Superintendent's Update - November 10, 2023
Superintendent's Update - November 10, 2023
From the Office of the Superintendent:
Board Agenda Calendar
View Calendar of Board Items 2023-24
Superintendent’s Message
I heard a speaker recently that made me think. He said, "We probably remember some things we should just forget and we often forget things we should remember." Sometimes, it doesn't take many words to say a great deal.
It's common to over-select on the negative and to rehash perceived mistakes. On the other hand, I love it when something simple just clicks. There are times when an idea or action makes sense, partly because it came from something we once knew and somehow forgot along the way. The speaker made me wonder if the human nature of remembering the wrong things is a barrier to making breakthroughs on things that matter.
This update goes to about 20,000 people each Friday. Hopefully, someone out there can reflect on this message and make an effort to remember the things worth remembering. Conversely, I hope some people will make an effort to forget some things fully worth forgetting.
We have a lot of things in PAUSD worth remembering and growing. That is true of our students, families, employees, and the broader community. I plan on remembering that. You are all appreciated!
National Parent Involvement Day
We are very excited to share that the U.S. Department of Education will sponsor a live webinar for parents, in celebration of National Parent Involvement Day, on Thursday, 11/16/23 @ 4pm Pacific Time
This high energy event will focus on the Department of Education’s commitment to supporting parents and the success of their children. Host and featured speaker will be U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, joined by other senior Department officials, in conversation with Grace Bastidas, Editor-in-Chief of Parents, an award-winning online resource for families.
Please share this information widely with family, friends, and networks:
Parent Partnership: Secretary Cardona and Friends Celebrate National Parent Involvement Day
Thursday, November 16 @ 4pm Pacific Time
Palo Alto Safe Routes to School Requests Survey Participation
The City of Palo Alto is exploring the potential for new Safe Routes to School programs for middle and high school students within the Palo Alto Unified School District. The Palo Alto Safe Routes to School Partnership is part of a national movement to help encourage and support students and families to walk, bike, and roll to school. The City of Palo Alto has supported several Safe Routes to School initiatives across the City, including Walk and Roll to School events, City/School Transportation Safety Committee meetings, Walk and Roll Maps, Bike Rodeos, and more.
To date, most of these programs have focused on serving elementary school students and families. The City is looking forward to hearing your suggestions for a program specifically designed for secondary students. Whether or not you have participated in the past, we would appreciate your input on the following survey, which will help determine priorities for new programming.
This survey is open to students and parents/caregivers of Palo Alto Unified School District middle and high schools only. The Palo Alto Secondary Schools Survey will be open until Monday, November 27, 2023.
If you have additional questions or feedback, please contact norastoelting@altago.com.
ParentSquare by the Numbers
The transition to a unified communications platform has given staff unprecedented visibility into the District’s communication patterns. Here are a few highlights from ParentSquare for the past 30 days:
- 76% of recipients view messages.
- 545,103 emails were sent to 18,658 recipients (24,777/day).
- Greater than 40 parents receive over 100 messages per month.
- Four of the top 10 “authors” are school PTA accounts.
Additional charts are posted on the PAUSD website.
What is Linktree?
Linktree is your new quick link to the Palo Alto Unified School District. Take a look here.
