Superintendent's Update - May 3, 2024

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May 3 2024

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

View Calendar of Board Items 2023-24

Mark Your Calendar!

April 27 - May 19 - PAUSD K-12 Youth Art Show
May 18 & 29 – Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings

Fentanyl High: Facing the Fourth Wave of the Opioid Crisis

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 6:30pm – Spangenberg Theatre / Gunn High School

Over 112,000 lives were tragically lost to fatal drug overdoses in 2023, marking a devastating turning point in U.S. history. Young individuals have been disproportionately impacted by this crisis, surpassing all previous drug epidemics. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid fifty times deadlier than heroin, accounts for over 60% of these heartbreaking deaths, amidst a challenging landscape of increasingly complex and dangerous illegal drug distribution.

Prepare for a moving experience at the Fentanyl High Film Showcase and Panel Discussion. Explore the raw stories of teens affected by the fentanyl epidemic, their struggles with emotional pain and self medicating, and potential preventive measures. Hear impactful accounts from paramedics, officials, healthcare professionals, and parents affected by fentanyl poisoning.

Join us for the film screening and an engaging panel discussion with cast members, Santa Clara County experts, educators, and community representatives. Your participation can drive meaningful conversations and help bring change. A limited supply of Naloxone nasal spray, the life-saving medicine used to reverse an opioid overdose, will be distributed to attendees. Save the date and secure your spot here!

Youth Mental Health – Free First Aid Trainings for Parents and Caregivers

Saturday, May 18, 2024, 11:30am – 3:30pm
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 5:00 – 9:00pm

This is a free Zoom training for parents and caregivers, presented by the City of Palo Alto and Momentum for Health. Here’s the flyer for May 18, and another for May 29.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This six-hour training gives adults who interact with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem, and help connect them to the appropriate care.

Meet “Cruisin’ Cafe” – the Newest Kid on the Block!

PAUSD Nutrition Services is excited to announce the arrival of its new electric vehicle (EV). “Cruisin' Cafe,” purchased through a USDA Kitchen Infrastructure Grant, enables safe transport and delivery of both hot and cold foods. Features include a service bar where students can select food and condiments, and a checkout / pay station. The vehicle will be used to deliver meals to Palo Alto Middle College High School (PAMCHS) students at Foothill College, for special event food deliveries Districtwide, and to support site Nutrition Services staff at schoolsites undergoing renovation. Keep an eye out for “Cruisin Cafe” this fall!