Superintendent's Update - December 13, 2024

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

View Calendar of Board Items 2024-25

Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .

I had the opportunity to speak with students at the “Titan Town Hall” at Gunn High School this week. I had some takeaways from the time with them. First, we have amazing kids here who are capable of articulating ideas, defending positions, and advocating for things they want to see. Next, we need to spend more time working with them at the classroom, site, and district level to gain insights that can inform decision-making.

I had a recent conversation with a professor from Stanford about the importance of providing space for hard conversations. She told me that Stanford has courses about hard conversations, but many times the conversations are hypothetical and void of actual hard conversations! That one made me laugh. Our students are more capable of dealing with differing opinions and advocating for their positions than we sometimes give them credit for. I understand the desire to provide guide rails to avoid damage. I also see the danger in sanitizing too many discussions and topics to the point we rob our students of the opportunity to gain experience in how the world works.  

I know many things about Palo Alto. One thing is that we can solve identified problems. Creating spaces for meaningful and age-appropriate discussions is a place worth further exploration. If we can teach civility in the heat of a debate, we will be taking a step in the right direction. Just a thought for the day… 

Supporting Student Wellness for Finals Week

As finals approach, our high school wellness teams are offering a range of stress-relieving activities to help students manage academic pressure and practice positive coping skills like mindfulness, self-calming, and creative expression. These wellness activities give students a chance to recharge and alleviate stress as they prepare for finals.

At Gunn, it's De-Stress Fest Week, where students are creating DIY crafts, engaging with therapy animals, decorating winter cookies, and learning about community resources to support them during winter break.

During Stress Less Week at Paly, students are enjoying aromatherapy, dog therapy, bracelet-making, and creating tiny zen gardens. In addition, Youth Community Service (YCS) student advocates organized a Gingerbread Decorating and Hot Chocolate Kits event to help students connect and unwind.

Palo Alto Middle College (PAMC) students participated in Foothill College’s Stress-Less Fest, where they enjoyed boba, therapy dogs, food, music, and art for a relaxing break from academic stress. PAMC is also distributing Candy Grams this month, allowing parents and guardians to send supportive messages to brighten students’ days during finals.

Student wellness is a priority in PAUSD, and we are committed to empowering students with strategies for taking care of themselves during stressful times. Our high school wellness centers, along with our community partnerships, provide valuable mental health resources. For more information, visit your child’s school website:  Paly,  Gunn, or  PAMC. Additionally, we partner with  TBH to offer students free virtual coaching and counseling sessions, available evenings, weekends, and during school breaks. Students may access TBH through their PAUSD Classlink portal.