Parent Newsletter #25: 1/30/26

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,

The last weekend in January is finally here. We are just two weeks away from the February break.

We have a few days left to catch Grease if you would like to enjoy a fun-filled musical. Next Tuesday will be a special schedule for a shelter-in-place drill.

Let's start February strong, and we'll see everyone on Monday.

Warmly,

Dr. Yoshihara

January 29-February 1: Grease, The Musical

February 3: Shelter-in-Place (Special Schedule)

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

Tickets for the 11th/12th grade Winter Ball are on sale now in the IC store. The deadline is Sunday. As a reminder, all students will be subject to search and breathalyzer at the venue to ensure a safe and fun event. Also, students are not allowed to drive themselves. Please coordinate rides. If you have any questions, please 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.

Help us refine our Technology Plan - Meeting Monday February 2nd

Your feedback ensures our technology investments focus on what matters most: student learning. We are currently drafting our new District Technology Plan, and your voice is a critical piece of the puzzle. We invite parents, students, and community members to join us for a collaborative session where we will:

• Review our Tech Plan Draft: See how we are prioritizing high-impact learning and classroom innovation.
  
• Plan "AI Family Night": We are hosting a special event on April 1st to explore Artificial Intelligence together. We want to hear what questions or topics your family is most curious about!
  

• When: February 2, 2026 | 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
  
• Where: Havens Library OR join us virtually via Google Meet.
  
• RSVP: registration form
  

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.

Below is the link to the CHK Parent Survey that we discussed in the newsletter last week. This information is used to help us understand how our students, families, and staff are feeling about being members of the community. Please consider sharing your perspective! Students will complete the survey on Friday, 1/30. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Marik.

Parent - https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/hn0m

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

Allan Harvey Theater

Piedmont High School presents Grease Jan. 29 through Feb. 1. Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey wrote the book, music and lyrics for this rollicking musical comedy evoking the look and sound of the 1950s. A cultural touchstone written 55 years ago, Grease continues to resonate with its themes of identity, peer pressure and rebellion. The show contains mature themes which may not be suitable for younger audience members.

The production includes 65 student performers, 11 student band/orchestra members, 10 stage crew members and is directed and choreographed by PHS dance teacher Amy Moorhead, with the orchestra conducted by PHS band and orchestra teacher Trevor Meseroll.

Performance Times

• Thursday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 1, 4 p.m.

All performances are at the Alan Harvey Theater, 800 Magnolia Ave. Piedmont, CA 94611

Tickets are $15–$35 and can be purchased online. Online tickets can be purchased at https://phsmusicalsdance.ludus.com.

Tickets can also be purchased at the door, with cash or check to PUSD, for an additional $2 per ticket. Online purchase is encouraged. There are no refunds.

Contact the director at amoorhead@piedmont.k12.ca.us with questions.

Bonjour ! ¡Hola! 你好 ! Please see the below table for information regarding the PHS World Language Placement Tests for 2026-27, for currently enrolled PUSD students. Students enrolling in PUSD over the summer may test on August 7th, 2026. Registration forms for the Fall tests will be shared at a later date. For French questions, please contact Mr. Smith (bsmith@piedmont.k12.ca.us). For Spanish questions, please contact Ms. Sahagon (dsahagon@piedmont.k12.ca.us). For Chinese questions, please contact Ms. Xia (xxia@piedmont.k12.ca.us). There is no make-up test date planned for the Spring tests, so please ensure to plan appointments, etc., accordingly.

• Chinese Registration
• French Registration
• Spanish Registration

Seniors- Your semester grades are now on your transcript. Counselors will send these grades to the Common Application Colleges/ Universities very soon.

If there is any issue or question, please email your counselor as soon as possible.

If you have a college/university that is not on the Common App ( and not a CSU or UC) that needs your semester grades, please email or let your counselor know where to send your grades.

Also, seniors - Its very important to keep up your grades, classes as you begin to hear from the colleges/ universities to where you have applied. Even if you are admitted to a campus( Of course we congratulate you!!!), making changes or letting your grades skip can effect your admissions. This acceptance is based upon the classes on your application and the continued level of grades you have been earning.

If you have dropped or changed a class that was noted on your college application, please email or call each campus to which you applied.

The next Parents' Club meeting will be on Friday, February 13, at 9:00 am in the Alan Harvey Theater lobby. Our guest speaker will be Stefanie Manalo-LeClair (fondly known as Ms. M-L), 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.

Have a fabulous weekend,

Sally Baack and Dana Lung

Co-Presidents, PHS Parents' Club 2025-2026

We will be offering the SAT on Monday, March 16th. The test can be ordered in IC and will be available through 2/13/26. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Marik.

This week's report was run from 12/8-1/23 (4 weeks). 182 students had perfect attendance during this period. This includes:

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

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

1/26: 25 tardies to period 1 (2/5/8/10)

1/27: 37 tardies to period 1 (12/7/10/8)

1/28: 19 tardies to period 2 (4/7/7/1)

1/29: 19 tardies to period 1 (2/4/5/8)

1/30: Not calculated

Last week proved oh so close for our seniors on Wednesday. Friday was not calculated due to the low than normal attendance. Our tardies were quite high (relatively) last Monday and Tuesday. Let's work at bringin that down in the coming week.

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: Wednesday, February 25: 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, February 27: 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

• A Shout Out to Mr. Berrios for an amazing lunch on Monday. Not only did he do an amazing job with the chili (students were lining up for seconds), but he also had broccoli cheddar soup--a new flavor. The students were scraping the bottom of the pot!
• Kudos to Ms. Adams and the ASB students for hosting another amazing Spring Club Day! The weather the perfect for the outdoor venue, and we had great participation.
• A big Thank You to Ms. Moorhead and all the students who participated in Great, The Musical. If you haven't had a change to see it yet, there are still three more chances!