Dear friends and partners, 

We are one month into the school year in LA Unified, and—even while adjusting to new systems and structures—we have seen firsthand how valuable in-person learning truly is for our families. As I spend time visiting classrooms each week, I am thrilled to see the innovative lessons, engaging activities, and individual connections that help our students learn and grow. 

These moments are made even more meaningful after the traumatic year of unimaginable loss and challenges our kids just experienced—and our goal is to do everything possible to make sure all students remain safe, and can remain in the classroom. More than anything, I look forward to our kids and families being able to return to a sense of normalcy, and have a school day without masks, testing, or daily health screening. Our medical partners and public health experts have made it clear that we can’t get back to “normal” without vaccines. To that end, the District moved forward with a policy initiative to require vaccinations for eligible students without qualified exemptions, beginning in January 2022. I know that every child’s situation is unique and have pushed to ensure that families have access to the resources and information they need in this process.   

We are also engaging our families and school communities in the search for the District’s next Superintendent. We held another virtual conversation last week to hear input on the qualities families and community members are looking for in a candidate, and you can register here to join our next session or share your thoughts in a brief survey. 

Read on for more of the latest LAUSD news, including my resolution to support Afghan refugee families, our latest college readiness initiative, and updates on the District’s redistricting process.  

Onward,