May 8 2016

Proposed New School Bond, Wellness Center, Increased Parcel Tax Levy Hearing: School Board Meeting May 10

New School Facilities Bond measure poll results, final Public Hearing on increasing the parcel tax for school operating costs to $2,553.26 per year per parcel, Volunteer of the Year Award, Graduation dates, and Wellness Center report – 

The May 11, 2016 Piedmont Unified School District will meet at 7:00 p.m. Regular Session in the Council Chambers, City Hall 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont.

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PUSD Facilities Master Plan Community Polling Presentation and Results  [Potential Parcel Tax Funding]

The Piedmont Education Foundation, the Piedmont Unified School District contracted with True North Research to conduct a community poll that gauges voters’ interest in supporting a local bond measure to fund school facility repairs and improvements.  Dr. McLarney will provide an overview of the polling methodology organization, and results.

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PUSD Wellness Center – Student Leadership Programs

PHS Counselor Amanda Carlson and student representatives from the PUSD Wellness Center Leadership Programs will present on the positive impact of the Peer Advisor and Youth Educator programs at PHS, MHS, and PMS will present information of the Wellness Center, which has provided opportunities for students to engage in Peer Education and Leadership programs that significantly enhance overall student health and community.  These include peer mediation, peer advisement, and Youth Educator programs at Piedmont Middle School and Piedmont/Millennium High Schools.

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The PMS 8th Grade graduation will be held Wednesday, June 8th at 5 p.m. at Witter Field. The Millennium High School graduation will be held on Wednesday, June 8th at 1:00 p.m. at Veterans Hall. The Piedmont High School graduation will be held on June 9th at 5 p.m. at Witter Field.

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Near the end of the meeting the Board will: Conduct 2nd Public Hearing and “Approve” the Proposed Levy of Current School Support Tax, Measure A, to be Levied in 2016-17

School Parcel tax is to be increased to $2,553.26 per parcel for 2016-17. 

The Board of Education will discuss the option to continue the levy at its current rate or to increase the levy up to the statutory level of $2,553.26 per parcel, which represents a 2% increase from the current rate of $2,503.20 per parcel.

The Board will discuss and receive public input regarding the proposed levy of the school support tax for 2016-17. This is the second and final public hearing. The Board will take action on any levy and increase after the second public hearing.

Read prior article on school parcel tax levy here.

The public is invited to provide comment at the Board meeting or prior to the meeting by email to the Board of Education at aswenson@piedmont.k12.ca.us

The meeting will be broadcast live on Cable Channel 27 and from the City’s website under online videos.  The meeting, open to the public, begins at 7:00 p.m. on May 11, 2016. 

May 11 Agenda < read the full agenda

May 7 2016

Katie Korotzer Honored as the 2016 Arthur Hecht Award Recipient: May 10

Volunteer work recognized.

At May 10, 2016, Board of Education meeting starting at 7:00 p.m., Katie Korotzer will be honored as the Recipient of the 2016 Arthur Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award.  The meeting will be televised live on Cable Channel 27 and from the City website under online videos.

Announcement:

Katie Korotzer, a long-time volunteer who played a vital role in creating the Fall Fest 5k, securing passage of the education parcel tax, and streamlining fundraising and grants for the Piedmont schools, will be honored with this year’s Arthur Hecht award. The award is presented each year to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the community and to Piedmont’s youth through volunteer service over a period of many years. The Board of Education will present the award at its meeting on May 11.

Art Hecht was well known as a volunteer dedicated to serving students in Piedmont and Oakland. He was a member of Piedmont’s Board of Education from 1970 to 1982, and instrumental in developing Millennium High School, Piedmont’s alternative high school. Established in 1998, the Arthur Hecht Award honors both Hecht’s memory and extraordinary individuals who continue his legacy of service.

The clear choice for this year’s award, Ms. Korotzer has been a dedicated volunteer in the schools and community since moving to Piedmont in 2005. Her years and depth of service, and her inclusive, collaborative style and understated leadership, have benefitted Piedmont youth in many direct and indirect ways.

Like many Piedmont families, the Korotzers moved to Piedmont because of the excellent public schools, but they didn’t know anyone in the community. That changed quickly. With her two sons, TJ and Nick, enrolled at Havens Elementary School, Ms. Korotzer became a regular volunteer at Havens, working on the Highlights, serving hot lunch, and coordinating after-school enrichment programs. “I met so many of my friends through volunteering,” she said.

Since then, Ms. Korotzer has taken on increasingly ambitious volunteer roles — creating new programs, building consensus to address and resolve difficult issues, and always striving to improve and expand opportunities for students. Everyone who works with her admires her hard work, inclusiveness, humility, and graciousness.

In 2009-10, she served on the committee to explore block scheduling at Piedmont Middle School. The committee studied various options, and Ms. Korotzer is widely credited with ensuring that parents, students, teachers and administrators had a voice in the discussions and that all viewpoints were considered. Esther Rogers, who served with Ms. Korotzer on this committee, praised her for developing a truly inclusive process. “Katie has really good judgment of how to approach the issues,” Rogers said. “She’s always receptive to hearing what others have to say, and she makes sure everyone feels heard. She’s not out front but she does the hard, behind-the-scenes work, and she does it in a productive, collaborative way.”

In 2010, Ms. Korotzer teamed up with another parent volunteer, Donna Williamson, to create the Fall Fest 5k. This fun run, which coincides with the Piedmont Harvest Festival, promotes awareness of Piedmont Unified’s Wellness Center and raises funds to support its programs for middle and high school students. Although the Fall Fest 5k didn’t exist until a few years ago, it is now an established Piedmont tradition.

Williamson explained, “The Wellness Center Committee was looking for ways to raise money to support the wellness programs and we came up with the idea of the race. Not many were willing to jump in to organize it because it was a massive undertaking, especially in the first few years. Katie volunteered because she liked that the event had a family and wellness focus.” “We had no idea what we were getting in to,” Williamson said. “Having people run on City streets turns out to be a really big deal. But Katie doesn’t back away from challenges. She has incredible organization skills and genuine motivation to help kids and the community.”

Mary Kelly, who served with Ms. Korotzer on the Wellness Center Advisory Board, said, “Given her quiet demeanor, it was stunning what she accomplished. She brought professionalism to the project and went to the City, Police, Fire, City Council, to propose the run. Out of sheer grace, dignity and respectful negotiations she won everyone over, and the City had confidence in her. The [Fall Fest] is so well run we take it for granted now, but it would not exist but for her. She’s a wonderful person who makes things happen.” Kelly added, “She’s just a remarkable combination of grit and grace.”

In 2012-13, Ms. Korotzer teamed up with Doug Ireland to run the parcel tax campaign. The measure, approved by roughly 77% of the voters, provides critical funding for the schools and makes up roughly 25% of the District’s budget. “I really loved working on this because I enjoyed meeting and talking with so many people in the community. The community is so well-informed and engaged, and so supportive of the schools,” she said. Ireland and others who worked on the campaign credit Ms. Korotzer with bringing in individuals who were not initially in favor of the parcel tax, and ultimately improving the campaign because of this.

In 2014, she became President of the Piedmont High School Parent Club, working regularly with Principal Brent Daniels, and facilitating communication among parents, support groups, and the school administration. In this role, she was also responsible for leading the council of parent club presidents (then known as APCP), and coordinating efforts with the Piedmont Education Foundation. She quickly recognized that there were inefficiencies and duplication of effort among these groups — which share the common purpose of supporting the schools — as well as confusion in the community about the different fundraising campaigns. Although serving as the PHS parent club president is essentially a full-time job, she didn’t hesitate to take on the added challenge of reorganizing and merging these groups.

Working closely with PEF President Mary Ireland, and once again engaging all stakeholders, Ms. Korotzer developed plans to merge the parent clubs and PEF. This merger has led to more efficient and effective fundraising, better alignment of grants with the school district’s budget process, shared infrastructure, and more coordinated communication and messaging among the six school sites. “Katie seems so low key but she’s got intense drive and commitment, and impressive organizational capacity. She was completely unflagging in her energy on this, and all as a volunteer! She knew that we needed to change the way the Foundation and the parent clubs were operating, and she was focused on finding solutions. She doesn’t get caught in her own vision so she’s always willing to work with people with different viewpoints,” said Ireland. “She doesn’t care about the spotlight, she just cares about doing the right thing and she’s willing to do the hard work to get it done, and to do it in the most collaborative way,” Ireland said.

Despite the time and effort required to plan and implement the merger, Ms. Korotzer remained fully engaged in her responsibilities with the PHS parent club. Molly Ashford, who serves with her on both the PEF Board and PHS parent club board said, “Her work with parents is tremendous. She’s always there to respond to parents’ concerns and always working to bring new people into the parent club.” Yuri Tada, the former Co-President of the Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee, echoed these comments. “Katie warmly welcomed us and encouraged us to participate and share our concerns about sensitive topics concerning diversity. She always responded in a fair, respectful, supportive manner,” Tada said. “She helped PADC navigate issues with teachers at the high school. It was delightful working with her, and this award is so well-deserved because she works hard for the students,” Tada added.

An example of her dedication to improving the lives of students is the change, made this year, from the long-standing tradition of a Senior Tea for girls and their mothers and a Senior Barbeque for boys and their fathers. In recent years, there have been increasing complaints that these traditions were antiquated, failed to recognize non-traditional families, and fostered confining gender roles to the point where some students and families felt excluded.

Ms. Korotzer met with a transgender student and other students, and concluded it was time to reexamine these gender-based events. A subsequent survey of high school Juniors, Seniors, their parents, and high school teachers and staff confirmed that most students wanted change, but some parents who cherish these traditions wanted them to continue. Ashford said, “This was difficult, and Katie wanted to give everyone a voice and find consensus. She gathered all opinions and never forced her own. She met with students, put them at ease, drew them out, and also helped them see other viewpoints. That was impressive. She just goes way above and beyond.” As a result of this sometimes emotional process, there will be a single, inclusive event for all graduating seniors and their families starting with the 2016 graduating class.

Ms. Korotzer described her work on the senior event as particularly meaningful for her. “I’m proud of our community,” she said. “These weren’t easy conversations, but the way we were doing things was really hurting some kids. This community is willing to listen to kids and make changes to make their lives better.”

Another example of Ms. Korotzer’s commitment to Piedmont’s youth is her current initiative to establish a Wall of Honor dedicated to Piedmont Unified’s graduates who serve in the military, diplomatic corps, or other government service. The idea for a Wall of Honor emerged from conversations with Terisa Whitted, a Piedmont parent whose son enlisted in the Marines four years ago after graduating from PHS. Ms. Korotzer’s son, TJ, enlisted in the Marines after graduating from PHS last June. Both women found that, in Piedmont, there is little awareness of the many paths young men and women may pursue through military and government service. They wanted to change that, and they wanted to promote awareness of the contributions and sacrifices of Piedmont Unified’s graduates who serve the country.

Ms. Korotzer and Ms. Whitted were inspired by the renaming of the PHS Library in honor of Christopher Stevens — a PHS graduate with a distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Libya until his death in office in 2012. They began talking about possible ways to promote awareness of Piedmonters who have served the country, starting with World War I and continuing through those in active service. They developed a proposal for an interactive display and historical database, and found enthusiastic support from many in the community. Working with the City and the Piedmont Historical Society, they identified individuals to include in this database. Working with PHS History teacher Courtney Goen, they enlisted students to research some of these individuals and write material for the database. They have cast a broad net, asking for all members of the community to contribute information and photographs. Although the research has just begun, they have already found information about a Piedmonter who won the prestigious Medal of Honor in 1943, and a Piedmonter who was the military’s first female rear admiral.

Whitted said, “This project has grown beyond our wildest dreams and this would not have come together without Katie. She believes it is honorable to serve, and she wants to honor those who do. She also wants students to be aware of all these options for service. And she knows how to get things done and she’s tenacious. My hat is off to her. She’s like a special forces officer herself.”

With characteristic humility, Ms. Korotzer reflected on her many significant contributions to kids and to the community by talking about the people she met and worked with because of her volunteer work, and the deep friendships that developed as a result. “That’s why winning an award feels weird. I made so many life-long friends. I got so much more than I gave,” she said. “I enjoy working with lots of kinds of people, drawing people into the process, getting people to cooperate. To me, that’s a worthy goal,” she said.

The Board of Education will present Ms. Korotzer with the award and a gift of student art at the regularly scheduled Board of Education Meeting on May 11.

May 4 2016

Elementary School Redesign Reduces Art, AP Classes Controversy, School Parcel Tax: Report

April 27th School Board Meeting –

At the School Board meeting on April 27th, a variety of topics were discussed. The School Board meets twice a month and they start with a private meeting, before they have the public meeting which starts at 7 p,m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss, events, changes, and make decisions regarding the elementary schools, middle school, and high schools.

  At the start, a woman who was dealing with finances for the School District stated that she advised that the school put money into the reserve so that the reserve becomes four percent. This was the part of the meeting where the parcel tax was discussed.

Next Mr. Matrix and Ms. Muñoz proposed a new AP Computer Science Class.  They discussed the difference between this class and other classes currently available. One of the most interesting parts of this class was how many more girls are signed up than in past years. About 43% of people signed up for the class are girls. Just a few years ago, it was less than 10% of women signed up. This is a huge change and at the this rate, the proportion will be equal. The board agreed to the class but through discussing the new AP class, a different discussion regarding AP’s and whether or not they should be allowed, limited, and how their presence has affected the student body.

School Board member  Richard Raushenbush was the most concerned about this AP classes, and felt that they needed to be discussed further.  He even mentioned eliminating AP’s or limiting how many a student could take. Although the other board members agreed that it should be up for discussion, they decided to put it on the agenda for their next meeting.

Then Ms. Muñoz went up again along with Carol Wozniak and high school math teacher Bill Marthinsen, who discussed the three new math classes. During that discussion however, Marthinsen also commented on AP classes, even handing out copies of an article he read in the New York Times regarding the topic.

Finally, a committee of elementary school teachers and principals presented the elementary school redesign, which features a different format for the elementary schools. One major and controversial change that would come along with this change is the fact that Art class would be cut, but would be “integrated” into the regular classroom through projects. Many parents are upset with this change, considering that art class is one of the few places where young students can relax and unwind.  High school math teacher and elementary school parent, Auban Willats, went to the board meeting wearing two hats; one as a math teachers supporting the adoption of 3 new math classes, and the other as an elementary school parent, considering the redesign. Although Willats understands the concepts, she worries about the cut down on art, because even if art is integrated into the academics, it still doesn’t give children the downtime art class may provide some students. Willats also pointed out a parent who questioned why tech still gets the same amount of time, but art gets cut down?

I agree with this statement, although technology class is important, most children these days are extensively exposed to technology. So why is it that tech is being somewhat more important than art? It’s unlikely that any of these children will be working in Silicon Valley anytime soon, so why can’t they equally be exposed to both technology class and art class and from there they can decide what they enjoy more or is more important to them. At this young age, it should be about exposing children to different classes and by limiting some, especially something so important like art or music class, where students get a chance to fully express themselves beyond academics.

Willats said that she plans on individually contacting each Board Member to discuss these potential changes, as well as communicate with other parents about the “lack of transparency” on the issue of elementary school redesign. Many parents at the meeting agreed with Willats in the same sense that they are upset with the inequity of many of the classes.

Unknowingly at the time, what Claire Reichle and I spoke about at the meeting somewhat went with the theme of redesigning curriculum, because we brought up the fact that there should be more emotional learning within all the schools, but specifically implemented for the young in elementary school. We based much of our information on the movie The Mask You Live In which discusses the pressure boys face to be masculine and how it affects their relationships.

Claire and I also brought up the fact that we are Peer Advisors so we go into High School Classrooms where we talk about different topics such as, stress, drugs/alcohol, and relationships. From our experience being Peer Advisors, we feel that by implementing emotional learning at a younger age, by the time those kids get to high school, rather than learn how to get in touch with their emotions or be mindful, they will already know how and it will become a part of who they are. Although the School Board didn’t make any particular comments, their body language seemed rather receptive to our ideas, or at least they understood our ideas.

Overall, the meeting covered a variety of topics, but the next meeting should be even more interesting considering they will have a full discussion on AP classes as well as continue with plans for the elementary school redesign.

Report by Emilia Rivera, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
May 4 2016

SCHOOLS: New AP Computer Science Class Despite Objection to AP Classes: Report

Piedmont Unified School District School Board Meeting –

On Wednesday April 27th at 7:00 p.m., the Piedmont Unified School District met for a regularly scheduled School Board meeting. The meeting agenda is based on proposals and questions from previous meetings and concerns brought up by the citizens of the Piedmont community about the schools. During the meeting the School Board leaves room for community members, such as the Piedmont High School civics students to voice their concerns about issues at Piedmont High School. In the beginning of the meeting different leaders from community groups such as the Association of Piedmont Teachers and the Student Representative give short updates about things their groups need or are planning to do in the school.

 The meeting covered several different topics but the one that drew the most interest from the community was the reform to the elementary education schedule. Ms. Carol Cramer, Ms. Anne Dolid and Mr. Michael Corritone, the principals of the three elementary schools came to the Board meeting to discuss the changes in scheduling for the elementary school kids over the next couple of years.

One major change that the parental community was worried about was the reduction in art and music time at the elementary level. The traditional once a week art and music time is being replaced with time for technology every week, while art and music will be alternating each week.

The loss of time for the arts was a big concern among the parent community, Ms. Auban Willats was at the meeting because of her concerns about losing time for the arts. She said “ I thought the question of why technology gets 40-50 minutes every week, but vocal music and art have to alternate was an important one. I have spoken to many of my high school students who remember art as one of their favorite times of the day.” Many other parents spoke up at the meeting as well, saying that they were thankful for the work that the principals had done, but they were feeling that the new schedule was pushed on them suddenly and needed more time to be critiqued and looked at by the parent community.

At the meeting, a new AP Computer Science class was approved for the High School. Ms. Munoz and Mr. Mattix presented it to the board, informing them that Piedmont High School would be one of the first high schools in the nation to have this type of class. The class focused on app development and more on the grading of a student portfolio instead of tradition AP style grading. One point highlighted by both presenters were the number of students who were interested in taking this class as well as the significant number of girls who were interested in taking the class. Females in the technological world have long been under represented and everyone on the School Board seemed in favor of supporting a class that would benefit females in technology.

One question brought up by Board member Richard Raushenbush was, if Piedmont High School should be offering more AP classes or any AP classes at all. Mr. Raushenbush brought up how AP classes boost the highest GPA that a student can have at Piedmont that is published to colleges and adds more stress for students, which is something the Board has been trying to decrease. The Board agreed to put that topic on the agenda for the next meeting.

Lastly, the new math classes were brought up in the meeting, Math 2, Math 2B/3, and the Math A bridge summer course. These are the new math classes for the Common Core track that the lower grades have been following since middle and elementary school. The bridge course Math A is a summer course so kids who are behind on the track can advance. Ms. Auban Willats was also in the meeting to show support for the new math program.

Report by Sierra Singer, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
May 2 2016

Purchase Tickets for Bird Calling Contest NOW

May 24, 2016

SOLD OUT !

Piedmont High School
Annual Bird Calling Contest

Please email patty@piedmontedfoundation.org or call 510-653-1816 if you would like to be added to the WAIT LIST. 

You can purchase tickets at: http://tinyurl.com/PHSBirdcallers

History

“Wax,” a student asked one lazy afternoon in 1963, “can we do something to liven things up around here?”  With this request in mind, Mr. Leonard J. Waxdeck recalled an interesting experience from his factory days and created the show that everyone knows today as the Piedmont High School Bird Calling Contest.

That was the beginning of the legend, as it has been reprinted in contest programs for more than five decades. It goes on to recount the multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”, followed by multiple appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman” as well.

Though the Contest changed irrevocably in the fall of 1994 with the death of its founder, it has been carried on by the many who share in the spirit of innovation and fun of Mr. Waxdeck.  In honor of the tradition that he created, we continue to present the Annual Piedmont High School Bird Calling Contest year after year. Our hope is that with the support of the community and students, this venerable tradition will continue for many years to come.

Judging

Many people wonder about the criteria for a winning call. Is it the delicate soloist with the enchanting whistle worthy of first-place? Or is the best act the routine that receives the most enthusiastic response from the audience?  To assist any armchair judges in the audience, the following criteria are used.  Though judges give scores for each of the three criteria, points alone do not determine the winners. There are intangibles that set the winners apart.

  • Authenticity of Call

The judges will act as experts of the Contest to certify the authenticity of the call.

  • Poise and Delivery

Both stage presence and smoothness of delivery are considered. The beauty and singularity of the birdcall are essential.

  • Content of Introduction

Contestants must write their own ‘sketches’. It should include pertinent information about their bird. The information should be organized, well-composed, and in good taste. Humor can be a plus or minus, depending on its appropriateness.

Past Winners

2015 Tyler Ellis, Maret Sotkiewicz
2014 Sami Barney, Katie Cummins, Jasmine Nadim
2013 Gabe Bolio, James Clifford, Eli Nash
2012 Tialli Moya-Smith, Sheli Shacker, and Cameron Anderson
2011 Caitlin Baldridge, Austin Kelley, Theo Quayle
2010 Andrew Moorhead, Emma Nicholls, Zach Piser
2009 Anna Kritikos, Claire Rogers, & Rosie Talcott
2008 Derek DeRoche, Eric Sezgen, & Eric Wheeler
2007 Drew Joseph & Drew Kessler
2006 Dana Han-Klein & Claire Menke
2005 Claire Neumann & Kelsey Webster
2004 Laci Halliwell, Brandon Paris, & Bunny Rutherford
2003 Andrew Meyer & Cullen Reddy
2002 Alex Hirsch
2001 Jill Pervere & Rachel Winograd
2000 Eli Liliedahl-Allen & Courtney Labree
1999 David Lau & Paul Celestre
1998 John Shumway & Carl Moren

Updated: May 3, 2016

Apr 24 2016

School Parcel Tax Raise to $2,553.26 Considered Wednesday, April 27

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON AMOUNT OF SCHOOL TAX LEVY

The Board of Education will discuss the option to continue the levy at its current rate or to increase the levy up to the statutory level of $2,553.26 per parcel, which represents a 2% increase from the current rate of $2,503.20 per parcel.

 The first of two public hearings is on April 27.

In compliance with Government Code Section 6061 and ballot language, the Board of Education will hold a public hearing and take action on the levy of Measure A for the 2016-17 fiscal year at the Board meeting of April 27, 2016 starting at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers of the Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, California. The public is invited to provide comment at the Board meeting or by email to the Board of Education at aswenson@piedmont.k12.ca.us.

Randall Booker, Superintendent

The Board will discuss and receive public input regarding the proposed levy of the school support tax for 2016-17. 

The Board will take action on any levy after the second public hearing.

The required second Public Hearing on the parcel tax levy will take place on May 11, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. 

The public is invited to provide comments at the Board meetings or to the Board by email addressed to the Board at aswenson@piedmont.k12.ca.us and received prior to the second public hearing on May 11.  All information sent to the Board becomes public information.

Background information provided by the District:

 VII_A_1BackgroundPublicHearingOnParcelTax

VII_A_2SupportTaxSubcommitteeReportToBoard

 VII_A_3ExhibitAMeasureATaxLevy

VII_A_4ExhibitBMeasureATaxLevy

VII_A_5ExhibitCMeasureA SubcommitteeTableOfReserveProjections_

The meeting and hearing will be broadcast live

April 27, 2016 starting at 7:00 p.m

 on Cable Channel 27 and via the City website under videos. 

Apr 24 2016

City and School Liaison Meeting: April 26

City/School Liaison Committee – Tuesday, April 26, 2016 4:00 p.m. in the Piedmont Unified District Office Board Room, 760 Magnolia Avenue.  The public is welcome to attend.  There will be no recordings or broadcasts of the meeting.

  1. Call to Order
  2. Public Forum
    Overall Speaker limit – 10 minutes
  3. Regular Agenda
    1. Facilities Master Planning
      1. District Update
      2. City Update
    2. Hampton Park Plan and Schedule
    3. PADC/PHS ART/City Project: Faces of Piedmont
    4. Traffic/Parking/Student Carpooling
    5. Crosswalk Placement
  4. Adjourn
Apr 11 2016

Piedmont Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Information Night: April 20

Join the Piedmont Unified School District for a Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Information Night –

April 20th from 7:00-8:30 pm

at Havens Elementary School

on Highland Avenue

The District will be sharing information about a typical kindergarten day, key dates, as well as other pertinent information. Presentations will be made by the Parent Clubs and Schoolmates, Piedmont’s Recreation Department student daycare program. 

Following the presentations, presenters will answer questions from the audience.

Apr 2 2016

Piedmont Unified School District Facilities Master Planning: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions March 2016

Information from Piedmont Unified School District Superintendent Randall Booker – 

What is “Facilities Master Planning”?

Piedmont Unified School District is assessing whether its facilities support changing educational programs and goals, and making plans to ensure that facilities enhance educational programs now and in the future. This process, called “facilities master planning,” is intended to further the District’s fundamental goal of educational excellence.

Why is Facilities Master Planning needed?

Educational programs and objectives must keep pace with the changing needs of the world outside the classroom. Readiness for higher education and future careers requires different types of knowledge, different educational experiences, and a different set of skills than in the past. To serve the needs of students, it is essential to offer students a broad range of educational opportunities. For example, students must have the opportunity to: learn through project-based exploration, collaboration, and presentation;; investigate the connections among the sciences, and develop and test hypotheses;; work individually, in small groups, and in large groups;; complete service projects;; and take full advantage of modern educational technologies.

The purpose of the Facilities Master Plan is to address current and future educational needs of students and ensure that facilities provide both the functionality and capacity to support educational excellence.

Haven’t the schools been modernized?

Yes and no. Piedmont Unified recently completed seismic safety and technology modernization programs. The elementary schools were renovated or rebuilt to better withstand earthquakes, and all facilities have new technology infrastructure. Nonetheless, the middle and high schools have not been modernized, and many of their building systems have reached the end of their useful life and must be replaced. Also, educational needs have changed since these schools were constructed, and both additional and different kinds of facilities are needed.

How have educational needs changed?

Since the middle and high school buildings were constructed, course offerings have become more varied and some courses require specialized classrooms and labs – particularly in the fields of science, technology and engineering. Course work now incorporates collaboration in small groups and presentations, but undersized classrooms and heavy, inflexible furnishings make it difficult to reconfigure classrooms to support these activities. Lab work requires safe and suitable space for group projects and project storage, and inadequate labs, in fact, constrain teaching and learning opportunities. Additional specialized facilities are needed to offer or expand courses in film, web design, theater arts (including set and lighting design), graphic arts, culinary arts, and sports medicine, among others.

Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Piedmont Unified provides an excellent education, so some have asked whether facilities upgrades are really needed. There are significant reasons for investing in facilities improvements:

  • ●  Investment in facilities at the middle and high schools is now overdue and unavoidable. These schools have antiquated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that have reached the end of their useful life. These systems are inefficient and expensive to operate, and require either overhaul or replacement.
  • ●  The middle and high schools do not have a sufficient number of classrooms to support current and projected enrollment. The middle school needs at least three additional classrooms, and the high school needs at least two additional classrooms and one additional science lab.
  • ●  The District has identified a range of vital educational needs — from the need to provide extended-day kindergarten to the need for modern science labs and maker spaces — that can be addressed only through facilities improvements.
  • ●  Serious deficiencies that distract from and undermine the learning environment include poor sound insulation, poor ventilation, poor climate control, and insufficient restrooms. At the middle and high schools, noise transfers among rooms, making it difficult for students and teachers to hear each other. At all schools, climate control measures and improved ventilation are needed to prevent classrooms from overheating in warmer months.

● Modernization of antiquated facilities is needed to keep pace with surrounding public and private schools, which are investing millions of dollars in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) facilities. These schools include: Miramonte High School (Orinda);; Campolindo High School (Moraga);; Skyline High School (Oakland);; Monte Vista High School (Danville);; San Mateo Union High School (San Mateo);; Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland);; Head Royce (Oakland);; Bentley (Lafayette);; College Preparatory School (Oakland);; Redwood Day School (Oakland);; and De La Salle High School (Concord). The project costs are not available for all of these, although Cahill Construction reported that De La Salle’s new STEAM building cost $18.5 million to construct, Head Royce invested $33 million in capital improvements, and Oakland Unified School District recently invested $55 million in new science and classroom facilities.

How was the Facilities Master Plan developed?

❏ Assessment of whether Facilities Support Educational Goals

During the fall of 2015, nearly 30 District educators and administrators met four times to discuss the educational programs and goals, and the educational appropriateness of the existing facilities.1 The group discussed: current and future educational needs of students;; classroom functionality and capacity;; whether the school sites provide an environment that is appropriate, comfortable and conducive to learning, including classroom size, acoustics, air quality, ventilation, and climate control;; student safety and security;; and current and future facilities use by the broader Piedmont community. The group consulted with the Piedmont Police Department, Piedmont Recreation Department, and school security professionals.

This team included: Randall Booker, Superintendent;; Song Chin-Bendib, Chief Business Officer;; Pete Palmer, Director of Maintenance, Operations & Facilities;; Dr. Cheryl Wozniak, Director of Curriculum & Instruction;; Stephanie Griffin, Director of Instructional Technology;; Michael Brady, Director of Alternative & Adult Education;; Julie Valdez, Director of Special Education;; Brent Daniels, Principal of PHS;; Ken Taylor, Elementary Admin Rep;; Sati Shah, Principal of MHS;; Ryan Fletcher, Principal of PMS;; Courtney Goen, Virginia Leskowksi, Marna Chamberlain, PHS Teacher Reps;; Ken Brown, MHS Teacher Rep;; Amy Savage, Carolyn White, Logan Medina, PMS Teacher Reps;; Ras Medura, PUSD Custodian;; Mike Wong, PMS Classified Rep;; Lydia Adams, Kelly Wallis, Havens Teacher Reps;; Lianne Morrison, Kathleen Schneider, Wildwood Teacher Reps;; Anne Valva, Raul Jorcino, Beach Teacher Reps.

❏ Assessment of Physical Condition of Facilities

During the same time period, a team of architects and engineers assessed the condition of each school facility including: educational appropriateness;; mechanical and plumbing systems;; safety and security;; energy efficiency;; and fire/life/safety and accessibility code compliance. This team consulted with the Piedmont Police Department, Recreation Department, Department of Public Works, and school security professionals concerning site security and community use. The team also developed a “solar master plan” with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to generate enough solar power to offset all of Piedmont Unified’s energy use.

This assessment was informed by California Department of Education (CDE) standards and guidelines concerning classroom size and features.2 The project team also consulted with the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), a non-profit organization that specializes in school design that is versatile, energy-efficient, and provides a healthy educational environment. For example, CHPS has developed models for: maximizing flexibility of classrooms so they can be easily reconfigured for project-based learning and other purposes;; integrating outdoor space for educational purposes;; and incorporating natural light and energy-efficient materials. The team also reviewed school specifications promulgated by Makers groups.

❏ Community Meetings at each School Site

Piedmont Unified hosted a series of facilities tours and public meetings at each school site to gather community input concerning the adequacy of school facilities.3 Educators, students, families, and the broader Piedmont community were encouraged to participate.

For example, CDE recommends at least 960 square feet of classroom space for a class of 25-30 students, and at least 1350 square feet for a kindergarten class. For a science classroom, CDE recommends at least 1400 square feet but prefers at least 1600 square feet.

The recommended ventilation for classrooms is eight “outside air changes” per hour. Without adequate air changes, air becomes stagnant and carbon dioxide accumulates. At the high school and middle school, there are classrooms with zero air exchanges per hour. In some of these classrooms, the only ventilation is to open a window, but cold temperatures preclude this for part of the year.

The recommended acoustics (or “sound transmission”) rating for classrooms is at least 50, but at the middle school and parts of the high school this rating is zero. This means that measurable background noise, which is supposed to be at or below 25 decibels, is typically above 35 decibels.

The school site meetings were held as follows: PHS (10/26/15);; PMS (11/2/15);; MHS (11/5/15);; Havens (11/12/15);; Wildwood (11/19/15);; Beach (11/30/15);; and PHS/MHS (12/1/15).

❏ Board of Education Meetings

In addition to receiving progress reports at its regular meetings, the Board of Education held a special meeting on December 14, 2015 to review all input received at the school site meetings. As with the site meetings, the December 14 meeting was publicized in the school bulletins, school newspaper, and local newspapers, and all members of the public were encouraged to participate.

Following this meeting, the District created a draft Facilities Master Plan that combined (1) the assessment of the educational appropriateness of facilities with (2) the assessment of the physical condition of facilities and (3) community input received. The project team also developed two illustrations — for purposes of discussion and soliciting further community input — demonstrating different approaches to implementing the Plan. The draft Plan was presented at three public meetings (to date), on January 12, January 19, and February 10.

The Board of Education will hold additional meetings on the draft Plan in the coming months, and will likely finalize and adopt the Plan in April 2016.

What needs are identified in the Facilities Master Plan?

❏ Piedmont Middle and High Schools

● To accommodate current and projected enrollment, the middle school needs at least three additional classrooms and the high school needs at least two additional classrooms and one additional science lab.

● To support STEAM education, labs must be configured with sufficient preparation, collaboration, project, presentation, and storage space.

Piedmont Unified has two high schools and one middle school, clustered together at 740-800 Magnolia Avenue. Piedmont High School has 39 classrooms, roughly 110,000 square feet of building space, and 871 students enrolled for 2015-16. PHS consists of several separate facilities that were constructed in the 1920s, 1930s, 1960s, and 1970s, and includes classroom buildings, the Student Services building, Binks Gym, Alan Harvey Theater, and the Witter Field complex. Millennium High School is an alternative high school that shares space with PHS and the District’s administrative offices. MHS has 4 classrooms (1 that is shared with PHS) and 80 students. Piedmont Middle School has 33 classrooms, roughly 85,000 square feet of building space, and 683 students enrolled for 2015-16. PMS buildings were constructed in the 1970s and 1990s and include the Science Building and Morrison and Redford Gyms.

  • ●  To provide an educationally appropriate, comfortable and secure learning environment, sound insulation, ventilation, climate control, and additional restrooms are needed.
  • ●  To support a range of teaching strategies — including quiet study, research, small-group collaboration, project work and exploration, presentations, and formal instruction — classrooms must be modernized and furnished for maximum versatility.
  • ●  Antiquated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems must be replaced.
  • ●  To sustain, improve and expand course offerings, specialized facilities are needed:
    • ➢  The high school cafeteria, Piper Cafe, is used as the culinary arts classroom and for conferences, presentations, professional development programs for educators, and parent education programs. Nonetheless, use of the Cafe kitchen for career technical education programs in culinary arts means that the kitchen is not available for its original cafeteria purposes during class time. For this reason, the Cafe kitchen can support one section only of the culinary arts class. Also, the cafeteria is not well-suited for conferences and presentations due to poor acoustics. Additional teaching, conference, and presentation space is needed.
    • ➢  Alan Harvey Theater is used daily as a classroom, as well as for assemblies, rehearsals, performances, and community events. The Theater lobby is also used on a regular basis for small group meetings and rehearsals. The Theater is undersized for the current school population, does not adequately support the performing arts programs and needs for performance space, does not support Community needs for presentation and performance space, and does not comply with current fire/life/safety and accessibility codes. Additional seating capacity and additional teaching, rehearsal, and ancillary backstage spaces are needed.
    • ➢  Course offerings in sports medicine and related fields require dedicated space and equipment that support instruction in physiology, athletic training, nutrition, preventative care, and rehabilitation techniques. This space differs from typical classrooms, in part because training tables and equipment storage is needed.
  • ●  The turf on Witter Field has reached the end of its useful life and must be replaced. In addition, underground drainage is inadequate and must be improved to protect the new turf from stretching and tearing due to the pooling of water from Bushy Dell Creek under the surface. These improvements are critical to preserve and enhance student athletics.
  • ●  To support the social and emotional health of students, additional, private meeting space is needed at the middle school for Wellness Center programs.
  • ●  To the extent feasible, parking and traffic issues should be mitigated. The District has been working with the City of Piedmont to reduce traffic congestion along Magnolia Avenue during drop-off and pick-up times with new parking zones, permits, and signage. Off-street, paved parking is desirable for faculty, staff and visitors although the constrained area around the middle and high school campuses makes this difficult. The District and the City are continuing to explore possible solutions for Magnolia Avenue.

❏ Piedmont Elementary Schools

  • ●  Extended-day kindergarten is needed to better serve students. The District currently offers half-day kindergarten due to space constraints. Nonetheless, a growing body of research suggests that extended-day kindergarten produces greater learning gains than half-day programs. Furthermore, elementary school curriculum is developed based on the assumption that kindergarten is a full day, so offering half-day-only kindergarten necessarily means that students are not covering all recommended curriculum. For these reasons, additional kindergarten classrooms are needed.
  • ●  Climate control measures are needed to prevent classrooms from overheating and provide a comfortable learning environment. Ambient classroom temperatures exceed 80 degrees at least 30 school days per year.65 Piedmont Unified School District has three elementary schools. Beach Elementary (100 Lake Avenue) has 18 classrooms, roughly 35,000 square feet of building space, and 334 students enrolled for 2015-16. Beach was modernized and seismically strengthened in 2011 and 2012. Havens Elementary (323 Highland Avenue) has 23 classrooms, roughly 51,000 square feet of building space, and 498 students enrolled for 2015-16. Havens was built in 2009. Wildwood Elementary (301 Wildwood Avenue) has 15​ ​classrooms, roughly 20,000 square feet of building space, and 311 students enrolled for 2015-16. Wildwood was modernized and seismically strengthened in 2010.All elementary classrooms were supposed to get air conditioning and climate control features when they were renovated as part of the seismic safety program. However, in order to ensure completion of the seismic work, the installation of air conditioning units was deferred for budgetary reasons.

● All three elementary schools need additional shade for the outdoor recreational areas.

❏ All School Sites

  • ●  Additional support spaces and meeting rooms are needed to meet current teachingneeds.
  • ●  To the extent feasible, each campus should have a secure perimeter and administrative oversight over the access points to enhance safety and security. At the same time, facilities such as fields and playgrounds should be unlocked and open for community use and enjoyment during non-school hours.How will the Facilities Master Plan be used?The Facilities Master Plan is a long-range planning document that will guide short-term and long-term facilities improvements. Piedmont Unified cannot afford to address everything in the Plan ​at one time​, and that is not the intent. Instead, the District will have to prioritize the work and propose a series of bond measures over time, seeking voter approval to make these improvements in phases.How will the District prioritize the work?Piedmont Unified’s Board of Education will prioritize improvements based on educational needs and goals, considering input from the school community, broader Piedmont community, and City of Piedmont. The Board is soliciting public input on the priorities and will conduct a public opinion poll in the next month. Additional public meetings concerning priorities for near-term facilities improvements will be held throughout the remainder of this school year. These meetings include Board of Education meetings on March 23, May 11 and 25, and June 8 and 22, and a community town hall meeting in April or May (date to be determined).In addition, the District’s Facilities Steering Committee is meeting regularly to develop options for the Board to consider when setting priorities for implementation.

What will it cost to implement the Facilities Master Plan?

District staff worked with architects, engineers, and three general contractors, each with extensive experience in public school construction, to develop detailed cost estimates for implementing the Plan. I​f all work identified in the Facilities Master Plan were to be addressed in a single (multi-year) phase, the estimated cost is $137 million​. This includes hard costs (cost of construction), soft costs (architectural and engineering fees, state design review fees, inspection and permit fees, utilities fees, estimated price escalation over the next few years, and furnishings, fixtures, and equipment), and contingency funds. Nonetheless, Piedmont Unified cannot afford to address everything in a single phase. Instead, the Plan will be implemented in phases and actual cost will depend on the scope and sequence of each phase, which have yet to be determined.

How will these improvements be funded?

In California, school districts typically finance capital improvements by issuing bonds. To issue bonds, approval by 55% of local voters is required. In addition, aggregate debt issued by the district (or “bonding capacity”) may not exceed 2.5% of assessed value of the district’s taxable property. Also, bonds may be issued only if the estimated t​ax rate ​levied to repay the bonds does not exceed $60 per year per $100,000 of assessed value of the taxable property.7

Piedmont Unified’s bond financing consultant, KNN Public Finance, recently reported that the District’s bonding capacity is now roughly $66 million, and this number will increase over the next few years as previously-issued school bonds are retired. To see KNN’s presentation to the Board of Education on January 13, 2016, click here: http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/aboutpusd/agenda.minutes/2015_16/Piedmont_2016_Bond_Mea sure_Presentation_1_13_2016.pdf

The District will likely propose a series of bond measures over time to make these improvements in phases.

California Education Code section 15270 imposes these limits on the sale of school construction bonds.

Is the District eligible to receive State funding for these projects?

The District is likely eligible for state matching funds to help pay for modernization of the middle and high school facilities. Eligibility is based on the age of buildings, student population, and past receipt of state modernization funds. The District estimates that it is eligible to receive between $4.8 million and $6.47 million in state funds, provided that Piedmont Unified offers a 40% match.

The actual amount of the state modernization grant would depend, in part, on the extent of accessibility and fire life/safety code compliance work that is required by California’s Division of State Architect (DSA) in the final project scope. In addition to State ​modernization​ funds, Piedmont Unified is eligible to receive state grants for water and energy conservation projects. The District will receive a $650,000 DROPS (Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools) grant for water conservation enhancements on the high school campus, and $420,000 over five years for energy efficiency and conservation improvements across the District.

After the Facilities Master Plan is adopted, will there be continuing community involvement in implementation of the Plan?

Yes. To be most effective, facilities projects require ongoing community involvement and oversight. Piedmont Unified has long relied on a steering committee to oversee both the Seismic Safety Bond Program (SSBP) and the Modernization Program (MP), and both programs were completed on time and on budget. Specifically, the SSBP Steering Committee and the MP Steering Committee met regularly with District staff, architects, and construction managers to oversee planning and management of individual projects and program financing. Members of these committees contributed significant professional expertise and helped guide these programs to successful completion.

In the next few months, the Steering Committee will study the Facilities Master Plan, and help prioritize and phase the work in anticipation of one or more facilities bond measures. The Steering Committee will also oversee implementation.

The community members currently serving on the Steering Committee are: Grier Graff;; Brad Hebert;; Robert Hendrickson;; John Gibbs;; Sally Aldridge;; Angel Fierro;; and Bernard Pech. District staff who serve on the Committee include: Superintendent Randall Booker;; Assistant Superintendent Song Chin-Bendib;; Director of Facilities Pete Palmer;; and Board of Education Members Rick Raushenbush and Doug Ireland.

When the Facilities Master Plan is implemented, would students have to be relocated during construction? If so, would the relocation site be outside of Piedmont?

Whether temporary relocation of ​middle and high school s​tudents will be needed would depend on the scope and sequence of campus improvements, and these have yet to be determined. The work identified at the ​elementary​ campuses could be completed over summers, when no students are on campus, so there would be no relocation issue.

The District hopes to avoid relocation of middle and high school students to a temporary school site for several reasons. Relocation adds considerable expense to construction projects and can be disruptive for students and staff. Also, as a practical matter, there are few, if any, appropriate relocation options within or close to Piedmont. The District hopes to avoid relocation through careful sequencing of the implementation plan. For example, the Facilities Master Plan calls for additional middle and high school classrooms and labs to ease overcrowding and meet program needs. If new classrooms and labs are constructed first, the new facilities could then be used as “temporary housing” while older buildings are modernized. If phased properly, students could be cycled through the new facilities throughout the renovation, so all students would remain on the Magnolia campus.

A few years ago the District proposed a bond measure to renovate Alan Harvey Theater and voters did not approve the measure. Will improvements to the Theater be included in the Facilities Master Plan?

Yes. Alan Harvey Theater is undersized for the current school population, does not adequately support Piedmont Unified’s performing and theater arts programs, and does not comply with current fire/life/safety and accessibility codes, so the Facilities Master Plan includes these improvements.

The District received a range of feedback about why voters did not support the Alan Harvey Theater measure. Many voters questioned how the proposed theater improvements fit within an overall plan for facilities, particularly plans for STEAM labs and for modernizing antiquated classrooms at the middle and high schools. Based in part on this feedback, Piedmont Unified has now undertaken this comprehensive Facilities Master Plan.

The City of Piedmont has its own Master Plan. How is Piedmont Unified School District’s Facilities Master Plan related to the City’s Plan?

The City of Piedmont and the Piedmont Unified School District are distinct legal entities, and the regulatory oversight for their capital improvements and funding are separate. For example, all proposed public school construction in California must be reviewed and approved by the Division of State Architect (DSA), which has the authority to require that school projects include accessibility and life safety improvements to bring school facilities into compliance with current building codes. City projects are not subject to this DSA review.

Although the City and the School District capital programs are subject to different rules, procedures, and oversight, there is a commitment to confer and collaborate to the greatest extent possible. Specifically: there are regular liaison meetings between the City Council and School Board, and master planning is a key topic this year;; Pete Palmer, Piedmont Unified’s Director of Facilities, participated in the City’s planning group concerning the aquatic center, and contributed to the City’s pedestrian and traffic safety plans;; Chief of Police Rikki Goede and Recreation Director Sara Lillevand have consulted on the schools’ Facilities Master Plan;; Fire Marshall Dave Swan worked with Piedmont Unified on a comprehensive fire/life/safety assessment and participates in active fire drills at the school sites;; Director of Public Works Chester Nakahara consults on parking and pedestrian safety as well as storm drains, utilities, and other improvements that are coordinated between the City and School District.

What if the community does not support bond measures to improve facilities?

Many of the improvements outlined in the Facilities Master Plan will have to be done eventually, and, in the interim, students will continue to experience sub-standard learning conditions.

● The District would need to spend significant resources to operate inefficient and ineffective mechanical, electrical, plumbing and heating systems, pouring good money into failing equipment that will ultimately have to be replaced. If deferred, the cost of replacement will likely escalate.

● Spending money on failing equipment and systems, such as inefficient boilers and deteriorating sewer lines, would mean diverting money from the District’s general fund that would otherwise be available for educational programs.

● Middle and high school students would remain in overcrowded, undersized classrooms that fail to provide an educationally appropriate, comfortable or secure learning environment. Poor sound insulation, ventilation, and climate control would continue to undermine learning.

  • ●  The District would remain constrained in the range of courses and opportunities it offers students, particularly in STEAM education and career technical pathways.
  • ●  The District would remain unable to offer extended-day kindergarten due to space constraints.
  • ●  Elementary school students would remain in overheated and uncomfortable classrooms.
  • ●  Piedmont Unified would fail to keep pace with surrounding public and private high schools that are investing millions of dollars in STEAM facilities and modernization.What do Piedmont Unified’s teachers say about Facilities Master Planning?Piedmont Unified’s teachers provided numerous specific examples of how the proposed facilities improvements would remove real constraints on teaching and learning, and create new possibilities for 21st Century learning. Some examples from middle school teachers follow:“If the walls were soundproofed, I could have more experiential and collaborative activities in my classroom without worrying about disturbing the classes next to my room. My students would also be able concentrate and learn much better if they were not distracted by noise from other classrooms. If I had more space, students would have room to collaborate, make presentations, or participate in experiential activities without tripping over each other’s backpacks or being hindered by furniture. This would allow them to be more creative and innovative.”If my classroom had adequate space I could use the space to create learning environments for specific purposes. Here are four examples using expanded space which my students could use NOW:
    • ●  “Experts Center. Students teaching students new technology skills. For example, Adam Seville is teaching two students in my social studies class to use Wevideo (think Chromebook “IMovie”). They will produce a “Ken Burns style” presentation that includes selected video clips about the Terra Cotta warriors of the Qin Dynasty. In an “Experts Center” they could teach other students these new skills, and those students could continue passing on these skills throughout the class.”
    • ●  “Conference Center. Students could meet in small discussion groups for literature circles/book clubs or with partners to collaborate on writing. Currently students are writing scripts to demonstrate three ancient Chinese philosophies in a contemporary family setting, and this is very difficult in our crowded setting of table groups.”
    • ●  “Project Center. Students could work on designing and building models and projects that demonstrate their knowledge. If we had this space students could build a 3D model of the lost wax and piece methods of bronze casting. Currently they are limited to 2D presentations due to lack of storage and design space.”

● “Independent Work Center. We need a quiet corner for independent work and reading. There is substantial current research on the need to provide alternatives to group work for students. Our school psychologist has shared this research to encourage us to balance group work and independent classwork.”

“If my classroom were large enough to include shelving and supply cabinets all around the room I could display student work to serve as models and inspiration and store projects in progress. There are multiple classes that use every room, so project based learning is limited. Increasing storage for projects and materials would allow me to integrate more student initiated three dimensional art and design experiences into our daily curriculum.”

“If my classroom had space for ongoing student work, I could dramatically increase opportunities for differentiation, personalized learning, student choice, and “passion based learning” – I need the flexibility to respond to student interests and needs.”

“If my classroom had more space I could use small rolling white boards and table size projection screens for group work. Currently we have no space for maximizing the potential of our current tech resources, so students are limited to doc sharing on individual screens when they collaborate.”

“If the library were modernized to include moveable walls/whiteboards, I could change up the space to accommodate whole classes and small groups, and my students could have a more options for collaborative workplaces. If the library were modernized with better sound-proofing, I could be heard without competing with surrounding classrooms/ 201 meetings/classes, and my students could better focus on the tasks at hand.”

Editors’ Note:  Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Apr 2 2016

Report: Board of Education Meeting of March 23

School Board Meeting on March 23, 2016

The Board of Education voted at their bi-monthly regular meeting on March 23 in the Piedmont City Hall to adopt a new math curriculum for Common Core and Integrated Math.  They also approved the Piedmont High School (PHS) Language Department’s request for the level four language classes to be awarded the title of Honors, pending University of California approval.

The Board meeting was called to order by Board President Andrea Swenson, and the Board heard updates from the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT), represented by Piedmont Middle School (PMS) teacher John White, the Board’s student representative, and Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Randall Booker.

In addition to these updates, two students from PMS Green Team came to the podium to speak in support of a climate action plan.

White attended to support his two students; tell the school board about the student organization Together We Slam’s recent activities; and to fill in for APT head Gabrielle Kashani by giving feedback to the Board from the teachers’ union.

Regarding the math curriculum approval, Superintendent Booker, Dr. Cheryl Wozniak, and some PHS and PMS math teachers including Bill Marthinsen, spoke in favor of approving the new curriculum, from College Preparatory Mathematics, citing the presence of “a lot of intelligence behind it.”

After a presentation and substantial discussion, the Board unanimously voted to approve the new curriculum.

The Board then again heard from Booker, this time accompanied by PHS Principal Brent Daniels and several PHS World Language teachers, in support of approving the language level four classes at PHS to the honors level. The language teachers cited their involvement with the Berkeley World Language Project and examples of the honors level class at other high schools.

PHS seniors Courtney Gao and Ben Fung, taking or having taken AP Mandarin at PHS, argued against Board member Doug Ireland’s concern about the potentially superfluous and stressful nature of the Honors title, who was acknowledging the pre-existing and widely recognized level of difficulty for those classes and wanted to encourage more students to continue with studying world languages for this reason.

After hearing these arguments, the Board decided to approve the item early, and voted unanimously to do so, in order for the PHS administration to request approval from the UC system for next year’s classes.

The Board acknowledged a newly-published “frequently asked questions” document in response to mass interest about the Facilities Master Plan for the District.  The meeting was concluded by recognizing several community members and events.

by Ben Fung, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author. 
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