Screentime is not exactly a new concern, but the usage, content, design, and ubiquity of screens in our lives today gives parents more to worry about than when our grandparents were scolding our parents for spending too much time in front of the TV. This is the first of a series of posts explaining how PUSD currently uses screens and technology in the classroom, exploring concerns and sharing updates on what parents and the district are doing to strike a balance between the promise and the perils of technology in the classroom.

It’s election season and three seats on the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education are being decided. Elections are always a good time to pause and think about what makes a good Board Member.

The parent-teacher conference is a chance for both parent and teacher to learn something about how best to support your child. But it’s only a 15-minute conversation! To make the most of this time, come prepared and think about anything that needs to be followed up afterward. This “speed-date” is not the only interaction you’ll ever get to have with your child’s teacher, but it is a chance to put faces to names and have a two-way communication in real time, setting the tone for a positive working relationship with your child’s teacher. 

A lot of parents ask us about charter schools: Are they the same as public schools? How are they different from PUSD schools? Here is a basic explanation of what differentiates charters from district schools, with links to more detailed information about how charter schools operate in California.

You check the class lists the week before school starts and find out who your child’s teacher will be. You get to meet the teacher at Back-to-School Night. A few weeks later, you learn that your child’s teacher has been “re-assigned.” Why? And why a month after the start of the school year?

It is HARD to keep up with the firehose of information, so here’s an overview of the ways we know the District and schools usually communicate with parents.

Aeries & Parent Portal may sound like something out of a sci-fi series for middle schoolers, but they're systems that work together to help PUSD parents and guardians stay informed about what and how their children are doing in school.