Superintendent's Update - May 24, 2024
Superintendent's Update - May 24, 2024
From the Office of the Superintendent
Board Agenda Calendar
View Calendar of Board Items 2023-24
Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .
It’s always difficult to summarize thoughts in the last message of the school year. As I foreshadow often, the last couple months of every school year are always tough for a variety of reasons. This is also a time for reflection, celebration, and acknowledgement of jobs well done. If you have a senior, please try your best to think about the best parts of the journey. A quiet place always helps me to refocus my thoughts and cherish the memories that will last forever.
Part of the beauty of school systems is the virtual rebirth opportunity we are given each year. If this year was everything you wanted as a student, staff member, or parent, you have the opportunity to replicate it. If there were things you wish were different, the slate is relatively clean in August. Healthy people and systems evolve. I am excited to see our evolution heading into the future.
This is a special place with a lot of great people. Thank you all for being a part of our school district and community. Enjoy the last few days with the ones you love!
DreamCatchers End-of-Year Celebration and Promotion of 8th Graders
On Thursday, May 23, the DreamCatchers program celebrated the end of a great year, and promotion of 40+ 8th graders participating in the program. Thank you to DreamCatchers staff and families for the camaraderie, great food, and fun at the event!
DreamCatchers is a free, after-school enrichment program for PAUSD middle school students who meet specific criteria. Additionally, it is a sustained service-learning program for PAUSD high school students who serve as volunteer tutors. The program takes place at Greene, JLS, and Fletcher, with an astounding 190+ students enrolled, supported by 200+ tutors and mentors.
DreamCatchers provided over 25,000 program hours for PAUSD students this school year, enabling them to make connections with peers and mentors, as well as providing additional academic support to help all students thrive in their classes!
TBH Virtual Mental Health Support for the Summer
As we approach the end of the school year, we wanted to remind you about the free TBH virtual mental health support available to students 13 years and above. Online services are available throughout the summer break, including weekends.
Please visit the TBH Parent Portal or watch this brief video for more information.
What's available:
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1:1 Coaching: Personalized sessions with mental health coaches
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Group Support: Safe spaces to discuss feelings and improve social skills
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TBH Toolkit: Videos, blogs, and resources for independent mental health work
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1:1 Therapy: Therapeutic support with licensed therapists (parent or school referral needed)
Students can sign up easily via the PAUSD ID portal (find the TBH icon) or they can ask their school counselor for more info. Your children’s well-being is of utmost importance and support is always available. Resources and crisis information can be found on our PAUSD website.
Virtual Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) Training (Ages 14-19)
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte is offering a free 3-session virtual training for youth, ages 14-19, to learn about reducing mental health stigma, recognizing mental health challenges in friends/peers, and finding a trusted adult to help themselves or their peers when they struggle. Register here.
Pre-work: 20-30 minutes on basic language and background of tMHFA; self-paced and online.
Literacy
PAUSD Teacher Librarians have curated an incredibly interactive and engaging list of summer reading resources for families during the summer season.
Students may participate in the City of Palo Alto Summer Reading Program and use their student identification card to check out the books recommended.
For more ideas, activities, children’s book author read-aloud, and bookmobile information in English or Spanish select your child’s grade level in Fall 2024 and enjoy!
Middle School Summer Reading Resources
High School Summer Reading Resources
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AANHPI Month – Booklist for Teens
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Mental Health Matters – booklist for Teens
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Teen Blog Posts – for Volunteer Hours
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Library Teen Page – with Upcoming events
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TLAB (Volunteering)
Happy Reading! 🦋
