L.A. DIGEST
Staff and Wire Reports
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner will step down when his contract expires June 30, he announced April 21 in a letter to the district’s Board of Education, saying the role is “the most rewarding job I’ve held during my nearly 40-year career.”
In the letter, Beutner asked the board to allow his contract to expire “as planned,” saying that a “new superintendent should have the privilege of welcoming students back to school in the fall.”
Beutner has been LAUSD’s superintendent since May 2018. He suggested that the board could quickly find a replacement from within.
“I will remain focused on the task of ensuring that schools reopen in the safest way possible while helping in a seamless leadership transition,” he wrote. “I believe the next superintendent of Los Angeles Unified can be found amongst the current team and she or he will be well placed to continue the progress at this critical time. The leadership ranks of Los Angeles Unified have never been stronger and I know you share my gratitude for the commitment of the women and men who answer the call to serve in public education.”
Beutner’s departure caps the most tumultuous year in the district’s history, with all campuses forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all classes turning on a dime from in-person to online. Beutner also shepherded the district through a teachers’ strike in 2019.
Vaccination clinic
extended until May
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Kedren Community Health Center has been extended through May.
The facility had been operating for six weeks in partnership with the International Medical Corps and the California Nurses Foundation.
In response to the extension, the Kedren Center is asking for more nurse volunteers to assist with giving vaccines. Since March 1, the clinic has given more than 66,000 vaccines in the underserved South LA communities.
Nurses interested in volunteering can contact the Kedren Center.
Compton church
to mark anniversary
COMPTON – The First United Methodist of Compton will celebrate its 153rd anniversary on April 25 during its 10 a.m. service via Facebook.
The anniversary theme is “Let Us Not Love in Just Word or Speech — But in Deed and in Truth.” The guest speaker will be Senior Pastor Kelvin T. Calloway of Bethel AME.
If viewers cannot listen via Facebook, they can join via telephone at (646) 749-3122. The passcode is 953-944-077. For more information, call the church at (310) 639-0775.
Center offers
parent workshops
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — The Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center is presenting a series of workshops designed to empower parents to address their families’ new responsibilities navigating the new learning environment at schools online and onsite.
The free Parent Power Group workshops will be held each Monday in April from 6 to 7 p.m., featuring a variety of presenters focusing on topics such as mental health, budgeting, finding a job during the pandemic, and helping students with homework.
The Wooten Center developed the Parent Power Group to provide support and resources for parents, guardians, and grandparents to navigate life during the pandemic and to support students engaged in virtual learning.
To RSVP, visit www.wootencenter.org/events.
For more information, contact the Wooten Center at (323) 756-7203.
L.A. Digest is designed to help promote events, activities and initiatives that are serving the interests of residents in L.A. To submit an item, send emails to newsroom@wavepublication.com.
