Superintendent's Update - October 7, 2022

From the Office of the Superintendent:
 

STAFF AND STUDENT SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) SURVEYS
SEL and mental health are priorities for the District. On October 3, teachers and staff were asked to take a brief survey to share their feelings, experience, and perceptions of our alignment as an organization. Beginning the week of October 17, all students in grades 3-12 will be asked to take an SEL Survey where students will reflect on their school experiences and social and emotional well-being. The confidential survey will be administered at school between October 17 and October 28. Staff are working with Panorama Education to support with administration. The student perspective can provide feedback for improvements to support needs across the District. School principals will be sharing more details regarding the student survey in their family communications.

TESTING PAUSD'S EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM - MONDAY, OCTOBER 10
As part of the District's emergency preparation and planning efforts, a test of the emergency notification system is scheduled for Monday, October 10, at 10:00 a.m. Parent/guardian contacts will receive test messages via email, text, and phone.

Important Notes:

• If you do NOT receive a text or voice message, check your ParentSquare contact information and notification settings. If an incorrect phone/email is listed, please contact your student's school office. We strongly recommend that parents/guardians list a textable phone as their primary phone.
• In an actual emergency,DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL OR DISTRICT OFFICE.Phone lines must be kept open for emergency responders. If you see a missed call, always check your email first. The District will send information and instructions as soon as available.
• Please DO NOT DRIVE TO THE SCHOOL, unless directed to do so, as road access must be left open for emergency vehicles.

STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES HOSTS ANNUAL TASTING DAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 10
Student Nutrition Services is hosting its Annual Tasting Day on Monday, October 10, in the JLS main breezeway from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Students, staff, and parents are welcome to drop by to taste and vote for their favorite entrees!

Staff have been busy creating new meals made from scratch to introduce into this school year's menu. Entrees scoring 80% or higher will be added to the menu rotation. Some of the featured entrees are Chicken Salad with Fruit, Quinoa Mango Salad, Black Bean Empanada, Potato Ragda Bowl, Vegetable Lo Mein, Chicken Pesto Sandwich, and Lentil Crumble Nachos (Vegan) to name a few. Please see the flyer for more information.

ARTS IN UNUSUAL PLACES - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
On Saturday, October 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Visual and Performing Arts Department will be holding an event called Arts in Unusual Places at the Stanford Shopping Center. Inspired by an event that Palo Alto High School holds yearly on campus, the arts will be brought out of the classroom and into the community. There will be small pop-up performances at Stanford Mall showcasing PAUSD High School Music and Visual Arts. The performances will start in the Center Pavilion with the Gunn Band at 11:00 a.m. followed by a Gunn Jazz Combo at 11:30 a.m. A small pop-up of Visual Art from both Palo Alto High School and Gunn High School will also be on display, showcasing student artwork in photography, drawing and painting, graphic design, and digital media. Come join us in celebrating our students!

UNITY DAY - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19
This is the 10th year anniversary of our Districtwide participation in Unity Day. Staff, students, and families are encouraged to wear orange to support a unified commitment to prevent bullying through acceptance, inclusion, and kindness. Students will be engaged in Unity Day themed activities such as building school-wide unity chains, making posters to positive messages of acceptance and inclusion. Libraries and classrooms will highlight books focused on empathy, kindness, and perspective-taking to support continued work toward building an environment where all students feel they belong. All staff and secondary students will receive PAUSD Unity Day buttons, and elementary students will receive PAUSD Unity Day stickers and "Kindness Rocks" pencils. We are looking forward to this special and inclusive celebration!

PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center website

AD HOC COMMITTEE UPDATE
Ad Hoc Committees continue to meet regularly, and the most recent updates are included in the next Board Information item. You can find the meeting notes linked below. We appreciate staff and community committee members for their enthusiastic participation to bring diverse perspectives on these topics.

• Athletic Funding: 9/1, 9/22
• Secondary Bell Schedule: 9/12, 10/3
• Childcare: 9/20
• Enrollment Trends and Options: 9/20
• Celebrate and Serve Others: 9/20
• Choice Programs: 9/26
• Consent Education: 9/26