Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant.
-Epictetus

Dear Community Member,

Over the past few months, many of you have shared your concerns about the District and the State’s unstable economy and what will happen next. When dealing with such critical issues, a source of clear, reliable and accurate information helps to best deal with these concerns. Over the next few months, we intend to provide you with current updates regarding the overall financial condition of the District.

At the present time, we are meeting with the Cabinet on a regular basis to discuss plans for cuts that best support the integrity of our instructional programs and the safety and security of our students and staff.

This District is committed to student success. Now more than ever before, it is important for all the MUSD family to work together as a unified school district to persevere through this difficult time.

If you have any questions regarding this information please do not hesitate to contact me. As more information develops, we will continue to provide our communities with updates. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and support as we plan for the months ahead.

My commitment to comprehensive K-12 education meeting the needs of all the students, challenging them to reach their full potential and developing responsible citizenship requires hard work. However, there is no greater reward than our accomplishments thus far:
-96% daily attendance for K-12 students
-91% high school graduation rate
- Improved school facilities with state of the art technology
- Athletic fields that contribute to health and wellness
- A balanced budget, that ensures financial stability

We still have much to do. I respectfully ask for your vote on November 3rd, so that we may continue to work to provide the highest educational standards for all of our children.

Thank You,
Gerri Guzman

April 13, 2009 – Pasadena Star News

“There is no question high school students today are faced with more challenges than ever before. For too many students, however, working to impress college admissions panels has become a second priority. Instead of focusing only on earning good grades and high SAT scores, today students are stressed over their parents losing their jobs and homes. As an advocate foe education for more than 20 years, I have watched state legislators require school districs to do more with less funding for far too long. Now, in an effort to solve an exhausted state budget crisis, elected officials are choosing to sacrifice teachers and school-district support staff, which only further hurts student learning and potential.”