Q: What's the latest on sports?
While the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) canceled the fall sports playoffs and championships for football, girls’ volleyball, water polo and cross country for the CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS), it did not cancel the entire season for the above-mentioned fall sports. However, this past week, the county highly recommended that inter-team cross country and all competitions be placed on hold until county health officials provide more guidance. County health officials are creating a plan to guide a safe return to competition. Conditioning continues following strict safety guidelines. Stay tuned for more details.
Q: Do I need to complete the summer school survey?
Only if you plan to attend. But we hope every student who has fallen behind or who wants to get ahead will attend. Completing the survey is for our planning purposes. It does not obligate students to attend. Signing up for summer school will come later in the spring. We are planning a comprehensive program this summer focused on learning loss, intervention, and engagement for all students at all grade levels. Elementary and middle school families received the survey this past Monday from their principals. High school students are in the process of meeting with their counselors to choose courses for next year and receive applications for the summer credit recovery program. Our high schools are also designing a summer intervention program to address learning loss. Look for an interest survey soon.
Q: How can I support my children's learning?
First and foremost, continue to work closely with us and cultivate the parent/home connection. Help us help your children. Take advantage of our teacher's office hours. It's a great way to get one-on-one or small group help. Equally important is to work with teachers, learning specialists, counselors, support providers, and principals to support social-emotional learning and teach your children how to manage their emotions, set goals and make decisions, and build resiliency. Also, we offer free tutoring through our extended learning program after school hours. Call (951) 358-1682 or email Extended Learning here for details.
Q: When is the next Parent Workshop?
This week's presentation focuses on supporting learning in English Language and Mathematics for middle and high school students. Join our extraordinary secondary school teachers, Mrs. Fish and Mrs. De La O, on February 3, starting at 4 pm. See details and the link below in the News section under Family Engagement. Topics include:
- Using teacher feedback to improve learning
- Responding to progress reports
- Leveraging school resources
- Online tools for success
- Helping struggling students
- Empowering successful students
- Parents as partners in education
Last week's Parent Engagement virtual workshop, Supporting Elementary Students' Learning in English Language and Mathematics, was a huge success. If you missed it you can watch the recording on our YouTube channel here.
Q: Can my child repeat a grade next school year?
I am receiving a lot of questions about repeating a grade level, known as grade retention, due to learning loss during the pandemic. Or, in the case of kindergarten, which is not mandatory, not attending at all this school year. There is currently an assembly bill (AB104) in California that if passed would give any parent or guardian the authority to request that their child be held back this coming year. From an educator's perspective, repeating a grade level is a last resort because studies of students retained have consistently shown that long-term issues with self-esteem and emotional or social difficulties outweigh the perceived academic benefit. Instead, alternatives including intensive interventions, multi-age grouping, and additional individual and small group learning time incorporated into a learning plan are recommended. As we continue to plan for the 2021-22 school year we are taking learning loss into consideration as we prepare next year's program. Contact your school's principal or call 951-509-5036 or email the Elementary School division if you're considering retention for your child. Every child's situation is different and many academic and social factors, including age, should be considered before making a decision.
Q: When does TK/Kindergarten on-line registration begin?
Registration is now open. Enrollment Information can be found here. Kindergarten enrollment is down between 15-20% in most districts this year, including Alvord. Many families chose to delay kindergarten due to remote learning. Some children will be behind next school year, but children who missed kindergarten might be even further behind. Contact your school's principal or call 951-509-5036 or email the Elementary School division for more information and to discuss the best option for your child.
Q: How can I provide input for the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)?
We have launched a Thought Exchange to collect your thoughts to inform the plan, which is updated annually. Find the Thought Exchange link here. Choose your preferred language. It's anonymous and does not require a log in. Thank you in advance for providing us your thoughts.
Q: Can I still nominate a student for Riverside’s annual 25 Most Remarkable Teens awards?Yes! Tonight is the deadline.To be nominated, a teen should excel in one or a combination of these areas: academics, visual & performing arts, athletics, community involvement, leadership, courage to overcome, or any other remarkable trait(s) that deserve recognition. Nominees must be in grades 8 to 12 and live in the city of Riverside. Learn more about it and nominate your teen here.
Q: How do I learn more about Alvord students taking virtual college classes from RCC or NCC?
Contact your counselor or visit our College & Career web site here for exciting information on a new partnership with Riverside City College and Norco College. AUSD is now offering a variety of college courses starting this Spring at no cost to students through a unique College & Career Pathway program. See more information in the News section below under College & Career.
Q: Is there support for taking college classes as a high school student?
Yes. The Riverside Community College District offers a Quest for Success program. Learn about it this Thursday, February 4th, from 3:30-4:30 pm, during a workshop on how to succeed in college classes. Topics include program expectations, free academic support, and RCC' s online learning system. Find the Zoom Link here. RCC also offers free webinars on how to succeed in online courses. Complete the RCC Quest for Success modules here.
This coming Thursday, February 4, at our Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson will be introduced to our school community shortly after our open session begins at 6:00 pm. The Mayor presented her first State of the City address last Thursday evening. She served on the Riverside Unified School District Board of Education prior to becoming Mayor. Please join us and meet Mayor Lock Dawson.
On behalf of the Board of Education, I cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to reach out to us if you are experiencing food or home insecurity, physical or mental health challenges, learning challenges, or any other adverse conditions. Contact your school's principal or counselor or email our Student Services department here or call (951) 509-5139, Monday - Friday, from 7:30am - 4:30pm. We are here to serve you.
Let's stay strong. Together we can fight this pandemic and get our kids back in school.
Stay healthy. Stay positive.
In partnership,
Allan Mucerino
