cuanto la educación de sus hijos, y agradecemos la confianza que han depositado en nosotros para servir a sus estudiantes. Seguimos comprometidos en brindarles una experiencia educativa de alta calidad y a aliarnos con ustedes en cada paso del camino.
Con gratitud,
Dr. Alfonso Jiménez
Superintendente
Distrito Escolar Unificado de Culver City
| | Culver City High School Honors Mr. Roth Through Friendship Club | | |
For 18 years, John Ryan Roth was a dedicated educator and beloved member of the Culver City High School community.
As Chairperson for Specialized Academic Instruction, a Special Day Class instructor, and Special Education Advisor for the Best Buddies Club, he supported students with disabilities and their families with care and commitment. His work championed students’ success in the classroom, their connections with peers, and their opportunities beyond high school.
Mr. Roth’s commitment to inclusion continues through the Friendship Club at CCHS, which was supported in part by remaining funds from the previous inclusion club he advised. This year, CCHS is honored to carry his legacy forward through the launch of Friendship Club and its continued focus on inclusion and connection.
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The CCHS Friendship Club is a student-driven, teacher-led inclusion program that brings students with and without disabilities together through shared interests and experiences. Through activities, school events, and opportunities to connect, the club creates space for meaningful friendships to develop naturally and strengthens a sense of belonging across the Culver City High School campus.
The Friendship Club honors Mr. Roth’s legacy by putting inclusion into practice and helping every student feel valued, supported, and connected to the CCHS community.
| | Learn More About How the College Connect App Can Help Students Get College Ready | | |
CCUSD is proud to partner with College Connect by Siembra, a free, bilingual mobile application designed to connect high school students, parents, and college admissions teams into a single platform beginning in the 9th grade.
The College Connect team continues to build a virtual community to support students and families. Besides our app College Connect by Siembra, the team provides resources and virtual sessions based on the needs of CCUSD students and families.
The approach is not a one-size-fits-all and can include all of the following and more:
- College and Career exploration
- Scholarship awareness
- FAFSA & other financial aid support
- Targeted nudges to increase test scores or attendance
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) or Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) exposure
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Campus visit opportunities with College Connect's university partners
To learn more, please check out the latest College Connect newsletter, available in both ENGLISH and SPANISH.
| | City's Second Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration Set for Tomorrow | | |
Join CCUSD and the City of Culver City for the Second Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 26 at Tellefson Park (11057 Washington Place).
Celebrate the rich cultures, traditions and creativity of the Hispanic and Latino communities with an afternoon of live music, dance, art, food and family-friendly activities.
This year’s celebration will feature:
- Live music from Carlos Y Charlos Band and Cello Azul
- Performances by ASOSAL Dancers
- Folklórico performances by Grupo Flor de Aztlan, featuring CCUSD students
- A live mural painting by award-winning artist Man One
- Arts and crafts with Salvies Who Lunch
- Music from DJ ROD Live
- Food, vendors and community resource booths
Bring your family and friends and spend the afternoon celebrating Hispanic heritage through music, art, dance and community.
The event is free and open to the public.
| | Thinking About Teaching Next Year? Earn A Master's Degree and Credential in One Year | | |
Start your teaching career in Culver City with the Alder WIDE Teacher Residency!
The Alder WIDE Teacher Residency offers an opportunity to earn a master’s degree and teaching credential in just one year while gaining hands-on experience through a year-long apprenticeship with a mentor teacher.
Residents receive substantial financial support, including a $30,000 living stipend, potential grant and scholarship funding, and access to federal financial aid. Residents accepted into the program in Culver City also receive priority hiring consideration for a full-time position with Culver City Unified School District.
The program is currently accepting applications for several credential areas, including Multiple Subject Dual Immersion/Bilingual, Math, Science, Multiple Subject and Special Education.
Priority application deadline: October 9, 2026
Learn more and start your application at aldergse.edu/apply.
For more information, contact Dala Alvarez at Dalvarez@aldergse.edu.
| | Get Ready for International Walk to School Day on October 7 | Please Be Aware: Elenda Street Will Be Closed for This Event | | Join CCUSD's Special Education District Advisory Committee (SEDAC) | | |
Culver City Unified School District is currently seeking new members for the district's Special Education District Advisory Committee (SEDAC).
The committee provides a forum for parents of students with disabilities, district representatives, and community members to work collaboratively in addressing district-wide issues and concerns. Additionally, the SEDAC sponsors educational events and workshops for parents and community members on Special Education-related topics. The committee regularly discusses plans for inclusion, increased diversification of instruction and hiring, ideas for professional development, how best to support the students and the district, and much, much, more.
The SEDAC has diverse community membership that consists of parents of students with disabilities and district representatives, with equitable representation from all school sites.
If you would like to be considered for a position on this important CCUSD committee, please complete the application available HERE and submit it to Director of Special Education, Dr. Randhir Bains, randhirbains@ccusd.org.
| | STEM-tember Means Hands-On Learning Across CCUSD | | |
September is STEM-tember, and CCEF is celebrating the hands-on STEM experiences helping CCUSD students explore, build, experiment and solve problems at every school level.
Community support helps make possible programs including Elementary Art & Innovation Labs, Growing Great science workshops, Mathletes, fifth-grade overnight science camp transportation, expanding robotics opportunities from elementary through high school, CCHS Science Olympiad, and STEM technology and equipment that support deeper learning in middle and high school.
As CCEF’s 2026-27 Annual Campaign continues, every gift helps us sustain these opportunities and bring even more meaningful STEM experiences to students across the district.
Support STEM learning through CCEF’s Annual Campaign!
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