PAUSD Weekly Update - October 2, 2026

Oct 2 2026

From the Office of the Superintendent

Superintendent Glass' Message . . .

Dear PAUSD Community,

Today our staff spent the day learning together at Professional Learning Day, with sessions on academics and on student mental health and wellness. Thank you to the teachers, Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs), and leaders who planned it.

Thank you also to our wonderful Student Nutrition Services team, who held their annual tasting event at JLS today to gather feedback on new menu items for our schools. Many families came out to try the new options and share their opinions. The team also made sure I tried every item, with multiple servings of some. I probably should not eat again until Sunday!

This week I spent most of my time listening. Thank you to the Special Education PTA for hosting a parent listening session on Tuesday evening, to El Carmelo staff and our district TOSAs for their candor, to Julia Lee's media students at JLS for having me in class, and to Nixon families for welcoming me at their Fall Festival. Last night I joined a packed house at Gunn High School for the JLS music concert. The highlight was every program coming together to perform Bill Withers' "Lean on Me."

These experiences have helped shape my understanding of what is working here and what needs our attention. I am asking for that same input from all of you, through two short surveys.

Two Surveys, About Ten Minutes, and a Say in What Comes Next

Over the next two years, PAUSD must reduce ongoing spending by an estimated 15 percent. No cuts have been proposed. Before we discuss any program or position, we want to know what you value most. At the Board of Education's direction, the values you name will be the measure we use to build options and weigh every choice.

There are two ways to take part:

Budget Values Survey (about five minutes): tell us what should guide our budget decisions.
Superintendent's Community Listening Survey : three open-ended questions. What should we protect? What most urgently needs attention? What do you hope PAUSD will be known for in five years? I read these responses myself.

Both surveys are open to families, students, staff, and community members. Both links are also on our website .

The results will carry more weight if they reflect the whole community, so I am asking for three things:

Take them, even if you think someone else has already said what you would say.
Pass them on to another family at pickup, a neighbor without children in our schools, or a colleague.
If you have a student, consider taking the budget survey together and comparing answers. Talking through tradeoffs makes for a good dinner conversation, and our students' views matter here.

When the surveys close, I will share what we heard and bring a summary to the Board. School Services of California's independent review of our budget projections will also be presented at a public Board meeting later this fall.

I have heard clearly that this community wants a real voice in how decisions are made in this district. This is an opportunity to use it.

Kind regards,

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Superintendent & Chief Learner

Uwill Visits PAUSD

Last week, Uwill representatives visited our middle and high school campuses during lunch to connect directly with students. Having these conversations right on campus helps normalize talking about mental health, break down stigmas, and make seeking help a natural, everyday topic. Our goal is to ensure every student knows exactly how and where to access support whenever they need it, both at school and outside of school hours.

Thank you as well to all the parents and guardians who joined us for our in-person and virtual Uwill Mental Health & Wellness Information Sessions. If you weren't able to attend, below is a quick recap of the services covered along with links to the session materials and district resources.

Uhelp 24/7 Crisis Line: Immediate, 24/7/365 support connecting PAUSD students and families with licensed, K-12-trained clinicians in under 30 seconds. No prior therapy enrollment is required, and families can call directly for guidance regarding a child’s safety or mental well-being. (For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911).
Uwill Free Teletherapy: Free virtual therapy sessions with licensed mental health professionals, available to all PAUSD students during evenings, weekends, and school breaks.

Resources & Session Links: