Dear friends and partners,

As we head into a sun-soaked weekend, we are grateful for the efforts and flexibility of our school communities for keeping so many of our students dry and learning during the storm earlier this week. And we hope everyone is safe after today’s earthquake and thank our school communities for following safety protocols. 

February also brings celebrations to our schools, starting with 100th day of school festivities. And while we elevate the contributions of our Black community all year long, we highlight these efforts during Black History Month. This weekend, we know that many of our students will commemorate the Lunar New Year, a lucky year of the Dragon. And, of course, who isn’t looking forward to the candy-induced energy our schools will see next week on Valentine’s Day? 

Amidst the celebration, work continues to achieve academic success. We’ve learned more about the inequitable impact of the pandemic on learning, but also that LAUSD is faring better than many other Districts. We are starting to see mid-year progress that we know will continue throughout this second semester.

In gratitude,