Superintendent's Update - November 14, 2025

Nov 14 2025

From the Office of the Superintendent

Board Agenda Calendar

View Calendar of Board Items 2025-26

Superintendent Austin’s Message . . .

I had the opportunity to participate in a live webinar last night with Josh Ochs from SmartSocial last night. As we have shared in the past, PAUSD is a partner school district with SmartSocial, and the services are provided free of charge to our parents and our students. Josh is a leader in the space of digital citizenship and online safety. Last evening, we spent most of the webinar discussing “disappearing” apps. Students have the potential to get pulled into unsafe and inappropriate conduct on apps, especially when they believe their words and actions will disappear shortly after sharing. This, of course, is not true. Nothing that can be captured through a screenshot should be considered temporary. More importantly, we would hope people would be kind when online and interacting with others.

While serving on the webinar, I was also able to view the chat comments. A few things were clear. Many parents are anxious about how to monitor and restrict access to apps that can be misused or harmful. I thought quite a bit about that part and want to share a thought. Parents don’t have to be experts about every app that is out there. In fact, that’s not realistic. Instead, it may be more productive to set clear expectations about behavior in general. We spend a lot of time and energy dealing with cyberbullying issues that often occur after school hours, but have an impact on our kids when they are back in class. Bullying is bullying, no matter where or how it occurs. That is a topic that all parents can address with expertise.

Another concern that came up was the belief that kids may be reluctant to tell their parents if they are bullied or tricked online. That is a real concern. Consider having that discussion with kids before something happens. Some parents shared that they gave their kids permission to share things with an aunt or grandparent if they were embarrassed or scared to share with them. That seemed like a creative way of making sure their kids knew it was good to ask for help when needed. Kids make mistakes and sometimes find themselves in tough situations. It’s part of growing up. Knowing they have a person to go to in these situations may be a very good thing.

We are fortunate to have a partnership with SmartSocial and will try to push more resources to parents in the future. Register here: https://www.smartsocial.com/?org=paloalto

Here are some of our recent SmartSocial stats:

Parents with weekly engagement: 1607
Parent Goal: 516
Percent to goal: 311.4%
Estimated Annual Incidents Avoided: 527

Total parent feedback/testimonials: 110

Latest Feedback/Testimonials from your parents:

I attended the live event "Snapchat & Instagram Teen Risks: Hidden Dangers of Disappearing Messages & Secret Accounts". PAUSD promoted this event so I watched it, and also browsed the SmartSocial website. The content is useful and relevant, and I will try to browse more of the content. - 11/13/2025

I learned a lot about the risks, and especially about the disappearing messages. I knew about this feature from before, but didn't expect that it could be a risk to children. I know cyber bullying happens often, but if it happen to my child, it would surely be a nightmare... I will definitely be more cautious about SNS my child uses from now on. - 11/13/2025

I learned what's disappearing message and risks with it, particularly the one that kids might think it's disappearing but in reality it's eternal. - 11/13/2025

Wow! So much great information. I learned for the first time about this smartsocial.com site and how its helping me today to learn so much for myself, family and more. Thank you. So much important information. - 11/13/2025

I learned that the 7 tips are very helpful. I love the conversation starter - 11/13/2025

Mental Health and Wellness: Partnering with Families to Support the Whole Child

Each PAUSD school has dedicated Mental Health and Wellness Associates (therapists) who support students’ social and emotional needs and schoolwide wellness initiatives. This year, elementary therapists are leading a series of engaging parent education workshops, providing families with opportunities to learn and connect on topics such as child development, mental health, and wellness.

The first of three informative sessions focused on understanding developmentally appropriate behaviors and recognizing when certain behaviors may signal concern. Parents gained insight into how children’s actions often serve as forms of communication that reflect their developmental stage and underlying needs. Presentations drew on key frameworks such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Erikson’s Stages of Development, offering practical guidance for supporting children’s growth and well-being.

Therapists highlighted trauma-informed practices both at home and at school, emphasizing how safety, connection, and emotional regulation provide the foundation for learning. Families received actionable strategies, such as creating predictable routines, encouraging open communication, and modeling healthy coping skills.

Families also learned about each school’s comprehensive school-based mental health services, which include short-term individual, group, and class presentations. Parents can connect with their child’s teacher or school principal to ask questions or request support.

PAUSD is deeply committed to supporting the mental health and development of every child. Additional parent education events will be offered next semester to further strengthen the connection between home and school. PAUSD remains dedicated to each child’s social and emotional well-being, prioritizing mental health and wellness as part of the PAUSD Promise.

A woman presents a graph titled 'Signs of Possible Concerns' during a presentation. A presentation is given to a group of people in a brightly lit room.

Uwill Virtual Mental Health Services – Webinar Recording & Guide

If you missed the recent Uwill webinar, here’s a quick summary and helpful resources.

Key Points:

Uwill (formerly tbh) provides virtual therapy and wellness resources for all PAUSD students (parental consent required for students under 12).
Services are available outside school hours, on weekends, and during breaks, supplementing PAUSD’s school-based mental health program.
Students can choose a licensed therapist, schedule sessions conveniently, and access wellness resources, such as yoga and meditation.

Resources:

Webinar Recording : Uwill info session; Includes tips for talking with your child about mental health and recognizing when support may help.
Parent Guide : Outlines Uwill virtual therapy and wellness programming
Uwill website

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Institutional Review Board (IRB) representatives met this past week to review staff and student research proposals for any potential psychological, physical, legal, social, or economic harm, as well as for any unethical practices. A total of fifty-five proposals were evaluated during this fall review, including AP Research projects and studies sponsored by outside research institutions. In accordance with BP 6162.8, any researcher working with human or animal subjects and planning to share findings beyond the classroom must submit their project proposal to the IRB for approval.

Paly Theatre Presents The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Lies. Fear. Courage.
Step into Salem, 1692—where rumors ignite and integrity is tested. In Arthur Miller’s award-winning and heartbreaking play The Crucible , the quiet town of Salem erupts into chaos as fear and suspicion spark a deadly witch hunt. Accusations fly, reputations crumble, and truth becomes the first casualty. Set in 1692 but echoing through every generation, this powerful drama explores the collision of hysteria and integrity when a community turns on itself. This performance will run 2.5 hours with a 15-minute intermission. Due to the content and language of this show, it is recommended for audiences 12 years of age and older. Purchase tickets at https://www.palytheatre.com/

November 14th & 15th at 7:00pm

Gunn Theatre presents Describe the Night by Rajiv Joseph

Join us for Gunn Theatre’s fall production of Describe the Night by Rajiv Joseph, a riveting comedic thriller set in Russia, East Germany, and Poland over the course of 90 years. This epic saga traces the friendship between a writer, a soldier, and the woman they both love. Ricocheting across time and place, Describe the Night traces the stories of historical figures and fictional characters, creating a mystery for the audience to solve. Performances take place November 7-15 in the Little Theater at Gunn High School. Rated PG-13 for mature themes and language. Purchase tickets at gunntheatre.org

Location: Little Theater, Gunn High School

Opening Night and Gala: Fri, Nov 14th and 15th at 7 p.m.

Start Smart CHP Courses

The CHP is now offering its “Start Smart” safety class for new teen drivers and their parents on a monthly basis, moving forward (the second Thursday of every month). The Start Smart program is designed to help newly licensed or soon-to-be licensed teenage drivers (ages 15-19) become more aware of the responsibilities that accompany the privilege of being a licensed driver in California. The newly licensed teenage driver and their parents/guardians are invited to attend and participate in a free 2-hour-long class usually hosted at a local California Highway Patrol (CHP) office. We will speak directly with the teenage driver and their parents/guardians through candid conversation and discuss crash avoidance techniques, as well as causing elements like excessive speed, DUI, and distracted driving.

Parents/students are required to RSVP directly with the CHP Redwood City officer in advance if they’d like to attend. Their e-mail address is in the graphics.

An image promoting a free 2-hour class held by CHP officers, with a car graphic and phone.

An image promoting the Start Smart program, featuring a car graphic and a smartphone.