Superintendent's Update - August 29, 2025
Superintendent's Update - August 29, 2025
From the Office of the Superintendent
Board Agenda Calendar
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Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .
Our schools feel like we have been back for longer than we have! With Back to School Nights largely complete by the time of this message, I hope families enjoyed the opportunity to meet their teachers and walk around our sites. We have a lot of special people who strive to provide great experiences for our students.
I had a person recently tell me that our schools and our students aren’t the same as they once were. I completely agree. Both are much better! As adults, we sometimes romanticize our school experiences. This includes how well-behaved we were, how strict our teachers were, how much homework we did, and our commitment to academics. In most cases, reality is different from our memories. Growing up, I had almost none of the experiences our kids have today. I didn’t have elementary school music, dedicated elementary PE teachers with Social Emotional Learning training, full-time librarians, and regular art lessons. Those were easy examples. My high school didn’t resemble what our students have in Palo Alto. The depth and breadth of what our kids experience here makes my experience in the ’70s and ’80s look sad!
Our kids are asked to push harder than most of us were at their ages. I don’t think that’s necessarily all good or all bad. It’s just an observation. Before social media, there was also less public and immediate feedback daily. We probably had stress and anxiety, but it didn’t really have a name back then. Because of that, some people still struggle with the idea that kids are experiencing real stress that we may have processed differently.
This is all to say, our kids aren’t the same as us. Their bar is higher. They are asked to do much more, think critically about social issues, and to live their lives under scrutiny and criticism in ways we didn’t. I’m sure some will disagree, but it’s worth considering.
Regardless, I am extremely optimistic about our future. This generation of students will do amazing things. Whether your student is starting in kindergarten or in the last months before walking across the stage, enjoy the journey and walk it with them. It’s a finite period of time full of learning opportunities and potential for fun!
Palo Alto Office of Transportation Safe Routes to School Program
As students return to school, walking or biking commutes improve the safety of our school community. For families who must drive, thanks for sharing the road safely, remembering that many young cyclists and pedestrians are still learning the rules of the road. Whether you’re a new or returning family, please make time to learn how Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to School Partnership conducts bicycle and pedestrian safety education in K-6th grade here. Walk and Roll Suggested Route Maps are available here.
Parents/staff can call Palo Alto's non-emergency number at (650) 329-2413 to report off-campus barriers to student safety, including debris or construction vehicles blocking designated bike lanes/school routes during arrival/dismissal. Report offsite maintenance issues, including potholes, overgrown trees/vegetation, GreenWaste trucks around the school perimeter, and debris in bike lanes to Palo Alto 311. On-campus safety concerns can be reported using PAUSD Let’s Talk.
The Palo Alto Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies prioritize enforcement on school commute routes, especially during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. If a crossing guard is missing, please contact the Palo Alto Police Department non-emergency number at (650) 329-2232. Driving in bike lanes, illegal U-turns, double parking, wrong-way bike riding, not wearing a helmet, and disobeying stop signs may result in citations. Non-electric bicycles are recommended for most student commutes, given their efficiency, affordability, and the overall safety of operating a vehicle at a lower speed. All students are required to walk with electric mobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, while on campus. Unauthorized moped or motor vehicle operation by a minor and other traffic infractions may result in citations, towing, or other penalties under the California Vehicle Code Sec 312.5. Please review the following link for a back-to-school safety message from Palo Alto Police Chief Andrew Binder.
At the Alma/Churchill and El Camino Real/Churchill intersections, transportation staff have made changes to bring the signals up to the current standards, enhance safety, and increase space for student cyclists and pedestrians. Staff continue to monitor these projects and to adjust signal timing and other elements. PAUSD has also constructed bicycle and pedestrian pathway improvements and bike parking facilities to support the safety and comfort of cyclists traveling to the new Hoover campus, JLS, Fairmeadow, El Carmelo, Palo Verde, and Paly campus. Staff appreciate feedback and anticipate that safety improvements will encourage more families to walk and bike, freeing up roadway capacity for educators and staff who must drive. We hope your family will take advantage of these new bicycle and pedestrian facilities to support safer arrivals and dismissals.
