Dear Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) Staff, Students, Families and Community:
In our continued commitment to serving our community and providing current information, we have some important updates in this week’s message.
IUSD Stellar Student Spotlight
By Maygan Orr
Oswaldo Garcia knows how to represent the city of champions! This goalkeeper for the Inglewood Galacticos soccer team has not only won 3 regional soccer championships, but has also won honor roll awards, perfect attendance awards, and an IUSD award for outstanding achievement! As a 7th grader at Centinela K-8 School, Oswaldo is a straight A student, and a leader amongst his peers. As student body president, he facilitates the planning of school fundraisers and events. Oswaldo has also been active in Boy Scouts since he was in 3rd grade.
He believes being a Boy Scout is important because he is able to give back to communities through activities, such as painting murals at schools, feeding the homeless, and hosting fundraisers like “Pinewood Derby” where the scouts design and make cars out of wood and race them. In Boy Scouts, he also learns about honor and service.
Oswaldo’s favorite subject is Math because he loves a challenge. His dream college is UCLA. He would like to become a veterinarian one day, because he enjoys researching how to help his two pet Chihuahuas when they are hurt or sick. Oswaldo’s hobbies are playing soccer, drawing cartoon characters, and playing classical music on the piano.
Oswaldo has this advice to share with his fellow IUSD students: “Any kid, or adult, can achieve anything in their lives as long as they put in the time, and put their minds to it.”
To nominate a stellar IUSD student to be spotlighted next month email maygan.orr@inglewoodusd.com.
IUSD Welcomes Back its Youngest Students
On Monday, April 26, 2021, IUSD’s youngest students received a warm welcome and red carpet treatment from school staff and district leadership on their first day of in-person instruction for those who selected the hybrid model. At Hudnall Elementary School, school staff, district leadership, IUSD Board Members and city officials, including Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Inglewood Police Department Chief Fronterotta, and Council Member Alex Padilla, came together to greet and applaud students as they walked through the school entrance to attend class for the first time in over 400 days.
The Los Angeles Rams Mascot, Rampage, added to the excitement by welcoming students who were met with balloon displays, a red carpet, and welcome back signs, with hopes to eliminate any first day anxieties. Positive messages, such as “You Matter” and “You are amazing just the way you are”, were displayed to reinforce positive affirmations for students and staff, creating a safe and welcoming school culture. Our district is thrilled to have some of our phenomenal students and staff back on campus and we cannot wait to welcome everyone back for the 2021-2022 school year. To view ABC 7 news coverage of our reopening, please click here.
School Lunch Hero Day
Our District is excited to participate in School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 7, 2021, as we show our appreciation for the important work and dedication school nutrition workers extend to our students every day. The celebration is a chance to acknowledge school nutrition workers’ ability to prepare healthy meals and adhere to nutrition standards, all while doing so with a smile. During the pandemic, they accommodated students by adjusting meal service hours, provided grab-and-go options, and added additional meals so that our students would continue having access to healthy foods. We encourage you to join us by recognizing your favorite School Lunch Heroes the next time you see them. A small gesture of gratitude is a great way to show our School Lunch Heroes how much we appreciate them! To learn more about School Lunch Hero Day, please click here.
Virtual Student Voice Town Hall
On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, some of our outstanding students from La Tijera Academy of Excellence, Morningside High School, City Honors International Preparatory School, and
Inglewood High School, had the opportunity to facilitate and participate in a Virtual Student Voice Town Hall with State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond. Students were instrumental in planning the vision for the town hall, including selecting the subject matter for the evening. Students, District leaders and representatives from the California Department of Education conversed on issues of mental health, social justice, health and safety and more.
Participants who joined also had an opportunity to ask our panel of student leaders questions about how we can collaborate to find healthy solutions to many of the issues our students face. This collaborative effort will be an ongoing conversation that we hope will contribute to the advancement of our District and community. We would like to extend special recognition and thanks to 7th Grade La Tijera Academy student, Will Anthony Holloway, 12th Grade Morningside High School students, Tristan Castillo and Yadira Esparza, 10th Grade City Honors students, Franches Mikaela Faguingas and Nicola Freeman, and 11th Grade Inglewood High School student and co-moderator, Angela Lemus. If you were unable to participate in the student town hall, we invite you to view the recording here.
IUSD & Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) Vaccination Partnership (IUSD Students and Their Family Members Ages 16 and Over)
We established a partnership with authorized vaccine provider, Beach Cities Health District (BCHD), to administer our state allocation of vaccines for our employees in early March. We are so excited to announce that we will be hosting BCHD sponsored clinics for our students and their family members ages 16 years and over to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. BCHD has received an allocation to vaccinate 500 IUSD students and their family members. The two-dose Pfizer vaccines will be administered at Inglewood High School on the following dates:
Thursday, May 6, 2021 (First Dose)
Thursday, May 27, 2021 (Second Dose)
Both doses will be available by appointment only and a signed parent/guardian release form is required for all participants under the age of 18. We will be sharing more details regarding this voluntary program as they become available. In the interim, if you have a child or family member ages 16 years or over interested in participating, please complete our Student/Family Vaccine Interest Form.
“Grab and Go Meals” – Update
Effective Monday, April 26, 2021, IUSD is no longer serving “Grab and Go” meals and moved to a “Grocery Kits” meal distribution program. Our District is providing free “Grocery Kits” every Wednesday as of April 28, 2021 to all children ages 18 and under. “Grocery Kits” include 5 days of breakfast, lunch and snacks, including a gallon of milk and fresh bulk produce. Families can pick up one “Grocery Kit” per child per week at four of our distribution sites: Bennett-Kew, Inglewood HS, La Tijera and Woodworth-Monroe during the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Students participating in the Hybrid Learning Model will receive their meals during their in-person instructional day. For more information, please contact the IUSD Food Services department at (310) 680-4870.
Thank you staff, parents, students, and community members for your ongoing support and commitment to the success of our district.
#WeAreInglewoodUnified
Sincerely,
Erika F. Torres, Ed.D., MSW
County Administrator
