Superintendent's Update - November 4, 2022

From the Office of the Superintendent:

BOARD OF EDUCATION AGENDA CALENDAR 

The Board agenda calendar can be found HERE.

STATE SEAL OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT (SSCE)

Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) won the SSCE Outstanding School District Award given by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE). The SSCE was created by the State of California to encourage students to be active participants in their community. Students who earn this award demonstrate excellence in civics education and living skills participation. These students also have an understanding of the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, and the democratic system of government. 96% of Gunn seniors and 95% of Paly seniors were awarded the SSCE on their diploma during the first year of implementation.

AD HOC COMMITTEES

Ad hoc committees continue to meet regularly and tackle complex charges through calibrated processes and diverse viewpoints. The District continues to provide opportunities for committee leads to connect, calibrate, and reflect together. Meeting notes can be found using this link. 

Some committees are nearing the end of their charge and will be replaced by a new wave of topics. A partial list of topics on the horizon include:

• English Learners (EL) (see HERE for US Department of Education explanation)

• Standards-based grading

• Special Education co-teaching model 

• Dual enrollment

• Elementary school progress reporting 

• Elementary school Special Education programming

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Dual enrollment courses refer to high school courses that have gone through curricular alignment with a community college. Students are enrolled in two institutions concurrently, therefore earning high school credits and college credits simultaneously. It is a fantastic opportunity for high school students to get exposure to a tuition-free college experience before they graduate.

PAUSD currently offers seven high school courses, articulated to 23 Foothill courses, serving 342 students. The courses are Human Anatomy, Advanced Authentic Research, Early Childhood Development 1, Early Childhood Development 2, Child Development, Sports Medicine, and Stage Tech. This year, we have been working closely with PAUSD journalism and environmental science educators to articulate additional courses for 2023-24. We are excited to expand our program for next year serving more diverse students. 

WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH PAUSD?

It is as simple as clicking a button on the Let’s Talk page! We are grateful to have such a dedicated and dynamic community of members and partners. 

Using Let’s Talk is quick and easy. For example, Stanford Athletics reached out to PAUSD and as a result of their generosity, over 1,300 PAUSD students have signed up to attend a field trip to their mens’ basketball game. Companies who have shifted their modality after COVID-19 have made equipment donations to classrooms as well. 

Thank you to everyone who goes the extra mile to support our students. There are many ways you can contribute, including mentorship, equipment donations, or field trip experiences. Learn more here.