Fall update from school board president Bobbie Samperi

Happy October, Downey Unified families and the entire Downey community!

This school year seems to be flying by and I just want to take a second to thank both our families and the community for the continuous support shown to our students, staff and the district as a whole. The first week of October, we held our State of the Schools breakfast. It was so wonderful to get the community together to showcase our students, schools and the amazing programs within our district. All the proceeds of this breakfast will be going to our TLC Family Resource Center, so for those of you who attended, donated or sponsored, thank you!

Then last Friday was our exciting Downey vs. Warren football game, where our city came out in droves to support our students. There were close to 9,000 people in attendance at the game Friday night and I must say, it was such an amazing experience! Not just for those of us watching, but for all of our students participating as well. A huge congratulations to all of our student athletes, our cheer teams and our bands for their dedication that was evident that evening.

Now on to some items I really felt the need to share as we get ready for the upcoming holiday season. In Downey Unified and within the city itself, there are many partner and/or community organizations that support those in need. These include the TLC Family Resource Center, as mentioned above, that provide various physical and emotional services to our Downey Unified students and families. There is the PTA Helps Room, led by our Downey Council PTA, that provides food staples to residents of Downey and to families whose children attend our schools. PTA Helps clients are assisted every other month and given special baskets of food as well as gifts for children at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Other community groups include the Exchange Club of Downey, the Downey Kiwanis Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Downey, the Assistance League of Downey, Gangs Out Of Downey, the Downey Masonic Lodge and many more! As you can see, there are a lot of resources and support programs for our students, families and the community as a whole; so please contact them should you be in need or if you know someone who is in need.

As October comes to a close and with Halloween upon us, I want to share a quick reminder with families to please trick-or-treat with safety! Always cross the street at the corners or crosswalks, bring a glowstick or flashlight with you to both help your children see and to be seen by drivers and always remember to check your child’s candy after you get back from trick-or-treating to make sure that packages are unopened or tampered with.

In closing, I just want to share an enjoyable memory that came up last month. As many know, Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September, which was a sad event for everyone worldwide. For those who may not have seen, the Downey Conservancy Facebook page shared an image of Queen Elizabeth II visiting Downey in 1983 where she toured the Rockwell plant. Well, upon her visit, she was also driven around the city. This was a very exciting time for all of Downey. My son, who was attending Ward Elementary School, got the opportunity to go outside to the sidewalk (along with all of Ward’s students and staff) to wave at the Queen as she passed by. This was a moment that he and I will never forget, and with the news of her passing, this vivid memory resurfaced, and I was reminded of how thankful we should be that we got that opportunity to see her in person.

So, with that, have a safe and happy Halloween! I look forward to sharing all the happenings across the district in my article next month.

Sincerely,

Bobbie Samperi
President