August 2020

Welcome to the 2020-21 school year!

The start of a new school year is always exciting, and that is especially true this year. We are starting with distance learning, and so for now we will not see our students walking to school, getting dropped off, or exiting from a school bus. Instead, our students are connecting with our teachers and by our support staff. At all of our schools, grade levels, and programs, classes are organized, students are engaged, and the school year is underway.

The 2020-21 school year begins under extraordinary circumstances. At DUSD, the essential work of public education continues, and we embrace the challenges. Even as we begin the school year with distance learning, and our students are not yet with us on campus, I want each one of our students to feel special. I want every student to feel special as a direct result of how we engage with them on a day-to-day basis. I want every staff member to be highly proactive in identifying and meeting the needs of our students. Our deepest calling as educators is to help every student that we come into contact with each day to understand the enormous value and potential within them.

I strongly encourage students and families to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or requests. We have established hotlines for this purpose:

As we engage in distance learning, there will be many questions, concerns, and requests. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us! DUSD will be highly responsive, and we will do everything in our power to meet educational needs, the social-emotional needs, and the physical and mental health needs of our students.

Thank you, parents, guardians, and caregivers, for what you do for our students. It is a privilege to serve you and partner with you. You can count on us! Together, we will see this through!

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe, and productive year.

Rosalina Rivera