from the Pasadena Unified School District
Making the choice on where to send a child to school can be a daunting and stressful task for families. To make this decision a little easier, the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) will be hosting the inaugural First Choice Festival January 14, 2014 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the PUSD Education Center, 351 South Hudson Avenue (Corner of Hudson Avenue and Del Mar Boulevard), in Pasadena. The First Choice Festival will be a one stop shop for parents and the community to meet and speak to representatives from every PUSD school. Whether families are considering a PUSD signature program school or simply want to learn more about the campus down the block, this festival is an opportunity to find the best educational fit for each individual family.
“I would like to invite residents of Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre to the festival to learn more about their public schools and the exciting programs that are being offered,” said PUSD Superintendent Jon R. Gundry. “The First Choice Festival will showcase the multitude of educational options in PUSD, including programs that prepare students with global and enduring skills for the 21st century.”
At the festival there will be information and presentations about PUSD signature programs such as Mandarin and Spanish Dual Language Immersion, International Baccalaureate, College & Career Pathways, and the district’s new magnet schools (See below for presentation schedule and topics). There will also be activities for kids, information about preschool and afterschool programs, and free immunizations required for students to attend school (for uninsured or Medi-Cal eligible children). Festival attendees can enter a raffle to win a family membership to Kidspace Museum or a full scholarship to the Pasadena Educational Foundation Summer Enrichment Program.
The timing of the festival coincides with the district’s Open Enrollment process which runs from January 9-February 6. Open Enrollment is an opportunity for district students to apply to a school other than the one they attended in 2013-2014 or for those enrolling in PUSD for the first time and interested in applying to a school other than their neighborhood school. Staff will be available at the festival to help parents complete the online Open Enrollment application. Open Enrollment applications can also be submitted online at openenrollment.info.
Spanish translation will be provided for all presentations. For more information about PUSD schools visit gopusd.com/schoolguide or call 626-396-3606.
