Monday Message: 11/6/2023

November 6, 2023

Message from the Superintendent: November 6, 2023

Dear PYLUSD Community,

It’s a busy and exciting time of the school year here in PYLUSD.

Veterans Day

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, allied forces and Germany came together to sign the peace treaty known as the Armistice, which formally ended World War I. November 11 was recognized as Armistice Day in the United States until 1954 when it was recognized as Veterans Day.

As the son of a Vietnam Veteran, November 11 has always held a solemn and special place in my family. It’s a time when my father often reaches out to his army friends and remembers his fallen brothers.

Please spend Saturday, November 11 by reaching out to a veteran and thanking them for their service to our nation. Talk to your children about the freedoms we hold as Americans and the significance of our veterans who have fought to uphold these freedoms.

Our schools will recognize Veterans Day through many different activities. Notably, El Dorado High School will host its 11th annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Fallen Heroes Memorial on campus. The Fallen Heroes Memorial was constructed in 2013 as an Eagle Scout project by Andrew Binnings, a 2014 El Dorado graduate. It honors three El Dorado graduates who sacrificed their lives defending the country. Other schools will honor veterans by sharing letters of gratitude, acknowledging their service through morning announcements, participating in school-wide flag salutes, and much more.

Fentanyl Awareness Efforts

Next, I am proud to report that, by the end of this week, all of our students at El Camino Real, El Dorado, Esperanza, Valencia, and Yorba Linda high schools will have participated in our fentanyl awareness assemblies in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Placentia Police Department.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug driving the nationwide overdose epidemic. The goal of these assemblies, in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week, is to equip students with essential knowledge about fentanyl and to raise awareness about the grave risks associated with fentanyl use, which has become a significant public health concern across the nation in recent years. By providing crucial information and resources, the assemblies seek to empower students to make informed decisions, prevent drug use and overdoses, and promote well-being and resilience in the face of this growing threat. So far, students have been engaged at these assemblies, asking our presenters thoughtful questions to become more informed about the topic. Here are some pictures from one of our assemblies.

zoom_out_map

zoom_out_map

zoom_out_map

As part two of this initiative, the Placentia Police Department has graciously volunteered to share a similar version of their presentation tailored for our parents, staff, and community members. They will offer three presentations—two in English and one in Spanish—on the following dates:

Spanish Fentanyl Awareness Presentation for Parents & Community Members*

Monday, November 27, 2023

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Oberle Gymnasium at Melrose Elementary School

974 S. Melrose Ave. Placentia, CA 92870

*This presentation will only be offered in Spanish.

Fentanyl Awareness Presentation for Parents & Community Members**

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: PYLUSD Performing Arts Center at El Dorado High School

1651 Valencia Ave, Placentia, CA 92870

**This presentation will be offered via live stream on the district’s YouTube Channel. Spanish translation will be provided at the event.

Fentanyl Awareness Presentation for Parents & Community Members***

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Auditorium at Valencia High School

500 Bradford Ave, Placentia, CA 92870

***Spanish translation will be provided at the event.

For those unable to attend these events in person, both the English and Spanish presentations will be recorded and the English presentation on November 28 will be live streamed on the district’s YouTube Channel. We hope you will join us to hear from our local city and law enforcement partners to learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and create a safer local community.

Band Pageant

Our 47th annual Band Pageant held on November 1 was a resounding success! Students from all our middle and high schools showcased their musical talents as individual units and together as one group, bringing joy to a large audience. The evening was a celebration of music, talent, and PYLUSD pride, and it was an honor to be a part of it. You may read more about it and see additional pictures on our Good News Report website at https://goodnews.pylusd.org/?p=25384.

A special thanks to our extraordinary band directors for making this event possible—Jocelyn Crecia, Bernardo Yorba Middle School; Mark Gunderson, Kraemer Middle School; Nicholas Nuss, Travis Ranch School; David Saliby, Tuffree Middle School; Jennifer Garcia, Valadez Middle School Academy; Matt LaBelle, Yorba Linda Middle School; Eric Samson, El Dorado High School; Brad Davis, Esperanza High School; Richard King, Valencia High School; Bincins Garcia, Yorba Linda High School; as well as Phil Mortensen, PYLUSD Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator.