Curious Minds Newsletter | June/July 2026

June/July 2026

PACCC’s Whole-Child Approach

Physical Development (PD)

In partnership with the California Department of Education, PACCC is continuing its work as an early adopter of the revised Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) program and Learning Foundations (LFs), which closely aligns with our vision and mission statement. Designed by the State of California and funded by the California Department of Social Services, DRDP is a “developmental continuum from infancy through grade three that is designed to assess the progression of skills across multiple domains of learning.” The DRDP directly aligns with California’s Learning Foundations. Together, they are used to plan curriculum, inform instruction, and document developmental milestones.

In this double issue newsletter, please join us in welcoming our Ambassador of Math and storytelling avatar, Elliot Sage, and Ambassador of Science and storytelling avatar, Nova Quest, here to share more about PACCC’s Whole-Child Approach! Lead us into summer break, Elliot and Nova!

Meet Elliot Sage,

Ambassador for Math!

Elliot Sage began walking to the stage, focused and ready to talk about his favorite subject – math, when he suddenly turned around and headed in the opposite direction! Everyone gasped. Was he lost? Was he nervous? Was he sick?

“Elliot, the microphone is the other way!” said Emery in her loud whisper voice that wasn’t a whisper at all. “It’s normal to be nervous, but everyone is so excited and you’re going to do great!

Elliot was the kind of person who walked with purpose, as he always had a lot on his mind – like how many puzzle pieces are in a box or how many banana slices are on top of his cereal, or how many kids can be on the slide at the same time. The answer is one! Only one kid at a time on the slide!

Elliot nodded, “I’m fine! I have an idea! I mean, I am the Ambassador for Math, so let’s do some math!”

Read the Full Story.. 👀

Meet Nova Quest,

Ambassador for Science!

When Nova Quest woke up that morning, she was a little nervous. She was the last scheduled Ambassador to speak at the school, and she wondered if her classmates would be too tired to listen to all the important information she needed to share. For instance, how doing one thing leads to another thing, and how asking a lot of questions and figuring out how things work helps kids learn, and how important it is to share what you learn with others!

Science is a lot of tiny things happening all at once, working together and apart, then coming together to form something new; like when one ant tells another ant and soon there is an army of ants to move one itsy-bitsy potato chip into the ant house cafeteria. Or, when astronauts go to the moon and bring back a piece to earth to study because maybe one day, we’ll have giant playgrounds on the moon!

Science is important and science is fun – and that gave Nova a great idea to keep the kids interested in her speech. She would get to school early and ask the teachers for help!

This was going to be EPIC!

Read the Full Story.. 👀

Congratulations to Melissa Roth, First 5 Santa Clara County Commissioner!

We are so pleased to announce that Melissa Roth has been appointed the latest First 5 Santa Clara Commissioner!

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County “was established through a statewide voter-approved initiative in 1998 known as the California Children and Families Act (Proposition 10). Each county oversees the distribution of tobacco tax revenues to support, promote, and optimize early childhood development through coordinated programs that emphasize family support, children’s growth and learning, and improving systems of care for children prenatal through five years. Our overarching goal is to act as a catalyst to ensure that the developmental and health needs of young children and their families and caregivers are a priority in Santa Clara County.”

Melissa also serves as Co-Chair to the Local Early Education Planning Council (LPC) of Santa Clara County , “a collaborative association of representatives from the early care and education field, including parents, childcare providers, businesses, and the government. The mission of the LPC of Santa Clara County is to assess, represent, and promote the early care and education needs of children and families. As an administrator of the UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant, the LPC will convene UPK Advisory Workgroup sessions.”

“I’m so incredibly proud of Melissa’s leadership and impact at the local and county level,” shared Lee Pfab, PACCC’s CEO. Congrats, Melissa!

2025-2026 Family Survey Results

PACCC conducted annual family surveys across our Infant-Toddler, Preschool, and Kids' Club programs during Spring 2026. Survey results demonstrate exceptionally high levels of family satisfaction across all age groups. Families overwhelmingly described PACCC staff as caring, nurturing, dedicated, and responsive. Parents reported that children feel safe, welcomed, and connected within our programs and that PACCC serves as an essential support for working families and the broader community.

While satisfaction levels remain very high, families also provided valuable feedback regarding opportunities for continuous improvement. Common themes included increased communication through Learning Genie, greater visibility into children's daily experiences and learning, additional enrichment opportunities, and continued investment in staff.

In conclusion, the 2025-2026 Family Survey results reflect an organization that is deeply valued by the families it serves. Across all age groups, families consistently reported high levels of trust, satisfaction, and appreciation for the care, education, and support provided by PACCC.

Congratulations, Graduates!

What a privilege to celebrate our preschool and Kids’ Club graduates this past month with fun, festive ceremonies complete with caps, gowns, and plenty of smiles! Next stop – Kindergarten, middle school, and in the blink of an eye – college! Thanks to our talented and dedicated educators for preparing our preschoolers and 5^th graders for the next step in their big, little world.

Thank You to Our 2025-2026 Board of Directors!

It is an honor to thank and recognize PACCC’s Board of Directors. The Board of Directors play a special role in our vision as “a community where children thrive, educators are valued, and families are supported.” They are involved in crucial decision making and activities at PACCC. They must be passionate about the PACCC mission, while also offering high quality skills and relevant, functional experience.

A special thank you to outgoing board member, Rachel Samoff, for serving 2 terms, managing through COVID, hiring a new executive, and navigating post-COVID with a consistent, sharp focus on quality early education. Thank you, Rachel!

Thank you to these passionate and talented individuals:

Board Officers:

• Chair: Georgiana Kuhlmann

• Chair Elect: Cynthia Wood

• Treasurer: Danny Koba

• Secretary: Lavinia Branden Rossi

Board Members:

• Teri Baldwin

• Natalie Geise

• Piret Loone

• Cindy Pouw

• Rachel Samoff

• Lanie Wheeler

• Elliott Wright

This year, the board focused on implementing Phase 2 of the Strategic Plan: Employer of Choice, Capital, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB), Family Supports, and Community Recognition.

Highlights include:

Family Resource Partnership with Center for Children and Youth, providing access and discounts to PACCC families for service and education.
Staff Survey Respondents at 100% this year, and shared that they would recommend PACCC for employment opportunities.
Established Investment Strategies for the Future by investing proceeds from the sale of the NITC property to an investment fund for capital investment in current facilities and scaling centers in Downtown; San Antonio Area Plan to align with the City’s Housing Element.
Board Recruitment and Succession Planning.

Other leadership highlights for the year 2025-2026 include:

Georgiana Kuhlmann became a Leadership Palo Alto Fellow
CEO Lee Pfab awarded the Palo Alto Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Professional

If you are interested in getting involved with the PACCC Strategic Plan through committee or board membership, please visit PACCC’s website for more information and to apply.

Imagine Palo Alto at 150! Call for Entries!

Imagine what Palo Alto will look and feel like in 150 years – and share that vision for a chance to be featured in the Palo Alto Museum exhibit, Palo Alto 2044. “To celebrate the grand opening of the Palo Alto Museum in Fall 2026, we invite artists, writers, students, and visionaries from across Palo Alto’s neighborhoods and around the world to imagine Palo Alto at 150—its people, its place, and its possibilities.” Entry deadline is June 30, 2026.

Summer Fun in Palo Alto!

Wondering how to fill those hot summer days with family fun? Palo Alto is the place to have fun this summer! Here are a few highlights:

Summer Reading 2026: Oceans of Possibilities

From June 1, through August 1, the Palo Alto City Library invites you to enjoy Oceans of Possibilities and “dive into new adventures and explore the depths of your imagination through reading. Track your reading time to earn prizes and join us for fun events this summer!” Includes puppet art theatre, nature journaling and more!

Vegetable Gardening for Kids

“Learn the basics of growing summer vegetables with your child! This class covers essential plant needs and how to raise common annual vegetables like zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes from seed to harvest. Designed for the beginning and hopeful backyard gardener, this class will include demonstration and practice of potting plants, as well as a tour of the edible garden.” Gamble Garden Historic Home and Garden, Saturday, June 20 @ 9:30 am - 11:00 am, $16, Member, $20 Non-member.

Kids Dance Carnival

“Join us for KDC Palo Alto 2026! Come get moving and grooving at this kid-centered dance party. We'll be dancing with bubbles, jamming with glow sticks, and making a collaborative art piece.” Suitable for children ages 6-11. Rinconada Library, Thursday, July 30, 2026, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm