Superintendent's Update - August 15, 2025

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

View Calendar of Board Items 2025-26

Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .

Welcome back for a great year! The staff have been working hard in preparation for the new school year and hope to provide excellent experiences for our students.  

Families and our staff should expect an update each Friday to keep people informed about things from the District level. You will often receive messages from your school site principals and teachers. The combination of efforts should provide a good picture of things you may be interested in knowing about.

I am sure most people are dealing with information overload, so my section will be brief today. I love schools. They have a cycle and flow to them that is relatively predictable. We get to see our students' growth (literal and figurative) and can share in their journeys. Like our lives, there will be ups and downs. We would like to help our students appreciate and celebrate the ups and to manage and learn from the downs. That requires some space, and we are thankful for the trust afforded to our staff.

Our students have opportunities and resources that are unparalleled in our state. We are truly a destination school district, as evidenced by how many people specifically move here for our schools. We take that responsibility seriously and understand the expectations that come with that honor.  

Thank you for being a part of a nationally known school district and for your contributions to our growth and evolution. It’s going to be an amazing year!  

PAUSD Advance Diploma Program Update

The AP Capstone Diploma Program, introduced in 2016-17 at both Paly and Gunn, is currently running at Paly based on strong student interest. The District has begun conversations with the Gunn administration about expanding access. Leveraging the College Board AP Capstone Diploma requirements, the District plans to launch the PAUSD Advanced Diploma Program next school year. The program will expand outreach, with criteria scheduled to be finalized in Spring 2026.

Coming ahead in September: PAUSD will gather input from teachers currently teaching the courses and feedback from counselors during the districtwide secondary counselor meeting, using the draft documents below as a discussion point.

Work Permit Renewals & Work-Based Learning Opportunities within PAUSD

As we resume school, please remember that all student work permits expire at the start of the school year, and any employed student must renew or obtain a new permit. Follow this link for information on obtaining a work permit, which begins when students complete the B1-1 state form. Congrats to the nearly 300 students who earned their summer work permit, demonstrating they are gaining valuable work experience! With the President’s Volunteer Service Award on temporary pause, we encourage students to consider enrolling in the PAUSD Work Experience Education Program, a course that meets once a week and allows students to earn credit for their job site hours while gaining real-world experience and work-related privileges. For those seeking ideas, the PAUSD Career Opportunities slide deck is an excellent resource for job, volunteer, and internship opportunities to help students build valuable career skills.