news PSAT canceled on campus this October
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he PSAT, which juniors typically take in October, is cancelled this school year at Palo Alto High School due to current COVID-19 regulations. Due to current Santa Clara County restrictions, Paly is prohibited from administering the PSAT test in October, according to Assistant Principal Margaret Reynolds. However, improving conditions could mean that testing will be a possibility in the coming months. “PSAT is offering a test in January that we might be able to give, should restrictions be lessened or lifted,” Reynolds said. This year’s pandemic has left students with limited options regarding standardized testing, which changes the process of college admissions. The PSAT is the benchmark for the National Merit Scholarship Program, a prestigious academic competition for scholarships. However, many students think of the PSAT as a “practice” test rather than an important one to prepare for. Among these is junior Bill Xia. “I think it would be pretty helpful [with] … understanding how the test works and … having hands-on experience,” Xia said. Juniors often have their hands full studying for bigger tests like the SAT and ACT, and the PSAT is considered an afterthought for many students. “[The] PSAT doesn’t seem as necessary,” junior Aaron Yuan said. Regardless, administrators are still hoping for an opportunity to offer the PSAT this year.
by JERRY FANG
10 OCTOBER 2020
VOTE TO RETURN — The Palo Alto Unified School District board members deliberated for over four hours on Sept.29 whether to approve a plan to return to school . “I do think we have a responsibility to open for the many, many families that have been waiting for this and are ready for it,” board member Jennifer DiBrienza said. Photo: PAUSD
Teachers oppose board’s decision to reopen schools
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HE PALO ALTO UNIFIED School District board authorized the reopening of schools on Sept.29, despite the teachers ‘resistance. The school board unanimously approved the plan to return to schools after over 100 teachers voiced their concerns. While the board members took these worries into account, according to school board member Jennifer DiBrienza, they ultimately decided they had a duty to reopen schools as soon as it was declared safe by the county health officials. In California and across the country, schools that have begun reopening have reported that despite initial reluctance to return, students and teachers become more comfortable with hybrid learning, and are happy with the switch. “I don’t regret the decision, I regret that we don’t have the faith of the teachers yet.” DiBrienza said. “And I am hopeful that what happens here is what happened everywhere else.” Walter Hays Elementary School teacher Jessica Tolerba, explained at the board
meeting why she was not in support of the plan to reopen schools in October. “The hybrid model puts all staff at a high level of stress that is unnecessary,” Tolerba said. “Teachers want what is best for our students, our families and we don’t want to be first, we want to be safe.” According to Superintendent Don Austin, the teacher’s union and the school board are in agreement on every element of the plan that has been brought forward, but, according to a letter from the teacher’s union, this is false. “What have we not done that would sway the percentage [of teachers against returning to schools]?” Austin said. “And the answer I was given [from the teacher’s union] was nothing. So if there’s nothing left that would sway the number, I don’t know how to respond to that.” Secondary schools are set to return to school in January, but a plan detailing what that will look like has not yet been made public. by PAISLEY ANNES
