Parent Newsletter #6: 8/29/25

Website: https://phs.piedmont.k12.ca.us/
Location: 800 Magnolia Ave, Piedmont, CA 94611
Phone: (510) 594-2626 | Instagram: @piedmonthigh

Parent Newsletter: Archives

Bell Schedule (Regular) | Library Schedule

Road to Graduation | Athletic Newsletter

College & Career Newsletter | Yearbook Info

2024-25 School Profile | Student Handbook

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

Dear Highlander Families,

What a fun and also busy week as we head into the holiday weekend. From a full sports schedule to rigorous academics, our students rose to the occasion multiple times. Next week is short but also action-packed.

Starting next week, we will begin confiscating phones from students seen using them outside of the lunch period. We advise students to turn off their phone when the morning bell rings. This will reduce the desire to look at messages or respond outside of lunch. When the phone is fully powered down, it reduces the temptation to use it. More information is found below.

Please note the Back to School Night information below. We also have Senior Fest next Friday. We also have ASB club day next Wednesday at lunch where students have have dozens of clubs to pick from. Have a wonderful, safe, and restful holiday weekend. We'll see everyone next Tuesday.

Warmly,

Dr. Yoshihara

September 3: ASB Club Day (Lunch)

September 4: Back to School Night (7-9 pm, 6 pm for freshman, 6:40 optional opening)

September 5: Senior Picnic Fest (Hampton Field)

September 10: Photo Makeup (9-3:30, AHT Lobby)

September 11: Class of 2027 Parent Mingle (6:30 pm, see email sent on 8/28)

September 12: PR1 Ends

September 15: School Site Council (3:40-4:40, ST 117)

September 19: Parent Club Meeting (9 am, AHT Lobby)

September 22-26: Homecoming Week

September 26: Homecoming Rally (during Academy)

October 4: PreACT at PHS

October 4: Oktoberfest (more info below)

October 18: PSAT at PHS

Back To School Night is this coming Thursday. All families are invited. The schedule will be as follows:

The Info Session at 6 pm in the AHT will be conducted by our counseling staff and is primarily for freshman parents. This will be an opportunity for our counseling staff to introduce themselves and connect more deeply on topics that are pertinent to our Class of 2029 parents.

The Welcome at 6:40 is for all families and admin will go over some important topics that we are focusing on in the current year (attendance, eligibility, cell phones).

The periods will move quickly. Please be respectful of our teacher's time and refrain from specific requests related to your child during this evening's event. Teacher's would be happy to follow up with you regarding individual questions related to your child.

Lastly, the following resource will be shared with all students at Academy on Wednesday (9/3). They should bring this home and fill it out so parents know where to go during BTSN. Some proactive families can do this ahead of time as well.

Back To School Maps and Schedule Template

As we wrap up our third week of school, we continue to pivot on supporting our school to be cell phone free except for lunch. Overall, students are doing an impressive job with not being on their devices. We do want to help.

• Open Periods: If students have a free period and they are on campus, they shall not be on their phone. This reinforces the fact that we are a phone-free campus, does not send mixed messages to passing students, and allows us all to focus on learning.
• Passing periods: We know all our teachers use the cell phone hotel. Picking up your phone from that hotel and holding it in your hand for 10 minutes can be very tempting. If the temptation is too great, we encourage students to power their phone down until lunch. This reduces the temptation to see all the messages that may be popping up.
• Brunch: Students may not be able to resist the temptation to take a quick peek to type something or read a quick message. Again, we recommend powering phones down to reduce the temptation.

Starting next week, Mr. Bell, Mr. Marik, and Mr. Yoshihara will begin collecting phones and possibly devices during passing, brunch, and during open periods. Each instance of our collection will result in an entry into our student information, and the phone being kept in the office for the remainder of the day. Repeated instances of this may require the parent to pick up the phone.

We know this may be hardest for our seniors, but by being great role models, it will make it easier for our underclassmen to see how to Achieve the Honorable.

• The PreACT will be held at PHS on Saturday, Oct 4, 2025
• The PSAT will be held at PHS on Saturday, Oct 18, 2025

It is easy to register. Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and click on the "School Store". Then select and pay for the tests you would like to take. Once payment is received, your student will be registered for the exam(s). The cost per exam is $35.00 (which covers the cost of the exam and proctor fees). The deadline to register is Friday, September 12. Students will receive more detailed information about the exam administration as we approach the exam dates. There are no additional PreACT or PSAT exam dates planned for this school year. These exams are for 10th and 11th grade students only. If you have any questions, please contact Darlene Low at dlow@piedmont.k12.ca.us.

The PUSD Board has asked for the creation of a Flags Task Force to recommend language guiding district policy on flags. This comes in response to community discussions about how displayed flags align with our values and educational mission. For more information or to express interest in participating, please visit this link.

Our Parent Club is seeking volunteers for our library. This will allow our students a safe space to stay during the day, primarily when they have open periods.

1. Please sign up here to indicate your availability.
2. Volunteers need to be fingerprinted via Livescan. The attachment is below. We cannot reimburse for the cost which is estimated to be between $70 and $100.
3. Your general role is to supervise students ensuring they are not disruptive and following library rules (e.g. no eating).
4. Please reach out to Karen (karenabird@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Dear 11th Grade Families,

Welcome back to school! We are your representatives to the PHS parent club for the 11th grade class, and we support social events for our students and their families.

Come join us on Thursday, September 11th at 6:30 PM at 51st & Tel and mingle to kick off junior year! Join us to connect with old friends and meet new ones. Beverages will be available for purchase.

One thing we would like to highlight is Dr. Yoshihara‘s weekly newsletter. This is a great source of information about school events and important deadlines. It also contains a link to the College and Career Center newsletter, which provides details about college visits and other college-related resources.

We are looking forward to an exciting year for our students. Feel free to contact any of us with questions or concerns. Hope to see all of you at Back to School Night on September 4 and at our parent social on September 11.

Warmly,

Your 11th Grade Parent Representatives

Amy Cordani (amykimcordani@gmail.com, mom of Teddy Cordani)

Charlotte Ero (charlottevburton@gmail.com, mom of Thomas Ero)

Kim Hunter (kimandhandh@gmail.com, mom of Hunter Fasteau)

Janet Lai (janslai@yahoo.com, mom of Camille Edesess)

Sabrina Smith (sabrinasmi7@gmail.com, mom of Theo Barber)

Love Instagram, TikTok, or making content? Want to build your résumé and support Piedmont schools? This could be for you.

✨ What you’ll do:

• Create posts & short videos for IG, TikTok, and FB

• Cover school & community events

• Track what’s working (hello, analytics 📊)

• Help grow PEF’s reach while repping our mission
  
  

✨ Why apply?

• Only 2-3 hours per week (flexible around school)

• Résumé builder from real-world experience in marketing & communications

• Learn how nonprofit organizations connect communities

• Build your creative portfolio with posts, stories, and videos you can show off

• Gain mentorship in branding, analytics, and strategy with the PEF staff

• Be part of a mission that matters

✨ What we’re looking for:

• Current PUSD student in 11th or 12th grade

• Creative, reliable, outgoing, and interested

• Photography, video, and Canva skills (or other editing platforms)

• Knowledgeable about Piedmont schools
  
  

📩 Apply by September 12: Email info@piedmontedfoundation.org with your résumé, social media post examples, and a “video cover letter” telling us about yourself and what you think you can do for PEF.

Help us tell the story of Piedmont schools 💜

Class of 2029! We will be meeting with all 9th graders from Tuesday 9/02/2025-Friday 9/19/25 for an introduction meeting with your counselor. During this meeting, we will introduce ourselves, explain our role as their counselor, and begin to get to know your student. We will share with them school resources and provide information about aspects of high school life. Students may need to miss part of a class and will be responsible for any missed content.

Parents and guardians who don't want to miss out on that information can hear it during our Back to School Night! We will be holding a presentation for parents in the Theater from 6:00-6:30. Hope to see you there!

Community members are invited to a Technology Advisory meeting on Monday, September 8th at 3:45pm. The focus this year will be developing a new Technology Plan for the district.

Please let us know you are coming on the registration form so we can plan for in-person and remote participants.

What: District Technology Advisory meeting

When: 9/8/25, 3:45-5:00pm

Where: Havens Library or via Google Meet

What is PPN?

The 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. Parents participate in monthly discussions that are facilitated by trained parent volunteers who help ensure that conversations are held with mutual respect and discretion. There are PPN groups for 6th to 12th grade, and all parents of students at PHS/PMS/MHS are welcome - there are no membership dues - just RSVP and show up!

When are the next meetings?

12th Grade:

Next Meeting: Info coming soon!

Facilitators: Sara Ironside, Jen Ferguson

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

11th Grade:

Thursday, September 25: 7:00-8:30 pm

Facilitator: Kristen Brett

RSVP: kbrett@srvusd.net - also let us know if you are open to hosting!

10th Grade

Wednesday, September 10: 7:30-9:00 pm

Facilitators: Sarah Puckett, Maggie Mittan

RSVP: sarahbeamish@hotmail.com or maggie.mittan@gmail.com

9th Grade:

Thursday, September 18: 8:45-10:15 am

Facilitators: Judy Lin, Yoko Ichikawa, Anne Hawkins

RSVP: hawkins42@gmail.com for location information

Looking forward to seeing you!

Now that we are a few weeks into school and fall sports are starting, you may be interested in general PHS Spirit Wear. This is available in the School Store, and we are starting to process orders. They are done in batches so depending on volume, it may take a few weeks to get them to you. These are great to wear on Fridays (or any day) or to any of our home games to support our student athletes.

Dear Friends of the Wellness Center,

In order to continue providing essential care to Piedmont students, the Wellness Center must raise at least $50,000 for the 2025–2026 school year. Adolescent mental health needs are expanding and the Wellness Center is continuing to rise to support students as they navigate school, relationships and their development.

In the 2024-25 school year, one in three PHS and MHS students and one in four PMS students visited the Wellness Center. Your donation directly ensures that every Piedmont student has access to expert mental health care and support services.

Donate here: PiedmontWellness.org

Your generosity supports the Wellness Center’s mission to help students navigate emotional and social challenges, including anxiety, stress, depression, grief, relationship issues, and substance use. Contributions of any amount are deeply appreciated and make a meaningful difference.

As a token of our appreciation:

• All donors over $250 will be recognized on the Wellness Center website

• Donors of $500 or more will receive an invitation to a Wellness Center Sponsor reception on October 9th at a private home in Piedmont, featuring a moderated panel of teen mental health experts.

• Major donors over $1,000 will have their name added to the gratitude wall in the Wellness Center, celebrating community support.

“Having the wellness center is like having a safety blanket at school, knowing that if you can't handle something or become too stressed out, you have a place you can go to just breathe or talk through things. Piedmont High is extremely lucky to have the Wellness Center.” - PHS student testimony

During the 2024–2025 school year, the Wellness Center was able to provide:

• Approximately 2,000 therapy sessions for PUSD middle and high school students

• Ongoing support for over 150 students

• Nearly 3,500 snacks provided to students

• Practitioner training sessions conducted by industry experts

Thank you for helping us prioritize the mental health and well-being of Piedmont students.

With gratitude,
The Wellness Center Support Committee: Cortney Allen, Bridget Brennan, Kat Di Piazza, Martin Diller, Naomi Edelson, Rita Fabi, Ellie Griffinger - Guidi, Neha Gupta, Lauren Hartman, Martha Joerger, Amelie Kappes, Genevieve Klyce, Dana Lung, Jodie Marko, Sarah Meyjes, Gina Midili, Samantha Nobles Block, Sarah Pearson, Bridget Schreiber, Katie Sharafi, Ashley Stevanovic, Brooke Zimmerman, Rachel Zimmerman

Since we are moving to a new tracking system for community service hours (Mobile Serve), please stop and login to your Track it Forward account now and click "export all hours" from the landing page which creates an .csv file (excel). This details each entry the student made and includes volunteer date, submitted date, hours, organization, notes, supervisor name/email. Seniors can use this information for their college application Activities section and resume updates; 11th/10th can keep the copy so they will have it for future college applications/resumes.

We will start running a Tardy report this week. Warnings and detentions will be assigned where appropriate. Remember, more than 10 tardies will impact Extracurricular Eligibility for the next reporting period. This applies to everything from sports, to dances, to theater and mock trial.

• Drop-in Chromebook and tech support services are available in the PHS library on Mon-Wed-Fri during lunch.
• For urgent Chromebook help, come down to the Tech Office on the right side of the PMS library at the bottom of the ramp. Push the white buzzer. Someone is in the office MOST of the time.
• Email help@piedmont.k12.ca.us anytime with your tech questions or issues.

Please share your "First Day of School" and "Summer" photos with the PHS Yearbook Staff. These photos and any other photos throughout the year you would like to share can be sent to the following email and/or google form. Thank you!

piedmonthighyearbook@gmail.com or 2025-2026 Photos & Activities

Yearbooks and Senior Recognition Ads are only available for purchase through Jostens. Please use this link:

PHS Yearbook_Jostens Senior Recognition Ad_2026_discount

*discount pricing for yearbooks and ads applied through Oct. 31, 2025

Any questions? Please email Melanie McCauley, PHS Yearbook Adviser at mmccauley@piedmont.k12.ca.us.

(Sant Celoni, Barcelona, Valencia) Last call!!! a few spots left!!!

If your student is taking Spanish at PHS in level 3 and higher and is interested in participating in this program, here is the form to apply. We will have 19 students from Spain coming to Piedmont in February (4th-15th) and we will be traveling in April (3rd-14th). Hopefully we can reach 19 students to have a one on one experience. If you have any questions you can email me at dsahagon@piedmont.k12.ca.us

We have had a few inquiries regarding student planners for this year. At the start of last year, we learned that student planners were funded from an inappropriate funding source. As the planners were already purchased and the year had started, we did not change anything.

We also did an informal assessment of planner use around this time. While students used their planner earlier in the year, it trickled down to a much smaller number later in the year. We found numerous planners around campus and had many extras, signaling that students chose to not get one, since we had ordered one for every student.

As such, we made a decision to digitize the student handbook and allow students to purchase a planner that best meets their needs. Important announcement, bell schedules, and such are always available in Schoology as well. This was a challenge with the planners as schedules changed and QR codes stopped working.

We apologize for the late notice and any convenience this may have caused.

Coffee, Cars & Cops is back! Please join the Piedmont Police Department for this exciting annual event on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in front of the Piedmont Police Department. Please bring your family, friends, and anyone with an incredible exotic or classic vehicle. The community loves to see them on display!

To participate or show a vehicle, sign up with Ofc. Tyler Petit at coffeecarscops@piedmont.ca.gov and provide your vehicle make/model/year/color.

I’m looking forward to another amazing event with the community! See you there!

Thank you!!

Officer T. Petit #116

Piedmont Police Department

Boosters largest fundraiser Oktoberfest is set for Saturday October 4, 4-9PM at the Community Hall (same setup as last year). Tickets can be purchased at PiedmontOktoberfest.com .

• Kudos to Jake and Toby for helping us remove all the umbrellas after lunch on Friday. Unsolicited, gracious, and honorable--they exemplify the Highlander way. Nice work guys!
• Shout out to the ASB class for hosting a successful ASB kickoff. Food always attracts an audience, and today was no exception.
• A big Thank You to Karen Bird for all her work with library volunteers. We appreciate her enthusiasm and efficiency in the whole process.