Superintendent's Report on Monrovia Schools in Challenging Times

Dear Monrovia Unified Community,

I want to thank you all for your continued support as we work through these challenging times. I’m continually impressed with the strength of our school community, which has come together to support each other – showing what it means to be a part of the Monrovia Unified family.

The success of our students remains our priority, which is why our educators have been hard at work innovating and reinventing their lessons to better suit the online environment.

In March, in addition to a variety of videos our teachers have created, printed instructional packets were distributed for remote learning and online platforms were created to guide our families through the distance learning process.

Through our Distance Learning Platform, students and parents receive access to resources such as a sample daily schedule to stay on task, tips on how to create a productive learning space, and guides to using programs for online learning.

Monrovia Unified is made up of dedicated and passionate individuals who care about our students, families, and community, and even during these challenging times, continue to ensure they receive the tools they need to succeed.

Our Food Services Department has been busy since we announced the March 16 dismissal, preparing and distributing meals to the children of our community. Monrovia Unified has served more than 26,000 meals to students thanks to the dedication of our heroic staff.

Lastly, I want to celebrate our scholars. They have all experienced a drastic change in their routine and are isolated from their peers and school community. However, I continue to hear about their continued success even while participating in at-home learning.

Please continue practicing social distancing, stay at home as much as possible, and keep up with healthy habits. We are all in this together and it takes all of us to ensure we stay healthy.

We will continue providing updated information on our website and social media platforms. Pre-recorded informational messages are regularly updated at (626) 471-2084. Additionally, KGEM-TV is hosting a series, “Conversations with Ralph Walker,” joined by Board President Rob Hammond and Mayor Tom Adams, who share the most up-to-date information regarding our District and City.

Sincerely,

Dr. Katherine Thorossian
Superintendent

Monrovia Company Fighting Virus By Donating Sneeze Guards

A Monrovia company is manufacturing sneeze guards and has been donating them to local businesses. Here's a video report: https://is.gd/pXYcDe

And here's a web site describing the project: https://www.covid19guard.org/

If you'd like to contribute, the project could use: 3/4" plywood, 1/8" Acrylic/ Lexan or any other clear substrate, industrial velcro, and money.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Infections: 11

Now 11.  https://shrtm.nu/gQpl

- Brad Haugaard 

Online Monrovia Church Services Today

This is a partial list of online church services today in Monrovia. There are some I could not find information about or that I just missed. If you know of others, please let me know (Include a link and times of services.)

Calvary Chapel Monrovia, or on Facebook  (1307 S Myrtle) -  10 a.m.

Calvary Road Baptist Church (319 West Olive Ave) 10:45 a.m., 6 p.m.

Fellowship Monrovia (Monrovia High) - 9 and 11 a.m.

First Lutheran (1227 S Magnolia) 9 a.m.

First Presbyterian (Foothill and Myrtle) - 10 a.m.

Hope Unlimited Church (1900 Walker Ave) - 10 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 12:40 p.m.

IFGF (Palm and Primrose) 10:30 a.m.

Mountainside Communion Church (Colorado and Magnolia) 10 a.m.

Second Baptist Church, or on Facebook (925 S Shamrock) - 10:45 a.m.

Vineyard (223 S Encinitas Ave) - 10 a.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Virus Count Rises to Nine

County reports nine cases in Monrovia now. https://is.gd/86RQ9f

- Brad Haugaard

Crash Following Apparent Race Between Mustang and Camaro - Two Drivers Hospitalized

RMG News (sorry, no link), is reporting two people taken to the hospital early Saturday afternoon after what bystanders said appeared to be a race between a Mustang and Camaro in the 1900 block of South Myrtle. The news service reports the Mustang ran into a pickup and the Mustang's driver was flung about 100 feet. Both the driver of the Mustang and the driver of the pickup were taken to the hospital. The Camaro drove off.
Update: Report from KTLA: https://is.gd/GhSv1S

- Brad Haugaard

One More Monrovia Coronavirus Case - Total 8

The county reports eight confirmed coronavirus cases in Monrovia, up one from April 1. https://is.gd/8yDNcF

Comment: That's not good but I'm pretty impressed at the very low growth rate of the virus in Monrovia. Keep up the good work, folks!

- Brad Haugaard

School District Food Staff Still Ensures Students Fed

Monrovia Unified School District is ensuring students receive daily nutrition through a Grab-and-Go meal distribution program, which provides free breakfast and lunch for children ages 18 and under.

Meal distribution began on March 16 and is prepared by the District’s Food Services Department staff. The curbside meals can be picked up at the school nearest students’ residences.

To date, Monrovia Unified has served over 26,000 meals to students. The District plans to continue with the Grab-and-Go meal program until the end of the extended dismissal period.

Source: Monrovia Schools press release

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner From 38 Degrees

Got dinner from 38 Degrees, on the south side of Colorado a half block east of Myrtle. Got the Beef Brisket with sides of beans and kimchi for $15. Curb-side pick-up was easy and quick and the meat was tender and well prepared. Very nice. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovian and 1776 Closed for Remodeling, Repainting

The Monrovian restaurant is closed for remodeling, and 1776 restaurant is also closed. A sign on the front says closed for repainting. Comment: Well, this is probably a good time to do it. Thanks to Kelly Moran for the info.

The Monrovian

1776

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk Driver Knocks Out Traffic Light; Barbecue Starts Fire; Laptop Pings Its Location, Suspect Arrested; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 26 – April 1. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 271 service events, resulting in 33 investigations.

Vehicle Tampering
March 26 at 8:07 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Duarte Road reported a vehicle tampering incident. The victim parked her vehicle in the carport and left it. When she returned the following day, she saw a window had been shattered and the vehicle had been ransacked with items in her vehicle strewn about. Nothing was taken. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
March 26 at 5:56 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of W. Pomona. The victim parked her vehicle at the location on March 24 and left it. When she returned to her vehicle, she saw someone had broken into it. The loss is still being determined and the investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
March 27 at 12:20 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 100 block of N. May Avenue. The victim reported that sometime after 4:00 a.m. that morning, someone took his vehicle from where it was parked on the street without his permission. The vehicle is a 2016 Toyota RAV4. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle database. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
March 28 at 12:43 a.m., an officer was flagged down by a motorist and informed about a traffic collision that occurred at the intersection of Huntington and Shamrock. A vehicle hit a traffic light box and the intersection traffic signal was inoperable. Officers arrived and spoke with the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision. He displayed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. A DUI investigation was conducted and it was determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Grand Theft Auto
March 28 at 12:53 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of California called to report her 2016 Nissan Altima had been stolen sometime during the night. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle database. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
March 29 at 9:13 a.m., a caller reported an injury traffic collision at the intersection of Foothill and Fifth. A motorist was traveling west on Foothill, while another motorist was traveling south on Fifth. One of the motorist failed to stop for the red traffic signal and collided into the other. One of the drivers was transported to a local hospital for complaint of pain. Investigation continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 29 at 10:29 a.m., a caller reported a possible DUI driver in the 900 block of S. Myrtle. He witnessed a motorist fail to stop at a red light. Officers responded and located the vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver displayed symptoms of being under the influence of drugs. A DUI investigation was completed and it was determined the driver was under the influence of drugs. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
March 29 at 7:02 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Lincoln called to report a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. Officer arrived and located the vehicle. The driver was contacted and drug paraphernalia was observed. The driver was arrested and issued a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Fire Assist
March 29 at 9:33 p.m., a caller reported a structure fire in the 600 block of S. Alta Vista. Officers arrived and evacuated surrounding houses and vehicles. The fire started in a garage and was extinguished. The fire was started by hot coals from a barbecue.

Commercial Burglary
March 30 at 7:29 p.m., an alarm activation was received from a school in the 100 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and saw the roll-up door to the snack shop had been pushed in and the inside was ransacked. This was the second time this week it had been burglarized. Investigation continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
March 31 at 9:37 a.m., an injury traffic collision occurred at the intersection of California and Huntington. A motorist was traveling west on Huntington and failed to stop at a red light, colliding into another motorist traveling south on California. One of the drivers was transported to a local hospital for a complaint of pain. Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary
March 31 at 9:49 a.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of Railroad called police to report that sometime during the night someone entered his business and took a laptop computer. The suspect entered through an unlocked door. Investigation continuing.

Possession of Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
April 1 at 2:41 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of N. Mayflower called police to report his stolen laptop was pinging to a specific area within the city. Officers arrived and were able to locate the laptop. The person in possession of the laptop said he just purchased it in Pasadena. He was arrested for being in possession of stolen property and issued a citation to appear in court on the charges. The laptop was returned to the victim. Investigation continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
April 1 at 2:59 p.m., an employee from a business in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle called police to report a male suspect took several items from the convenience store without paying and fled the location on foot. Officers arrived and located the suspect. The property was recovered, and the suspect was arrested and issued a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Student Dismissal Extended to End of School Year; Class of 2020 Promised 'Memorable' Graduation

At an emergency meeting on Wednesday, April 1, the Monrovia Board of Education "determined to extend our student dismissal until the end of the school year."

In a press release the district commended its teachers and said that, "During this time, we will put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of instruction through distance learning and ensuring continuity through remote tools, including online learning programs and printed materials."

And ...

" Finally, we are committed to celebrating the achievements of our Class of 2020 and are doing everything in our power to ensure they get the recognition they deserve as their high school journey comes to a close. The Class of 2020 will have a graduation. It may not be on the day we had originally scheduled or the manner in which we had originally envisioned it, but it will happen and it will be memorable."

Full announcement here: https://is.gd/VKmuy3

- Brad Haugaard

Tzu Chi Foundation Donates Supplies to City to Fight Virus

Monrovia's  Tzu Chi Foundation has donated 200 bottles of hand sanitizer, plus masks and gloves to the City of Monrovia to fight the coronavirus. https://is.gd/G7qBsa

- Brad Haugaard

Seven Coronavirus Cases in Monrovia Now

Seven confirmed cases now in Monrovia, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. https://is.gd/LvcCXp

- Brad Haugaard

City Council Passes No-Eviction Ordinance

Notice from City Manager Dylan Feik about the urgency ordinance passed Tuesday night prohibiting evictions during the Coronavirus emergency:

Hello Monrovians,

On Tuesday, March 31, the City Council approved an Urgency Ordinance which adopted emergency regulations that prohibit residential evictions for non-payment of rent and “no-fault” evictions. The ordinance took effect immediately and will remain in place through the duration of the COVID-19 emergency declaration.

Staff is finalizing the ordinance and will make it available as soon as possible. However, many of you are concerned about how this will impact you right now. Here are summary details of the ordinance and please watch for more information to come available as soon as it is ready. The ordinance encourages landlords and tenants to work together. This emergency affects everyone and while it does provide relief from eviction for tenants, we must all understand that landlords are also affected.

Sincerely,
Dylan

Urgency Ordinance Details

• During the existence of the local emergency, no residential property owner or agent shall take any action, or threaten, to evict a tenant in either of the following situations –
  • Nonpayment of rent, late fees, or other fees or charges, if the landlord knows that the tenant is unable to pay the same due to financial impacts related to COVID-19
  • No-fault eviction unless immediately necessary for the health and safety of tenants, neighbors or the landlord, other than based on illness of the tenant or any other occupant of the residential rental
• Tenant must notify the landlord
  • Tenant must give notice of inability to pay rent within 7 days after the date rent is due.
  • Tenant must notify landlord in writing that tenant has incurred financial impacts as defined by the ordinance 
  • Within 30 days after the date rent is due, tenant must provide written documentation to landlord to support the tenant’s inability to pay all or part of the rent due.
• For purposes of this ordinance, “financial impacts” means –
  • Loss of the tenant’s monthly household income due to business closure
  • Loss of compensable hours of work or wages
  • Extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses
• A financial impact is “related to COVID-19” if resulted from any of the following–
  • Tenant’s own diagnosis with COVID-19 or the tenant’s need to care for a household or immediate family member who is diagnosed with COVID-19
  • Layoff, loss of hours, or other income reduction resulting from business closure or other economic or employer impacts
  • Compliance with a recommendation or order from the County Health Officer to stay at home, isolate, self-quarantine, or avoid congregating with others during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
  • Extraordinary out-of-pocket expenses related to diagnosis and testing for treatment of COVID-19
  • Additional child care costs arising from school closures related to COVID-19
• During the period of local emergency, all residential tenants shall pay timely that portion of the rent the tenant is able to pay.
  • Nothing is this ordinance relieves tenants of any liability for unpaid rent which landlords may seek after expiration of the local emergency.
  • Tenants must pay all rent that is due within 6 months following the termination of this local emergency. All tenants are encouraged to work hand-in-hand with landlords.
• Finally, this ordinance prevents the enforcement of non-payment eviction notices, no-fault eviction notices, and unlawful detainer actions based on such notices and may be used as defense to any such action by a landlord in violation of this ordinance.

- Brad Haugaard

April Census Month - Accurate Count Means Better Funding for Schools

Dear Monrovia Unified Community,

Ensuring our students have the tools they need to be successful is a priority at Monrovia Unified School District. Making sure they are counted in the 2020 Census will help our District ensure that success. On Feb. 26, Monrovia Unified’s Board of Education proclaimed April 1 as National Census Day. The proclamation recognizes the importance of the 2020 Census and pledges full support to achieving a complete and accurate Census count.

Filling out the Census is safe, secure, and confidential. This year, the Census will rely heavily on online responses.

The count plays an important role in ensuring California receives appropriate funding for programs such as before- and after-school programs and meal programs. An accurate count makes certain our students and families are represented and that our District receives fair funding to serve our students.

Census day is April 1. Individuals will have until July 30 to complete the Census questionnaire. For more information, visit www.census.gov.

Please join Monrovia Unified in participating in this year’s Census count.

“I count; you count; let’s make sure Monrovia counts!”

Sincerely,
Dr. Katherine Thorossian
Superintendent

Source: Monrovia Schools press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Cases Now Five

There are now five cases of Coronavirus in Monrovia, according to the LA County Public Health Department. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Church Holds In-Person Service Sunday, Cancels Further Meetings

Calvary Road Baptist Church, on Olive, held an in-person service Sunday, but cancelled the evening service and posted this message on its website: "Effective Immediately, All Public Services are Cancelled Until Further Notice." Article in San Gabriel Valley Tribune: https://is.gd/nZVZf9

- Brad Haugaard

City Council To Consider Ban on Evictions During Covid-19 Emergency

The Monrovia City Council will hold a special virtual meeting this Tuesday (agenda: https://is.gd/iGt5Xx) to consider an urgency ordinance (that means it would go into effect as soon as the council approves it) that would temporarily ban evictions of tenants in both residential and commercial properties for non-payment of rent. It would also ban "no-fault" evictions in most cases.

Here's how the relevant part of the ordinance reads:

"During the period of local emergency declared in response to COVID-19, no residential property owner or agent (collectively, “landlord”) landlord shall take any action, or threaten, to evict a tenant or lessee (collectively “tenant”) in either of the following situations: (1) for nonpayment of rent, late fees, or other fees or charges, if the landlord knows that the tenant is unable to pay the same due to financial impacts related to COVID-19, or (2) for a no-fault eviction unless immediately necessary for the health and safety of tenants, neighbors, or the landlord, other than based on illness of the tenant or any other occupant of the residential rental unit, which shall be confirmed by the City’s Building Official prior to any such eviction."

Read the whole thing - lots more detail - here: https://is.gd/4cpIJA

- Brad Haugaard

School District Closes All School Fields

Schools Superintendent, Dr. Katherine Thorossian, has announced:

The health and safety of our students, teachers, staff, and community is our District’s priority. With the growing concerns regarding COVID-19, we made the decision to close all school fields and sites for play beginning today, March 30, until further notice.

- Brad Haugaard