News: brad.haugaard@gmail.com   •  Restaurants   •  Library Catalog   •  Library Activities  •  History   •  Facebook / X/Twitter / RSS

Monrovia School Superintendent's February Update

Dear Monrovia Unified School District community,

February's message arrives a little later than usual so we could focus our attention on the more immediate issues involving COVID-19. I am happy that the situation at Clifton Middle School has been resolved. We are not aware of any MUSD related exposure at this time, but will continue to provide regular updates as this does seem to be a fluid situation.

We started February with a celebration of our college and career readiness programs expanding at Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School. On Feb. 4, our Board of Education and Santa Fe unveiled a new Paxton Patterson Lab, which offers students hands-on instruction in audio communications, computer-aided drafting and design, computer graphics and animation, flight technology, health science, robotics, sports medicine, video production, structural engineering, and more. I am excited to hear about all of the wonderful academic experiences our students will have with the addition of this lab at Santa Fe!

Our students at Santa Fe also demonstrated their proficiency with computer coding at an Epic Build Showcase held for community members.

Our Hippie Bots robotics team students from Clifton Middle School were busy finalizing their robot and traveling to Barcelona, Spain to participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge Barcelona Championships. The Hippie Bots were also featured on California School News Radio, where they had the opportunity to discuss what led to their selection in this competition. We are so proud of the Hippie Bots and their accomplishments this season.

Black History Month was celebrated all February, and our students learned about the contributions from Black Americans throughout our history. Monrovia Unified hosted its annual Black History Art Festival on Feb. 20, which was an absolute success, and Wild Rose School of Creative Arts students delivered a captivating performance during their school’s showcase.

Toward the end of the month, the District held two Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) forums and a Transitional Kindergarten/Kindergarten (TK/K) Preview Night event. The LCAP forums were the culminating meetings which gave our community the opportunity to engage in dialogue and give input around the goals of the District, and provide feedback on how to carry the District’s mission and vision forward. Our TK/K Preview Night highlighted the District’s high-quality programs, such as coding, Spanish and Mandarin Dual-Language Immersion, music, art, and outdoor education.

I look forward to interacting with students and families at our upcoming open houses in March! Please join us as we celebrate the wonderful achievements our students have had this school year.

Read more about the great programs and events in Monrovia Unified and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katherine Thorossian,
Superintendent

Nominate An Older Monrovian As 'Older American of the Year'

The City of Monrovia, Community Services Department, is accepting nominations for the Older American of the Year Award.  This award is presented to a Monrovian 60 years of age or older, working or retired, and still actively involved in volunteer service in Monrovia. The purpose of this award is to honor and encourage older individuals to remain active in the community.

Nomination application must be returned by Friday, March 20, 2020 to the Community Services Department, 119 West Palm Avenue, Monrovia, CA  91016 – Attention: Tiffany Peterson. A committee will review the applications and select the award recipient by Wednesday, April 1, 2020.  Individuals submitting nominations will need to provide their name, address and phone number so staff may contact them if further information is necessary.

The City of Monrovia will recognize the Older American Award recipient at the following events:

Senior Recognition Luncheon
Date:                    Thursday, April 23, 2020
Time:                    11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location:              Monrovia Community Center, 119 West Palm Ave.

The 55th  Annual Older Americans Recognition Day Awards Program
Date:                    Thursday, May 21, 2020
Time:                    11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location:              The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Music Center Grand Hall, 135 North Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

For additional information, please feel free to contact me at (626) 256-8233 or via e-mail at tpeterson@ci.monrovia.ca.us

Source: Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Tips for Businesses

The city has coronavirus tips for businesses:
  • Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
  • Emphasize respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees
  • Perform routine environmental cleaning
  • Designate a time to meet with your staff to educate them on COVID-19 and what they may need to do to prepare
  • Use verbal salutations in place of handshakes and hugs
  • Don't share utensils, cups or linens
  • Stay six feet from others at public events
https://is.gd/rS4xJ6

- Brad Haugaard

Wine Walk; Youth Employment; Honoring Dr. Norma Sublett

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports:

~  The 4th Annual Old Town Monrovia Wine Walk will take place April 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. It is designed to support Old Town businesses. Explore Old Town businesses, sample wines and enjoy music. Spend $100 in Old Town in one shopping/dining experience and receive two pre-sale tickets for $35 each, a savings of $10. (Receipts must be presented when purchasing tickets from the Community Center, 3 Beauty Bar, Charlie's House, PrimeLending, Sauté, or Sunday's Old Town Bistro to receive discount.)

~ The city will offer its nine-week Youth Employment Services Internship again this summer. City staff from various departments, and staff of local businesses, will mentor the interns, giving them an inside look at the daily operations of local government and businesses. They will attend weekly professional development workshops and training on the topics of strengthening résumé, financial literacy and much more. The program is open to all high school students in Monrovia. At the end of the program, interns will develop a summer project to improve one area of the operation to which they are assigned. Contact the city for more information.


~ Monrovia ChangeMakers will honor former MUSD Educator and Principal, Dr. Norma Sublett, at its All-Member meeting on March 18, 6 to 8 p.m., at Mountainside Communion Church, at Colorado and Magnolia. If interested RSVP by March 15 to rdidio@charter.net.

- Brad Haugaard

Latest Monrovia Today Is Out

Here's the online version of the latest Monrovia Today magazine (https://is.gd/uDq4al). The paper version should be arriving in your mailbox shortly.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Launches Coronavirus Web Page

Monrovia now has its own Coronavirus web page. Topics:

  • Prevention
  • How We're Responding
  • Resources
  • Frequeently Asked Questions

https://is.gd/dJH5pZ

- Brad Haugaard

Stella - A Bed Dog, Hope You Don't Mind Sharing

Three-year-old Stella can't wait to find her person and bond with them for life. She may not be that dog who's chatting up strangers at a party, but she'd love movie night at home with her one and only. Getting invited into Stella's inner circle is an honor, and once you're there, she'll shower you with affection. Oh, and she's also quite the bed hog, so hopefully you don't mind sharing. When she gives you that sweet Stella look, you'll be willing to sleep on the couch for her (don't worry though, she'll leave you a sliver of space on the bed for cuddling).

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

- Brad Haugaard

Women's Evensong at St. Luke's

St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Monrovia will present its 13th  Annual Women's Evensong Invitational on Sunday, March 15, at 4 p.m. at the church, 122  S. California Ave. at Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia.

The free performance will spotlight the women's voices of the choir along with invited guest singers. St. Luke's Music Director Kent Bennett Jones will lead the ensemble.

An offering will be taken. Guests are invited to a wine and cheese reception in Guild Hall following the performance.

- Brad Haugaard

Car Chase Involves Home Invasion in Monrovia

A car chase from Riverside - that involved a home-invasion and assault in Monrovia - ended Saturday with a man being arrested on the 210 Freeway. https://is.gd/O2hTk4

- Brad Haugaard

TV Program to Feature Murder of Monrovia Mother and Daughter, Kelsey and Cecilia Meza

The TV program, In Pursuit, will feature the murder of Monrovians Kelsey and Cecilia Meza in the episode airing March 11 at 10 p.m. Details: https://is.gd/HGRqEY (Thanks to Carmen Martinez)

- Brad Haugaard

Shorter Hours at Movie Studio Grill

A notice posted at Movie Studio Grill says that due to “a lack of film content from the studios,” on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday the theater doors will open at 2 p.m. and the first showing will be at 3 p.m. New hours begin March 26. Thanks to Kelly Moran. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Free MAP Conference April 4

The Annual Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) Neighborhood Conference, Saturday, April 4, is a free, all-day event that is open to everyone: Free workshops, lunch, information fair, and health screenings. Lots more detail here: https://is.gd/H7s7yi

- Brad Haugaard

New Playground for Mayflower School; Superintendent Honored by Defense Department

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/cJPKB6) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Buying and installing new playground equipment for Mayflower School. Included: an Arch Climber, Rock Climber, Beanstalk Climber, and Ribbon Climber. https://is.gd/lXTunx

~ Contracting with Mission Paving and Sealing to remove and replace 8,996 square feed of asphalt at Santa Fe School for $39,500. https://is.gd/ei2KGC

~  Contracting with McKinley Elevator Corporation for $34,500 to replace a wheelchair lift at Clifton Middle School. https://is.gd/0wBvrs

~ A staff report certifying that the district is "able to meet our financial obligations for the current and subsequent two fiscal years." https://is.gd/1TBeF3

~ Honoring its March Employees of the Month:

  • Renee Dakin, Instructional Aide - Bradoaks ESA
  • Erinn Dickinson, Teacher - Bradoaks ESA
  • Maria De La O, Campus Assistant - Wild Rose SOCA
  • Geovanna Loeza, Teacher - Wild Rose SOCA


Also, the board will congratulate Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian on receiving the Patriot Award from the United States Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

- Brad Haugaard

City Preps for Coronavirus

The City of Monrovia has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but is preparing, with tasks for each city office:

City Manager's Office

The City Manager's Office is responsible for preparing public notices, press releases and communicating on behalf of the City. At this time, the City Manager's Office is preparing to provide daily updates related to COVID-19 so Monrovians know where to get latest information.

In addition, the City Manager is designated as the City's Emergency Services Director. This means that in the event a Disaster Proclamation is necessary, the manager would request the City Council to make such a proclamation if Council is in session, or may issue the proclamation when out of session, provided Council formally adopts within seven (7) days. A Disaster Proclamation recognizes the existence of a local emergency and assists the City to mobilize resources and provide emergency response.

Personnel policies and procedures, as well as general updates to employees, are also provided by the City Manager's Office. Communicating effective training, hygiene and updates are important for our first responders, public works crews and hundreds of city employees to pursue a safe working environment.

Police Department

In the police department, the Dispatch Center is handling all emergency calls as it normally would. However, dispatchers are questioning callers and determining if a call concerns a person who may have signs or symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19. This query process is helpful in determining if other first responders, such as police officer or firefighters/paramedics, should prepare for a response by using personal protective equipment recommended for COVID-19. Staff is also preparing operational activities that could be necessary if a case is confirmed in Monrovia in addition to preventative measures such as supplying vehicles/equipment with personal protective equipment and training.

Fire Department

The Fire Chief is designated as the Deputy Emergency Services Director and is largely responsible for field operations during emergency events. The department has equipped vehicles with necessary supplies and is providing coordination, training and distribution of information about the event. They coordinate with healthcare providers in the area to ensure that if someone is exposed to COVID-19, that proper communication happens between the City and agencies that need to be involved, including healthcare providers, the CDC and other regional authorities.

Public Works Department

Currently, Public Works staff is ensuring all public facilities are functioning as they normally would during regular business hours. They are working hard to ensure sufficient hand soap and paper towels are available in all locations and that trash services are being collected.

According to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the risk for contracting COVID-19 still remains low in LA County; however, all are encouraged to practice social distancing strategies that limits exposure to others who may be ill. Implementing social distancing strategies is as simple as having verbal salutations in place of handshakes and hugs, not sharing utensils, cups and linens and staying six feet apart from others at public events.

To further prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, it is recommended that all "high-touch" surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, trash cans, phones, remote controls, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables are frequently cleaned and disinfected. When cleaning, use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered product that cleans (removes germs) and disinfects (kills germs). As always, please follow the instructions on the labels of cleaning products and disinfectants.

The City is operating in a "business as usual" context although we have made small enhancements/changes to some of our operations to address COVID-19. The City will continue to remain vigilant and committed to providing updates, information and advisories from our local, state and federal public health agencies as they become available. These updates can be seen on our website, and social media platforms: Facebook and Twitter. The next regularly scheduled update will be on Monday, March 9.

To stay up-to-date with accurate information on COVID-19, those in LA County can call 211, or view the following websites:

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Global Cases Dashboard
COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment
Source: https://is.gd/9138aW

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Ikonicks

Lunch at the new Ikonicks Burgers, on the east side of Myrtle near Lime. Got “The Alpha,” a two slider meal for $9. I got the Greek lamb and the Dry-Aged Beef. Also a beer for $6. Very tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Cop Punched; Paintball Shooter Shatters Car Windows; Suspect Challenges Officer to Fight; Boyfriend Busted for Beating Girlfriend; Gang Graffiti at Station Square; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 27 - March 4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 419 service events, resulting in 106 investigations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 8:52 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of Valle Vista called to report a female acquaintance was trying to steal a car parked in his driveway. Officers arrived and contacted the female. A computer check indicated she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Grand Theft Auto
February 27 at 12:32 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of El Nido called to report his blue Honda Insight was stolen sometime during the early morning hours. A spare key was left inside the vehicle. Investigation continuing.

Battery on a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 2:09 p.m., a caller reported a suspicious male subject wielding an object, possibly a wrench, at a business in the 100 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and located the subject. The subject consented to a pat-down search, and while the officers were searching the subject, he suddenly turned and punched one of the officers in the face. The officers restrained the subject and took him into custody.

Embezzlement – Suspect Cited
February 27 at 2:56 p.m., a manager from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called to report that an employee embezzled money from the business. An officer responded and questioned the suspected employee. The employee admitted to stealing cash deposits for two days. The suspect was arrested and issued a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 7:18 p.m., an intoxicated subject was reported in the 400 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and located a subject matching the description. The officers spoke with the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Vandalism
February 27 at 10:05 p.m., a resident in the 1000 block of E. Lemon called to report that someone shot four vehicles with a paintball gun. The reporting party did not know if the suspects were on foot or in a vehicle. Officers arrived and saw four vehicles had paint splatter on them and three windows had been shattered. At 11:05 p.m., Monrovia dispatch received another call of two additional vehicles vandalized with paintballs in the 400 block of E. Foothill, with one window also shattered. The suspect vehicle was reported as a white Honda with its lights off. Officers searched the area, but were unable to locate the vehicle. Investigation continuing.

Warrants / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 11:13 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Magnolia and Walnut when he saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and it was learned that the male driver was on probation for a drug offense and had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. A search incident to arrest revealed heroin hidden beneath a seat, which the driver admitted belonged to him. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
February 28 at 4:06 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Myrtle called to report the catalytic converter was stolen off his vehicle sometime during the night. The victim had left his vehicle parked overnight on the street and did not discover the theft until late afternoon the next day. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
February 28 at 11:05 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business parking lot in the 800 block of W. Huntington. The victim parked his vehicle in the lot and went into a business. When he returned to his vehicle, he found one of the windows had been shattered and items in the vehicle were missing. Investigation continuing.

Warrants / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
February 29 at 7:47 a.m., officers responded to the area of Mayflower and Evergreen regarding a disturbed subject waving a knife around. Officers arrived and located a subject who matched the description that was provided to police dispatch. The subject had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. A search incident to arrest revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
February 29 at 9:17 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of King called to report a vehicle that had been parked in the area for several days. An officer arrived to investigate and recognized the vehicle as one he had taken a grand theft auto report on several days prior. The officer processed the vehicle for evidence and it was returned to the owner.

Assault with a Deadly Weapon / Resisting a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
February 29 at 4:37 p.m., a battery incident that just occurred was reported in front of a business in the 900 block of W. Huntington. There were multiple witnesses and a good suspect description. Officers arrived and located the suspect. He immediately challenged the officer to fight, then threatened suicide by cop, resulting in a multiple officer response. The suspect was eventually restrained by officers and taken into custody. The investigation showed the battery incident rose to the level of an assault with a deadly weapon, and the victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 29 at 6:31 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 300 block of W. Foothill. A driver was arguing with his passenger when he struck a parked vehicle on the north side of the street. Officers responded and during the course of their investigation, they determined the driver showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol. After a DUI investigation was conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 29 at 11:02 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at Mountain and Royal Oaks. A motorist traveling south on Mountain was stopped at a red light waiting to make a right turn onto Royal Oaks. When the light turned green, the motorist turned and was suddenly struck by another vehicle traveling north on Mountain that ran the red light. One of the occupants complained of pain and was treated at the scene by Monrovia Paramedics. The driver at fault was issued a citation for the traffic violation.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
March 1 at 5:48 p.m., a resident in the 1700 block of S. Mayflower called to report a domestic battery that occurred on Friday, February 28. A couple had been drinking and were involved in an argument. The argument escalated and the boyfriend head-butted and punched his girlfriend. He proceeded to kick her and pushed her to the ground. She sustained multiple bruises on her body. An investigation was conducted, and the boyfriend was located and arrested for domestic violence.

Possession of Methamphetamine and Burglary Tools – Suspects Arrested
March 2 at 6:40 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of E. Huntington when he saw a motorist driving a vehicle with no license plates. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver was driving with a suspended license. During a search of the vehicle and occupants, the officer found both the driver and his passenger were in possession of a small quantity of methamphetamine and the type of tools commonly used to commit burglaries. Both suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
March 2 at 9:50 a.m., the manager of a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported the store's delivery truck had been stolen sometime during the night. The vehicle is a white, 2010, Ford Ranger truck. Officers searched the area for the vehicle, but couldn't locate it. The vehicle information was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system and the investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
March 2 at 1:14 p.m., an employee of a clothing store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a female subject left the store with merchandise without paying for it. She entered a waiting vehicle and both subjects drove away. Officers searched the area, but could not locate the vehicle. The license plate was obtained for the vehicle and the investigation is continuing.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon
March 2 at 1:35 p.m., employees of an automobile parts store in the 3300 block of S. Peck reported two male subjects were fighting at the location over a part they both wanted. During the fight, one of the subject brandished a pocket knife and cut the other subject's forearm, then fled the location. Officers and paramedics responded. The victim refused to be transported to a hospital and was treated at the scene by paramedics. The suspect was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
March 2 at 5:02 p.m., the manager of a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported someone forced entry into two of the store's locked storage containers sometime during the weekend and took a significant amount of merchandise. The containers are kept behind the store. This investigation is continuing.

Graffiti Vandalism at Station Square
March 3 at 3:22 p.m., an officer was patrolling Station Square Park in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he discovered the open bathrooms had been vandalized. The vandalism was green, gang related graffiti. This investigation is continuing.

Stolen Motorcycle
March 3 at 4:59 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Foothill discovered someone had stolen his off-road motorcycle from the bed of his truck. Officers responded and entered the vehicle into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
March 4 at 10:50 a.m., a caller reported that a traffic collision just occurred at the intersection of Monterey and Huntington. Two vehicles collided in the intersection and the cause of the collision is under investigation. One party complained of pain and was treated at the scene by Monrovia Paramedics. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 4 at 11:55 a.m., a caller reported a hit and run traffic collision near Alta Vista and Duarte. A motorist struck an occupied parked vehicle, injuring the two occupants. Moments later, the suspect vehicle struck another parked vehicle near Pomona and Magnolia. Officers responded and checked the wellbeing of the injured parties. Additional officers responded and located the suspect vehicle. The driver of the suspect vehicle displayed signs of being under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for felony hit and run and felony driving under the influence, and held for a sobering period.

Tree Tour at Library Park

On Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to noon, Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s Botanical Information Consultant, Frank McDonough will lead "Secrets of the Quercus," a walking tour of Library Park to "uncover all of the hidden secrets of our beloved oak trees." All attendees will have a chance at winning a free copy of The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Meet in front of the Library.

- Brad Haugaard

City Tips on Avoiding Coronavirus

The City of Monrovia is reminding the community to take proper precautions as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Department of Public Health (DPH) declares a local health emergency.

Earlier today, DPH confirmed six additional cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), totaling seven cases in LA County. Although there is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, there are steps that every person can take to prevent illness.

The community is advised to:
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Get immunized against the flu to protect yourself and your family, and reduce the potential strain on the healthcare system, which may be impacted by COVID-19 concerns.
According to DPH, at this time, there is no immediate threat to the general public. Los Angeles County residents, students, workers and visitors are encouraged to engage in their regular activities and practice good public health hygiene, as this is the height of flu season.

The City of Monrovia will continue to monitor COVID-19 and update the community. To stay up-to-date with accurate information on COVID-19, view the following websites:
Source: City of Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Clifton Middle School Gets a Precautionary Cleaning to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus

Clifton Middle School got a deep cleaning last night after a parent came in contact with someone who have the coronavirus, though neither the parent or children showed any signs of having contracted the disease.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools Prepare for Coronavirus

Dear Monrovia Unified Community,

As you may be aware, Los Angeles County declared a state of emergency on March 4 as a proactive step to more effectively prepare to respond to COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

The World Health Organization has informed the public that the illness does not appear to be easily spread by people who are not experiencing symptoms themselves. This is good news, as it means there is greater likelihood of containing the virus.

While the number of cases in the U.S. remains relatively small, experts expect the figure to grow as testing increases and more individuals seek care.

The well-being of our students and staff is our top priority. Monrovia Unified School District will continue to work closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in a coordinated effort to address the many issues that COVID-19 presents.

Currently, the key recommendations from public health agencies to prevent the spread of coronavirus are to thoroughly wash hands regularly and to keep symptomatic individuals home rather than go to work or school. We echo this recommendation and ask that students with any signs of respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms be kept home.

Monrovia Unified is updating protocols and preparing plans for virtual learning in the event of a prolonged emergency of any kind, including COVID-19. We will share with you any developments that affect our students, staff, families, schools, and our District.

Our team continues to discuss how student learning will continue if one or more schools are temporarily closed. We are developing strategies for providing age-appropriate, remote lessons to students, taking accessibility into consideration, as well as tools for staying connected as a community should it become necessary. We will communicate more details about what this will look like if it becomes necessary.

Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the psychological impact of this situation.

The organized worldwide response has been robust and generally encouraging. However, it has also been a challenge for students (and really our entire community) to process. This New York Times article gives some good strategies on how to talk to children about coronavirus.

I have been struck by the patience, support, and resilience I’ve seen in our community as we tackle these challenges. You are our greatest resource. Should our schools need to close or if the situation changes quickly, we will notify you directly through our regular communication tools. If the situation remains stable, we will continue to provide regular updates.

Sincerely,

Dr. Katherine Thorossian
Superintendent