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Sometimes kids feel different without understanding why. Maybe they don t relate to the gender they were assigned at birth or they find themselves having feelings about members of their own gender. Perhaps the clothes they feel comfortable wearing makes people around them feel uncomfortable. Not having any guidance or support about these experiences can lead to isolation or worse. According to the Trevor Project’s 2020 national survey on LGBTQ youth mental health, 40% of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide and 48% of LGBTQ youth have engaged in self harm, while 60% of transgender and nonbinary youth have engaged in self harm and 68% of LGBTQ youth experience symptoms of anxiety or depression.
West valley schools: Palm Springs Unified offers robust summer programs
Joan L. Boiko
As students and families prepare for the launch of the 2021-22 school year in August, Palm Springs Unified is providing an array of both in-person and online learning opportunities aimed at addressing learning lapses during the pandemic and providing a transition for students who have not yet returned for in-person instruction during the spring hybrid program. Students will be referred for academic programs by school site teachers and counselors, and parents will be notified of referrals by their respective school site. Knowing that some of our students have struggled academically, emotionally and socially during the pandemic, we have increased summer learning opportunities at all grade levels,” said Assistant Supt. of Educational Services Dr. Simone Kovats.
West valley schools: PSUSD transitional kindergarten will be full day for 2021-22
Joan L. Boiko
Palm Springs Unified School District kindergarten classes have been full day for the past several years. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, all transitional kindergarten classes will also be full day.
Children who turned five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2020 are eligible for kindergarten. Transitional kindergarten is for students who turned five between Sept. 2 and Dec. 15, 2020. Registration is currently underway for all incoming kindergarten and transitional kindergarten students as well as students of all ages that are new to the district.
“Transitional kindergarten can be a transformative experience and purposefully prepare students both socially and emotionally for the academic rigor of kindergarten,” said Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Simone Kovats. “When transitional kindergarten is implemented in a full-day setting, it also allows for addi