Dear Parents, 

We had an amazing professional learning day on Friday.  Both Paly and Gunn teachers and staff attended the Palo Alto Summit which took place on Paly's campus.  It was a a high-energy, fast-paced, conference-style event. The theme was Moonshots in Education with participants being encouraged to think big and think outside their comfort zones as they re-imagine what education in their classrooms might look like.  If you have a minute, take a look at the agenda to learn about the session presenters and discover the possibilities that lie ahead for our students.  The day was a huge success thanks to the behind-the-scenes planning of Paly teacher's Kindel Launer, Emily Garrison and Esther Wojicki,who deserve a huge shout-out.

Looking ahead to this week, we have another 4-day instructional week for students with Monday being a "B" day.  Details for Wednesday, October 14th, have been posted here and sent out to students and parents via IC and Schoology. For freshman and sophomore parents, please know we will NOT be taking attendance on Wednesday, and there will be no new instruction.  With Spirit Week on the horizon, we believe the best use of time for your children is the "gift of time" before Spirit Week kicks-off. If your student needs to catch-up on sleep, this would be a good day to let them stay home and take care of their physical/emotional well-being. If your student needs extra help from a teacher, needs to make up a test, or wants to get ahead with their school work, teachers will be available in the resource centers and both the library and testing center will be open during the morning for students. We're ready to support you and your family, however that works best for our students, on this day. If you have any questions, please contact the Guidance office at (650) 329-3712.  

Finally, please know we are committed to the core purpose of our school which is to affirm the potential of every Paly student in an environment of support and inspiration where people work together and lift each other toward great personal growth. We appreciate your continued partnership and support. 

With gratitude,

Kim Diorio

Principal

Keep up-to-date with Paly College and Career Center news and events by "liking" us on Facebook. The C&CC holds an open-house after each parent night in the Fall. There is also a wealth of information in Naviance and on the C&CC page.

Interested in a health profession?  Attend the UC Davis Pre-Health Alliance conference! There are over 300 workshops offered so there's bound to be a topic relevant for you.  This national conference always sells out so for more info and to register, go here now: www.ucdprehealth.org 

College Rep Visits
Students must have their teacher's permission one day in advance if missing class. Pick up a form in the C&CC, or download it.  Bring the signed form the day of the visit to ensure the absence from class is cleared and marked as an activity rather than a truancy.  College visits scheduled for the next two weeks are listed below.  For a full list of all visits through Spring, login to Naviance using your user ID and password or login as a Guest with no password.  Click on the "Colleges" tab then click "view all upcoming college visits" within the "my colleges" section.

Due to increased student attendance and limited space in the College Center, we are no longer able to permit parents to attend college representative visits, please click to read more information about this policy.

PAUSD IS LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED CANDIDATES for the "Coordinator for District Communications" position. The Coordinator is responsible for communicating key information about the district both internally and to the general public. The Coordinator is also responsible for promoting a better understanding of the school district's objectives, programs, and achievements; promoting a community climate of support for the district; and providing communication services to schools and departments. The district is looking for someone with experience in public relations, journalism, public school administration or a similar background. See job details and apply online here. 

 

Share your Passion & Expertise - Become an Advanced Authentic Research (AAR) Program Mentor to Gunn and/or Paly Student(s)

People with passion can change the world for the better, please let our Titans (Gunn) & Vikings (Paly) discover their passion with you... The AAR student application deadline is fast approaching, we are looking for more mentors. If you are willing to participate as a mentor or want to learn more about the role, please email jchoe@pausd.org or visit http://aar.pausd.org/ to learn more and apply online. Your time commitment can be flexible, as the AAR program will provide students the necessary support to allow this flexible time commitment.  The Advanced Authentic Research (AAR) Program is a unique opportunity for PAUSD students in grades 10-12 to do original research in an area of their choosing. These students will bring passion, curiosity, and perseverance to the program. The students will be paired with mentors/advisors who are experts in the field of the student's choosing. It is possible for more than one student to work on a given project. The mentor will support and facilitate the student's work in the mentor's lab, office, or other appropriate environment. The student's research will be supported by the process oriented curriculum developed by the AAR team. The expectation is that students will spend about 60 hours per semester (3-4 hours per week) on their project. The program is offered as a Pass/Fail option and will earn 5 credits per semester.  Learn more about the Advanced Authentic Research Program: https://www.pausd.org/programs/advanced-authentic-research-aar

Love Art and Art History? 

Weekly meetings held every Friday, 9:30-11 am at Art Education, 25F Churchill Avenue

Volunteer docents needed to give presentations about the lives and work of Master Artists to PAUSD elementary students. Training provided by Arts Coordinator, Sharon Ferguson.  Art History background preferred but not required. Flexible hours. 

Palo Alto Chinese School has been serving the community in Chinese language instructions for 53 years, and is still accepting new enrollment. Class meets every Friday 7-9 PM at JLS Middle School. There are two tracks. The Mandarin track is offered from Preschool - Grade 12, for students from heritage families. The Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) track is offered from K - Grade 7, for students with little exposure to Chinese language. For more info, check http://www.paloaltochineseschool.org/ or email admission@paloaltochineseschool.org.

 

Buddies4Math is a great opportunity to help elementary school students who struggle with math while earning community service hours and working with friends. The program has had incredible quantifiable (STAR test) results, due in part to the work of Paly student volunteers. Volunteering for all sessions throughout the year is roughly equivalent to half the requirements for the President's Volunteer Service Award. Buddies4Math seeks Paly students interesting in tutoring and also those willing to take on leadership positions in the program under the mentorship of current student leaders. Contact buddies4math@gmail.com or visit buddies4math.org for additional information.

We are currently conducting a study to help teens (14-18) go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.  The treatment involves use of a light device that is placed by the child's bedside and flashes periodically throughout the night. Teens also meet for four sessions with a licensed psychologist at Stanford University to learn about sleep and strategies to improve sleep. The paid study requires completing a sleep diary daily for five weeks. Please contact the Zeitzer Laboratory at teensleep@stanford.eduor (650) 725-7767.