Superintendent's Update - April 25, 2025

Apr 25 2025

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

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Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .

As we begin shaping the next evolution of the PAUSD Promise, I want to take a moment to reflect with you. It’s not just about what we’ve accomplished, but how we define success in a school district like ours.

I was at a recent event and spoke to many parents about their experiences in PAUSD. I was not surprised to hear nobody mention their students’ CAASPP scores. Instead, I heard about the teachers who treated their kids with kindness, sports they played, performances they took part in, elective courses, support services, counselors who went the extra mile, and general gratitude for the journey.

There are countless ways to measure the growth of a student, the strength of a school, or the trajectory of a district. Standardized test scores are one piece of the picture, but they are not the whole story. If we rely too heavily on a narrow set of metrics, we risk missing the full picture of our students’ experiences and the incredible work happening every day in our schools.

Over the last few years, our focused efforts in areas like Early Literacy brought about real and meaningful change. At the same time, that narrow lens sometimes reduces students to a moment in time, a number, a level, or a score, without capturing their whole journey or the unique strengths they bring. We know that learning is complex, development isn’t linear, and success looks different for every student.

As we look ahead, our goal is to broaden our understanding of what it means to thrive in PAUSD. That includes academic achievement, but also connection to school, trusted relationships with adults, participation in the arts, athletics, and clubs, consistent attendance, and emotional well-being. These are all vital parts of a student’s story.

In this next version of the PAUSD Promise, we’ll continue to use data to inform our work while also challenging ourselves to ask better questions and take a more complete view. It’s not about lowering standards. It’s about raising our awareness. Perhaps, we can look at our students with a growth mindset and discuss things like foundational skills, future readiness, well-rounded experiences, and social and emotional health.

I’m grateful for everything you do to make PAUSD a place where students can grow into the best versions of themselves. We’ll continue this work together with heart, with intention, and with a belief that all students have incredible potential. We are hopeful that the next chapter of the PAUSD Promise can be prepared with purpose, clarity, and a shared belief in what is possible.

Pending Board of Education approval, the following leadership transitions are for the 2025-26 school year.

PAUSD Early Childhood Education

Dr. Judy Argumedo will be transitioning from her position as Principal at Barron Park Elementary School to overseeing the District’s Early Childhood education efforts as the Administrator of Early Childhood programs for PAUSD. With a Doctorate in Education in Leadership for Educational Equity from UC Berkeley, alongside advanced degrees from Santa Clara University and UC Berkeley, her academic background reflects a lifelong dedication to learning and leading with purpose.

Throughout her career, she has served in a wide range of roles—most recently as Principal at Barron Park Elementary School in PAUSD, where she launched a Social Justice Literacy Plan and redesigned academic interventions to better serve all students. Previously, as Director of Academic Supports for PAUSD, she led district-wide initiatives including coordination of Title I and III programs, oversight of English language learner supports, and the development of the Family Engagement Specialist Program.

Assistant Principal - JLS Middle School

Ms. Ivette Daugherty will be transitioning from her role as an Administrative TOSA to Assistant Principal at Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School. Ms. Daugherty brings eight years of educational experience to JLS, having joined PAUSD in 2017. She has taught English and English Language Development at both middle and high school levels within our district. As English Learner Coordinator, she led professional development, supported inclusive instruction, and strengthened school-home connections.

At the district level, Ms. Daugherty served as a TOSA, coaching K-12 teachers and supporting compliance initiatives. She contributed to the English Learner Master Plan development and recently served as Elementary Summer School Principal. Most recently, she served as an Administrative TOSA at JLS, overseeing the 8th-grade class.

Office of Student Services

On Monday, April 21, approximately 60 students were recognized at the Palo Alto City Council meeting for their extraordinary commitment to community service as recognized by Youth Community Services (YCS). YCS was founded in 1990 and serves students in San Mateo and Santa Clara County, supporting service learning in over 65 Bay Area schools with over 250 local community organizations.

In the academic year of 2024-25, Youth Community Service (YCS) engaged over 14,239 participants who collectively contributed over 90,564 hours of community service. YCS certified over 44,581 hours of community service completed by 287 applicants for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. YCS verified 36,412 hours for 350 graduating seniors. Congratulations and thank you to our PAUSD student recipients!

Palo Alto Unified School District to Honor the School Lunch Heroes Serving Healthy Meals

Celebrating School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 2, 2025

Between preparing delicious food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, PAUSD nutrition professionals have a lot on their plates. To celebrate their hard work and commitment, PAUSD schools will celebrate National School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 2nd, 2025. This day, celebrated annually since 2013, was designated by The School Nutrition Association and Jarrett Krosoczka, author of the “Lunch Lady” graphic novel series. School Lunch Hero Day provides an opportunity for parents, students, school staff, and communities to thank those who provide healthy meals to nearly 30 million of America’s students each school day.

“School nutrition employees must balance many roles and follow numerous Federal, state, and local regulations to ensure safe and healthy meals are available in schools. School Lunch Hero Day provides the opportunity for the community to thank these hard-working heroes for their dedication to fueling our students for success,” said Alva Spence, Manager of Child Nutrition Services.

Federal nutrition standards ensure that school cafeterias always offer low-fat or fat-free milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. School meals also meet limits on calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats. The importance and nutritional value of school meals are well documented. For many children, a school lunch is the most important nutrient-rich meal of their day.

PAUSD Nutrition Services serves over 1 million meals annually to our students and has won national awards for being the trailblazers for the diverse healthy menus and cooking from scratch.

2025 Palo Alto Unified K-12 Art Show: Roots and Wings: Our Evolving Artists

Opening May 3rd, Roots and Wings: Our Evolving Artists features the work of over 750 K–12 PAUSD students, capturing their artistic journey through both strong foundational skills "roots" and their exploration, innovation, and self-expression "wings" as they grow into confident creators.

Featuring artwork from across the district, the show highlights the creativity, skill, and imagination of our student artists spanning all grade levels. Experience the vibrant voices of our student artists—see how they are growing, stretching, and soaring through the arts!

Opening Night Celebration
Wednesday, May 7
4:30–7:00 PM (remarks at 5:30)
Featuring performances by the Gunn Jazz and Gunn Orchestra