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Superintendent's Update - December 19, 2025

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Superintendent's Update - December 19, 2025

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

View Calendar of Board Items 2025-26

Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .

This seems like a really nice time to take a break! The trees have turned colors, the air is brisk, and we have some time to spend with our families. Life is good!

When we return, you will hear more about some things. Our new Hoover Elementary campus is nearing completion and is absolutely spectacular. It is also one of the “greenest” schools built in our state. We are organizing opportunities for the entire community to get a closer look as we approach the reopening ceremony.  

The City of Palo Alto is working through options for rail crossings. This obviously affects our students in many ways. We are active in these discussions and advocate on behalf of our staff, students, and families.

We are in negotiations with our partners representing our certificated and classified staff. For those interested, we will begin sharing updates and posting proposals online. We will also provide context for our current state and comparisons. There is some anxiety in the air as we receive weekly reports of our neighbors making large cuts in staffing. Our colleagues already have less staffing per student than PAUSD, and one of our neighbors is cutting over 100 positions. Another is reducing by nearly 10%. We will share some of the things that make PAUSD an outlier, including the lowest staff-to-student ratio in the region and possibly the entire state. We are truly lucky to have our circumstances. It’s easy to lose perspective without seeing a glimpse of how we differ from others around us.

We will increase the amount of information coming from each of our major divisions in our Friday Updates. It will probably be more than most people need, but you can pick and choose what you read and what is interesting to you.

Thank you for a tremendous 2025. See you all in 2026!

CTE Programs Strengthened Through Significant Grant-Funded Enhancements

Significant upgrades were made to Career Technical Education (CTE) programs this fall, supported by the Perkins, Career Technical Education Incentive, and Golden State Pathway Program grants, all of which are managed by the District’s Innovation Department. Highlights include the purchase of a new annealing oven for the Paly Glass Blowing and Fabrication Studio, upgraded cameras and equipment for broadcasting and journalism, diagnostic tools for the automotive program, industrial-grade cooking equipment for the culinary pathway, and supplemental curriculum and professional learning opportunities for CTE teachers.

These investments ensure that equipment and instruction remain aligned with evolving industry standards, and PAUSD is grateful for the grant programs that make these hands-on, real-world learning experiences possible for secondary students.

Thousands of Creativity Cart Educational Kits Assembled for K–5 Students

So far this year, PAUSD’s Innovation Team has collaborated with students from Gunn's Early Childhood Development program to assemble 4,366 educational kits for elementary students. This initiative has provided participating elementary students with the opportunity to construct a game spinner and a small car using miscellaneous materials, thereby integrating creative Career and Technical Education (CTE) experiences for K-5 students across all sites. None of this would be possible without PAUSD’s incredible elementary teachers, who find creative ways to implement these in their classrooms. 

Spring 2026 PAUSD Middle School Validation

For Spring 2026, rising sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students who wish to accelerate beyond the already compacted middle school math program may participate in the Math Validation Process, effectively covering five years of math in three years.   In late January, registration information will be provided to parents of current 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-grade students via Parent Square. Students must register to participate. The test will be administered in March (current grade 6 & 7 on March 23; current grade 5 on March 25). 

The Math Validation Process consists of one paper-and-pencil assessment. This assessment will evaluate the readiness of the grade-level math course the student would like to challenge, in addition to the student's knowledge of the topics and skills covered in the course. In late January, registration information will be provided to parents of current grade 5, 6, and 7th-grade students via Parent Square.

These assessments are aligned to the state-adopted mathematics content standards. They consist of multiple-choice (MC) and free-response questions (FRQ). The assessments were developed in partnership with  WestEd, a national research, development, and service leader, alongside PAUSD Math Instructional Leaders. 

  • Interested students may opt in to take the test.

  • The test will cover the grade-specific standards and concepts for mastery. 

  • Students who are successful in the Math Validation Process  may only accelerate by one additional year in the PAUSD middle school pathway. 

  • Students may participate more than once if they do not pass the assessments in a previous validation process.

PAUSD Promise: Staff Mental Health and Wellness

Palo Alto High School (Paly) officially opened its new Staff Wellness Space, which is now available for staff use throughout the school day. With support and guidance from Paly administration, the Wellness Team created a calming, restorative environment where staff can pause and care for their own well-being.

This dedicated space offers opportunities for staff to:

  • Connect with colleagues

  • Explore mental health and wellness resources

  • Enjoy a cup of tea or an espresso with a snack

  • Participate in stress-relieving activities such as aromatherapy, stretching or movement exercises, or working on a community puzzle

  • Read the appreciation wall filled with kind messages from students

The goal of the Staff Wellness Space is to honor the important work our educators and staff do each day by providing a place to reset and recharge. Access to a space that supports balance and restoration is essential to supporting the emotional and physical well-being of our staff and brings energy, focus, and balance to their work with students, benefiting the entire school community.

Mental Health and Wellness Support During the Break

As we approach the upcoming break, we would like to remind families of the mental health services and resources available when school is closed. PAUSD’s new partnership with Uwill provides virtual therapy and mental health support for all students during every school break and on weekends.

We wish your family a safe, restful break and encourage you to access these resources if you need support.

Crisis & Emergency Resources

If there is an imminent threat to yourself or someone else, call  911 or 988  immediately. Additional resources:

  • Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

  • Crisis Text Line: Text “home” to 741-741

  • A Parent's Guide to Risk Assessment & Safety  | Spanish  | Mandarin

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

  • Bill Wilson Youth Hotline: 408-850-6125

  • Trevor Lifeline (LGBTQ+ youth): 1-866-488-7386

  • Trans Lifeline (trans/nonbinary, Mon–Fri 10 am–6 pm PST): 877-565-8860 •  Info

Virtual Mental Health Support: Uwill

Uwill (formerly tbh) is a new PAUSD partner offering virtual mental health and wellness support for all students.

  • Free for all PAUSD students (parental consent required for students under 12)

  • Accessible through the students’ Classlink dashboard

  • All licensed therapists, as well as access to wellness tools (yoga, meditation, mindfulness)

  • Students can register online, choose a therapist, schedule sessions, and access on-demand wellness programming

Uwill Links for Families:

Local Community Supports & Resources

Paly Madrigals Perform at Board Meeting

The Board of Education was treated to a special performance at last night's meeting when the Paly Madrigals took the stage. The talented vocal ensemble performed a selection of songs, showcasing the incredible musical talent within our district. Thank you to the students and their choir director for sharing their gifts with the board and community members in attendance. Moments like these remind us of the amazing things happening in PAUSD classrooms and rehearsal halls every day.

The Equity and Excellence Alliance Gains New Focus

The Equity and Excellence Alliance (EEA) is deepening its work with a renewed and focused approach grounded in The W.I.S.E. Way, a PAUSD framework that centers Well-being, Inclusion, Sense of Belonging, Engagement, and Equity as foundational conditions for thriving students.

Participating schools, with the active support of their principals and Multicultural Affairs Liaisons (MALs), have officially begun this work by engaging in a thoughtful and data-informed examination of both district-wide and site-level data. Teams are taking a clear-eyed look at indicators related to student well-being, inclusion, belonging, engagement, and equity, to move beyond surface-level observations to identify meaningful patterns, disparities, and opportunities for improvement.

In the coming months, the EEA will continue unpacking this data to develop explicit, measurable W.I.S.E.-aligned goals tailored to their local contexts. This work is designed to support intentional action planning that strengthens school climate, affirms student identity, and improves student experiences and outcomes.

This focused effort also aligns closely with new state legislation that emphasizes increased protections and support for LGBTQ+ students. As part of this alignment, all Multicultural Affairs Liaisons will be trained as trainers of the PRISM Program: Providing Relevant, Inclusive Support that Matters for LGBTQ+ Students. PRISM is a professional learning experience for educators that builds knowledge, skills, and confidence to create safe, inclusive, and affirming learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth.

Through the Equity and Excellence Alliance and The W.I.S.E. Way, schools are engaging in meaningful reflection, building shared understanding, and committing to action that advances equity and belonging for all students.

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