Emotions are powerful. Have you ever experienced that deep level of gratitude? Have you truly and fully experienced joy? Have you felt the incredible awareness of being surrounded by believers in what is possible? Have you watched the magic of learning, changing and arriving at a new understanding? Welcome. We need you.
Our students, communities and schools are a reflection of the powerful experiences in the strength, resilience, focus and yes,
ganas
to lift up the best in people and to change the world. We began 2018 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Student Walkouts. We have been inspired in every event, conversation and reflection of the dreams and demands that were born here inside of L.A. Unified. Our students of yesterday, today, and tomorrow are all connected in the quest for equity, justice and opportunity to experience their agency, build self-sufficiency and make a contribution to their environment.
As we close out the year of heartbreak, heartache and heart-filled experiences in living, learning and leading Los Angeles, we ask you to see your reflection in the stories of our schools and communities. Our collective love shines bright as we push forward toward "Graduation 2019," where countless stories of hard work, community and excellence will be told. On behalf of all of us who see the impact of your presence and value your partnership, we thank you. May the Season bring you energy, peace and a desire to fulfill your deepest dreams and demands for yourself and those you love and serve.
In the spirit of hope,
Mónica García
|
|
 |
We are excited to Partner with
Los Angeles Education Partnership
on the US Department of Education Full-Service Community Schools Grant. We have 8 recipients from Board District 2!: Belvedere ES, Belvedere MS, Griffith MS, East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet @ Torres, East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy @ Torres, Engineer Technology Academy @ Torres, Humanitas Academy of Art & Technology @ Torres, and Social Justice Leadership Academy @ Torres.
|
The 21
st
Century Community Learning Centers (21
st
CLCC) and After School Education & Safety Progams (ASES) Grant Funding were approved, which will provide
Beyond the Bell
with additional resources for after school programming at 590 schools! Congratulations!
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to the following Board District 2 schools who were the recipients of the
GEAR UP
grants!: Virgil MS, Adams MS, Castro MS, Clinton MS, Liechty MS, NAVA Learning Center, Belmont HS, Academic Leadership Community @ Contreras, Business and Tourism @ Contreras, Early College Academy, Los Angeles School of Global Studies @ Contreras, Social Justice @ Contreras, Nava College Preparatory Academy, Roybal Learning Center, Santee Education Complex, West Adams Prep HS, Frida Kahlo Continuation HS, Newmark Continuation HS. These grants will bolster L.A. Unified efforts on attendance, proficiency, graduation, parent and community involvement, and school safety.
|
Welcome, Emelin Ortiz Andrade, to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which advises the Board and
Division of Special Education
on the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). Emelin is the Board District 2 Parent and a Special Education advocate!
|
We passed the
“Increasing Opportunities and Supports for Our Homeless Students and Families” resolution
, which we co-sponsored with Board Vice President Melvoin and author, Board Member Gonez. We are thrilled to explore innovative solutions to provide permanent and/or interim housing for homeless students and their families, offer direct services for homeless families, and study whether buildings can be converted or built using dedicated homelessness bond funds!
|
We are excited to introduce a new resolution that would pave the way for more affordable housing for eligible employees. The resolution is up for vote at the December 11
th
Board Meeting!
|
|
|
|
We congratulate
Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America
on the renewal of their charter! AIUPNA is the only indigenous community-based autonomous school in the county of Los Angeles, California and L.A.'s first International Baccalaureate school. We salute you and the pueblo's resilience as we continue this journey of educational justice for all.
|
|
|
|
Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out!
|
I was fortunate enough to be a part of a great project that lifts the voices of educational activists and contributed a chapter to the new book “Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out!” On Thursday, we had an event celebrating the community leaders, organizers and activists who played critical roles in changing the educational reality for the students of Los Angeles.
Check out the book info here.
|
|
Meet our wonderful interns!
|
|
Name
: Carolina Aguayo
School
: Cal State LA, BSW
HS Alma Mater
:
South El Monte High School
If you could pick a superpower?
Mind Reading. The human mind is incredible.
Name one celebrity (past or present) you would like to have dinner with!
John Mayer!
If you were an animal?
I'd be a tiger. Rawr
Favorite holiday movie?
Christmas Getaway
What’s the coolest thing about your internship?
We get a badge! Haha. In all seriousness, the fact that we can connect with parents one on one is one of the best feelings.
Why did you choose to intern at Ms. García’s office?
I chose to intern at President Garcia's office because of the work she does to advocate for LAUSD students.
What is one thing you learned from working in this office?
I learned the importance of a team dynamic.
|
|
Name
: Maria Marroquín
School
: Cal State LA, BSW
HS Alma Mater
: John C. Fremont High School
If you could pick a superpower?
Teleportation
Name one celebrity (past or present) you would like to have dinner with!
Bruno Mars
If you were an animal?
Wolf
Favorite holiday movie?
Home Alone
What’s the coolest thing about your internship?
I work in a micro, mezzo, macro environment.
Why did you choose to intern at Ms. García’s office?
I chose to intern at Ms. García’s office to gain exposure and experience, while exploring my interests.
What is one thing you learned from working in this office?
Change is accomplished by a team of people who work collaboratively towards the same goal.
|
We feel incredibly lucky to have these young women share their talents with us! Their drive, passion and work ethic are inspiring to say the least. Thank you for being a part of our team this year!
|
|
Name
: Karla Vasquez
School
: USC, MSW
HS Alma Mater
: Canoga Park High School (Go Hunters!)
If you could pick a superpower?
If I had a superpower it would be to cure all the children suffering from cancer.
Name one celebrity (past or present) you would like to have dinner with!
I would love to meet and have dinner with Michelle Obama. She is my role model and the work she has done is absolutely amazing!
If you were an animal?
If I were an animal, I would be a dolphin! Swim my way through life and plus I love the ocean!
Favorite holiday movie?
Elf!
What’s the coolest thing about your internship?
The coolest thing about my internship is that I am part of the coolest team ever! The work they do for the community and schools is amazing!
And meeting important people that work magic at LAUSD.
Why did you choose to intern at Ms. García’s office?
Gain macro experience and knowledge from an Elected Official to help me as a future Masters in Social Work (MSW) graduate.
What is one thing you learned from working in this office?
Action plans are a must!
|
|
|
|
Fingerprinting and Background Check Fees Waived for Volunteers
|
We thank Superintendent Beutner for listening to the needs of our families and taking action to waive the fees for fingerprinting and background checks to volunteer in schools. We are looking forward to the increased family engagement through this powerful decision.
|
|
Student and Teacher of the Month!
|
Congratulations to one of our amazing teachers, Mr. Jeremy Zwang-Weissman and star student, Karla Cardenas who were L.A. Unified's Teacher of the Month and Student of the Month! We celebrated at Virgil Middle School in Board District 2 along with our partners CBS/KCAL and the Los Angeles Rams.
Click here to see the news brief!
|
|
|
|
|
Air Filtration Replacement at Eastman Elementary School
|
“The wellness of our students and staff is a priority at L.A. Unified. We are grateful to the U.S. EPA and South Coast Air Quality Management District for their foresight and leadership in bringing these resources to our schools that need them the most. Upgrading the air filtration system at the Eastman Avenue Elementary campus and the nearby schools in East Los Angeles will greatly enhance...
Read on.
|
|
December 17
: Winter Break Begins
December 24
: Christmas Eve
December 25
: Christmas Day
December 31
: New Year’s Eve
|
|
|
|
|
Mónica García on Twitter
Super grateful to experience love in action @fjmissions where a meal is surrounded with care, hope & peace. Thank you all who serve @LASchools
Read more
twitter.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today, we honored one of our greatest leaders,...
Monica Garcia (@monicagarciala) on Instagram: "Today, we honored one of our greatest leaders, @sylviamendez82, who taught us to be courageous in..."
Read more
www.instagram.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
