PUSD Education News A Publication of the Paramount Unified School District
15110 California Ave., Paramount, CA 90723 • Tel: 562-602-6000 • Fax: 562-634-6029
July 2014
Transition Students Train and Get Hired! As the school year came to an end, students from the Paramount Adult Transition program (PAT) were still hard at work. Under the WorkAbility program, PAT students are given the opportunity to receive vocational training and job placement assistance. The 36 attending students are placed within one of fifteen worksites. Whether trainees are stocking shelves in a retail setting or performing janitorial duties, they are each receiving marketable skills that will look great on a resume. One of the most exciting parts of the program is the annual WorkAbility Tour. Every year, Adult Transition teachers and staff host a guided tour of
local businesses where parents, school officials, and civic leaders are able to see first-hand how much the trainees are achieving at work. This year at the 6th An-
nual WorkAbility Tour, guests were able to pay a visit to up to four of the worksites; some of which include Marshalls, Chuck E. Cheese, Smart & Final, Wal-
greens, CVS Pharmacy, Casa Gamino, TJ Maxx, and Victor’s Nursery. We appreciate each businesses’ contribution towards the student worker’s success, es-
pecially when that means taking them on as a part of the team. Sergio Lopez, senior at the Adult Transition program, received the good news in late May. Two years of training dedicated to Smart & Final earned him recognition and a position offered to him by Smart & Final’s store manager, Joshua Amezquita. Beginning in mid-June, Sergio will be able to practice all of the skills he earned as a trainee and apply them to his new job. With all the training and guidance, Sergio is ready to start his new life as a member of the workforce. Melissa Ramirez PAT Job Coach
Mokler Parents Make a Difference Emmanuel Andrade becomes 18th
Gates Millennium Scholar from PHS!
On May 29th, over thirty parents attended a thank you volunteer recognition and enjoyed a delicious breakfast with a performance by the Folklorico Dance team in appreciation for their hard work and devotion to supporting all Mokler students. Volunteers were thanked by Mrs. Roberts and Mrs. Katayama with certificates and a small gift of appreciation. A volunteer is defined as, “a person who performs or offers to perform a service without pay.” At Moklerschool, parents not only support the teachers both in and out of the classrooms but with all PTA sponsored events. This year, the PTA raised money to provide all fifth grade students with a yearbook to highlight the end of their elementary days. Unique to Mokler, the parents also
organize and teach a voluntary Folklorico Dance group to students in grades K-5. Parents and students meet twice a week throughout the year to practice and raise funds for the costumes and donate profits to support the school with supplies. The dancers perform in a number of events at Mokler and throughout the city of Paramount in elegant traditional attire and music. On behalf of the teachers and staff, I thank our fabulous, supportive and dedicated parents who work diligently to make school a memorable experience for the Mokler Pilots. If you are interested in volunteering at Mokler, I invite you to call or visit the school office for more information. Linh Roberts, Principal
Summer Food Service Program Children who eat nutritious meals and participate in safe activities during the summer are more creative and productive at school and at home. According to a recently released report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of families struggling to put food on the table has skyrocketed. Paramount U.S.D. and the City of Paramount Parks and Recreation Department are col-
laborating in a joint effort to provide two nutritious meals a day and two hours of recreational opportunities at no cost to the students or their families to combat hunger and the increase in childhood obesity. District and City staff will open all elementary and middle school campuses (except Jackson) through Friday, August 8th. The day will start with breakfast and board games from 9:00-10:00,
Parks and Recreation staff will then take students to play areas where they will have a host of activities to choose from including, sports, arts and crafts and physical fitness from 10:00 to 12:00. Star Program staff and children will then return to the dining area for a sizzling BBQ from 12:00 to 1:00 and will then be released after a nutritious day full of healthy activities that enrich their summer day.
Paramount High School is proud to announce that Emmanuel Andrade has won the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship this year. Emmanuel is the 18th student to have the honor of becoming a Gates Scholar from Paramount High School. He is planning on attending the University of California, Davis in the fall. Emmanuel is one of 1,000 students selected nationally each year for this highly competitive scholarship that requires strong academics along with school and community involvement. The application takes three people to complete; the student, a nominator (counselor), and a recommender (teacher). The Gates Scholarship reduces financial barriers for African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American students with high academic and leadership promise who have significant financial need. The Gates Scholarship also helps increase the representation of these target groups in the disciplines of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health and the sciences, where these groups are severely underrepresented. The Gates Millennium Scholarship renews each year as long as students maintain satisfactory academic progress. Graduate school funding continues for Gates Millennium
Scholars in the areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program was established in 1999 and was initially funded by a 1.6 billion dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date, this program has funded more than 20,000 Gates Millennium Scholars since its inception. Gates Scholars have enrolled in more than 1,500 colleges and universities. The program has obtained a five year graduation rate of 87%. This scholarship opportunity is truly a life-changing event for Emmanuel. Erik Lindshield, Counselor
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATE July 9, 2014 Board of Education meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office, 15110 California Avenue, Paramount, and are open to the public