Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) today announced that John Muir High School has won a $12,000 "Play it Smart" grant from the National Football Foundation, in partnership with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. The grant helps fund an academic coach to support athletes at John Muir High School. The grant was secured with the help of the Pasadena Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the educational programs, students and teachers of the PUSD.

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) was named the recipient of one of 121 "Teaching American History" grants awarded by the U. S. Department of Education. PUSD will share the $999,051 grant with partners El Rancho Unified School District, the Huntington-USC Institute of California and the West and the Huntington Library.

A Message from Superintendent Diaz
Dear PUSD Employees:

In keeping with my commitment to maintain communication with employees throughout the reorganization process, I have prepared the following update with the latest information about new hires, transition timelines and recognition activities.

PUSD thanks the Pasadena Community Foundation for its generous $150,000 Youth Initiative Grant to support a teacher training program that is an integral part of the new John Muir Reinvention Plan.

The 55-year-old Pasadena Community Foundation not only honors its non-profit awardees with grants but makes every effort to acknowledge and share information about their work with the community leaders who attend this annual invitational event. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $18 million in grants to the local community. This is why the Mayor of Pasadena refers to the Pasadena Community Foundation as the "philanthropic foundation of our community."

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Edwin Diaz today announced that the District will receive a $1.2 million contribution from the Helen and Will Webster Foundation to improve middle school student performance. The grant, which will be awarded over a two-year period, will be used to hire teachers, support professional development and expand student enrichment and intervention opportunities at middle schools throughout PUSD.

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) announced today that Daniel Webster Elementary has been named a finalist in the 2008 Governor’s Challenge Competition sponsored by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Webster is among 18 Los Angeles area schools under consideration for one of the competition’s three grand prizes – brand new fitness centers valued at $100,000.

Graduating Class of 2008 to be Lauded for Achievements, Personal Success

Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) graduating seniors will be joined by family, friends and teachers at five graduation ceremonies throughout the District next week. The ceremonies celebrate the personal success and academic achievements of PUSD’s graduating class of 2008.

Schools, dates, times and locations are listed below:

• Date: Monday, June 16, 2008
• Time: 6:00 p.m.
• Location: McKinley School Auditorium, 325 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101

• Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008
• Time: 4:00 p.m.
• Location: Lake Avenue Church, 393 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101

• Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008
• Time: 7:00 p.m.
• Location: Sexson Auditorium Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106

• Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008
• Time: 4:00 p.m.
• Location: Rose Bowl

• Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008
• Time: 7:00 p.m.
• Location: Rose Bowl

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Edwin Diaz today announced that he has named directors for three key operational posts, continuing the restructuring of the District’s leadership team. Superintendent Diaz named Dr. Meg Abrahamson Director of Student Support Programs, Robert Jenkins as Director of Maintenance and Operations, and John Zamora Director of Child Welfare, Attendance and Safety. The positions are new, created as part of the plan to restructure PUSD for greater instructional and organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

The Altadena Chapter of the NAACP is preparing for its 2008 Freedom Fund Scholarship and Teachers' Award Luncheon to be held on Sunday, November 16, 2008 at the Castaway Restaurant in Burbank, California. This year's theme is "Saluting the Stars of Education in the Pasadena Unified School District". Having met with such overwhelming success at last year's event where we honored twenty seven of Pasadena's finest and most deserving teachers, we are continuing with this distinction by saluting the teachers who make a difference in the lives of their students and their peers. This nomination process is open to students, parents, colleagues, members of the community, or anyone wishing to recognize an outstanding teacher. The deadline for submission of a teacher candidate is July 14, 2008. Nomination Brochures are also available at naacpaltadena.org or at the NAACP Altadena Branch Office at 730 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena, CA 91001. For more information, please email Tami Tucker-Thomas, Chairperson, at naac...@yahoo.com. (Click the dots to reveal e-mail address)

District Seeks Community Feedback on Proposals to Improve 6-8th Grade Student Achievement

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) will convene three community forums on June 5, 7 and 11 to obtain feedback on proposals to improve middle school student achievement. The forums will bring parents, students, community members and staff together to discuss ways to improve the quality of instruction and enrichment for all PUSD middle school students.