Moving into the 2020-21 School Year Together
PUSD E-Connection
September 11, 2020
Updates, Resources & Quicklinks
Measure I1 and Facilities Projects Moving Forward
While we can't wait to welcome our students back to our campuses, many exciting projects continue to move forward including our Measure I1 Lydiksen Elementary rebuild, Harvest Park Middle library and painting projects at a number of our schools including Pleasanton Middle, Vintage Hills Elementary, and Amador Valley High Schools. Learn more on our Facilities and Construction website.
The Harvest Park Library Rebuild is almost complete!
New classroom buildings at Lydiksen Elementary are beginning to take shape!
Pleasanton Middle School is looking good with a fresh coat of paint!
#Remote Resilience: Separating School and Rest Space for Mental Health
The third installment of PUSD's Remote Resilience series explores student mental health as Foothill Senior Anastasiya Markova discusses how she separates her work/school space from her rest and social space. Thank you to Anistasiya, Connor Lam and Pleasanton SIAC for helping continue this series by and for students.

It's not too early to encourage civic engagement: Census 2020 Activities for TK-5 Students
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.

Amador Valley Students Create Organization to Promote More Females and Nonbinary in STEM
The STEMettes invite students age 4 - 16 are invited to participate in a free online program that explores opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.

Important Dates and Deadlines
Share Input on our Learning Continuity Plan Before September 14!
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

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!
PPIE Week of the Stars: Coming October 9 - 12
In place of the Fall Gala, PPIE is happy to announce PPIE Week of the Stars, October 9-17’ to celebrate and support our schools, and offer our families some much-needed FUN. This week of local dining, virtual classes, online auction and teacher highlights will replace our traditional fall gala. And it’s open to everyone! 
Your participation will help ensure that PPIE is able to meet our fundraising goals to support critical tech, math/reading and other teachers at all our schools. 


Parenting Tips from your School Social Worker Team
September is Suicide Awareness Month: Support and Resources
The California Department of Education (CDE) recognizes September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The parent/caregiver version of our Suicide Prevention Presentation is posted online as an additional resource. This 2 part recorded series is accompanied by a supplemental video and some additional resources for parents or caregivers. District Social Workers and school counselors are teaming up to train all school sites in Suicide Prevention during the months of September and October.

In an effort to support students in seeking out the appropriate support when they are not physically on campus, all of our secondary school sites have the following crisis support numbers printed on the back of every student’s ID card for the 2019-2020 school year:

24/7 SUPPORTS AVAILABLE TO YOU:
  • Call National Suicide Hotline (800) 784-2433
  • Text HOME to 741741 (to text with a crisis counselor)
  • Call Pleasanton Police Department (925) 931-5100
  • Call or Text Anonymous Student Support Tip-Line (925) 417-5199

Brought to you by your PBIS School Social Workers in recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Celebrating our pUSd Community
All PUSD Elementary, Middle & High Schools Receive State Recognition for Supports Provided to Staff, Students and Families During Pandemic
Congratulations to all of our PUSD schools for being recognized by the California PBIS Coalition with Community Cares Awards. In addition to our schools, Vintage Hills PTA also received recognition. This award recognizes the extraordinary supports provided by our school communities to our staff, students and families since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. Thank you to our school leaders, staff, families and community partners for your efforts to support our students during this unprecedented time!
PLAY Foundation Donates Funds & Tutoring Services to PUSD Foster and Kinship Youth Program
The motto of PLAY Foundation Tri-Valley (Promoting Leadership in Aspiring Youth Foundation) is students helping other students and community nonprofits. Since its inception in the summer of 2014, PLAY members have been sharing their passion and talents in subgroups consisting of performing music concerts; teaching and tutoring math, engineering, coding, health, speech and debate, and baking; and organizing writers' group and mobile library service as a mean to fundraise for our local schools and community nonprofits. 

Over the last two years, PLAY Foundation student volunteers have developed a program to mentor and tutor PUSD foster students. High school students in PLAY Foundation’s math, engineering, coding, and speech and debate, and baking subgroups led virtual tutoring and instructional classes throughout the summer to help fundraise in support of PUSD's Foster and Kinship Program. 

As a result of a number of fundraising efforts, PLAY Foundation representatives recently presented a check of $3,000 to Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services for the PUSD Foster and Kinship Program. Additionally, a check for $1,500 was also presented to PPIE. Aside from the monetary donation, PLAY Foundation also donated 1000 face masks and 1000 shields to PPIE, Kaiser Oakland and Tri-Valley Haven Food Pantry. Thank you to PLAY Foundation and the many student volunteers for their leadership and support of our families and students during this unprecedented time!
Amador Valley Students Donate PPE to PUSD
Prior to the pandemic, Amador Valley High Senior Music Student Chloe Jeon and Andrew Choi founded Music4Heart.org, a volunteer organization that performs music for senior citizens and children with special needs. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Music4Hear began holding virtual concerts to share the healing power of music. 

Wanting to do more, they started EBPPE (East Bay Personal Protective Equipment), donating hand-made cotton masks and other PPE to health centers across the East Bay. So far, they EBPPE has donated 537 cotton masks, 3,400 disposable masks, 327 3D-printed ear savers, 103 face shields, and 46 bottles of hand sanitizer. They have also raised $3743 in donations via Music4Heart virtual benefit concerts, PPE fundraising events, and other online fundraisers.

As the school year began, these students turned their attention to our PUSD staff members, donating 50 hand-made cotton masks, 700 disposable masks, 30 face shields, 50 3D-printed ear savers, and 18 bottles of hand sanitizers. Thank you to these awesome students!

For more information, please visit music4heart.org and EBPPE.org.
Opportunities & Resources
Families in Need: Please Apply for Free & Reduced Lunch Program for 2020-21
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