A Message from County Administrator Dr. Erika Torres

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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 School Reopening Updates 

The safety of our students, staff and community continues to be our top priority. To better understand our plans for safely reopening, please view the March 10, 2021 School Reopening presentation to the Board that provides an overview of the safety plans and instructional delivery options. 

Critical to the reopening of our schools is an accurate accounting of staff and students who will return to in-person instruction so that we can transition to our hybrid program reopening. Families will be offered two instructional delivery options. Option 1 is the Virtual Model where families can opt for their child to remain at home in the current 5-day virtual program, while option 2 is the Hybrid model where families can choose for their child to transition to a hybrid model, which will include both in-person instruction at school 2 days per week and virtual distance learning at home 3 days per week. 

The IUSD School Reopening Model Selection Form is needed to finalize our reopening plans, so please help us by completing it to indicate your preference. Please respond no later than Friday, March 19, 2021.

IUSD will continue to provide a virtual learning model as we make plans to reopen for in-person instruction. We will keep addressing safety measures and other considerations to return students and staff to school campuses as soon as possible.

Spring 2021 Student Testing

This spring, all eligible California students will take the year-end tests based on their current grade level. This may include the:

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics

California Science Test

Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for California or a locally determined alternate assessment as determined by the student’s individualized educational program team

California Alternate Assessments for ELA, mathematics, and science

In the coming weeks, we will provide additional information for families regarding these assessments, as well as ways you can support your child so they are best prepared. Please click here to access the CAASPP Parent Notification Letters, which is specifically designed to support parents and guardians with questions surrounding Spring 2021 assessments.

Celebrating Women’s History Month 

In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to highlight some phenomenal women who have made significant contributions to sports, science, arts and politics. This week we celebrate the brilliant artist, Frida Kahlo.

Born July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico City, Frida Kahlo is considered one of Mexico’s greatest artists. Frida would experience what seemed to be endless hardship throughout her childhood and life. At the age of 6, she contracted polio and was bedridden for nine months. In 1922, while traveling, Frida was in a terrible bus accident that fractured her spine and pelvis and left her in a full body cast for 3 months. During that time Frida started painting and finished her first self portrait the following year, according to FridaKahlo.org. 

In 1930, Frida relocated to several states, including California, New York and Michigan, to showcase her art and it was during these transitions that she began incorporating realistic components into her paintings. In 1939, she was invited to Paris where her paintings were exhibited alongside famous artists, one being Pablo Picasso. During that time, she painted one of her most famous paintings, “The Two Fridas” which illustrates Frida’s two different personalities, with one dressed in traditional Tehuana attire, sitting next to an independent, modern dressed Frida. 

In 1953, Frida returned to Mexico for a solo exhibition and despite her limited mobility and failing health, the determination that carried her throughout her life, motivated her once more to arrive at the opening ceremony. Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy serves as an inspiration for young women, people with disabilities and the Latinx community. Her story is a symbol of resilience against oppression and adversity and her fearless, groundbreaking artistry will be celebrated for generations.

Inglewood Youth Coalition Poster Contest

Inglewood High School participants of the Youth United in Creative Action (YUCA) invite all Inglewood Unified School District students to participate in a poster contest for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW). The purpose of this contest is to share factual information regarding drugs, alcohol and addiction and eliminate myths among teens about drug and alcohol abuse. Posters may include a drug fact, tips for staying healthy and fun activities. In addition, posters can be handmade, digital or created through a digital application. Participants can upload a photo of their poster to Instagram and tag YUCA or email a copy to Community Organizer, Marlon Pascual at mpascual@aadapinc.orghere. To learn more about NDAFW, please click here.

USC Young Researchers Program

Applications for the University of Southern California 2021 Young Researchers Program (YRP) are now open! YRP is a six week summer program designed to increase involvement among students who are traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This unique opportunity creates a network of support for high school seniors transitioning to college and future careers through virtual mentorship, workshops and STEM speakers from NASA, the National Institutes of Health, USC, UCLA, Stanford, UC Irvine, Intel, Google and many more! The application deadline is May 15, 2021 and the program begins June 28, 2021.

2021 Wellness Together Spring Event Series 

The California Department of Education and Wellness Together present the 2021 Wellness Together Spring Event Series and invite families and educators to participate. The series intends to equip educators, parents, and guardians to promote mental wellness for students at home and in the classroom. Presenters will share content to help increase mental health awareness, advocacy, and access to mental health services for our students and each webinar will include a live question and response session.

El Camino College 

Computer Science Week is March 22-26, 2021

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) is the fastest growing sector in the job market with a tremendous demand for Computer Science majors. El Camino College will proudly host an action-packed week of lectures, workshops and seminars that focus on careers, diversity, and the latest trends within the STEM industry. Here are just a few:

“What is the Cloud?”

“Getting into Robotics”

“Women in Computer Science”

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

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