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Superintendent's Update - March 31, 2023

Superintendent's Update - March 31, 2023

From the Office of the Superintendent: 

 

BOARD AGENDA CALENDAR

The Board agenda calendar can be found HERE.

 

Special Olympics Basketball

More than 150 students from Palo Alto and Menlo Park gathered for a basketball tournament at Fletcher Middle School on March 24. The tournament was part of the district's Special Olympics Schools Partnership Program. Students, representing 13 school sites from TK to post secondary, enjoyed the opportunity to display their basketball skills with peers of the same age and ability. The Fletcher Student Council and Leadership students supported the event as referees, scorekeepers, and team ambassadors for the visiting schools. Numerous high fives and big smiles filled the gym as students scored baskets while wearing their school shirts with much pride !

 

Grammy Award-Winning Choral Ensemble Visits Palo Alto High

The Grammy Award-winning choral ensemble, Chanticleer, delivered a masterclass to Palo Alto High School choirs on Wednesday, March 29. Attending this student-focused setting were members of the PAUSD music team, parents, and Palo Alto High School Choir alumni. The two-hour workshop included a performance of selections from Chanticleer's touring repertoire. After introductions, the Palo Alto High Choir ensembles, Madrigal Singers, Spectrum Singers, Concert Choir, and Premier Choir received a 40-minute workshop with members of Chanticleer. The visiting group gave generous praise to the students. One comment, "It is clear that throughout your music, you sing with intention and passion," describes the inspiring atmosphere and the student talent.

 

Dual Enrollment vs College Courses

Dual Enrollment courses refer to high school courses that have gone through curricular alignment with a community college and whose students are enrolled in two institutions concurrently, therefore earning high school credits and college credits simultaneously. The dual enrollment courses are part of the formal partnership between PAUSD and Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. The intention is to expand access to concurrent opportunities for high school students (Assembly Bill 288). Dual enrollment courses are taught by credentialed PAUSD teachers who have also been authorized by Foothill College as instructors for particular courses.

The community college courses are taught by community college instructors who may not hold a California Single-Subject Teaching Credential and are not PAUSD employees. For the course to be added to a PAUSD transcript, students must acquire “Prior Approval” from their respective high school.  

Examples include:

Human Anatomy is offered as a dual enrollment course at Palo Alto High School, because the teacher has been authorized by Foothill College as an instructor. Human Anatomy at Gunn High School is not listed as a dual enrollment course, because the teacher does not have that authorization at this time.

Early Childhood Development is another example of a dual enrollment course at one high school and not a dual-enrollment course at the other school.

See attachment AR 6146.11 (Alternative Credits Towards Graduation) for additional information.

 

Affordable Connectivity Program (from the California Department of Education)

PAUSD is working to help build awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. ACP helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program;
  • Participates in one of these assistance programs:
    • Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools.
    • SNAP
    • Medicaid
    • Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers)
    • Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/202/811
    • Public Housing 
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • WIC
    • Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
    • or Lifeline;
  • Participates in one of these assistance programs and lives on Qualifying Tribal lands:
    • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance 
    • Tribal TANF
    • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
    • Tribal Head Start (income based)
    • Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives or Native Hawaiians

Eligible households can enroll by going to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an online application or print a mail-in application, or by contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan.

 

Fletcher Middle School Students Expand Sustainability Awareness

Gearing up for next year’s new “Sustainability for All” theme, Fletcher Middle School’s eighth grade students attended a sustainability-related field trip at the California Academy of Science on March 20. The trip is funded by a state Career Technical Education grant. Seventh graders will have this opportunity on May 8. Fletcher’s sixth graders enjoyed a Science Camp at Marin Headlands this past November.

The Fletcher Middle School sustainability-theme program was proposed for the fall of 2023 and was approved by the Board in November 2022. The school offers a choice option allowing students outside the Fletcher attendance boundaries to attend the school. The overall sustainability theme will be integrated and emphasized throughout content standards embedded into the curriculum for all students. This effort follows the mission to create opportunities encouraging students to explore and take equitable action. As a result, they are better able to promote a flourishing environment where people and living things access healthy food, clean air, and safe water. Experiential field trips help reinforce classroom learning, student exploration, and the on-going discovery of both passions and interests.