Piedmont Pulse

September 23, 2024

Dear PUSD Families & Staff:

It was great to see so many of you this weekend, starting Friday evening at the Piedmont new families event where I was honored to meet a number of our new parents in the District. Welcome! We are so happy to have you join our school community. I also had a chance to attend the Boosters Alumni Tailgate Event where I met alumni, including parents of recent graduates. And, later what a great homecoming football game, including Highlander bagpipes, where we crushed Encinal, 49-14. Go Highlanders!

I also had a chance to participate in the 9/21 launch event of Measure P where our school community of teachers, staff, parents, and community members came together in support of Measure P. Thanks to Chad Olcott of Mulberry's for sponsoring the event. You may see me on your block soon as I drop off door-hangers in my assigned precinct. More information about Measure P is linked HERE, and information about endorsing, volunteering, or donating is linked HERE.

In partnership,

Jennifer Hawn, Ed.D.

Superintendent

This week I am pleased to share three events that speak to our amazing sense of community in Piedmont.

MHS Family Potluck in the Park - Thank you to the parents and staff at MHS for the 9/14 potluck in the park. I love the magic of seeing our students, parents, and staff come together to celebrate the great work doing on at Millennium. I had a chance to talk with parents and students, which made it a great day!

Wildwood Friday Morning Run - I had a chance to join in on the Wildwood morning run around the Witter track. Amazing WW PE teacher, Amy Matarazzo launched this wonderful initiative, and it was fantastic to see parents, students and our community come together for a morning run. I confess, it was more of a walk for me and Board member Hilary Cooper, but it was a great community-building event.

PMS Behavior Assembly - Thank you to our PMS administration and students who led a student behavior assembly last week where safety procedures, rules, and important information about appropriate versus inappropriate behaviors were reviewed. Teaching our students positive and appropriate behaviors is an important of our work that we are actively reviewing, including a review of our response protocols and our instructional practices.

In my 9/9 newsletter, I shared a belonging survey that invited our school community to share ideas on how to create a sense of belonging for all in our community, including an opportunity to share your perspective about the Pride flag. The results included 166 responses that were very mixed. Linked HERE is a chart that reflects the overall results.

In order to better understand the results, I also analyzed the results according to those who are interested in flying the pride flag, combining results for two groups:

• Fly the Pride flag (including the CA/US flags) but no other flags

• Fly the Pride flag (including the CA/US flags) and other of the other flags that represent special groups.

Both of these groups want the pride flag flown, and their totals come to just under 37%. I also analyzed the "See Comments" respondents and included those who want the Pride flag flown and other options, which accounted for several more responses, which brings the total to 39.9% for those who want to see the Pride flag flown and some/all of the other options (student activities, Piedmont belonging flag, murals, banners, and instructional programs).

I did the same analysis for those who selected the other methods for creating a sense of belonging, which, combined, total 36.7%.

There were also a little over 12% of respondents who selected the "See Comments" option and stated directly that they did not want to see the Pride flag flown.

Finally, there were several responses that were neutral without a clear indication of a preference, which came to 1.4%.

The survey is still open if you have not yet shared your thoughts. Survey linked HERE. The Board will take these results into consideration at a discussion at their October 9th Board meeting.

Students, Staff, & Families: We had a great meeting on 9/18 (presentation deck linked HERE) where we explored many of the issues related to our cell phone use policies, including new legislation requiring school districts to develop a formal District policy by January, 2026. Also shared was a parent group, Piedmont Unplugged, for other parents interested in collaborating with "a supportive network of families prioritizing real world experiences and responsible tech use."

We will continue exploring our cell phone use policies by gathering feedback that will be shared according to group totals at the 10/16 Board Workshop, 6-8PM. We invite your input in a cell phone use survey linked HERE.

At the 10/16 Board workshop, we will also have Dr. Allison Baker (bio linked HERE) join us to discuss teens, technology and mental health. We look forward to seeing you at the Board workshop.

Affinity Mentorship is a district-led mentorship program that connects students with mentors who share similar identities, experiences, or backgrounds, often based on race, ethnicity, gender, or other aspects of identity. The goal of Affinity Mentorship is to create a supportive space where students feel understood and empowered by mentors who can relate to their unique challenges and experiences. Enrollment in the program is ongoing as long as we have capacity.

Any questions, reach out to Jean Takazawa- jtakazawa@piedmont.k12.ca.us

Affinity Mentorship Enrollment Form

RSVP: Mentorship Launch 9/29

The 2024 Giving Campaign launches on September 24. The theme, “Supporting Their Journey,” highlights the essential role that Piedmont parents and the broader community play in guiding students from transitional kindergarten through high school graduation. From daily activities to long-term planning, this support is essential to the success of each student. You can donate online HERE, by phone 510-653-1816, or by mail HERE.

National Hispanic/LatinE/X Heritage Month: The California Department of Education and PUSD recognize September as National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15–October 15. To our Hispanic/LatinE/X students, staff, and families. We celebrate you now and ALWAYS.

Oktoberfest - 10/5 from 4-9PM: The 4th annual Oktoberfest, a Piedmont Boosters Club fundraiser, which funds PUSD athletics programs. More information linked HERE.

World Teachers' Day - 10/5/2024: The California Department of Education recognizes October 5th as World Teachers' Day. Teachers, we celebrate you on this day and ALWAYS!

Parenting Anxious Children - October 23rd @Havens: You’re invited to listen to licensed Clinical Social Worker, Mindy Szelap speak about ways parents can shift their own behaviors to encourage resilience and independence in kids and reduce anxiety. Question and Answer session to follow her talk. Adults only event. Wednesday October 23, 7:00-8:30 pm at Havens Elementary Library. More info on Mindy Szelap linked HERE. RSVP link HERE.

Piedmont Adult School: Piedmont Adult School is offering "Parenting with Positive Discipline," a six-week class for parents of children of all ages. Classes will be held on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., starting October 2 through November 6 (no class on October 16). Register now at piedmontadultschool.org or call 510-594-2655.

Piedmont Adult School Volunteers Needed: English as a Second Language (ESL) volunteers needed. More information linked HERE

Piedmont Portal - For all of the latest school and community events, please visit the Piedmont Portal linked HERE

Millennium High School is open for enrollment. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Principal Irma Muñoz Daniels directly at (510) 594-2703 or imunoz@piedmont.k12.ca.us, or see more information linked HERE

Piedmont Alumni Network: Last spring, we launched the Piedmont Alumni Network! Linked HERE is a page on our PUSD website to invite alumni of PHS and MHS to sign up. Whether you graduated many years ago, or recently, we would love to have you sign up HERE.

Community Pool Construction Update - Safety measures around the Community Pool Project construction site on Magnolia Avenue across from PHS/MHS are currently in effect. Magnolia Avenue is open to traffic during school hours; however, we recommend avoiding the area when possible due to heavy truck traffic due to construction. Visit the City of Piedmont's website for details.

Substitutes Needed - PUSD seeking substitute teachers for the 2024-25 school year. Visit the District's EdJoin page for more information and to apply.

Follow PUSD - Please read our school newsletters sent out weekly for update to date information. The District Facebook (@piedmontunified) and Instagram (@piedmontusd)

Email: communication@piedmont.k12.ca.us
Website: www.piedmont.k12.ca.us
Location: 760 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont, CA, USA
Phone: 510-594-2600