The Willard Weekly
October 11, 2026
WEEKLY MESSAGE
Hello Willard Families,
I hope you are all enjoying these cooler temperatures and rain. It certainly helps me get into the Autumn spirit! We'd like to thank all of our students and families who joined us for our International Fashion Parade. It was wonderful to see so many students and parents representing their heritage with pride. In true IB spirit, this not only helps our students strengthen their appreciation of their own heritage, but also helps us recognize and appreciate others. Great job, Wildcats!
We have a busy week ahead, so please be sure to keep an eye on the calendar and announcement section of the Weekly. We will have all our parent meetings this week, including Parent/Teacher Conference Day. As such, there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday. If you haven't already, please be sure to contact your child's teacher for an appointment.
We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!
Indigenous Peoples Day
Monday is Indigenous Peoples Day. We'd like to recognize this day by sharing a Land Acknowledgement developed by PUSD students (PUSD Think Tank.)
“We recognize that we are guests in the homeland territory of the Hahamongna. We extend our respect and gratitude to the many indigenous people who call these lands home.”
Thank you to all our students and families who participated in our International Fashion Parade. It was so wonderful to see all the beautiful tradition dress representing Willard's rich heritage. This was a wonderful way to end our IB Who We Are Unit.
Meet Our Peer Mediators
Our Peer Mediators completed training and will be using their training to be help their peers. Great job, Wildcats. We are proud of our young leaders.
Parade of Roses Winner for Willard
Congratulations to Marina from Mrs. Gray's class for winning the Parade of Roses vase competition. She will be recognized by the Tournament of Roses later this year.
We are so proud of your creativity and hard work!
Annual Fund Fundraiser - Great job, Wildcats!
We'd like to thank and congratulate all of our students and families for their efforts during our Wrapping Paper Fundraiser.
Please join me in congratulating our top sellers:
1. Greyson W.
2. Beatrice B.
3. Penrose L.
4. Gianna V.
5. Sage R.
We'd also like to recognize our classes with top sales:
1. Virji
2. Yee
3. Rosales
As a school, we raised over $4,400! Congratulations, Wildcats!
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS/EVENTS
Yearbooks on Sale Now!
It's time to order your student a yearbook!
The cost will be $35, but if you order before 12/31, you get the Early Bird price of $30.
Please see flyer below for details!
CODE FOR ORDERING: 0004213YB
5th Grade Yearbook Ads
It's time to start planning your ad for your 5th grade student. If you would like to purchase an ad in the yearbook for your promoting 5th grader, please see flyer for details. Thank you!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Fall Movie Night and Trunk or Treat - 10/30
We’re excited to announce that the PTA will be hosting our Fall Movie Night & Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 30th!
Our students voted and selected The Nightmare Before Christmas as this year's feature film.
We’re also planning lots of fun activities for the evening and there are plenty of opportunities for families to get involved. Volunteers are needed to make this a fun and memorable night for our school community.
If you would like to lend a hand, please sign up here:
October 12th: School Tour @ 8:15am
On Monday, October 12th, we will host our monthly school tour beginning at 8:15am. Please help us spread the word to friends and neighbors interested in learning more about Willard. Thank you!
October 13th: 4th Grade Field Trip to Lower Arroyo
On Tuesday, our 4th grade students will attend a field trip to the Lower Arroyo as a part of the Children Investigate the Environment Art Unit. Please contact your child's teacher for details.
October 14th: Picture Make Up Day
On Wednesday, October 14th, we will have our Picture Make Up day for students who were absent or need a retake for a specific reason. Please remember that this picture must be in school uniform.
Thank you!
October 14th: Young & Healthy Mobile Dental Clinic
October 14th: Junta de ELAC
El miércoles a las 8:15a.m. tendremos nuestra reunión mensual del ELAC. Esta reunión se lleva a cabo en español. Por favor, consulte el volante a continuación para obtener más detalles. Esperamos verlos allí.
October 14th: School Site Council Meeting
On Wednesday, at 3:00pm, we will have our monthly School Site Council Meeting in room 108.
This is our AGENDA for this month's meeting.
Also, please feel free to look over PUSD's SSC Handbook linked below.
October 14th: Community Night (PTA & Annual Fund)
On Wednesday, we will have our monthly Community Night meeting. This is our monthly joint Annual Fund and PTA meeting.
Dinner begins at 5:15pm. And, child care and our meeting will begin at 5:30pm.
You are welcome to bring something to share, but it is not required. Everyone is welcome!
October 15th: Great CA Shakeout
On Thursday, at 10:15am, Willard will participate in the Great CA Shakeout. Our school will be closed and staff unavailable until our drill concludes. Thank you for your understanding.
October 16th: NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences (K-5th)
On Friday, we will have Parent Teacher Conferences for students in grades K-5th. (TK teachers will have Professional Development.) Please contact your child's teacher if you haven't already signed up for a conference. Thank you!
October 17th: Amigos de los Rios Care Day
On Sunday, October 17th, our partner, Amigos de los Rios, will host a volunteer opportunity at Willard. Amigos has been helped transform our front lawn space, our field area, our kinder area, and more recently our playground. They work to support water conversation and the greening of schools. All are welcome to join them. Please see the flyer below for details.
REMINDERS
October 28th: PUSD LCAP Parent Meeting
PUSD is seeking parent input on the next LCAP for 2027 to 2030. Your input could help shape how state LCAP funds are allocated to support student learning. Please see the flyer below if you are interested in participating.
Income Survey due October 31st
Please help us by completing PUSD's confidential Household Income Survey. This quick form helps secure extra funding for our schools, supports before and after-school programs, and more. It may also help students qualify for benefits such as college application fee waivers, reduced AP and SAT/ACT exam fees, transportation assistance, and expanded program opportunities.
The survey can be completed through the Aeries Parent Portal, online, or by printable form at pusd.us/IncomeForm. Only one form is required per family. The deadline is October 31, 2026.
Options for completing the form:
i-Ready For Families Report
We are excited to share that you can now access the For Families report with your student’s results on their i-Ready Inform™* for Reading and/or for Mathematics assessment through their i-Ready student dashboard. The i-Ready Inform Reading assessment is given to students in grades 3-12, the Mathematics assessment is given to students in grades K-12.
How can I access my student’s results?
Log in to your student’s i-Ready account. Use the district or school’s portal credentials and then click the i-Ready icon. Students in Pasadena Unified School District access i-Ready via Clever.
Select the Subject (Reading for grades 3-12, and Math) tab.
Click on the For Families dropdown and select the For Families report.
Select a language for the report.
Enter your district’s report code NPXTLF.
Thank you again for your continued partnership and support of your student’s learning. Please contact your student’s teacher with any questions.
Metro Tap Cards for 26-27
Here is some important information to help get you started:
- Physical TAP cards are the same as last year, so students who already have a card may continue using it.
- Activation codes issued during the 2025-26 school year will remain active until September. Once those codes expire, we begin issuing this year's activation codes to students who need them.
- Please let Ms. Medina know if you need a replacement card or new code @ medina.maria@pusd.us.
- Ms. Medina will be here every Monday & Tuesday to provide in person support or you can email her your question.
Parent Portal
You need to verify your data yearly, but only need to register your account one time, while your child is in a PUSD school. Please see the any staff member in the main office for your Verification Code. Instructions and details can be found HERE and our Community Assistant, Ms. Medina, is available every Monday & Tuesday to help. Thank you!
Arrival Traffic Procedures
Please follow drop off procedures to ensure the safety of our students. Please plan for about 3-5 minutes during drop off.
Please pull forward to the first cone to drop off in front of Willard (heading Southbound).
After you drop your child off please continue south on Madre St. DO NOT park in the drop off lane - No Parking signs are posted.
Both lanes of traffic should “zipper merge” as they approach the crosswalk. (That is one car at a time from each lane.)
Please DO NOT drop off your child in the middle of the street and ask them to run to the sidewalk.
Please do not make a u-turn on Thorndale. There is no drop off staff lot.
If you would like to walk your child onto campus please park in the neighborhood and walk to campus. (Please do not park in the staff parking lot.)
We thank you in advance for helping us keep our students safe.
No Drop Off or Parking in Staff Lot
We would like to remind our families that there is no Drop Off or Parking in the Staff Parking Lot. We have many staff members arriving in the morning looking to get to their classrooms and offices on time. (Families with a handicap placard are exempt.) Please help us be ready for your students by following this policy. Thank you!
Uniform Dress Code Policy
We would like to remind everyone that Willard has a Uniform Dress Code Policy. We have a number of students not adhering to our Uniform Policy. We will begin enforcing Dress Code policy, asking students to change, and calling home.
Why Uniform Dress Code?
Uniforms contribute to a positive school climate. Students are less distracted by what they or their peers are wearing and focus better on school. This reduces potential bullying and peer conflict. It also helps create community and cohesion as a school. (Uniforms, also, make morning dress routines easier as there is no need to decide what to wear.)
School Uniform/ Dress Code
The Willard School community supports the uniform dress code policy, which was adopted in 2003. The dress code requires all students to dress in white or navy tops with navy blue bottoms.
The acceptable “tops” for Willard students are:
T-Shirts Solid - with no logos/imprint (except for Willard Wear)
Polo-type shirts
Full cut standard shirt
Willard IB Wear (including IB green shirts)
All of the above must be white or navy blue
The acceptable “bottoms” for Willard students are:
Pants, shorts, skirts, or jumpers
Blue jeans are not allowed
All of the above must be navy blue
Please note that the following are not permitted as part of our dress code: sandals, short shorts, blouses or shirts exposing midriff, spaghetti straps, and tank tops.
Please support Willard’s dress code policy by requiring your child/children wear the uniform everyday.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
OCTOBER
- 10/12 Indigenous People's Day
- 10/12 School Tour @ 8:15am
- 10/13 Lower Arroyo Field Trip - 4th Grade
- 10/14 Picture Make-Up Day
- 10/14 ELAC Meeting @ 8:15am
- 10/14 School Site Council @ 3:00pm
- 10/14 Community Night @ 5:15pm
- 10/15 Great CA Shakeout @ 10:15am
- 10/16 Parent Conference Day - NO SCHOOL
- 10/18 Amigos Campus Care 8-11am
- 10/19-10/23 Spirit Week
- 10/21 PTA Restaurant Fundraiser (Chipotle & Handles)
- 10/30 Character Parade @ 8:15am
- 10/30 Trunk or Treat & Movie Night
- 10/30 Armory Field Trip - 5th Grade
NOVEMBER
- 11/1 Daylight Savings Time Ends (Fall Back)
Mark Your Calendars for our Restaurant Night Fundaisers!
A great big, thank you to our PTA Fundraising VP, Ariel Loop, for helping us put together this handy restaurant night fundraiser flyer. Post it on your refrigerator and never miss a date! Please see below for all the upcoming events.
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL
Willard Annual Fund
The Willard Annual Fund is a key source of funding for programs at our school. In the past, the WAF has paid for science lab, language classes, and our library coordinator.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our Annual Fund. Any amount helps. Thank you!
Parent Teacher Association - Join Today!
Please select the link to join. Your membership supports all of our students. Thank you!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Willard's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/willard_elementary_pasadena/
You can also follow our PTA Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/willardelementarypta/
Both are a great ways to keep up with school events!
RESOURCES - (Parent Portal, Lunch Menus, Handbook, and More!)
French Toast Uniforms Willard Uniforms
French Toast is partnering with our school for uniform sales. (A portion of sales goes toward supporting our school and students.)