Summer School Application (High School)

Petaluma City Schools is offering a credit recovery opportunity for PCS seniors in need of credit to graduate AND for current 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade students. All courses will be taken on campus with Traditional IN-PERSON LEARNING (not hybrid). PCS Summer School Application (English, High School) PCS Summer School Application (Spanish, High School) (click above to apply) Application Submission Deadline: Friday, May 27 Summer School Information Location : Petaluma High School (PHS) Dates : Tuesday, June 21 - Wednesday, July 20. No school on Monday, July 4th Schedule Period Time Minutes Session 1 8:30 - 11:30 AM 3 hr block Lunch 11:30 AM - 1200 PM 30 min Session 2 12:00 - 3:00 PM 3 hr block Session 3 Online (limited space,  priority for grades 11-12) Courses : 2 Sessions plus bonus online session (15 credits max) General Rules   -You must attend the first day of summer school or you may be dropped to provide an opportunity for others.   -You must take each course for the entire 21 days to pass summer school.   -You may not bring visitors to class with you.   -You must return your textbook or pay the book replacement cost if you drop the course.   -You will receive an “Incomplete” grade if you do not return or pay for the textbook.   -Students may not be on campus before 7:45 am, or after 2:50 pm   -Appropriate school attire is required at all times.   -All PCS school rules must be followed at all times. Protocols:   -Students who are attending individual courses will be expected to leave campus at the end of their class.   -Students in multiple courses will be expected to move from one room to another.   -Restrooms capacity will be limited based on the size of the facility.   Absences and Tardies   - Students with three absences may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with three tardies may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with more than ONE absence from APEX online classes may be dropped from Summer School Courses Offered: Course offerings will be determined by staff availability.  -English 9, 10, 11, 12   -Math 1 and 2   -World History   -US History   -American Government & Economics   -Physical Science   -Biology   -Human Interaction   -Physical Education   -Electives:  Art, Spanish (Native Speakers)   -ELD 1 - 3   -Edgenuity - Online Education prioritized for 11th and 12th grade students. [Friday, May 6 at 1:55 PM] The daily schedule and course offerings have been updated and an application in Spanish has been added. There is no need to re-submit the application.

Wednesday, May 18 2022

Summer School Application (High School)

Petaluma City Schools is offering a credit recovery opportunity for PCS seniors in need of credit to graduate AND for current 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade students. All courses will be taken on campus with Traditional IN-PERSON LEARNING (not hybrid). PCS Summer School Application (English, High School) PCS Summer School Application (Spanish, High School) (click above to apply) Application Submission Deadline: Friday, May 27 Summer School Information Location : Petaluma High School (PHS) Dates : Tuesday, June 21 - Wednesday, July 20. No school on Monday, July 4th Schedule Period Time Minutes Session 1 8:30 - 11:30 AM 3 hr block Lunch 11:30 AM - 1200 PM 30 min Session 2 12:00 - 3:00 PM 3 hr block Session 3 Online (limited space,  priority for grades 11-12) Courses : 2 Sessions plus bonus online session (15 credits max) General Rules   -You must attend the first day of summer school or you may be dropped to provide an opportunity for others.   -You must take each course for the entire 21 days to pass summer school.   -You may not bring visitors to class with you.   -You must return your textbook or pay the book replacement cost if you drop the course.   -You will receive an “Incomplete” grade if you do not return or pay for the textbook.   -Students may not be on campus before 7:45 am, or after 2:50 pm   -Appropriate school attire is required at all times.   -All PCS school rules must be followed at all times. Protocols:   -Students who are attending individual courses will be expected to leave campus at the end of their class.   -Students in multiple courses will be expected to move from one room to another.   -Restrooms capacity will be limited based on the size of the facility.   Absences and Tardies   - Students with three absences may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with three tardies may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with more than ONE absence from APEX online classes may be dropped from Summer School Courses Offered: Course offerings will be determined by staff availability.  -English 9, 10, 11, 12   -Math 1 and 2   -World History   -US History   -American Government & Economics   -Physical Science   -Biology   -Human Interaction   -Physical Education   -Electives:  Art, Spanish (Native Speakers)   -ELD 1 - 3   -Edgenuity - Online Education prioritized for 11th and 12th grade students. [Friday, May 6 at 1:55 PM] The daily schedule and course offerings have been updated and an application in Spanish has been added. There is no need to re-submit the application.

Friday, May 13 2022

PCS Newsletter 5-6-22

PCS Newsletter Dear PCS Community, Happy May and Happy Mother’s Day to all of our PCS mothers! May is a unique month, filled with many celebratory events to give closure to the school year. You may have heard the expression “the Ninety Days of May,” and while it seems impossible to fit this much joy and festivities into one month, it’s a happy kind of busy to honor all of the students and educators in our District.   One of our District Goals is to ensure that all student scholars and families are engaged in their learning community. We are living this goal by creating as many districtwide experiences as possible to allow students to explore their various interests. In this semester alone, we have helped to facilitate our first annual PCS Art Show , a PCS Film Festival, an elementary kickball league, robotics team competition, Butter and Eggs Day entries, teacher and staff picnic and celebrations, and after-school clubs and sports, just to name a few. As the weather gets warmer and we all spend more time outside, I find myself thinking of different ways we can build community . Getting to know your neighbors, buying from local merchants, taking your children to the park, and learning new things are all great ways to leave the house and become more engaged in the fabric of Petaluma. Building connections with students and each other is more important now than ever and we will continue to intentionally create diverse ways to strengthen relationships and our community. With Open Houses, promotions, graduations, and end-of-the-year celebrations coming up, I look forward to seeing many of you out and about, always with a focus on celebrating our students and their many accomplishments. In partnership, Matthew Harris Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools COVID-19 Updates State Vaccine Mandate Update On April 14th, the CDPH announced that the COVID-19 vaccine will not be required for school-aged children for the 2022-23 school year. “As such, any vaccine requirements would not take effect until after full FDA approval and no sooner than July 1, 2023.”   In recent weeks, we have experienced an uptick in COVID cases around Sonoma County and our District . Please continue to keep our community safe by following the protocols outlined in the PCS Student and Family Handbook for COVID-19 Safety and our PCS Illness Policy . If your child is experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms , please keep your child home and get tested at the Petaluma City Schools District Office or on your own. Keeping a child home from school who is experiencing symptoms, whether COVID, a cold, or the flu, protects not only the child, but also schoolmates, teachers, and school staff. Make a Difference for Children in our Community: Career Opportunities with PCS Have you ever thought about working in education and making a difference in the lives of children in our community? Consider a job with us at Petaluma City Schools! We have multiple openings in a variety of jobs throughout the District, including full-time and part-time opportunities. For us to best serve students, we need the community's help in getting fully staffed. If you yourself aren't looking, please share this information! We have both full-time and flexible, part-time positions - linked here is a list of our Open Positions . Check out this week's highlighted jobs below. Secondary Summer School Teachers Secretary, Maintenance and Operations Summer School Cafeteria Assistant II - Multiple Sites Student and Family Engagement Elementary Kickball Tournament On Saturday, April 30th PCS held its first Elementary Kickball Tournament. It was a sunny morning filled with excitement as TK-6th grade students from across the District came together to play one another. Our community encouraged the students by cheering everyone on and allowed for all students to play and have fun. Thank you to all of our coaches who made this league possible! Your hard work, upbeat attitude, and energy allowed for students to enjoy themselves and hone their kickball skills. PCS Art Show We had an amazing Opening Night highlighting student artwork from our TK-12 grade students. In addition, there was music by the PHS and CGHS Jazz Ensembles, appetizers and refreshments made by the CGHS Culinary Programs, and a demonstration from the KJHS Robotics team. Thank you to all of the amazing volunteers, vendors, and community supporters that helped make this evening such a success! A special thank you to Erinn VanderMeer, art teacher at Kenilworth Junior High School, for all of her time and energy putting this together. If you missed Opening Night, the PCS Art Show is still up for viewing from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM on weekdays at the Lucchesi Community Center at 320 N. McDowell Blvd. until May 13th. Also, you can check out the website with a link to the digital show of all the artwork as well . Wellness Corner May is Mental Health Awareness month. Let us raise awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health and help reduce the stigma of mental health. On April 28th, motivational speaker Abraham Sculley presented “Combating the Stigma of Mental Health” where he shared his personal story with our PCS families. If you missed this event please find our Spanish and English recordings. Also, for resources visit our PCS Health and Wellness page. Spread the Word About the National Fentanyl Crisis On Tuesday, May 10th , we are recognizing the first-ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a day of action to raise public awareness about an urgent problem: people are dying at alarming rates due to illegally-made fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid. The safety and well-being of our community are always of utmost importance, and PCS has joined this coalition to help spread the word and save lives.   We invite you to join us for a Zoom webinar featuring presenters from the Petaluma Police Department and PANAPTIC on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 from 6:30 PM- 7:30 PM .   Healthy Choice Committee Meeting We are having our next meeting on Tuesday, May 17 from 5:00 PM-6:30 PM . It is important to us that all voices are heard in this endeavor so we are inviting partners from throughout our community including parents, teachers, staff, students, law enforcement, LMFTs, local business owners, community organizations, and those with a medical background. We hope you will join on this very important journey to support and educate our students. Please complete this quick form  if you are interested in participating.   The Triangulum: How can we support our teens to make healthy choices about tobacco, cannabis and vaping? PCS students, families, adult allies, and community members are invited to explore cutting-edge research on tobacco, cannabis, and vaping and the impact that use can have on young people’s health, mental health and wellness. Please join us on one of the following dates:   May 25, 2022 at Petaluma High School from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM with presenter Richard Von Feldt, PsyD June 2, 2022 at Casa Grande High School from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM with presenter Sarah Ferrero Conningham, PsyD Student Services Recently, several staff members recently had the opportunity to receive training in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and restorative practices . When combined, these two practices support a safe and restorative environment for all students and staff. PBIS and restorative practices help create clear expectations in order to reduce problematic behavior and increase student and teacher wellbeing. These best practices lead to safe, positive schools with happy students and staff. This link provides an overview of a tiered model of interventions in schools that we refer to as a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) . PBIS and restorative practices in schools provide an alternative framework for thinking about discipline problems, which have been shown to be more effective than traditional discipline practices. In schools, there are both the proactive and responsive components to restorative practices that work in tandem to create an equitable and inclusive school culture. Our District’s mission is to “ deliver an excellent, diverse, equitable, and inclusive education to all student scholars so they will creatively explore interests, collaboratively solve problems, and fully develop as resilient, caring, and responsible members of our community. ” By integrating PBIS and restorative practices, our goal is to create systems for all of our school community members to fully engage and succeed in our schools. Update to 2022-23 Academic Calendars At the Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Board Meeting, the School Board approved the addition of three additional staff development days to the calendar. To make this work, we have made some minor, but important adjustments to next year’s calendar. Please see the revised calendars for the 2022-23 school calendar below.   Traditional School Calendar 2022-23 Year-Round School Calendar 2022-23 (MCCV and Penngrove) Food Services Our dedicated food services staff are creating short, informative, and entertaining daily YouTube videos to help you and your family learn about the different lunch choices for the following day. These videos can be found on the PCS Food Services page . We hope you enjoy the "Three School Foodies'' school lunch reviews as much as we do. In addition, monthly menus can be found on the same PCS Food Services page . Museums for Digital Learning Kenilworth Digital Media and K-TV teacher, Laura Bradley, contributed to a new online learning resource that provides K-12 educators with authentic, curated museum collection resources to help inspire their students. Museums for Digital Learning (MDL) content and interactive features are developed by museum education and curatorial professionals in consultation with classroom educators and technology consultants. MDL Resource kits have multiple activities to engage learners and support national standards in different subjects. We encourage PCS educators and families to explore these free resources . Thank you to Laura Bradley for participating in this innovative initiative and bringing it to our attention. Sonoma County Robotics Challenge and Film Festival Many PCS schools participated in the 2022 Sonoma County Robotics Challenge on April 30th. Congratulations to the PACS at McKinley students for their first place win in the King of the Hill contest. You can read more about the Robotics Challenge in this Press Democrat article . Several PCS students submitted films to the Sonoma County Five Minute Film Festival. Congratulations to Willow Mullen for making it to the finalist screening with her film, "Hank the Hero." You can read the Press Democrat article or view Sonoma County's Highlight Reel .   Sonoma County Office of Education - Learning Opportunities for four-year-olds Parents or guardians of four-year-olds in Sonoma County are invited to attend a free Zoom webinar in English and Spanish, outlining early learning and care options for families. The forum will take place from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM on Wednesday, April 27th. This webinar will explain the expansion of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and will outline other educational and child care options, such as preschool and state and federal programs. The event will begin with an informational session and will be followed by a question and answer period. The forum is available via Zoom and by phone at 408-638-0968 - meeting ID 88423658448. Please note: This is not a school or District event. As such, Petaluma City Schools District does not sponsor, staff, supervise, support or endorse the information, activities, or events posted. Petaluma Youth Soccer League Registration is now open for the Petaluma Youth Soccer League. The season runs from July - October for players ages 4+. Visit  www.petalumasoccer.org for more information and to register. Please note: This is not a school or District event. As such, Petaluma City Schools District does not sponsor, staff, supervise, support or endorse the information, activities, or events posted.

Friday, May 06 2022

Summer School Application (High School)

Petaluma City Schools is offering a credit recovery opportunity for PCS seniors in need of credit to graduate AND for current 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade students. All courses will be taken on campus with Traditional IN-PERSON LEARNING (not hybrid). PCS Summer School Application (English, High School) PCS Summer School Application (Spanish, High School) (click above to apply) Application Submission Deadline: Friday, May 27 Summer School Information Location : Petaluma High School (PHS) Dates : Tuesday, June 21 - Wednesday, July 20. No school on Monday, July 4th Schedule Period Time Minutes Session 1 8:30 - 11:30 AM 3 hr block Lunch 11:30 AM - 1200 PM 30 min Session 2 12:00 - 3:00 PM 3 hr block Session 3 Online (limited space,  priority for grades 11-12) Courses : 2 Sessions plus bonus online session (15 credits max) General Rules   -You must attend the first day of summer school or you may be dropped to provide an opportunity for others.   -You must take each course for the entire 21 days to pass summer school.   -You may not bring visitors to class with you.   -You must return your textbook or pay the book replacement cost if you drop the course.   -You will receive an “Incomplete” grade if you do not return or pay for the textbook.   -Students may not be on campus before 7:45 am, or after 2:50 pm   -Appropriate school attire is required at all times.   -All PCS school rules must be followed at all times. Protocols:   -Students who are attending individual courses will be expected to leave campus at the end of their class.   -Students in multiple courses will be expected to move from one room to another.   -Restrooms capacity will be limited based on the size of the facility.   Absences and Tardies   - Students with three absences may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with three tardies may be dropped from summer school.   - Students with more than ONE absence from APEX online classes may be dropped from Summer School Courses Offered: Course offerings will be determined by staff availability.  -English 9, 10, 11, 12   -Math 1 and 2   -World History   -US History   -American Government & Economics   -Physical Science   -Biology   -Physical Education   -Electives:  Art, Human Interaction, Spanish (Native Speakers)   -ELD 1 - 3   -Edgenuity - Online Education prioritized for 11th and 12th grade students. [Friday, May 6 at 1:55 PM] The daily schedule and course offerings have been updated and an application in Spanish has been added. There is no need to re-submit the application.

Monday, May 02 2022

PCS Newsletter 4-15-22

PCS Newsletter Dear PCS Community, I hope you all had a wonderful past few weeks and that you were able to relax and enjoy Spring Break with your families. On Wednesday, I had the great honor of attending our own Petaluma Educational Foundation’s Annual Scholarship Evening, where 255 graduating seniors were awarded with $261,900 in scholarships. The generosity of the donors, sponsors, and our community is heartwarming. What I enjoyed most about the evening was hearing directly from students about their plans for the future - students’ passions to make our world a better place came through loud and clear, and if this is an indication of our future as a community, we are truly in good hands. Thank you PEF for all your work for students! As we approach what educators call the “90 Days of May” because of the number of events that help us conclude the school year, I’d like to highlight a couple family-friendly PCS events that I strongly encourage you to attend. Next week, you are all invited to participate in a unique family evening event, designed to help build empathy through a historical perspective. Hardy Brown, emeritus chairman of the Black Voice Foundation, and his organization Footsteps to Freedom , are coming to PCS. Footsteps to Freedom will do a short presentation to be followed by an interactive, hands-on, immersive learning exhibit. This event allows us to learn together in a way that is aligned with our core values : all students have value and infinite potential, and diversity is an asset that strengthens and enriches our community . This family evening experience is for all PCS families and will be offered once at Petaluma High School and once at Casa Grande High School. Please join us on one of the following evenings: Wednesday, April 20th from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Petaluma High School library  Friday, April 22nd from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Casa Grande High School library  Another wonderful opportunity for all PCS families is our District Art Show at the Lucchesi Community Center, located at 320 N. McDowell Blvd. The Art Show will take place on Wednesday, May 4th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM , with the goal of building community by engaging students and families through art. TK - 12th-grade student artwork from across the District will be on display and, having seen some of the pieces, I am already blown away by our students’ artistic talent. In addition to viewing our students’ artwork at this event, the Petaluma High School and Casa Grande bands will be playing, our culinary arts students will be serving free samples of their favorite appetizers, and food trucks and an ice cream truck will be on location for families to add to the fun and ease of participation. I hope to see you at both of these wonderful, family-friendly events! In partnership, Matthew Harris Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools COVID-19 Updates Before returning to school, our District staff distributed approximately 2,500 Rapid COVID tests. Out of the 2,500 tests, only 5 individuals came back as testing positive. Statistically, this is an encouraging shift, as compared to January. Sonoma County is seeing a similar trend and we will continue to monitor the situation. Thank you for your diligence and support in keeping our community safe by testing if anyone in your family develops symptoms . PCS New COVID-19 Testing Hours Professionally-administered Rapid Antigen tests are offered at the District Office (200 Douglas Street) between 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM , every day that school is in session. Results from these tests are typically available within 15 minutes.   Free “at-home tests” are available, as long as supplies last. PCR tests are offered between 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM.    Sonoma County is hosting a vaccine clinic at McKinley School on April 27, 2022 from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM for students ages 5 and older. Walk-ins are welcome and no appointments are necessary. Social security, citizenship, and insurance information are not required . For more information, see the linked flier . Make a Difference for Children in our Community: Career Opportunities with PCS Have you ever thought about working in education and making a difference in the lives of children in our community? Consider a job with us at Petaluma City Schools! We have multiple openings in a variety of jobs throughout the District, including full-time and part-time opportunities. For us to best serve students, we need the community's help in getting fully staffed. If you yourself aren't looking, please share this information! We have both full-time and flexible, part-time positions - linked here is a list of our Open Positions . Check out this week's highlighted jobs below. Elementary Summer School Teachers Instructional Assistant - Summer School 2022 (Multiple Positions) Student Records Clerk II - Petaluma High School Student and Family Engagement District Art Show Please join us at Lucchesi Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd., for our PCS Art Gallery. The Grand Opening will be held on Wednesday, May 4th from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM . Petaluma High School and Casa Grande High school bands will be playing, Casa Grande's culinary arts program will be making and serving appetizers, and there will be food and ice cream for purchase. We hope to see you and your family there to celebrate all of the amazing artwork across our district! Please note that student artwork will be on display from May 2 - 13.   Elementary Kickball Our Elementary Kickball league is back in action after the break. Students have been working to master their skills, as they prepare for the culminating tournament on April 30th at Casa Grande High School. Thank you to our volunteer coaches for making this league a reality for our students! Butter and Eggs Day Parade We look forward to seeing you at the Butter and Eggs day parade on Saturday, April 23rd. PCS will have two entries, highlighting our student robotics program and our amazing staff. Come see the robotics in action as students guide their robots through the parade. Staff members will be handing out free PCS magnets for those of you who can attend the parade. Wellness Corner Healthy Choice Committee We held our first Healthy Choice Committee meeting on April 14, 2022. We had 20 attendees representing parents, staff, and community members. Our community is working on brainstorming ideas for a healthy, safe, and drug-free community for our youth through accessible resources and education. As a community, we are saving lives together! April National Alcohol Awareness Month The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence organized April as Alcohol Awareness Month in order to increase awareness regarding the dangers of alcoholism and addiction. Please find helpful resources here.   PCS - NARCAN Training PCS applied for the California Naloxone Distribution Project and we were awarded NARCAN units. Over 100 of our own PCS staff volunteered to receive the NARCAN training in February have received a NARCAN unit. PCS Parent Night- Save the Date! Active Minds Speaker Abraham Sculley will be presenting “Combating the Stigma of Mental Health.” He will be sharing his personal story with our PCS families on April 28 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. If you wish to join this event please  register to hear his story ! For any questions please contact Jimena Gomez at jgomez@petk12.org. Building Empathy Through a Historical Perspective PCS is excited to announce this incredible family experience offered right here at both of our high school campuses. The experience is a transformative learning opportunity, built on a foundation of historical empathy, to build empathy and encourage personal growth. We invite all PCS families to attend. To find out more, please look at the Footsteps to Freedom website . The same experience is being offered on two separate nights: April 20th from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Petaluma High School library April 22nd from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Casa Grande High School library  Petaluma Arts Center Please join the Petaluma Arts Center on Saturday, May 7th from 2:00 PM-5:00 PM for a family art celebration. During the day there will be opportunities to participate in Groove Movement by Artaluma (2:00-3:00 PM), play Marimba (3:00-5:00 PM), collage Art, visual thinking strategies, chalk art, and ice cream from Alec's Ice Cream. Please note: This is not a school or District event. As such, Petaluma City Schools District does not sponsor, staff, supervise, support, or endorse the information, activities, or events posted.

Friday, Apr 15 2022

The Viking News

The Viking News From Mrs. Haugen Welcome back, Vikings! We are excited to return and finish this third trimester of school healthy, strong and learning a lot every day.  Please be sure to read the PS post from yesterday for changes to adults on campus.  And as always, if your student is experiencing any COVID symptoms (listed on the Daily Health Screening), please keep them home from school and get tested at the district office.  Together we'll keep our students and staff healthy.   April Lunch Menu It can also be found at our PCS Food Service FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Petaluma-City-Schools-Food-Service-102934675682101 Yearbook Orders are Due by Friday Here's the link to order your 2021-2022 Valley Vista Yearbook: https://www.treering.com/validate?PassCode=1015497379334650 Order deadline is April 15. Dates to Know: 6th Grade Photos: Friday, April 15th (group photo and individuals; all students will be photographed) Final PTA Association Meeting: Tuesday, April 19th at 6:30pm on zoom

Tuesday, Apr 12 2022

PCS Newsletter 3-18-22

PCS Newsletter Dear PCS Community, As I walk around town and notice the beautiful daffodils, lilacs, and wildflowers already in bloom, Spring is definitely in the air. The changing of the seasons always reminds me to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect on things for which I am grateful. With the change in masking policy , I am grateful to see so much mutual respect amongst our students and adults. Some members of our community have chosen to keep masks on and others have chosen to remove their masks. What I hope is that regardless of a person’s choice, they have been met with welcome. Thank you to all of our teachers and staff members who are leading by example, and thank you to all of our families that are modeling kindness and empathy. Our kids are following our lead. Spring means that we have lots of exciting events on the horizon. This weekend at Petaluma High School, starting at 1:00 PM, is our very own PCS Film Festival . We will be showcasing a number of student-made films examining the theme of “heroes.” On April 23rd, Petaluma City Schools will be participating in the citywide return of Petaluma’s Butter & Egg Days Parade and Festival. The theme is “Community - The Heart of Petaluma,” and PCS will be showcasing our District with two entries, one that spotlights our high school robotics program, and another that celebrates our amazing staff. Our PCS Spring Art Gallery is coming soon on May 4th at Lucchesi Park, where students around our District will be showcasing their artistic talents. For now, I wish you all a peaceful final week before Spring Break . During these times of transition, I like to ground myself by spending quality time with my family and friends, and I wish you that same rejuvenation. Enjoy the break, and I’ll see you all refreshed on the other side to finish off the 2021-22 school year! In partnership, Matthew Harris Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools COVID-19 Updates Free At-Home Rapid Test Distribution Over Spring Break News of new variants around the globe and increases in COVID cases could lead to another spike in case rates here in Sonoma County. In an effort to preserve the progress we have made as a community, we will be offering free, at-home rapid tests to all PCS students and staff for a safe return from Spring Break. We have distributions planned for the following dates, times, and locations: Thursday, April 7, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the PCS District Office and McDowell Elementary School  Friday, April 8, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the PCS District Office and McDowell Elementary School    Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the PCS District Office You will receive more details about these distributions in the weeks ahead.  For now, we invite all PCS students and staff to come to one of these distribution sites and administer an at-home test before returning to school on Monday, April 11th. This is not a requirement, but a communitywide request to keep our campus safe after Spring Break. With Heartfelt Appreciation for our Front Office Staff Among the many lessons we have all learned throughout the pandemic, the one that seems to be reinforced again and again is that change is constant and inevitable. Jimmy Dean said, “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” In terms of COVID safety and the public health guidance to navigate the pandemic, we have not been able to change the wind. Our front office staff, who tirelessly work at each of our school sites, have helped our community adjust our sails to reach where we need to go. They have been tasked with communicating our protocols, answering questions, enforcing our policies, and steering our community toward our destination. We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every member of our front office teams for their tireless work in continually helping us adjust our sails and keeping us on course.   COVID Helpline We are excited to announce that starting Monday, March 21st, we are launching our PCS COVID Helpline to answer any COVID-related questions. Whether you have questions about COVID policy, need information about PCS COVID testing, or simply need guidance on how to navigate illness or quarantine, please feel free to call 707-778-4626, and a member of the COVID team will be happy to assist in English or Spanish.   Make a Difference for Children in our Community: Career Opportunities with PCS Have you ever thought about working in education and making a difference in the lives of children in our community? Consider a job with us at Petaluma City Schools! We have multiple openings in a variety of jobs throughout the District, including full-time and part-time opportunities. For us to best serve students, we need the community's help in getting fully staffed. If you yourself aren't looking, please share this information! We have both full-time and flexible, part-time positions - linked here is a list of our Open Positions . Check out this week's highlighted jobs below. Cafeteria Assistant II - Petaluma Jr High School Bus Driver II Custodian (Night) - Mary Collins at Cherry Valley Student and Family Engagement Film Festival We are excited for our PCS Film Festival on Saturday, March 19th at 1:00 PM at Petaluma High School. Sixteen student groups and their families have been invited to attend the festival tomorrow to watch their film on the big screen. Kickball Our elementary kickball teams have been working hard and are gearing up for the PCS Elementary Kickball tournament on April 30th at Casa Grande High School. Art Gallery We have started collecting art from all PCS schools to display in our PCS Art Gallery at Lucchesi Community Center. Mark your calendars for the grand opening on Wednesday, May 4th from 5:30-7:30 PM. The gallery will be open until May 13th and there will be more information to come. If you have any questions, please contact Gina Roberts at groberts@petk12.org .  Wellness Corner March is National Nutrition Month! National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s theme, “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” showcases how flavors from cultures around the world are a tasty way to nourish ourselves and appreciate our diversity. During this month, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. Learn more about #NationalNutritionMonth ! Pablo Campos “Flying Under the Radar” If you missed this amazing Active Minds Speaker we welcome you to watch the recording of this event with 47 registered attendees, great audience participation, and Pablo’s story about not understanding his feelings of anger and frustration along with being unsure of how to cope. Resources are available on our PCS Health and Wellness  page. LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Forum The District will be highlighting our LGBTQIA+ student voices on May 2, 2022 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. If you are a high school student interested in sitting on this panel and sharing your thoughts,  please sign up through this Google form. For any questions please contact Jimena Gomez, Wellness Coordinator, at jgomez@petk12.org . PCS Parent Night Save the Date! Active Minds Speaker Abraham Sculley will be presenting “Combating the Stigma of Mental Health” where he will be sharing his personal story with our PCS families on April 28 at 6:00 PM via Zoom . If you wish to join this event please register to hear his story ! For any questions please contact Jimena Gomez at jgomez@petk12.org . Community Event On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Petaluma Community Relations Council (PCRC) is hosting a public forum on what our city is doing to stave off the tide of addiction. For more information, please visit the PCRC website . Please note: This is not a school or district event. As such, Petaluma City Schools District does not sponsor, staff, supervise, support, or endorse the information, activities, or events posted. Food Services Update Petaluma City Schools is excited to announce a whole new Food Service opportunity for our elementary schools. Our Food Service Department will be providing new and improved menu offerings through a partnership with a company called Better4You Meals . This new program will be able to provide a greater variety of healthy food options for our students, while also improving the flavor and options available to our students. Some of the menu options for breakfast and lunch include fruit parfaits, pan dulce, coffee cake, chicken tortilla soup, chili, chicken burgers, and enchiladas. So far the feedback on the new program, which had a soft opening this week, has been great! The students are very excited about the new menu and food choices. Ultimately, we know providing a consistent high-quality food program with healthy options, means students will continue to have the fuel necessary for academic success when in the classroom. As a reminder, this year, all students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch and we encourage you to have your child give our food a try! Our new website is currently under construction and should be available after Spring Break - we will send out the new link as soon as it is available. In the meantime, please visit our PCS Food Service Facebook page  for current menus and updates.  South County Consortium Special Olympics The South County Consortium (SoCC) hosted our 3rd annual Special Olympics Young Athletes Program (YAP). The YAP is an early childhood sports and play program for children with and without disabilities, ages 2 to 7 years old. YAP introduces students to basic sports skills, like running, walking on a low balance beam, kicking, and throwing. The idea is to have fun while also promoting respect, inclusion, and acceptance of all students regardless of ability or skill level. Preschool students from SoCC and the TK class from Miwok ran through a series of sports stations including an obstacle course, freeze dancing, basketball, and parachute. Participation ribbons were awarded and students were supported by 5th and 6th-grade buddies from Miwok who proudly wore their yellow volunteer vests. At the end, they signed an inclusion banner. #ChooseToInclude Allie Cundall, SoCC preschool teacher, organized the event along with Beni Comma, APE teacher from Santa Rosa who is the school coordinator for the Special Olympics partnership program. Ongoing support was provided by Mary Reynolds, Miwok principal, Katie Turtle, APE SoCC, and Miwok and SoCC staff. Petaluma Adult School Grow With Google Scholarships Congratulations to PCS Adult Education staff member Jen Valerius, who encouraged her students in ESL 4 and High School Equivalency (HSE) to apply for Grow With Google Scholarships for Adult Learners by Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE). Each scholarship is valued at $260 to pay for students to earn a Google Career Certificate and access to higher paying jobs. COABE awarded 200 scholarships nationwide; 26 of those were for students in CA, of which 3 were Jen's students! You can see the whole list of winners here . Congratulations again to Jen for her amazing support and encouragement of our Adult Education students in our ESL and HSE programs.  Petaluma Arts Center Youth Art Exhibition: Art Connects Us Call for art happening now through March 25th. The Petaluma Arts Center is pleased to invite all K-12 students to submit art to the Youth Art Exhibition: ART Connects Us. Forms of visual art that are eligible include collage, drawing, painting, photography, prints, multimedia, sculpture, and textile. Submissions are due by March 25 to exhibitions@petalumaartscenter.org . This event will take place at the Petaluma Arts Center from April 14 – May 28. The opening reception will be on April 14th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. For more information please contact; exhibitions@petalumaartscenter.org . Please note: This is not a school or District event. As such, Petaluma City Schools District does not sponsor, staff, supervise, support, or endorse the information, activities, or events posted.

Friday, Mar 18 2022

PCS Film Festival- Submissions Due Friday 3/11

PCS Community, Just a friendly reminder that students interested in submitting a film for the PCS Film Festival must complete the registration form by 11:59 PM on Friday, March 11th. In order to fill out the registration form, you will need to log into a Gmail account. Student @petk12.org email addresses will work as they are Google emails. Younger students may have their teacher or family submit their film for them with a Gmail account.

Monday, Mar 07 2022

PCS Newsletter 3/4/22

PCS Newsletter Dear PCS Community, My heart is heavy reading the constant headlines about the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. My own children have been asking questions about what is going on, and I came across a few resources that focus on how to talk about this tragedy with children. I hope that they may be of help to you. How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War : Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest topics. How to Talk to Kids About the Ukraine Invasion : PBS article designed for talking with elementary school students about Ukraine. Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children : This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to resilience. Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children : The American Psychological Association breaks out tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged children. It can reassure our children that even in times of war, there are helpers who are trying to bring peace to the situation. Our children can feel they are making a difference in the world by exercising compassion for others, volunteering, and finding ways to help. We continue to see our children building resilience as we tackle the many challenges we have faced together as a community. Please don’t forget to take time to rest and recharge with your children this weekend - we all need it. In partnership, Matthew Harris Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools COVID-19 Updates Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always. - Robin Williams As highlighted in our PCS Masking Update on ParentSquare on March 1st, our State, County, and indeed our school district are moving into a new phase of the pandemic. Starting Monday, March 14th, masking in PCS during in-class instruction will be strongly recommended, but not required.   We recognize that this notable shift in COVID protocols may raise new questions for many students and families about some of our other COVID safety policies. We are collaborating with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, other school districts, and key stakeholders across our district to determine how this new recommendation from CDPH might alter and inform our current COVID protocols. We expect to have updated information for you by the end of next week.  In the meantime, please continue to follow all current PCS COVID safety protocols. Currently, we are working on finalizing an updated Student and Family COVID Safety Handbook. This will be posted to a new section in the COVID Hub entitled  COVID-19 Guidance and Policies . Our goal in reorganizing the COVID Hub in this way is to provide a singular place to reference if you have any questions or concerns about any of our PCS safety protocols and policies. This will also allow for easy reference to the State and County guidance that serves as the source material for those protocols as well. For example, if you have not seen it yet, we have posted our updated policy for Field Trips and Overnight Field trips to the PCS website. We hope that this new policy will address some of the concerns shared by our families, staff, and volunteers.   Lastly, using layered prevention measures has been the cornerstone of our COVID safety plan to limit COVID infections and transmission in school. Since universal masking will no longer be a steadfast safety measure in our school settings, we ask all members of our community to continue to follow all other risk mitigation protocols. These include daily self screening for symptoms, staying home when sick, regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, physical distancing, and maximizing ventilation whenever possible to keep our schools safe and thriving. Make a Difference for Children in our Community: Career Opportunities with PCS Have you ever thought about working in education and making a difference in the lives of children in our community? Consider a job with us at Petaluma City Schools! We have multiple openings in a variety of jobs throughout the District, including full-time and part-time opportunities. For us to best serve students, we need the community's help in getting fully staffed. If you yourself aren't looking, please share this information! We have both full-time and flexible, part-time positions - linked here is a list of our Open Positions . Check out this week's highlighted jobs below. Delivery Warehouse Person Instructional Assistant, Special Education SDC - McNear Elementary Campus Security Supervisor - Kenilworth Junior High School Student and Family Engagement Film Festival PCS is looking for parent volunteers to help view and provide feedback for films for this year’s PCS Film Festival. We are also looking for high school students who want to volunteer, and get community service hours, by helping with set up, technology during production, and clean-up. If you are interested or have a high school student who would be interested in volunteering, please contact Gina Roberts at groberts@petk12.org . Students interested in submitting a film must complete the registration form by 11:59 PM on Friday, March 11th. In order to fill out the registration form, you will need to log into a Gmail account. Student @petk12.org email addresses will work as they are Google emails. Younger students may have their teacher or family submit their film for them with a Gmail account. Our PCS Film Festival will be held on March 19th at Petaluma High School. Elementary Kickball Our first ever PC S Elementary Kickball League started this week. Almost 200 students are playing and it was amazing watching them learn the rules and skills of the game. Thank you to all of the teachers and volunteers who are coaching and supporting this league! Wellness Corner LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Forum In November, PCS held our first student forum, highlighting our Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) students. We are excited to announce that our second student voice forum will take place on May 2, 2022 at 6:00 PM . The District will be highlighting our LGBTQIA+ student voices. If you are a high school student interested in sitting on this panel and sharing your thoughts, please sign up through this google form . For any questions please contact Jimena Gomez, Wellness Coordinator, at jgomez@petk12.org. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week During the week of February 21-27, PCS collaborated with the Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) to bring awareness through two informational nights. Our evenings included an eating disorder information night, student/parent testimonials, and a resources list for our community. If you missed Dr. Rosania's presentation or the student/parent motivational stories, we invite you to watch the recordings. Understanding Eating Disorders Webinar Recording   Understanding Eating Disorders Spanish Recording  Eating Disorder Testimonials Webinar Recording   Eating Disorder Resources Healthy Communications If you missed our event about open communication and tips on how to manage conflict with your student, we would like to share our English Recording and Spanish Recording . More PCS Parent Information Nights - Save the dates! March 16 at 5:00 PM- Pablo Campos will share his story, "Flying Under the Radar." He will share about not understanding his feelings of anger and frustration along with being unsure of how to cope. April 28  at 6:00 PM- Combating the Stigma of Mental Health with  Abraham Sculley Community Events "Angst: Building Resilience" Community ScreeningSonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) is hosting a screening of "Angst: Building Resilience" to raise awareness around anxiety. This event will be offered on March 31, April 20, May 4 (in Spanish), and May 18. All screenings are from 5:30-7:00 PM and are open to all educators, students, and families at the Teacher Learning Center at SCOE. You may register for any of these dates here . To find out more detailed information, watch the trailer, or the Angst website, please utilize the Sonoma County Office of Education link.  Honoring Our Food Service Staff In honor of National School Breakfast Week, March 7–11, we would like to celebrate how our school breakfast program supports a successful launch into learning. During this week, we would also like to acknowledge all of the hard work and dedication of the food service staff. The staff goes above and beyond to ensure all students are nourished with the food they serve and along with connecting and supporting students. Mary Collins at Cherry Valley Experiments with Ice Students at Mary Collins at Cherry Valley learned about science and art with blocks of ice and food coloring! Ice was brought in for an art installation and allowed students to explore science, art, and writing. You can read more in the Press Democrat article here: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-cool-colorful-art-lesson-and-more-for-students-in-petaluma/?artslide=0   Women's History Month March is Women's History Month, highlighting the contributions of women throughout history. Originally, this started as Women's History Week, a local celebration in Sonoma County. Eventually, the movement spread across the country, and it is now celebrated all month long. During this month, we take the time to learn about influential women and their impact on history, culture, and our society. The 2022 theme for Women’s History Month is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” as a tribute to the continuous work of caregivers and frontline workers during the ongoing pandemic.  Thank you for your endless contributions to society! The Sonoma County Library is offering a number of virtual events throughout the county to celebrate women in the month of March.

Saturday, Mar 05 2022

PCS Masking Update

Dear PCS Community, In my February 18th newsletter, I shared that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) would be reviewing student vaccination rates, COVID case numbers, hospitalization rates, and local trends to determine an appropriate time to drop the indoor masking mandate in schools, with an  announcement about a timeline expected on February 28th.   As promised, on February 28th, CDPH held a  press conference and Governor Newsom  provided an update that, “after March 11, 2022, the universal masking requirement for K-12 and Childcare settings will terminate. CDPH strongly recommends that individuals in these settings continue to mask in indoor settings when the universal masking requirement lifts.” Furthermore, the Sonoma County Department of Public Health has indicated that Sonoma County will align with this new CDPH guidance.  Throughout the pandemic, Petaluma City Schools (PCS) has aligned our safety protocols and policies with the medical experts at the CDPH and Sonoma County Department of Public Health, and we will continue to do so.  Therefore, starting Monday, March 14th, masking in PCS during in-class instruction will be strongly recommended, but not required. Outdoor masking continues to be optional.   Throughout the pandemic, we have displayed resilience and found common ground as a community of learners. Because of this, we are where we are today, in what the CDC describes as a  “Low COVID-19 Community Level.” As a District, using layered prevention measures has been the cornerstone of our COVID safety plan, limiting COVID infections and transmission in school. We will continue to provide PPE, free rapid testing, high-quality ventilation, and air scrubbers in the classroom.    The success of this new chapter for our community and State is dependent on personal responsibility and respect for others. Please continue to monitor your family for symptoms, get tested as necessary, and remain home when sick. Please join me in continuing to treat one another with kindness, regardless of one’s choice to wear a mask or not. If your student expresses any anxiety, please reach out to your school’s principal or counselor for additional support as needed.   If we have learned anything, it is that COVID has proven to be unpredictable. CDPH and Sonoma County health guidance and mandates may change again as case rates change. Thank you for all you do to reduce any spread of the virus and keep our entire community safe. We are in this together.  In partnership, Matthew Harris

Wednesday, Mar 02 2022