Parent Newsletter #26: 2/6/26

Website | Phone: (510) 594-2626

Location: 800 Magnolia Ave, Piedmont, CA 94611
Instagram: @piedmonthigh

Bell Schedule (Regular) | Library Schedule

Road to Graduation | Athletic Newsletter

College & Career Newsletter | Yearbook Info

2025-26 School Profile | Student Handbook

Principal: Dr. Yoshihara | Asst. Principal: Mr. Marik

Dear Highlander Families,

I wanted to express my gratitude to our parent community for their comfort and solace this past week. It has certainly been a consuming process on many levels for many people. We are slowly getting through this, and I am confident that we will be better in the long-term.

In all the post-events "stuff", I was able to see a social media post from @piedmontathletics (thank you Mr. Small) of the men's O'Dowd game this past Wednesday where an O'Dowd player went down and our players helped him up. I recall the caption saying "This is how sports should be played and what sportsmanship looks like." That post struck me.

Yesterday's women's game again Encinal, while lopsided, was also another demonstration of fan behavior. The spectators cheered our team, expressing adoration for our players. No comments, no put downs, no directives at the refs. I know we can get there. We must get there.

Warmly,

Dr. Yoshihara

February 6: Semester 2, PR 1 ends

February 6: Last day to drop Semester 2 classes

February 7: Winter Ball

February 10: Boosters Meeting (7 pm, Student Center)

February 13: Parents' Club Meeting (9 am, AHT Lobby)

February 16-20: President's Week, no school for students

February 23: Deadline for Bird Calling Contest Poster (5 pm to phsbirdcallingcontest@gmail.com)

March 1-3: WASC Visit

March 6-7: Eurydice Play (7 pm, AHT) [more info to come]

March 20: 57th Annual Bird Calling Contest (7 pm, AHT)

Please join us for the next Parents' Club meeting on Friday, February 13, from 9:00-10:30am in the Alan Harvey Theater lobby. Our featured guest speaker will be Stefanie Manalo-LeClair, College & Career Center Director, who will give an overview of her role and the center, and highlight some upcoming events. Also on the agenda will be a discussion about providing staff feedback, which was an item raised in the January meeting. Here is the agenda:

PHS Parents' Club Meeting

February 13, 2026, 9:00-10:30am

Alan Harvey Theater Lobby

Agenda

VIII. Adjourn

Have a fabulous and fun weekend,

Sally Baack and Dana Lung

Co-Presidents, PHS Parents' Club 2025-2026

PHS counselors are reviewing course requests for the next school year, including looking at course prerequisites. Many Honors and AP level courses require students to earn a certain grade in both semesters of the prerequisite course. Based on our review of first semester grades, counselors are making some adjustments to student requests. Counselors will review semester 2 grades in early June and make adjustments.

As a result, some student course requests have been adjusted from the weighted-level course to the corresponding non-weighted course for next year. This change ensures that students are placed in courses where they can be most successful and supported. If a change was made for a student, the student and a parent/guardian have been emailed. Feel free to reach out to the counselor for more information, or to schedule a conversation.

This message is for students who are attending Winter Ball this weekend. Please review this information closely and reach out to me or Ms. Adams if you have any questions! Dinner will be served!

Scottish Right Center

1547 Lakeside Drive

Oakland, CA

Doors open at 6:30 pm for check-in and will close at 7:00 pm. All students will be searched and breathalyzed to ensure a safe event. Small purses are allowed but otherwise no bags. There is no coat check so any jackets will need to be kept at a table. Please arrange rides for all students as students are not allowed to drive and park. Doors open back-up at 9:00 pm.

It's time to sign up for the Bird Calling Contest, taking place Friday, March 20th, 7pm in the Alan Harvey Theater. This year's theme is: Free As a Bird. A favorite PHS tradition, this fun evening is open for signups on the Google Form here. Please sign up at your earliest convenience - we are hoping to fill the slots before leaving for February Break. If you have questions please email phsbirdcallingcontest@gmail.com to find out more (or see short clips of previous years of this event).

https://forms.gle/kvCkocn99F5whXPz8

Piedmont is excited to host Inspirit AI for an on-campus AI project-building program this summer 2026.

We will be holding an information session on Zoom for families on Thurs., Feb. 26 at 6.30pm PT. The session will be led by Maddie Bradshaw, a Harvard & Stanford alum and Insiprit's curriculum director. Please find the link to sign up for the information session here.

This summer, students from rising 6th-12th grades will learn the fundamental concepts of AI and gain a deeper understanding of how AI is used to build ChatGPT and generative AI, fight pandemics, power self-driving cars, and more. Students will learn to program AI using Python, discuss ethics and bias within AI, and complete a group project applying AI to a discipline like healthcare, astronomy, finance, among others. No prior computer science experience is required to participate. Separate middle and high school sections will be offered.

If you may be interested in participating in this summer please fill out this short interest form and peruse the program brochure for more information about curriculum, schedule, projects, teaching team, and more! Bring your questions to the info session - sign up here for the Zoom link.

The WASC Report is now available for our parents and students to view. It has been shared with PHS staff and district administration.

Deep appreciation to Ms. Black and the hours (upon hours) of work to bring this together. The work is not finished, but this was definitely a heavy lift.

Final WASC Report

We have a few important surveys for our parents and students. The first is for Academy. We do this each year and your feedback is important in determining the role of Academy for your students for next year.

• Parent Academy Survey
• Student Academy Survey

The second survey is related to WASC, which will be visiting us the first week of March. We would welcome your voices in the work of the school and sharing that with the visiting team. Thank you in advance for participating in these surveys.

• WASC Parent Survey
• WASC Student Survey

The last day to sign up for the SAT exam at PHS is this Friday, February 13th

Exam Date: Monday, March 16th

Exam Time: 9am start

Location: PHS STEAM Building

To register, please purchase the exam in the Infinite Campus school store.

Questions? Reach out to Mr. Marik.

Last week 20 PHS and MHS students, 2 CS teachers and 3 parent chaperones went on a high-tech field trip to the Lawrence Berkeley Lab to tour the Perlmutter Super Computer and the NERSC Data Center - https://www.nersc.gov/ - at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, followed by a specially arranged tour of the Advanced Quantum Testbed - https://aqt.lbl.gov/ - on the UC Berkeley Campus. The trip was organized and led by our very own CS teacher Jennifer Newell, who last summer was a teacher participant in LBL's Summer QCamp Program - https://k12education.lbl.gov/programs/high-school - Our CS teachers look forward to offering more of these special events in the future for our PHS and MHS students.

As we approach the end of the winter sports season and some classic rivalries coming up, I wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts for those who choose to come to our games:

• Cheer for our Highlanders: Direct your energy toward supporting our athletes. We celebrate our team’s hustle without tearing down our opponents.
• Respect the Officials: They are here to ensure a fair and safe game. Please allow them to do their jobs without interference or verbal abuse.
• Be a Classy Host: Treat our visiting team and their supporters with the same respect you would expect when we are on the road.

Specifically, administration will not tolerate any behavior that even borders on being disrespectful. Fans will be asked to leave and if we cannot detect the misbehavior, we may ask an entire section/group to depart. Please help us create a culture of positivity so that everybody can enjoy the game.

You can view a more comprehensive document here.

Dear PUSD Families & Staff:

It is with immense pride and gratitude that I share the second annual State of the District report, a reflection of our ongoing commitment to providing all students with an exceptional education that cultivates academic excellence, joy, and opportunity.

This year’s report reflects the collective work of teachers, principals, staff, students, families, and community partners who continue to elevate Piedmont Unified School District. Guided by our Vision, Mission, and Core Values, we have strengthened our programs, deepened student support, launched major instructional initiatives, and advanced the goals outlined in our District Strategic Plan, LCAP, and 2025–26 District Goals.

We have invested deeply in outstanding academics, student wellness, operational systems, and community partnerships. Our success is driven by organizational coherence, including a strategic plan that drives our priorities and goals at all levels of our organization. Our actions are intentional in building a district that is more aligned, more transparent, and more responsive to the students and families we serve.

I am grateful for our Board of Education, whose wise leadership and clear direction guide our progress; for our certificated and classified staff who care for, teach, and inspire students each day; for our families and community partners whose investments sustain our programs; and for our students, whose curiosity, courage, and compassion give meaning to our work.

Together, we continue to build a district we are proud of today and tomorrow.

In Partnership,
Jennifer Hawn, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Class of 2028! Counselors will be meeting with all 10th grade students starting the week of 02/02/2026! Our meeting will focus on your plans for your future and how to help prepare for your post-high school goals. During this meeting, we will discuss things like your course selections, your 4 year plans, and what you should be aware of as you make the transition into 11th grade. You may need to miss part of a class and will be responsible for any missed content.

If you would like to set up a meeting ahead of time, please contact your counselors:A-B, MHS - Ms. Carlson: Booking page: https://calendar.app.google/gW1vrku1bQDckHJ59

Email acarlson@piedmont.k12.ca.us

D-O - Mr. Hartford: Email chartford@piedmont.k12.ca.us

C, P-Z - Ms. Hoang: Booking Page: https://calendar.app.google/nSrie49HxA9GX9g2A

Email mhoang@piedmont.k12.ca.us (for brunch, lunch and after school meetings)

We are seeking parent and grandparent volunteers to help proctor the upcoming SAT at PHS on March 16 from 8:15AM to 1 PM. Parents and grandparents of any PHS students are welcome to volunteer, including parents of students taking the exam; parents will be assigned to a different testing room than their own student. All proctors will participate in a required training session, which will be held the week of March 9 (exact date and time TBD).

Please volunteer if you can so that we can continue to offer the SAT at PHS. Sign up and more information here.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dress Best For Less (DBFL) https://dressbestforless.org for their generous funding of another year of a district-wide New York Times subscription for PUSD students and staff. Their support makes a meaningful difference, opening up valuable learning resources for our students and enriching the classroom experience for our teachers. This academic subscription plan also provides PUSD staff with a powerful resource to stay informed. Thank you, DBFL, for investing in our PUSD community’s learning and growth!

If your child is not already subscribed or needs to re-subscribe, go to: https://www.nytimes.com/passes and use their PUSD email address. For issues, contact jbranisa@piedmont.k12.ca.us

PHS/MHS/PMS Librarians and library support staff:

Carolyn White, Jennifer Gulassa, JacobAn Stahl, Jana Branisa

As a reminder, students should not be using personal computers on campus unless specifically allowed to do so by individual teachers for a specific reason in class. If your student needs access to an online class they are taking outside of school, please have them make an appointment with our Tech Coordinator, Ms. Branisa (jbranisa@piedmont.k12.ca.us), for support.

57th Annual Bird Calling Contest

Theme: “Free As A Bird”

Friday, March 20, at 7:00 pm in the Alan Harvey Theater.

The PUSD high school student-designed poster will be used for promotional purposes for the Bird Calling Show.

We will reproduce it in an 8.5X11 inch format, in a large poster format, on the cover of the program, and in publications for publicity.

The artist will be paid $200 for their work, receive two tickets to the show, and their poster will appear in the publicity for the show.

Please submit work digitally via email to: phsbirdcallingcontest@gmail.com

Deadline: Monday, February 23rd 5:00pm

The poster design must be original work by the student, and include the following information on the poster itself:

57th Annual Piedmont Bird Calling Contest

Free As A Bird

Friday, March 20th at 7pm

Alan Harvey Theater

This week's report was run from 12/15-1/30 (4 weeks). 102 students had perfect attendance during this period. This includes:

• No tardies (of any type)
• No absences (of any type)

Congratulations to "Q" for such great attendance. Please email the Principal with your Crumbl cookie choice, and I'll personally deliver it to your class.

2/2: 24 tardies to period 1 (5/11/4/4)

2/3: 39 tardies to period 1 (7/14/7/11)

2/4: 19 tardies to period 2 (0/4/11/4)

2/5: 20 tardies to period 1 (4/6/5/5)

2/6: 18 tardies to period 2 (3/4/8/3)

Our freshman have finally done it! On Wednesday, they achieved zero unexcused tardies. I will find a reward for them and will post widely. Congratulations freshman!

What is PPN?

Piedmont Parents Network (PPN) is a parent-run organization that holds monthly meetings to provide parents with the opportunity to meet, connect and discuss issues affecting their child, the school, and our community All parents of students at PHS/PMS/MHS are welcome - there are no membership dues - RSVP and show up!

When are the next meetings?

12th Grade:

Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 24, 7:30-9:00 pm

Special presentation by Birdy Launcher - more information to come!

Facilitators: Sara Ironside, Jen Ferguson

RSVP: jen.c.ferg@gmail.com for more information

Meetings for 2026:

• Wednesday, March 25: 7:30-9:00 pm
• Thursday, April 23: 7:30-9:00 pm
• Tuesday, May 19: 7:30-9:00 pm

11th Grade:

Next Meeting: Thursday February 12, 7:00-8:30 pm

Please email if you are willing to host.

If you have thoughts, please fill out this form: Google Form for 11 Grade

Facilitator: Kristen Brett

RSVP: kbrett@srvusd.net

Meetings for 2026:

• Thursday, March 26: 7:00-8:30 pm

• Thursday, April 23: 7:00-8:30 pm

10th Grade:

Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 24, 8:00-9:30 pm

Facilitators: Sarah Puckett, Maggie Mittan

RSVP: maggie.mittan@gmail.com for more information

Meetings for 2026

• Tuesday, March 24: 8-9:30 pm
• Tuesday, April 28: 8-9:30 pm
• Tuesday, May 26: 8-9:30 pm

9th Grade:

Next Meeting: Friday, March 6: 8:45-10:15 am

Facilitators: Judy Lin, Yoko Ichikawa, Anne Hawkins

RSVP: hawkins42@gmail.com for location information

Upcoming Meetings:

• Thursday, March 19: 7:00-8:30 pm

• Friday, April 24: 8:45-10:15 am

• Thursday, May 21: 7:00-8:30 pm

• Thank You to Ms. Sahagon and all our host families for welcoming the Spanish exchange students this week. It is great to see them in our classes, at lunch, and attending a basketball game to immerse themselves in our culture.