Parent Newsletter #29: 3/6/26
Highlander News from the Principal's Office
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
Jerry Yu represented the United States at the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (IAIO), held in Ljubljana , Slovenia from February 23–27. He was one of only four students selected nationwide to compete as part of Team USA at this prestigious global competition and earned an Honorable Mention for his outstanding performance.
The family would like to express their deep appreciation to all the teachers and counselors at Piedmont High School for giving him the strong academic foundation and tremendous support along the way! Jerry wouldn't have a chance to stand on the stage without the help of his amazing teachers!
At the closing ceremony, John D. Stubbs from the US Embassy in Slovenia attended to support and congratulate Team USA. It is pretty amazing when a student of ours can represent PHS on the world stage. Way to go Jerry!
Senior Prom is on Saturday April 25th from 6-11 pm.
We’re planning a fabulous evening at a surprise location. Get your tickets now - you won’t want to miss this unforgettable night! Theme reveal coming soon. Dinner, dancing, entertainment, and transportation included. Tickets are $250 per person and are available for purchase at the Piedmont Store.
Our goal is 100% class participation. Full and partial scholarships available. Please note that scholarships are for PHS/MHS students only. Scholarships are not available for event guests.
To request a scholarship, please fill out this form. If you have any questions about scholarships, please contact PHS Vice Principal Joe Marik at jmarik@piedmont.k12.ca.us. All requests are confidential.
March is a busy month filled with opportunities for students, parents and community members alike as we discuss Career Pathways and how one prepares for their careers in high school and beyond. First we have Resume and Interview Workshop for all grade levels on March 18th during Academy. This is an opt-in workshop. We would like students to complete the form (QR code) in order to know how many students are interested.
The second event is a "Coming Soon" to our Career Exploration morning during Academy on March 27th. New this year will be a panel of PHS alumni sharing their path since high school. Students will get to select two sessions to attend. Look out for a digital PDF booklet in a couple of weeks to learn more about our presenters.
The third event is an evening presentation by sponsored by Piedmont Parents Network (PPN).
In a world changing faster than ever, students and families are trying to make sense of which careers will lead to real opportunity. Learn from a panel of community experts who work on the front lines of job placement and hiring key employees as they share how to think about life after high school or college. We’ll explore which majors matter, the core skills that set students up for success, and how AI is reshaping the job landscape.
Come with questions for the panelists, and stay for the community social afterwards hosted by Piedmont Parent Network (PPN). Although the topics might resonate most with high school juniors and seniors, all community members are welcome.
Tuesday, March 31
7:00-8:30 (followed by refreshments and social)
Alan Harvey Theater: PHS
Did you know that we serve soup at lunch everyday for students. They can get this along with their lunch entree. This along with the salad bar makes for a complete lunch offering for all students. We also have a new fruit in our rotation--Cara Cara Oranges. Lastly, Nutrition Services will try some scratch cooking on March 10th. Come check out their delicious offerings each day. I have included a permanent link in the header of the newsletter as well. It will be updated each month.
We will be hosting on Monday, March 16th. Students should arrive at the STEAM building by 8:45 am to identify their room assignment. Students must use the school issued chromebook and complete Blue Book set-up outlined here prior to arriving on test day. If you have any questions, please reach out Mr. Marik or Ms. Low.
Later this month, our 11th grade students will begin required state testing. We are excited for the opportunity for all of our students to demonstrate what they have learned over high school. They are very well prepared! State testing is important for many reasons and we strive for 100% completion. Some thoughts to consider:
- The state assesses school quality based both on how well students perform AND what percentage of students complete. Less than 95% completion reflects poorly on the school in the eyes of the state.
- The UC system may use the results of this exam for placement purposes. If a student doesn't have a score or they perform poorly, a school may ask a student to complete a placement test prior to registering for courses. This can be avoided by showing what you know now!
Test Schedule
3/24 - ELA Computer Adaptive
3/25 - ELA Performance Task
3/31 - Math Computer Adaptive
4/1 - Math Performance Task
4/20 - Science
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Marik.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already a quiet part of our daily lives, shaping everything from Siri’s answers to the recommendations we see on Netflix. On March 27th, we will join schools across the country for National AI Literacy Day. This is a nationwide day of action focused on two vital questions: “What is AI?” and “How do we prepare our students to thrive in an AI-enabled world?”
Our Partnership with You: Starting today, we will be sending weekly "AI at Home" emails designed to spark curiosity and conversation at your dinner table in the lead up to National AI Literacy Day. We hope they support you and your child in navigating AI safely, ethically, and effectively.
The 57th Annual Piedmont Bird Calling Contest is taking place on Friday, March 20th, 2026 at 7pm in the Alan Harvey Theater. This year's theme is 'Free As A Bird'.
Students interested in participating in the competition can sign up here https://forms.gle/A5YULADwpap68Zff9
For questions, please contact phsbirdcallingcontest@gmail.com
Tickets for the event can be purchased at Ludus - Piedmont Bird Calling Contest
The winning entry from this year's Piedmont Bird Calling Contest Poster Competition was from PHS Freshman Mo Wang. Here is Mo's winning design. Congratulations Mo, and thank you to all of the students who entered submissions for this very intense competition!
Also, if you are interested in highlights from previous years, check out our link.
Families, we wanted to make sure you were aware that the first progress report for semester 2 is available to view on Infinite Campus. Please remember this is a progress report, a snapshot of your student's progress in their classes. These grades were determined by the close of the progress period of 2/6.
- PHS counselors encourage you and your student to:
- Review Schoology as their grade may have changed since this progress report.
- Encourage them to connect with their teachers concerning their grades and any missing work.
- Utilize the Responsive Scheduler in IC to move to another academy class if needed to make up work or ask for support from a teacher.
- Utilize Peer Tutoring during academy time. Students can look for "Peer Tutoring" in the Responsive Scheduler to engage with a peer for academic support.
- Of course, come by the counseling office to discuss grades with their counselor.
Over the last two years, we have offered a number of new weighted courses. At the same time, this increases the complexity of scheduling. We are in the midst of creating a master schedule that best meets the needs of all students. In doing so, we are basing it on student course request. As such, it is important that students (and their families) understand that the courses you are signing up for are the ones that you really plan to take.
As a discrete example, if 28 students sign up for Honors English 3-4 and 28 students sign up for English 3-4 (non-weighted), we would allocated one section for each course. After the school year starts, and a student in Honors English 3-4 wants to change to English 3-4, it begins to disrupt the balance. This is the simplest of scenarios, but demonstrates the complexity in scheduling.
In short, if a student is signing up for a course with the thought of "trying it out", it may not be that simple. This could involve multiple class changes, class sizes limits, etc. Please reach out to your counselor if you think this may be your situation. Reach out to the administration if you have any additional questions.
The 12th annual Piedmont School Maker Faire on the Piedmont High School campus on Sunday, May 17th at 11am - 3pm! Come celebrate K-12 STEAM education in our community.
Students, parents, teachers, makers of all ages! Our "Call for Makers" is officially open. This event wouldn't be possible without you sharing your projects! Whether you've built a flying robot, crocheted a plushie, created a cardboard arcade game, illustrated a comic, coded an interactive story, grown a hydroponic garden, or your latest experiment or creation, we want to see it. Come share your work or lead a maker activity and inspire our community.
Submissions are due April 30th → Submit your project here
Need a spark? Our website has a bunch of project ideas to get you started. But honestly, the best projects are the ones you're already excited about.
The Advanced Acting class is presenting the comedic drama Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl in the Alan Harvey Theater on Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7 at 7 pm each night.
The play is directed by senior Amelia Addington, and the cast includes PHS and MHS students Yiyou Fang, Kirstin Fedor, Jack Herrlinger, Nico Kaltenecker, Sparrow Lieu, Lila Schwab, and Grette Willats.
Eurydice is a comedic drama that reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on Eurydice's journey through the Underworld. With contemporary characters and plot twists, Eurydice is a fresh look at love and loss.
Eurydice is recommended for most audiences, though some material may not be suitable for younger audience members. This production explores themes of love, loss, memory, and the afterlife. Contact producer Kimberly Taylor with any questions.
Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased at phsacting.ludus.com.
We hope you’ll join us for our fair on MARCH 9TH, 5:30-8PM! Please register for a barcode before the event at www.StriveFair.com. This event will be offered this year and every other year moving forward (RACC). If you are a sophomore and/or parent/guardian of a sophomore, we highly recommend attending this event this year.
During the fair, representatives will scan your barcode to connect with you further. The day after the fair, you will receive a report with information on the institutions with which you scanned.
11th grade students will be completing required state testing on the following dates:
ELA CAASPP - 3/24 and 3/25
Math CAASPP - 3/31 and 4/1
Science CAST - 4/20
Students will need to use their school issued chrome book for these exams and should plan to bring their charger as well. More details to come on adjusted schedule and other information in the coming weeks.
From website: https://piedmont.ca.gov/news/nominate_volunteer_of_the_year_feb_2026
Know a Piedmonter who shows up consistently, helps others, and makes community life better? Nominate them for the City of Piedmont’s Volunteer of the Year awards.
Piedmont has long been known as the “City of Volunteers.” This award, first introduced in 2014, recognizes community members whose volunteer service helped strengthen Piedmont in 2025 – whether through neighborhood improvement, arts and culture, direct community support, or building a more welcoming and inclusive community.
This year, the City is reviving the Volunteer of the Year award for the first time since 2019. We’re also introducing a new award: Young Volunteer of the Year (under age 25), intended to uplift the meaningful contributions young people make across Piedmont.
AI is evolving at breakneck speeds. Interestingly, the challenges PUSD has known about for some time still emerged as topics of conversation at the conference. What guardrails need to be in place? And how do we avoid the unintended consequences that result from the very guardrails we needed for the previous iterations? Interesting and vexing questions.The CS staff said it was great to wrestle with many of these topics at AI in Education Summit with other educators, policay makers and private sector implementors https://acceleratelearning.stanford.edu/conference/aieducation-summit-2026/
Thank you for those who are using our independent study process for outside sports, college visits, and other non-school affiliated activities. As a reminder, paperwork must be completed and provided to Mr. Marik at a minimum the day before a student leaves. We have to properly approve and document independent study paperwork for record keeping and state auditing purposes. Please reach out to Mr. Marik if you have any questions.
Senior Launchpad provides practical life skills to prepare high school seniors for college and beyond. The second session is now open for sign-ups. Sessions are FREE, but space is limited to 50 students, so sign up now!
Session 2: Financial Literacy: Cash, Class & Ramen Noodles: Managing Money in College and Beyond
Practical tools and lessons to become financially responsible as a young adult
Date: March 15, 2026
Time: Female-identifying students: 12:30-2:30pm; Male-identifying students: 3pm-5pm
Location: 80 Wildwood Gardens, Piedmont, CA 94611
Highlander Robotics is excited to announce a Toy Drive at Piedmont High School to support our outreach program, where we modify toys for children with special needs. We adapt these toys to have an alternate way of powering them: an external switch. Many commercially adapted toys are not affordable, as they can cost hundreds of dollars per toy. These children use the toys to interact with other peers as well as having a large impact on their social belonging and classroom engagement.
What we need: We are looking for donations of new or gently used toys that have a physical switch or on/off button, which allows us to modify them.
February 23rd – March 6th
Drop Toys off at the PHS main office
Questions? Reach out to Annalise Gudiksen at annalise.gudiksen@gmail.com.
We are approaching the last third of the year and it is not too late to get some spirit wear for wearing to school, in the community, or anywhere you go. Display the Highlander Pride proudly! Items are available in the IC Store under "PHS Spirit Wear". Note these are not sports-specific and designed for general wear.
During winter break especially – and throughout the year – parents can manage their child’s time on a PUSD Chromebook using the GoGuardian Parent App.
Get Started Quickly
- Download the GoGuardian Parent App:
- Open the app and enter the email address you use with the school.
- Check your email for the verification link and tap “Verify your email.”
- If using another device for email, select “Login with verification code” and paste the code from your email.
What Parents Can Do with the App
- View Chromebook browsing activity.
- Turn off internet access anytime after school hours.
- Block specific sites.
- Controls apply only to the school-issued Chromebook
This week's report was run from 1/19-2/27 (4 weeks). 90 students had perfect attendance during this period. This includes:
- No tardies (of any type)
- No absences (of any type)
Congratulations to Enzo for such great attendance. Please email the Principal with your Crumbl cookie choice, and I'll personally deliver it to your class.
3/2: 21 tardies to period 1 (5/9/6/1)
3/3: 26 tardies to period 1 (2/9/9/6)
3/4: 18 tardies to period 2 (2/8/6/2)
3/5: 33 tardies to period 1 (3/18/7/5)
3/6: 30 tardies to period 2 (5/7/14/4)
Our freshmen did the best overall once again with several days that got close. We'll see if next week yields a day where a grade level has no tardies for the first period of the day.
Please join us for our upcoming grade-level parent meetings. We hope they will provide a space to build community and feel supported as we continue to move into new areas of development for our students.
12th Grade:
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 26: 7:30-9:00 pm
Facilitators: Sara Ironside, Jen Ferguson
RSVP: jen.c.ferg@gmail.com for more information
Upcoming Meetings:
- Thursday, April 23: 7:30-9:00 pm
- Tuesday, May 19: 7:30-9:00 pm
11th Grade:
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 26: 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
Upcoming Meetings:
Thursday, April 23: 7:00-8:30 pm
10th Grade:
Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 24, 8:00-9:30 pm
Facilitators: Sarah Puckett, Maggie Mittan
RSVP: maggie.mittan@gmail.com for more information
Upcoming Meetings:
- Tuesday, April 28: 8-9:30 pm
- Tuesday, May 26: 8-9:30 pm
9th Grade:
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 19: 7:00-8:30 pm
Facilitators: Judy Lin, Yoko Ichikawa, Anne Hawkins
RSVP: hawkins42@gmail.com for location information
Upcoming Meetings:
Friday, April 24: 8:45-10:15 am
Thursday, May 21: 7:00-8:30 pm