Editorials

the verdicts Letter to the school board

FURTHERING STUDENT EQUITY AND SUCCESS

COMING OUT OF A re- November. most like the days just repeat themselves.” cent Palo Alto Unified School Although the hybrid plan will not be With limited participation in activities District Board of Education implemented this year, Verde believes that like sports and spending time with friends, election, we congratulate in- the Board disregarded concerns from stu- distance learning has taken an especially cumbents Todd Collins and Jennifer dents and staff about the safety of second- strong toll on students. DiBrienza as well as new member Jesse ary schools reopening in its decision-mak- Although Paly’s Wellness Center has Fletcher Ladomirak who joined the Board ing process. taken commendable steps to support stuthis fall. Both student representatives on the dents, the Board must prioritize the expan-

We urge board members to give care- Board cast preferential votes against the hy- sion of mental health services among all ful consideration to student and teacher brid plan. Additionally, teachers in the Palo PAUSD schools, address potential sources input on future reopening plans, improve Alto Educators Association as well as over of stress and accommodate feedback from accommodations for student mental health 300 parents voiced opposition to reopen- students to develop services which best taiand continue to work towards improving ing in letters to the Board in September. lor to their needs. educational equity in the district. Because students and teachers are the

Especially amidst the uncertainty ones put at the most risk if in-class instruc- Educational equity brought by COVID-19, stronger com- tion were to resume in January, consider- Distance learning has further exacmunication and open dialogue between ation of their perspectives should have been erbated the severe educational inequity students, teachers and board members is a higher priority. Board members must act throughout PAUSD. As the pandemic imperative. on input from PAUSD families, students continues to disproportionately impact and faculty in order to improve represen- low-income neighborhoods and commuHybrid learning model tation in board decisions that affect them. nities of color, it is clear that the district

As Santa Clara County has returned to must implement changes with equity at the the COVID-19 purple tier, Palo Alto High Mental health forefront of mind. School will continue distance learning for The transition from the Paly campus’ We commend the board for taking the remainder of the 2020-2021 school energetic atmosphere to a fully at-home necessary action to support disadvantaged year. learning model over the past few months students during campus closures. These

Prior to entering the purple tier, the has been a difficult adjustment for many. steps include distributing computers and Board unanimously approved a hybrid Reports of negative impacts on mental Wi-Fi, continuing to provide meals for learning model with a return to campus health, such as increased feelings of isola- those who rely on school lunch and creatscheduled in January, incorporating in-per- tion as students and staff live out their day ing PAUSD+ — an in-person learning proson and online learning for up to 30% of behind a screen, have been far from un- gram for students who are more at risk for students who would return to campus in common. falling behind academically in the digital separate cohorts for their history and En- “I’ve felt a pretty drastic change in my environment. glish classes. This plan was simply a disas- mental health ever since we started online However, Verde urges the district to ter, as 95.5% of students were dissatisfied school,” junior Parker Bates said. “I feel push further and think beyond distance of 136 Paly students surveyed by Verde in disconnected and mentally drained; it’s al- learning. The Board must uphold its June resolution denouncing racism and supporting equity with real action, not empty promises. The PAUSD Promise and the inauguration of a new school board provides an opportunity to bring radical change; the urgent development of an annual District

Art by Samantha Ho Equity Scorecard, as well as mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training for staff will help move the needle so that all students can reach their full potential. v

The Verdict editorial section expresses the collective opinion of the Verde Magazine staff.

C&CC: Stellar efforts benefit seniors HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS across the nation are navigating an unprecedented college admissions landscape as COVID-19 persists into the winter application season. their own homes. In the survey, nearly 80% of respondents reported using resources from the College and Career Center during their “Because of the stresses and concerns students were having about applying this year, we added more senior advisories at the beginning of the school year and The C&CC has risen above their call of Many defining aspects of college admissions — including standardized tests, grade point averages and extracurricular application process. With Common App essay writing duty to ensure that every senior’s hub for added an advisory about gap years and community colleges, activities — have been affected or inhibited by the health crisis, making the already daunting process of applying to guides, standardized testing updates, notifications of scholadvice ... is just a few clicks away. which we typically haven’t had,” Cernobori said. college even more uncertain. arships and virtual Verde would

With Palo Alto High School’s tran- college visits and technical “How To” ap- like to express our gratitude to Paly’s sition to distance learning, the College plication videos included in the C&CC hardworking and flexible college advisors and Career Center, Paly’s post-high Schoology course, the C&CC has risen and C&CC team, who have allowed seschool planning department, has admi- above their call of duty to ensure that niors to continue utilizing the C&CC’s rably adapted to the every valuable resources during this intimidatunfamiliar circum- se- ing and significant time in their lives. v stances to continue nior’s giving students the college admissions hub for advice and answers Source: The data presented here comes from an opt-in Verde Magazine survey of 136 guidance they need. is just a few clicks away. Palo Alto High School students from all four “Technology has been the most challenging,” said Sandra Cernobori, one of the To better cater to the needs of senior students, the C&CC has also adjusted the advisory system.Art by Michelle Kim grades. Verde conducted the survey from Nov. 19 to Nov. 24 through a digital form published on school social media and Schoology pages. Responses were anonymous and participation for all questions was optional. two C&CC advisors.

The process of moving all senior meetings to Zoom has not been easy for Cernobori and Janet Cochrane, the other college advisor. However, the Calendly scheduling tool — which allows students to check real-time advisor availability, sign up for appointments and receive an automatic confirmation and Zoom link — was an innovative solution to help in facilitating connection for Paly students.

“I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to schedule an appointment [with the C&CC],” Paly senior Diego Mazzon said. “I was surprised at how easy it was to meet with my college advisor.” COLLEGE AND CAREER RESOURCES — Prior to campus closures in March, the College and According to a survey conducted by Verde Magazine, many seniors like Mazzon were able to utilize the C&CC’s Career Center’s physical office was open for students to drop in to meet with advisors, use standardized test preparation books and more. As distance learning continues throughout the rest of the school year, C&CC advisors have made their services available in a digital format. “I was surprised at how easy it was to meet with my college advisor,” senior Diego Mazzon said. Photo: resources this year from the comfort of Mia Baldonado