
Dear AUSD Families,
We have scheduled a COVID vaccine/booster clinic for Wednesday, January 19. The clinic will take place at JMMS in the staff parking lot from 7:30 am - 10:30 am. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will both be available for all eligible for the vaccine (students and adults). Spots are limited. Here is the link to register: https://kordinator.mhealthcoach.net/vcl/1637119729918
In an effort to make COVID testing easily accessible to our families and community we will continue to make COVID testing available three times a week at our school sites (Monday at JMMS and Wednesday and Friday at SHES). This Monday, January 17 testing will take place in the JMMS gym.
We are posting to hire additional custodians to support each of our schools. If you know of anyone interested in this or the many other positions we have available please have them look online or call the District office at 619-445-3236.
Keep the faith! We will get through this together!
Dr. Rich Newman
Alpine Union School District
Proudest Superintendent and Principal on Earth

We will be offering three different COVID testing sites this week. The Monday testing site at Joan MacQueen Middle will offer the saliva COVID test and Wednesday and Friday at Shadow Hills Elementary will offer the nasal swab COVID test. All sites are open to the general public.


Dear AUSD Families,
I am pleased to share that while we have certainly experienced our share of challenges since returning from winter break on January 3rd, we continue to persevere and remain focused on student learning and ensuring our campuses are safe places to work and learn. Before providing some important updates, I would like to recognize the amazing efforts of our school staff and community. Time and time again, our AUSD staff have stepped up in the most difficult and challenging of times! I am deeply proud and honored to work alongside such an amazing group of individuals. Throughout December, the generosity of our community was also on full display. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the food drives and events that benefited those in need!
STAFFING
COVID continues to impact us with staff needing to isolate or quarantine due to COVID. All available staff are being shifted to cover openings where necessary and possible. We ask for your patience and grace as we continue to adapt to the impact of COVID.
ENHANCED CLEANING
We have enhanced our cleaning protocols and have doubled the number of times our campuses are electrostatically cleaned. We have also posted to hire an additional custodian to support our campuses. If you know of anyone interested in this or the many other positions we have available please have them look online or call the District office at 619-445-3236.
MASKS
We are providing approximately 6,000 disposable masks a month to students across the district. We ask that you please send your child to school with their own mask.
IN-DISTRICT COVID TESTING
COVID testing will continue to be available to all students, staff, families, and community members at our school sites. Testing will take place in the Joan MacQueen Middle school staff parking lot on Monday from 7:30-1:00 and in the bus loop from 7:30-12:30 on Wednesday and Friday at Shadow Hills Elementary school. We will work to expand hours if we need to accommodate more individuals.
VACCINATION CLINIC
We will be holding a COVID vaccination and booster clinic in the JMMS staff parking lot on January 19, 2022, from 7:30 - 10:30. More information will be forthcoming.
MODIFIED QUARANTINE
While the guidance from the California Department of Public Health and San Diego County change frequently, all students who are close contacts and do not have symptoms can remain in school with a negative test result taken within 24 hours of notification and on Day 5, 6, or 7.
Keeping our schools safe and open for in-person learning is a community effort and will require action and commitment from each and every one of us. Thank you for doing your part and for your continued support and cooperation.
In partnership,
Dr. Rich Newman
Alpine Union
Proudest Superintendent and Principal on Earth

Dear AUSD Families,
Happy New Year! As we begin 2022, I wanted to share a few important updates. Through Friday, we will provide a third and final opportunity for any parent who did not pick up a free At-Home COVID for their child test to pick one up in the front office of their child’s school. Please note that the tests are only for AUSD students and we do not have extras to give to those who already received one.
We have also increased the number of COVID testing days at our school sites. For the next two weeks, we will be offering three testing opportunities. COVID testing will take place on Monday at Joan MacQueen Middle in the staff parking lot from 7:30-1:00 and on Wednesday and Friday in the bus lane at Shadow Hills Elementary from 7:30 -12:30. As a reminder, testing is open to anyone in the community. A COVID vaccine and booster clinic has also been scheduled for Wednesday, January 19 at JMMS. More details will be forthcoming shortly.
As always, we appreciate your support!
Stay healthy,
Dr. Rich Newman
Alpine Union
Proudest Superintendent and Principal on Earth

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COVID tests and testing


We have been in close contact with the Alpine Sheriff’s Department regarding the latest school threat Tik Tok Challenge. While there has been no threat made to any of our schools, there will be increased patrols in our community and around our school campuses. We take any potential threat seriously and appreciate our local law enforcement for their commitment to the safety of our students, staff and community.

Dear AUSD Families,
We would like to clarify the information you received yesterday regarding the free and voluntary iHealth At-Home COVID-19 test. In the Alpine Union School District, these tests are NOT a requirement and are NOT mandatory. They are available for families in the school office that would like to pick up the test. They are optional and are offered as a courtesy to families who would like the option to test their child at home prior to returning to school in the new year. As always, we appreciate your continued support.

Free At Home COVID Tests


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A message from AUSD!


Thank you Veterans!


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REMINDER
COVID testing will be held in the JMMS staff parking lot, Wednesday, October 20th between 7:30 am and 12:30 pm. Testing is open to members of the public. Please pre-register at https://www.covxlabs.com/prereg-form


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Dear AUSD Families.
One of the key things the pandemic has shown us is the importance of our relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and our school community. We have been reminded of the importance of our schools as both places of learning and also support for our students, families, and our Alpine community. I am truly proud of how our school community and Alpine have responded to the pandemic.
At each crossroad, we have tried to place the priorities of our community first and foremost. We have consistently pushed to allow for more local control and fewer mandates from the state. At each opportunity, we have sought and successfully received waivers to open our schools, permission from the state to form learning pods, and served as a model for San Diego county.
The pandemic has made the work of running schools much more complicated. In many ways, we must now function as a health department —something schools have never been asked to do before — while also continuing our efforts to connect students with the resources they need for learning and growth. Health protocols change often, sometimes daily, making our work in a state of constant change.
We understand that families and students have strong emotions and questions about COVID-19 safety measures, including masks, vaccines, and testing requirements. We have continually voiced our desire to not have a one size fits all strategy from the state. We believe this type of strategy does not work for teaching and learning and it doesn’t work for determining how a school community should be able to respond to the pandemic. As you know, we were the only school district in San Diego county to open this school year providing parents the choice of whether their child should wear a mask to school. In addition, not only have we been open for in-person learning longer than any school district in San Diego, but we have also set the bar with being one of the first in the state to upgrade our HVAC systems, and were the first in the state and country to vaccinate our staff. In November we will also be the first school district to roll out Pfizer booster vaccines to all staff.
Recently, posts on some social media outlets are suggesting keeping children home from school to protest a COVID-19 vaccine requirement announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom. While there are many differences in points of view on the vaccine issue, keeping students home would only result in lost learning time for our students. Our students had much-unfinished learning last year due to the pandemic. I urge those who feel strongly about the vaccine mandate to voice their concerns to the Governor and local officials and not place our staff in the middle of political decisions they have no input on.
While we are being told that our school funding will not be impacted by absences, our children will be. Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Our district has no control over the proposed mandate, which would treat the COVID-19 vaccine similarly to the 10 vaccines on the list already required by California law for students attending K-12 schools. The mandate would not apply until COVID-19 vaccines are given full authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.
Exemptions for both medical reasons and personal belief would be available unless the state legislature votes otherwise. From providing regular meals, safe spaces, emotional and mental health supports, trusted adults, and positive interaction with their peers, the importance of ensuring routines and consistency with school time can't be overstated. People may disagree about the methods schools are required to follow, but I hope we can all agree that keeping our schools safe and open is what's best for our students. Together, let's make sure your child has what they need to thrive and be successful in school this year.
I will continue to advocate that our excellent track record of safety and our proactive work is a factor that should provide us more control over decisions. As always, I appreciate your continued support.
Keep the faith!
Sincerely
Dr. Rich Newman
Proudest Superintendent and Principal on Earth


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MVLA Families - In case you missed it last night, here is a link to a recording of the i-Ready Parent Night:
https://cainc.zoom.us/rec/share/v6m1NfFPfxZrRAcCdQBYeg0rRStDHw592naNPNxaiT6TQDXKTkLx8KMvGznq8uSP.aPiGLk5eWQNnZubA
Here is also a link to some great resources for you and your student:
https://i-readycentral.com/familycenter/

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