AUSD CONNECTION
NEWS FROM ALHAMBRA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Dear AUSD Community,
This season of gratitude gives me an opportunity to thank our Alhambra Unified family for everything you bring to our schools each day. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect, and we are truly grateful for the support, care, and partnership we see across our district.
The recent heavy rains brought a power outage to the District Office on Monday, which in turn disabled our Internet and phone systems. While we are thankful the power outage did not extend to any school sites, we know the loss of Internet meant teachers had to quickly adjust their lessons, and the lack of phone service created inconveniences for families and staff members. We appreciate everyone who reached out through our website and other channels that serve as our emergency backup system.
Despite the unexpected nature of the day, a few people shared that a break from the Internet was actually refreshing. Some even found it calming to unplug for a bit. We appreciate those who found the positive side of what many understandably considered an inconvenience. Your flexibility, resilience, and creativity made all the difference, and we are grateful for each and every one of you.
As we enter Thanksgiving break, we extend our warmest wishes for a safe and restful holiday with your loved ones. This season offers us all a chance to pause, reflect, and appreciate the connections that strengthen our community.
Our thoughts are especially with the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Alec Sanders of the Alhambra Police Department, who tragically lost his life yesterday morning in the line of duty. We know many in our tight-knit community were affected by this incident. We share in the collective grief felt by so many and offer our deepest condolences.
May the days ahead bring peace, comfort, and time with those who matter most. Thank you for being a valued part of the AUSD family and for your ongoing support of our students and schools.
Warmest Regards,
Denise R. Jaramillo, Ed.D.
Superintendent
P.S. During Thanksgiving break, all offices in the Marengo building of the District Office will be closed November 24-26 due to scheduled fumigation services. A limited number of employees will continue working in the Mission building on those days. We thank you in advance for your patience if you receive a voicemail or experience a delayed response to emails or calls. All AUSD offices will be closed on November 27-28, while our employees enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with their families. We look forward to seeing everyone when we return on Monday, December 1st.
Enrollment is Now Open
Click HERE to register your new and returning students in Alhambra Unified School District for the 2026-2027 school year. We are also accepting applications for our Dual Language Immersion Programs (DLIP) in both Mandarin and Spanish. (See more information about DLIP below.)
Click on the accompanying image for the flyer, with translations in Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Dual Language Immersion Program Information
What is it? Why choose it? What is the Master Plan? How to Enroll?
The answers, resource links, and more information about our Dual Language Immersion Program are in the accompanying at-a-glance flyer
The California State Seal of Biliteracy
Graduating high school students who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English will get the State Seal Biliteracy recognition on their diploma or transcript. Click on the image of the state seal or HERE (or en español) for more information about the requirements and more. You may also reach out to your school administrators for more information.
SMS/Text Messages Alerts
Stay Informed: It's important for schools and the district to easily communicate with famiiles, especially during emergencies. Please make sure you have signed up for SMS/Text message alerts through the Parent Portal. The SMS/Text feature of our mass communication system (Blackboard) has significantly improved our communication capabilities, ensuring timely and efficient updates for our staff and families, but parents need to make sure a cell number has been added in the Emergency Messaging section for the system to alert. Click HERE to view our SMS/Text Frequently Asked Questions.
College & Career Center Family Series Presentations
Join Alhambra Unified School District at their College & Career Center Family Series Presentations. All 9th -12th grade families are invited to attend!
Next Presentation Topic: ELAC Programs & Resources - Learn about the various ELAC (East Los Angeles College) skills certificates, AA, AS, Pathways & Guaranteed transfer pathways to CSU & UC.
When: Wednesday, December 10th at 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Where: Virtual by Zoom (tinyurl.com/ccsf1210)
Click HERE see the complete list of topics and dates, or download the PDF below.
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Fee Schedule Program
AUSD is taking part in a new statewide program to help schools maintain and expand behavioral health services and supports for students. Through this program, public schools can access sustainable funding for the mental health and substance use support we provide to students.
Here is what you need to know:
» It’s free for families. You’ll never get a bill.
» It doesn’t affect your child’s health insurance.
» It helps our schools continue wellness programs for all students.
» Your child’s information is safe and only used for billing.
To help our school district participate, we will request two things from you in the coming days:
1) Updated health insurance information
2) Signed consent form
For more information, please read the attached flyer CYBHI-Fee-Schedule-Program-Parent-and-Caregiver-Flyer.pdf or visit the CYBHI website at https://cybhi.chhs.ca.gov/about/
Information & Resources for LGBTQ+ Students/Families
AUSD is steadfastly committed to creating safe, stable, nurturing, and welcoming environments for all students and staff. The District prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, immigration status, and other protected characteristics as outlined in its policies, ensuring inclusivity and equity across all educational programs and activities. AUSD reflects the diverse population of the world and celebrates this diversity through daily educational experiences and honors contributions from historically marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ communities.
Click HERE to access resources.
The perimeter ornamental fencing is nearly complete.
Fun times will be coming soon on the nearly-completed playground!
Online INTERACTIVE Cafeteria Menus
Food and Nutrition Services' INTERACTIVE ONLINE MENUS are available for all AUSD schools.
Click HERE to access the online menu and check out the many great features, including nutritional information, calorie/carb/fat trackers, allergen alerts, and much more!
Baldwin School recently completed Phase 1 of the Baldwin Wellness Garden makeover, with help from Sprouts volunteers, SGV Catalyst, and members of the Baldwin community. The assembled and filled six new planters, built a shed and workbench, and cleared overgrown bushes to reveal the beautiful garden mural. Students even helped plant greenery in the kindergarten garden for the youngest Cougars to enjoy! The Baldwin community is excited to keep growing as Phase 2 will bring even more creativity and color to this wonderful outdoor learning space!
Ramona School celebrated Halloween with a spooktacular parade that brought out creativity and school spirit from students and staff members. Thank you to Principal Dr. Debbie Kotani for sharing these wonderful photos and to all the staff, students, and families who helped make the parade such a memorable celebration.
SGHS Dream Center brought the community together for a lunchtime Southeast Asian Celebration on October 23rd! Students and staff came together to honor Larry Itliong Day while celebrating 11 Southeast Asian countries: Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, and East Timor. The event highlighted culture, storytelling, and connection. (Photo credit: Kellyn Chea, AUSD Communications Intern)
On October 24th, Fremont School’s Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program hosted an amazing Día de los Muertos celebration for the community. Families came together to enjoy a night filled with dance and musical performances, game booths, delicious food, student artwork, a school ofrenda, a silent auction, and a community fair! Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun and to all the amazing staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make this celebration such a success! (Photo credit: Cheyenne Tougas, AUSD Communications Intern)
AUSD was proud to support the Monterey Park Library Foundation’s beautiful “Let Aloha Blossom” fundraiser in celebration of the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library. More than 400 community members came together for an evening filled with raffles, a photo booth, a silent auction, and even hula lessons. Thank you to AUSD's Student Advisory Council members for volunteering throughout the evening and helping to make the event such a success.
Students at Mark Keppel High School had a great time learning about the Early College Program (ECP) on November 3rd, 10th, and 17th. Their lunchtime tabling gave students the chance to ask questions, grab information, and spin the prize wheel, while exploring how to earn free, transferable college credit while still in high school. (Photo credit: Stanley Kwok, AUSD Communications Intern)
The Monterey Highlands Mock Trial Team finished its second season of competition at both the first and second rounds of the 48th Annual Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition. This year’s team included 24 students in grades 6-8, with the support of seven dedicated parent-volunteer coaches. Recognitions included: Sum Yu Wu & Nicolas Salmeron, MVP recognition; Dephany Chang & Marshall Ta-Beadle, perfect scores; and straight wins from all three scoring panelists for the prosecution side.
Congratulations to Alhambra High School senior Emmett Lee, whose film WON the recent Teens of L.A. Film Festival at the Los Angeles Public Library. Emmett developed the concept for the film and took on the roles of writer, director, and editor for his "11:59pm." AHS alumnus Zihan (Jacky) Xing served as cinematographer and fellow AHS senior Leonardo De Dios starred in the short. Emmett submitted the film under the category of Live Action or Animated Short.
He won FIRST PLACE in his category and was then selected as BEST FILM at the festival, which earned Emmett an $800 scholarship to the Sydney Poitier 2026 Summer Film Camp. Emmett was recently selected as an AUSD Communications Intern, and will be showcasing his videography work throughout the school year. Check out Emmett's film below and subscribe to his YouTube channel (Snowfall Pictures) so you don't miss his future films!
Alhambra Educational Foundation (AEF)
Alhambra Latino Association (ALA)
Asian American Association (AAA)
AEF Gala - Save the Date!
Mark your calendar and plan to join AEF at their 19th Annual Service to Education Awards Dinner & Gala on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
Each year AEF recognizes individuals & community organizations who have contributed many hours of service or donations to the education of students in our AUSD community.
Youth Ambassadors
ALA is happy to announce that our Youth Ambassadors Program continues to grow. They recently selected 16 Youth Ambassadors (juniors and seniors from Alhambra, Mark Keppel, and San Gabriel High Schools).
These young leaders are eager to be more involved in our community, learn about other cultures, and share their culture with others. Click on the accompanying image to view the names of the 2025-2026 ALA Youth Ambassadors, and be on the lookout for them when you see ALA at various events in our community.
Lunar New Year Banquet - Register now for the Early Bird Price!
Celebrate the Year of the Horse at the Asian American Association's annual Lunar New Year Banquet:
📆 Friday, February 27, 2026
📍 NBC Seafood Restaurant (404 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park)
⏰ 6:00pm
Proceeds fund scholarships for AUSD students!
RSVP NOW to get the Early Bird price, priority seating, and to be eligible for the prizes shown below!
RSVP Link: https://tinyurl.com/AAA26RSVP
Opportunity Drawing Prize Donations are being accepted NOW: https://tinyurl.com/AAALNYPrizes2026
SUPER Early Bird Prize: RSVP & payment must be received by December 8, 2025.
Early Bird Prize: RSVP & payment must be received by January 6, 2026.
Game Changer Nominations
Want to reward an extra-special AUSD employee? Nominate a deserving certificated or classified to be a Game Changer HERE.
The next nominating window will close next Friday, December 19, 2025.
Alhambra USD Employment Opportunities
Come be a part of the AUSD Team! Please click HERE for full-and part-time positions. We have competitive salaries and excellent benefits! AUSD posts all job opportunities at EdJoin.org/alhambrausd. Make sure to check back often.
Alhambra High School 2025 Fall Production
Our high schools have one more fall production to present. Please join Alhambra High School Theater Boosters & Thespians for the musical comedy, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.
Remaining Performances:
November 21st (TONIGHT) - 7:00pm
November 22nd - 11:00am & 6:00pm
Click HERE for tickets or for more information.
CONTACT US:
Website: www.ausd.us
Address: 1515 West Mission Road, Alhambra, CA, USA
Email: AlhambraUSD@ausd.us
Phone: (626) 943-3000
Facebook: @AlhambraUSD
Instagram: @AlhambraUSD
Twitter/X: @AlhambraUSD
YouTube: @AlhambraUSD