Superintendent's Weekly Update

March 6, 2026

Dear PUSD Staff and Families,

At last week’s Board Meeting, the Board approved a revised student academic calendar for 2026-2027. The first day for students will be pushed back by one day to Thursday, August 13, 2026. There is no change to the final day of attendance for students on Thursday, June 3, 2027. Please take a moment to review the revised calendar, available at this link, and make sure to update these dates in your own calendars.

Yesterday, we announced that the district is beginning to explore the development of an updated student cell phone policy and is gathering input from staff and families. Your feedback will help us better understand current experiences and perspectives related to student cell phone use during the school day and will help guide future decisions that support learning, safety, and student well-being. The survey will remain open through March 15, and we invite you to take a few minutes to share your perspective. You can complete the survey here.

With gratitude,
Ben

Tune into Straight from the Supe featuring Shelley Petersen and Danielle Perkio

On the latest episode of Straight from the Supe, Shelley Petersen, Associate Superintendent of Learning Support Services, and Danielle Perkio, teacher at Mesa Verde Middle School, discuss Cultures of Thinking and how the teaching method is elevating student success!

Watch or listen on your favorite podcast platform!

Spotify

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Revised 2026-2027 Academic Calendar

Last week, the Poway Unified School District Board of Education approved a revised student academic calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. Click here to view the changes.

Poway Unified High Schools Claim Six CIF Championships

The winter athletics season has wrapped up and all of the championships are in the books, marking one of the strongest overall athletic performances in recent memory for Poway Unified School District. Congratulations to the following high schools: Del Norte High School, Poway High School, Mt. Carmel High School, Westview High School. Read the recap on our website and celebrate our athletes with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Westview High Student Spreads Joy of Spelling

Westview High 10th grader Mihir Konkapaka remembers what it was like to prepare and compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2022 and 2023. "Back when I was in like middle school, there really was no local resources for the spelling bee. You're given the word list for regionals, and that's it. You're kind of left in the dark about what to do," he says.

Now, Mihir's channeling that experience into helping other kids reach their spelling goals with free workshops. Watch the story here.

Now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Student Board Member

Poway Unified is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Student Board Member. This position gives one high school student the opportunity to represent student perspectives at Board of Education meetings and serve as a liaison between students and district leadership.

Current PUSD high school juniors in good standing are eligible to apply. Applications are open now and must be submitted by March 27 at 4:30 p.m. The selected student will serve during their senior year, attending monthly Board meetings and participating in the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.

Students can learn more and apply here.

Student Cell Phone Survey

Staff and families are invited to share their perspectives as the district explores the development of a Student Cell Phone Policy. The results will inform the development of a thoughtful and balanced approach to student cell phone use during the school day.

If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to complete the survey by March 15. Click here to participate.

Important Links

Important Dates

April 6 - 10, 2026 - District Recess, Spring Break

Click here for the full calendar.

A NOTE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT A NOTE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT