Moving into the 2020-21 School Year Together
PUSD E-Connection
September 4, 2020
Updates, Resources & Quicklinks
Encouraging Students to Be Present, Engaged and Ready to Learn: Daily Attendance Calls to Begin Tuesday, September 8
September is Attendance Awareness Month! To help support our students’ consistent engagement during remote learning, we will begin automated attendance calls for all students beginning Tuesday, September 8. These calls are meant to be helpful reminders to keep you aware of your student’s daily attendance and engagement. Consistent engagement during our remote learning period is critical for the continued growth and progress of all students. 

  • When your student is marked absent during live (synchronous) instruction, you will receive an automated call within the same day. 
  • If your student’s absence is planned or due to illness, please contact the school attendance line. 
  • Please contact your student’s teacher if you believe the absence is an error.
  • In the event a student is unable to participate live, the student has the opportunity to participate asynchronously by contacting their teacher the day of the absence.

Every day of learning counts and it is important for our students to be present, engaged and ready to learn - regardless of where learning takes place. Thank you for your continued partnership and support! 

For more information on attendance and engagement please see the attached:
We Want to Hear Your Thoughts: PUSD Learning Continuity Plan
We want to hear your thoughts and questions on our proposed Learning Continuity Plan. On June 29, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 98 (SB 98) into law which establishes the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) specifically to measure and monitor school the approach of school districts across the state to the impacts of COVID-19.

Our Learning Continuity Plan is divided into seven parts:
  • General Information
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • In-Person Instructional Offerings
  • Distance Learning Program
  • Pupil Learning Loss/Unfinished Learning
  • Additional Actions to Implement the Learning Continuity Plan
  • Mental Health and Social and Emotional Well-Being. 
  • Pupil Engagement and Outreach
  • School Nutrition
  • Increased or Improved Services for Students with Unique Needs

#Remote Resilience: A Video Series By Students, For Students
Our second installment of Remote Resilience explores the theme of staying connected with Amador Valley Junior Evette Allari. Remote Resilience is a short video series by students, for students. Thank you to Harvest Park Middle Student & Pleasanton SIAC Communications Chair Connor Lam for his efforts in continuing this series!

PUSD Adult & Career Education Fall Schedule is HERE for our Lifelong Learners: Early Bird Discount Before September 25!
Ever want to learn a second language, learn how to cook Greek food or brush up on the latest tech? Our Adult & Career Department has that and more in online classes this Fall. Check out their catalogue and register before September 25 for an early bird discount!
Miss our PUSD Special Education Community Meeting?
Listen to the Recording Here!
On August 26, PUSD Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services Ed Diolazo, Senior Director of Special Education Ken Goeken and Assistant Director Jeni Rickard hosted a community meeting for our families with students with special needs to address FAQs presented previously for remote learning as well as answer questions live.

Elementary Student Activitie
When it comes to the Census 2020, everyone counts - whether you're one of our youngest learners in the cradle or if you're an adult or grandparent. It's important for everyone to be counted, because we all make a difference.

Celebrating our pUSd Community
Alisal Elementary Supports Parents In Remote Learning Through First Parent University Virtual Event
Our Alisal Elementary team hosted their first Parent University virtual event to help support families during remote learning. Thanks to our awesome Alisal team for working to provide valuable resources and information to our school community! Watch below!
#PUSDLearns: Continuing to learn together as we move into the school year with Wednesday Morning PD
Last week we hosted our first Wednesday AM Professional Development for our teachers as we continue to provide tools and resources to our world-class educators to serve our students and families. Thank you to all who attended, and to our PUSD Integration Specialists for supporting our educators with such amazing resources!

As a reminder, the time for the Advisory check-In for students in grades 6-12 will now occur from 9:45am - 10:30am on Wednesdays. Please be assured that the total instructional minutes on Wednesday for students in grades 6-12 remain unchanged. School principals have emailed the schedules for each site and also posted them on their school website.
Amador student collecting camera-enabled devices to help connect Senior Citizens
Amador Valley High School Sophomore Tanya Bakshi is helping Seniors connect to Telehealth and family members during the COVID-19 pandemic by collecting used camera-enabled devices. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many doctors and health care providers are conducting visits exclusively through virtual telehealth visits. Additionally, Seniors are an at-risk group and can be physically separated from families and loved ones. Tanya is working to bridge this gap by collecting donations of gently used camera enabled devices and connecting them with Seniors in need through the Telehealth for Seniors Initiative. 

She was first inspired to get involved with this initiative after talking with her grandparents, who Tanya speaks with every weekend. After her grandmother expressed struggling with boredom and latency with the Shelter in Place, Tanya taught her how to use an iPad and access Youtube videos. 

She sends me pictures and videos of new foods she’s making from YouTube,” Tanya said. “I hope to give every Senior a device that needs one so they can stay connected.”

Tanya then connected with the Telehealth for Seniors Initiative, which spans 26 states with 1,860 devices donated. Expanding this initiative in the Tri-Valley and Bay Area, where there is a high number of Seniors who would benefit from devices, Tanya is asking the community for used camera-enabled devices through her mission statement: “Your old devices may have lost their connections, but someone else can use them to make new ones”.

If you have any used camera-enabled devices (smartphones, tablets, etc), please contact Tanya at tanyasribakshi@gmail.com. Tanya is also looking for volunteers to help in her effort. For more information please visit telehealthforseniors.org.
Opportunities & Resources
Families in Need: Please Apply for Free & Reduced Lunch Program for 2020-21 School Year
Families who wish to continue to receive free and reduced meals for the 2020-21 school year can find a link to the application here.

Watch a video explaining this program here!
Pleasanton Emergency Rental Assistance
The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program will assist existing Pleasanton residents who are unable to pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a maximum grant assistance up to $2,500 per household to pay for up to one month of delinquent rent and late fees.
Applicants may submit an application online at cityservecares.org/renthelp or request an application by phone (925) 208-0660 or by email renthelp@cityservecares.org.
Please view the flyer for more details or visit CityServe's website.

Food Benefits for Families in Need
Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits help families in California buy food when schools are closed because of the coronavirus emergency.

Families will get up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use on food and groceries.

Families with children who get CalFresh, Medi-Cal or Foster Care benefits do not need to apply and should have gotten their P-EBT card during the month of May.

Families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals and who do not get their P-EBT card in the mail by the end of May must apply online before July 15, 2020. The online application is available at ca.p-ebt.org. If you have questions about P-EBT, you can complete this contact form.
Resources for Families Whose Living Situation Has Been Impacted
Has the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on your family's living situation? Are you at an increased risk of losing your housing because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you answered yes to either question, PUSD wants to ensure you are familiar with the federal McKinney-Vento law, which supports a student's ability to access a public education when changes in their living situation results in homelessness. The McKinney-Vento law also provides students the opportunity to remain in their school of origin if it is in their best interest and the student/parent requests it. For more information and additional resources, visit our McKinney-Vento (Homeless Youth) Education webpage here
Resources For Families
Click the image below for a slew of helpful resources curated by our Student Support Services team and Parent Liaisons. You can also visit: http://bit.ly/2xJHjep (Spanish version - www.bit.ly/RecursosDeCOVID19, Chinese version)
Pleasanton Unified
School District
4665 Bernal Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566
Phone: 925-462-5500