Parent Newsletter #1: 7/24/26

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 (draft)

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

Dear Highlander Families,

The 2026-27 school year is nigh. I hope you all are having a fantastic summer with the World Cup, outdoor adventures, and spending time with friends and family. As I approach my third year as principal, I continue to be excited about coming to PHS each and every day. I look forward to welcoming nearly 200 incoming freshmen and providing many opportunities for students, including new courses and teachers. We have an amazing year in store so get ready for the journey.

Walkthrough Registration will be on August 7th and compressed into a shorter time frame. We have some information below and more will be available next week. Priority will be given to students who come at their assigned time. The New Student Orientation (9th grade) will be on August 6 and New Parent Orientation (all grade levels) will be later that evening.

Warmly,

Dr. Yoshihara

July 31: Annual Registration opens in Parent Portal on Infinite Campus

August 6: New Student Orientation (4-6 pm, AHT)

August 6: New Parent Orientation (6:30-7:30 pm, AHT)

August 7: New Student Orientation, 10th-12th grade (11 am, AHT)

August 7: Walk Through Registration / Picture Day (12-6:30 pm)

• Before Walkthrough Registration or to be able to check your schedule on Infinite Campus, every student has to be registered through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Please make sure you complete the online registration ahead of time.
• Any fees, including overdue books, are due at this time. You may be sent to the office to address this issue.
• Students will be able to view their schedule in Infinite Campus on the evening of August 7.

August 10: First Day of School

August 14: All-School Welcome Assembly (Academy)

August 21: Senior Sunrise (6:30-8 am, Baseball Field)

August 28: Parents' Club Meeting (9 am, AHT Lobby)

September 3: Back To School Night (6:40-8:55 pm)

September 4: Senior Picnic Fest

September 9: Picture Retakes (9-3:30, AHT Lobby)

Walkthrough registration will take place on August 7. Students should report at the following times:

• 11:30-12:00 early registration for student athletes in
• Girls and boys basketball
• Flag football
• Football: Last names: Sc-Z
• 12:00-12:30: Last name A-B
• 12:30-1:00: Last name C-E
• 1:00-1:30: Last Name F-Hi
• 1:30-2:00: Last Name: Ho-Le
• 2:00-2:30: Last Name: Li-M
• 2:30-3:00: Last Name: N-Sa
• 3:00-3:30: Last Name: Sc-Ti
• 3:30-4:00: Last Name: To-Z
• 4:00-4:30: All Names

We will be restricting all cell phone usage, bell-to-bell, this coming year. This applies to all personally connected devices while on campus aside from "dumb phones". A dumb phone shall be a device that can only text and call--no apps or camera. A comprehensive list can be found in the student handbook on page 17.

We will be collecting phones, watches, ear pods, etc. from students who have these devices out during the school day. Once the bell rings, these devices should be put away for the remainder of the school day. They should not be in your hand or visible at any time.

Also note that smart glasses are not allowed on campus. It is important that families not purchase this as their child's only pair of glasses.

I know Piedmont is an extremely generous community. We are grateful for the amazing approval ratings of the parcel taxes and PEF Giving Campaign donations. If you still have opportunity to give specifically to classes/programs, the Infinite Campus school store is now open. This document describes the various suggested amounts. Please know that these items go directly to the department/program and is managed by the department chair. These funds do not go away and may roll over to the next year if the department anticipated a future need.

General site funds are used for overall school needs--most commonly items like copy paper, general classroom supplies, etc. I thank you in advance for your consideration of these donations.

If you are new to the district or speak Spanish, French or Chinese at home and never taken a language class at PHS, this is your chance to know what level you should be enrolled in the Fall.

Date: August 7

Time: 10 am

• Chinese Registration, Rm 38
• French Registration, TBD
• Spanish Registration, Rm 36/37

Would you like some general spirit wear for PHS? We have polos, hoodies, and beanies. They are great to wear to games, performances, or on campus any time of the year. You can submit your orders in the Infinite Campus Store. Orders are placed when I have about a dozen orders. Please reach out if you have any questions.

We have been busy these past few months hiring a number of new staff who will be joining us this fall. Please help us welcome all of them.

• Aaron Duran, Counseling
• Anjuna Lohnes, Librarian (Monday)
• Heidi Fredrickson, French
• Dr. Eva Bravo, Spanish
• Jessica Carlson, English
• Khori Vondenbenken, Science
• Olesia Parasuik-Zasun, Math
• Mandy Mudde, Math
• Darnell Reed, Campus Supervisor
• Judith Cathell, Para II
• Yifeng Huang, Para II
• Saree Rice, Eng. Lab Coordinator
• Emily Haus, Library Media Tech
• Shantequa McKinney, Para II

For the first time since I've been here, we will run a "regular" schedule the first week of school. Please refer to the image below for the details.

We will have a student-centered activity on Friday, August 14 in Academy. More details to follow.

We continue to refine our counseling loads for the coming year. For returning students, your counselor will not change. For 9th grade students, they will be assigned as such:

Amanda Carlson:

MHS Counselor

PHS Last Names: A-D

Chris Hartford:

PHS Last Names: E-N

Aaron Duran:

PHS Last Names: O-Z

We will offer the following college entrance exams next school year. The dates are still tentative but we want to get information out to you know for planning purposes. All orders will be made through Infinite Campus School Store which can be done when the school year starts next year. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Marik

• Pre-ACT - Saturday, 10/3/26
• PSAT - Saturday, 10/17/26
• SAT - Monday, 3/15/27

We will be able to fully staff our library for this coming year. The library should be open every day during school hours. We will post the final schedule once it is finalized, but students can expect to have a place to go every day during school hours.

The California Education Code requires the school site council to develop a Single Plan for Student Achievement. The purpose of the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is to create a cycle of continuous improvement of student performance, and to ensure that all students succeed in reaching academic standards set by the State Board of Education.

The PHS Site Council serves as a forum where school staff, parents, and students can discuss a variety of issues that affect student performance at Piedmont High School. To support focus in the area of curriculum, agendas are typically developed in order to coincide with the curricular areas that are up for adoption.

If you are willing and able to join us on the school site council for this coming year, please email me. We meet roughly four times a year (fifth meeting may be added). I will then see if an election is needed and if so, put that out in a future newsletter. Parents and students are welcomed to apply.

The World Languages Department is excited to announce the Spanish Honor Society chapter at Piedmont High & Millennium High: Innovadores de Exedra. This is a nationally recognized honor society for students excelling in Spanish. Spanish Honor Society Application

Before completing the application, please review the qualifications below to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria.

• Thank You Andrea, Parents' Club VP, for all the work preparing for the opening of the school year.