As we approach the end of the school year, we want to express our gratitude to our students, staff, families, and community partners, because the excellence in IUSD remains a direct reflection of the investment of this entire community. Through our collective efforts, we work to center the needs of our students and ensure they succeed, and fundamental to our students’ success is mental health and wellness. While May is always a month filled with excitement and celebration, it’s also a time to raise awareness around the critical importance of mental health.
IUSD joins millions across the nation in promoting Mental Health Awareness Month. As part of our commitment to developing healthy, resilient, and highly adaptable learners, we attend to our students’ mental health by integrating strategies into the classroom that help them to name and navigate their own emotions, and we provide resources outside of the classroom when greater support is necessary. Throughout the month, IUSD and our schools will share information and engage students in fun activities to promote discussions on mental health, self-care tips, and connect them to available resources.
As part of the many celebrations in May, we are excited to have honored our teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week from May 5-9, and look forward to celebrating our incredible staff during Classified Employee Appreciation Week, May 18-24. From nutrition to information technology, to custodial and mental health, our classified staff provide so many services and play so many different important roles in IUSD, and their dedication, passion, and commitment directly impacts the well-being of our students. We are so grateful for the work that they do each day. We were especially thrilled to announce our Classified Employees of the Year yesterday. To learn more about these exceptional employee representatives, please see our article.
Speaking of celebrations, summer is just a few weeks away, and we want to remind our community that we have summer safety tips ²¹²Ô»åÌýwellness information available to help students transition into the summer months and to access both academic and mental health resources, if needed.
Please also see the "News Around the District" section, which highlights exciting stories, including a feature on the 41st Annual Donald Bren Honors Concert, where nearly 700 students performed at the Henry and Renee Segerstrom Concert Hall. I was honored to accept, on behalf of the district, a $2 million contribution from the Irvine Company and the Donald Bren Foundation. The Irvine Company, through their Excellence in Education Enrichment Fund, has pledged nearly $50 million over 20 years to fund art, music and science education for IUSD students in grades four through six. This partnership, envisioned by Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren, has helped IUSD to provide more than 200,000 students opportunities to learn from world-class teachers who instill an early and enduring love for science, art and music.
Finally, a heartfelt congratulations to the graduating and promoting classes of 2025 as you embark on the next phase of your educational journey. We are so excited to honor you! Be sure to keep an eye out for our graduation coverage in early June, and as always, we encourage you to review this edition of IUSD Insights for additional celebrations, resources, reminders, and important news.
Best wishes for a joyful, safe, and celebratory summer!Â