Superintendent's Update - October 29, 2021

BOARD OF EDUCATION AGENDA CALENDAR

The current Board of Education agenda calendar can be found HERE. It is also found daily on the front page of our website.

COVID CLINIC
One of the core priorities of the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) is Service to Others. Beginning November 1, 2021, PAUSD will expand its COVID-19 Testing Program to serve students and staff Districtwide, as well as the entire Palo Alto Community. Our expansion is part of our efforts to slow the spread of infection and do our part to serve the community.

All tests are by a nasal swab at the bottom of their nostrils. If an individual is unable to do a nasal swab, there will be a saliva test available. To participate via saliva test, please let the Covid Clinic staff know at the time of the test.

The testing schedule and instructions for participating in the PAUSD Covid Testing Program can be found below.

Registration for PAUSD Students and Staff

NOTE: If you did not opt out of the disclosure of information, you will receive an email from COVID Clinic. This email will include a Student or Employee ID number. You will need this number to register. If you already know your Student or Employee ID number, you do not need to wait for the Covid Clinic email to register.

1. Visit https://school.covidclinic.org/. Click "Register for first test with Covid Clinic" even if you have participated in other COVID-19 testing with them or any other provider.

2. Indicate if you are a parent/guardian, student, or staff.

1. Select parent/guardian if you are parent of students who are under 18.
2. Select student if the student is 18 years old or older.
3. If you are both a parent AND staff, please select staff.

3. Complete all the other required information, sign, and click register.

Parent/Guardian of Students

After completing your registration, you will need to register your students as dependents.

1. Check your email for a one-time passcode.
2. Return to https://school.covidclinic.org/, and click "Returning users".
3. After you log in with the one-time passcode, scroll down and click add dependents.

Registration for Parents/Guardians and other Palo Alto Residents
Parents/Guardians and Palo Alto residents and neighbors will have access to COVID testing 5-days per week at the Cubberley Community Center (4000 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto, CA. 94303). No appointment is needed, but registration is recommended. The test center will be open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Parents who are also staff must register in the staff portal.

Visit https://www.covidclinic.org/palo-alto-2/. Scroll down to "Book n Appointment" and select your test. Diagnostic PCR tests and Rapid Antigen Tests are both available at this site, however, only PCR tests are at no cost to the patient. If you choose to have a rapid antigen test, it will be up to the individual to pay out-of-pocket.

Testing Schedule and Locations

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
District Office Greendell Cubberley	Ohlone Walter Hays Duveneck Greene Cubberley	Addison Palo Verde El Carmelo Paly Cubberley	Hoover Fairmeadow JLS Nixon Escondido Cubberley	Briones Barron Park Fletcher Gunn Cubberley

*Only students and staff are permitted to test on school sites. Cubberley is open to students, staff, and the community.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact PAUSD Health Services Department via email at health@pausd.org, or you can call (650)833-4240.

EARLY LITERACY

Our Early Literacy and Equity goals are in full implementation across the 13 elementary schools. Each month the Elementary Principals' Collaborative convene at a different school site to observe primary grade teachers implement the Orton-Gillingham (OG) methodology. The monthly meeting provides Principals with the opportunity to calibrate around the expectation for OG instruction across grade levels.

Principals will support teachers as they teach phonics, a critical foundational reading skill to our PreK-3 students. The collaborative provides Principals with an opportunity to share instructional leadership practices addressing the Every Student Reads Initiative.

SEEKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE CITIZENS' PARCEL TAX OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (CPTOC)

The Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education seeks applicants for appointment to a ten (10) member, independent, volunteer committee. The committee reviews and report to the public on the District's parcel tax expenditures. Applicants must reside within the Palo Alto Unified School District. An applicant may not be an employee, contractor, consultant, or vendor of the District. The successful applicants will serve a term from the date of appointment through Dec 31, 2027.

The purpose of the Citizens' Parcel Tax Oversight Committee is to advise the Board on the expenditures funded by Measure O in order to help ensure that said funds are spent for the purposes approved by the voters. The committee will monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and will report on an annual basis to the Board and community on how these funds have been spent.

Please follow this link for the application, or request a hard copy by writing to the address below, or by emailing Beti Loomis at bloomis@pausd.org. You can also obtain information by phone by calling 650-329-3980.

Completed applications must be emailed to Beti Loomis, or sent to:

Carolyn Chow
Chief Business Officer
Palo Alto Unified School District
25 Churchill Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306

All applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 19, 2021.