AUSD CONNECTION
NEWS FROM ALHAMBRA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Dear AUSD Community,
Happy Halloween! Around this time every year, I like to say that once you’ve wished someone a happy Halloween, you might as well wish them a happy new year too, because the next couple of months always seem to fly by in a blur. This festive season reminds us how important it is to look out for one another and to make sure every family in our community feels supported.
I’m often asked how the current federal shutdown might be impacting our school district. Although I am pleased to share that, so far, AUSD has experienced only limited impact, we know that is not the case for many individuals and families in our community. Work furloughs, layoffs, immigration concerns, and the upcoming suspension of SNAP (CalFresh) benefits is undoubtedly creating added challenges for some.
Please remember that Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) provides free, nutritious meals for ALL students every school day. Every AUSD student has access to free breakfast and lunch on campus, and those enrolled in district-sponsored elementary after-school programs also receive supper each day.
Our goal is to ensure that every student has the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and thrive. If your family needs additional support, please reach out to your site’s School Community Coordinator(s), who can connect you with local organizations and community resources offering further assistance. AUSD has also partnered with a number of community organizations to establish and operate a food pantry in partnership with the Alhambra Teachers Association. If you would like to donate to that effort, please contact Dr. Wendy Molina Solis (solis_lesette@ausd.us). Additionally, the Los Angeles County Office of Education has compiled a list of resources, which you can access HERE.
Thank you for continuing to care for one another and for helping make AUSD such a strong and compassionate community. I wish all our students and families a safe and fun Halloween tonight!
Warmest Regards,
Denise R. Jaramillo, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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 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 Presentation Topics
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/
Upcoming Presentation: Improving Sleep Health for Children and Adolescents
Quality sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being. Join us for a presentation that will provide education and practical tools to improve children's sleep and address sleep problems while covering topics like sleep science, behavior management, sleep hygiene, and routine development.
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Mark Keppel High School (501 E. Hellman Ave. Alhambra, CA 91801)
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.
2025 National School Lunch Week
Congratulations to all of our AUSD National School Lunch Week 2025 winners!
During National School Lunch Week, October 13th - 17th, AUSD students participated in frequent diner card contests. Elementary students had the opportunity to win amazing items in the grand prize drawing and the high school students could win a VIP front-of-the-line pass, just by eating lunch daily and having their diner card stamped each day. Click on the accompanying graphic to view the list of winners.
Thank you to all who participated. What a great way to celebrate National School Lunch Week!
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!
Brightwood cafeteria staff went above and beyond to help the TK students' learn about their school. Cafeteria Manager Lourdes Guillen Corea arranged for the students to explore the kitchen area. The students were so excited to see how all their food is made. She showed them all the appliances and explained how they store and prepare the food. Thank you to "Ms. Lourdes" and food service workers Tarra Alcala and Mary Ly for this fabulous TK experience.
On October 16th, Monterey Highlands' PTA organized an arts and craft activity as a culmination of Hispanic/Latino Heritage celebrations. Volunteers taught students about Hojalata, a Mexican folk-art tradition of creating decorative objects from tin, which are cut, embossed, and painted with vibrant colors. Students used aluminum foil and acrylic markers to create their art pieces. Thank you to their PTA for coordinating this fun and educational craft activity for Husky Nation!
A huge thank you to all the Fremont families, students, and PTA volunteers who came together to paint their new community mural on Saturday, October 18th! Their creativity, teamwork, and pride helped make the campus shine even brighter. With support from the Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement, families also connected art, culture, and nature through garden activities. Fremont appreciates everyone who came out to help make their campus a little more beautiful!
During their Fall Festival, Ramona School celebrated the grand reopening of its newly renovated library. Principal Dr. Debbie Kotani led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by Assistant Superintendent Janet Lees, members of the Alhambra Fire Department and Alhambra Police Department, and Alhambra City Councilmember Noya Yang. It was an exciting new chapter for Ramona readers. A special thank you goes to Library Media Aide Trish Manell for her hard work, creativity, and dedication in creating such a warm and welcoming space for students to learn, explore, and grow.
The Aztec News (MKHS student journalism team) received a $1,464 grant from the California Press Foundation to help enhance their reporting and storytelling efforts. The funds were used to purchase a new Canon camera, a vlogging camera, microphones, a tripod, and a long-distance camera lens. These tools will support the students’ print, photo, and podcast projects throughout the year. The grant check was presented on Tuesday, October 21st to Ms. Janice Luckey and her journalism students. Thank you to Danielle McKinney, Executive Director of the California Press Foundation, for supporting student journalists and helping them continue to tell the stories that matter in their community. (Photo credit: Emily Liu, AUSD Communications Intern)
Congratulations to all the talented student woodworkers from AHS, MKHS, and SGHS schools who took part in this year’s 13th Annual AUSD Woodworking Contest. The 2025 Winners were:
- 1st Place: Patrick Oradan (AHS)
- 2nd Place: Mike Luo (SGHS)
- 3rd Place: Scarlett Tran (SGHS)
- Honorable Mention: Ava Zeller (AHS)
The top scorers will represent their school at SkillsUSA this year. A huge thank you to our panel of woodworking educators and industry-related professionals who served as judges.
Congratulations to Brightwood principal Candace Griego, who is this month's recipient of the Excellence in Leadership award! She was selected for the peer-to-peer recognition by last month's recipient, Mr. Isaac Alvarado, who said: "Candace Griego is a colleague and leader who is always willing to lend a helping hand to all when needed. I truly appreciate the support she’s provided from day one, and her continued desire to work collaboratively with everyone at AUSD." Congratulations, Mrs. Griego!
Key moments in the video below:
30:13 - Keiko's speech
56:38 - Announcement of Rose Queen Serena Guo (from Arcadia High School)
1:04:49 - Coronation of the 107th Rose Queen & Presentation of the 2026 Rose Court
We look forward to seeing Rose Queen Serena Guo, Keiko Rakin, and the rest of the Rose Court during their many community events, culminating in the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2026.
To view behind-the-scenes moments, watch "The Road to Coronation" HERE.
ACT (Alhambra Community Transit) wants to hear from you!
The City of Alhambra is hosting Community In-Person Workshops for the ACT Bus Service change. The city is currently re-evaluating the bus routes to improve service to the community. Join the workshops and learn more and share your input!
In-Person Sessions: November 5th from 4:00pm-5:00pm (Alhambra Library Reese Hall) or November 6th at 5:30pm-6:30pm (Granada Park Gymnasium)
Receive a special gift for attending! For more information visit: www.alhambraca.gov/act or scan the QR Code on the flyer.
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.
REPETTO (October 8-10)
FREMONT (October 15-17)
Pumpkin Run
Thank you to everyone who came out and joined the City of Alhambra for the 2025 Pumpkin Run. It was fun and a family-friendly event, with proceeds benefitting AEF's many programs. (Photo Credit: Amy Alonso, AUSD Communications Intern)
Save the Date!
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
Early bird registrations will be opening soon! Proceeds fund scholarships for AUSD students!
Opportunity Drawing Prize Donations are being accepted NOW:
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.
November 14th & 21st - 7:00pm
November 15th - 6:00pm
November 18th - 4:00pm
November 22nd - 11:00am & 6:00pm
Click HERE or scan the QR Code 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