Letters to the Editor: Praise for Armenia Fund Telethon coverage; plea for fewer school holidays on GUSD calendar

Thank you for publishing the article, “Armenia Fund to host 20th annual Thanksgiving Day telethon,” for it brings awareness to the strength of the Armenian spirit.

The annual telethon is a way for the Armenian community to come together in support of one another. It is amazing how spread out, yet connected the Armenian community is. By hosting this telethon for now 20 years, the Armenian community is once again reminded that all around the world there are those who are willing to support the community. That is something to be thankful for.

Gareen Simone Puglia

Austin, Texas

The Glendale Unified School District Governing Board votes on the next two proposed calendars on Dec. 12.

Unless people speak up, our summer recess will shorten to nine full weeks with partial days on either end and advanced placement students and teachers will lose four more days of instruction.

It is so ironic that, in 2009, the board convinced parents and teachers to end our long tradition of starting school after Labor Day so that AP students and teachers would have 10 extra days of instruction before they took their AP exams in May. However, the board approved the addition of new holidays and that decision hurt AP. Instead of 10 extra days, AP will get only four extra days in 2018-19 and only three extra days in 2019-20.

Eliminating three or more holidays would help both situations, making 10 full weeks of summer and seven extra AP days. Also, starting Monday instead of Wednesday would bring the AP total to nine.

Let your school board know that you expect them to keep the promise to the AP students and parents and to also honor the recent community vote by increasing the length of our summer. You can email the superintendent or any board member by simply putting their first initial followed by their entire last name @gusd.net. Do it right away.

Marilyn Bayles

La Crescenta