Eye on our Schools: Update from the Downey school board president
This week is the long-awaited Downey vs. Warren Week! This annual weeklong recognition of our crosstown rivalry football game brings our entire Downey community together to support our two comprehensive high schools.
Be sure to show your support this Friday night at 8 p.m. to cheer on both our Vikings and Bears! We are very proud to share that Ballys Sports (previously FOX Sports) has selected this game to be their “Game of the Week” and it will be aired live! If you are unable to be there to hear the roar of the game in person, I urge you to tune in to watch.
Depending on your cable provider, the channel may vary (DirectTV: channel 693, Spectrum: channel 321) so make sure to find the channel early… it’s going to be an amazing game!
As many know, at the beginning of the month, Governor Newsom announced a future mandate that would require all students within the state of California to get the COVID-19 vaccination once it is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With the projection of this approval coming in the next few months, this mandate is projected to be implemented no sooner than July 2022 and potentially take effect in the 2022-23 school year.
If and when this is enacted, it would require the COVID-19 vaccine in the same manner as the current 10 vaccines already required by California law for students attending K-12 schools.
We understand that families may have strong emotions and questions about COVID-19 safety measures, including vaccine and testing requirements. Unlike other districts in our region that have mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for their staff and students, we in Downey Unified have not. That being said, our district has no control over the proposed State mandate put in place to require the COVID-19 vaccine for students attending K-12 schools in person; however, as a district, we will continue to encourage those who are interested and eligible to get vaccinated.
Also, I want to thank The Mary R. Stauffer Foundation for their annual grants that were presented earlier this month that included 14 Principal Grants, 18 Teacher Grants and two Districtwide Grants. The Stauffer Foundation Grants have been presented to teachers and principals within Downey Unified for the last 21 years and this year’s grants totaled $220,450.
Even though Dr. Stauffer is sadly no longer with us, she continues to support our staff and students through her foundation, and for that, we are forever grateful. These grants will provide selected teachers and principals with additional funding for new innovative programs and creative projects, as well as renewals of existing programs. This year’s Districtwide Grants will be used to further expand robotics at the middle and high school levels.
For any families with children ages 3 to 5, our early education program will be hosting virtual open houses in November for anyone who is interested in learning more about our Leap program. Leap provides little ones with a strong foundation to excel in Transitional Kindergarten (TK), Kindergarten and beyond. Leap is the first step into Downey Unified where we strive to provide our students with opportunities and experiences needed to help them succeed. For anyone interested in learning more or even enrolling in the program (spots are still open), visit the Leap website: web.dusd.net/leap.
As we close out the month of October, I want to share some of the family-fun events that are being hosted by our schools’ PTAs as well as through the City of Downey. Our PTAs are hosting Spooky Bingo Nights, Spooktacular Virtual Story Time and even Halloween themed cooking classes! Make sure to check in with your school’s PTA to see what fun-filled events they have planned for the entire family.
The City of Downey is hosting some fun events as well like a Halloween Candy Crawl this Saturday and a Halloween Pumpkin Patch Event this Sunday at the Downey Adult School. The Pumpkin Patch Event is free and will include a costume contest, carnival games and a special showing of the Halloween classic, “Hocus Pocus.”
So, as we get our costumes ready for this weekend and stock our bowls full of candy for trick-or-treaters, I want to wish our entire Downey Unified family a happy Halloween weekend and a fun filled Dia del los Muertos celebration on November 1st and 2nd!
Sincerely,
D. Mark Morris, Board of Education President