Dear friends and partners,

As we head out for winter break in LAUSD, I want to wish you and your families a joyful holiday and happy, healthy new year! I was thrilled to spend the last week of this semester hosting parent leaders for an appreciation breakfast, welcoming our new Board members, celebrating student artists, recognizing outstanding community partners—and catching as many of our schools’ winter performances as LA traffic would allow.

It has been an exciting semester as we drive progress for all kids across the District. We celebrated our highest ever graduation rate and rising achievement scores for nearly every student subgroup, we passed the largest school facilities bond in US history, expanded access to early education, opened 10 schools as community parks on the weekend, and more. I’m grateful to everyone who makes this progress possible, and our work will continue in the new year to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in our school communities.