Kim Kenne: "The Task Force did an admirable job. I am unwilling to replace the Consensus Map that went through a lengthy public process unless we plan to repeat the same kind of process for a new map; and I think it would be unproductive for the Board to replicate the process that our Task Force has already completed – in addition to sending a very questionable message to anyone who is sitting on a PUSD task force now or in the future. On the matter of including the addresses of current incumbents as criteria, I believe the task force did the right thing by not including them."

Renatta Cooper (Board President): "I believe in participatory democracy. When a body gives a job to a task force to do, that you have to honor the work that was done. …The voters will make a decision about this redistricting process. If the voters don't feel that these maps do justice to the Latino community – which this whole process was created to address the need [for stronger representation of this population], then I trust they will vote against the map."

Original Post:

The PUSD Districting Task Force presented its findings along with a Consensus Map to the School Board in late March. This Tuesday, 5/8, the Board will conduct the second of two hearings on the map. Immediately following the hearing, the Board will consider the recommendations and "provide direction to staff on final approval and adoption of resolution identifying final maps."

As part of its discussion on this action item, the Board will consider a set of Potential Adjustments to the Task Force's Recommended Plan. The first two alternatives address electoral administrative issues. "Adjustments" 3-7 would manipulate the Consensus map to avoid putting current Board members in the position of having to compete in an election.

The Consensus Map is the result of input provided by community members at over 35 community outreach meetings, held all across the district over a period of several months. The Task Force worked for over 10 months to develop the enabling Charter language, to develop a strong, representative and balanced Consensus Map AND to provide a roadmap for continued community outreach on this subject.

Districting Task Force Chair Ken Chawkins is encouraging members of the community to come to the School Board hearings to speak their minds about the Consensus Map and the process of community engagement used to generate the Task Force's recommendations. Expressing concern about the "potential adjustments [to the Consensus map] that would assist incumbent Board members in keeping their seats," Chawkins has this to say:  "Given the amount of time and effort that went into balancing the map AND avoiding the political pitfalls of gerrymandering the map, I don't believe that this would be a good idea. It would help to have many voices bear witness to the validity of the process and support of the Consensus Map."

While PEN has not taken a position on the proposed charter changes or map, we do value the commitment Districting Task Force members made to reaching out to all parts of our community and to developing a consensus recommendation based on principles of equity and fairness. As Chawkins notes, Districting "isn't the most exciting of issues, but it IS a critical one and, if the ballot measure passes, will determine how the PUSD is represented and governed in the future…That's important."

Whether you share Chawkins' concerns or have your own position on how the Board should proceed, Tuesday's meeting is an important opportunity to make your voice heard.

On the same topic, this Wednesday, May 9, from 6:00 to 6:30 pm, the Pasadena Sun and Southern California Public Radio will host a discussion about whether geographic voting districts should replace at-large elections for the Pasadena Board of Education. (The Measure will appear on the June 5 ballot as Measure A.) This free event will take place at KPCC's Crawford Family Forum at 474 S. Raymond Ave.  RSVP to www.kpcc.org/forum is requested.

Although many of the concerns you expressed to me involved your individual school sites, they tended to focus on four specific issues: the superintendent’s vision especially when it comes to middle schools, communication, collaborative decision-making, and responsiveness.

Here is a summary of our meeting:

Mr. Gundry wants to work with parents, and given the history of PUSD, recognizes that he needs to gain your trust.  We talked about the uniqueness of our community, and that parents want to work hard, be engaged, and be part of the process.  However, because of past experiences and the district’s history of not actively engaging parents in decision-making, I explained that you are also parents who quickly lose confidence when you feel mistakes are being made, or you are not actively engaged in decisions that impact you, your student, or your school. 

I shared with him specific examples of actions that caused parents to feel that the district was not communicating effectively, being responsive, and not implementing the collaborative decision-making model that district staff and parents have embraced in order to create a true partnership where everyone feels valued.

The superintendent believes strongly in the benefits of project- or design-based learning, and students being exposed to what are called, “21st Century Skills.”  You can read more about 21st Century Skills, but in simple terms it is a framework that “requires the development of core academic subject knowledge and understanding among all students. Those who can think critically and communicate effectively must build on a base of core academic subject knowledge.  Within the context of core knowledge instruction, students must also learn the essential skills for success in today’s world, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration.” (The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, http://www.p21.org/index.php)

Teachers are being offered an opportunity to participate in professional development so they can implement design-based learning techniques into their classrooms.  Design-based learning is project-based learning where students create physical objects to learn basic subjects in an interactive environment.  Mr. Gundry also supports the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and is interested in expanding that style of teaching even if schools don’t become official IB programs.

In Mr. Gundry’s ideal world, every school in PUSD would have a unique focus with community partners.  Since that’s not possible with the current budgetary constraints, he is focused on making sure that every school has a great principal. Why?  Because really great administrators get the most out of every teacher and have the skills to implement really great programs for all students.  Mr. Gundry feels the need to move quickly, and he hopes parents understand that his passion for making schools better for students is his motivation. 

By beginning the process of turning Washington Middle School into a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) School, Mr. Gundry believes they can enhance the education of the lowest performing middle school in the district, and offer students a project-based academic program that is proven to increase academic achievement and scientific reasoning skills. 

He does not have plans to move away from the Excellent Middle Schools Initiative that many of you were involved with developing and implementing.  Nor is there any talk of consolidating schools. 

Mr. Gundry assured me that parents would be involved with the hiring of new principals.  Once a new principal is hired, the school community will work with the new principal to create a vision for that school. He also reiterated that he cannot discuss personnel issues or decisions with parents, but if parents want to meet with him to discuss next steps for their schools, he is happy to do that. I encouraged him to reach out to parents prior to making major changes at a school site so parents trust his decisions and understand the direction their school is moving. 

Adam Wolfson, PUSD’s Director of Communications, is working on developing communications protocols to enhance communication between the district, schools and parents.  Because of the diversity of the district, multiple methods of communication need to be employed.  Some strategies that we discussed were having the superintendent visit schools to directly meet with parents, mailing a community-wide newsletter to PUSD parents a few times a year, and posting a regular “Message from the Superintendent” on the district web site.

When I asked Mr. Gundry if there was anything else he wanted me to share with parents, he emphasized his preference for dealing with people face-to face rather than through email.  He requested that any parent who has questions or concerns, should contact his office directly to make an appointment to see him.

I plan to meet with both Mr. Gundry and Chief Academic Officer Brian McDonald on a regular basis.  If there is anything you would like me to share with them, either positive or areas for improvement please let me know.  But, keep in mind, that PEN only brings forward issues of broad concern to parents; we do not advocate for individual schools or parents.  But, we can help you advocate for yourself.     
 

PEN’s mission begins with engaging parents and guardians seeking information about schools; because our members tend to become more involved as volunteers and leaders at their schools, we have a magnified impact on the schools and our District.

But much as our schools need the support of volunteers, the most basic level of parent engagement remains the most important: if every child served by PUSD had at least one parent or guardian with the knowledge, understanding, skills, and information to effectively support that child’s academic journey, our schools and our district would be the envy of the nation.

This past fall, a group of parent leaders – including PEN honorees Michelle Calva-Despard and Cushon Bell and PEN staff Susan Schwartz and Laura Diaz – met with PUSD staff from the Welcome Center and the Office of Communications to convene the Parent Engagement Action Team. The Team’s mission? To optimize the parent engagement conditions within PUSD necessary for each child to reach his or her full potential.

The Action Team presented its charter to the School Board in February. This issue of Parent Network shares that overview along with a more detailed update on what the Team is doing to accomplish its objectives:

1.      Strengthen and support the network of relationships among parent engagement stakeholders by establishing PEAT as a hub for authentic communication, shared responsibility and effective partnership.

2.      Establish common expectations about the roles and relationships among parents and educators and the knowledge, skills and responsibilities each must have to collaborate effectively in support of student success.

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Another Parent Organization?

Wait a minute, you may be thinking, isn’t parent engagement what PTA, ELAC, AAPC, Site Council, and their District-level counterparts (not to mention the CAC and the GATE Leadership Team) are all about?

“We’re not a new parent council or organization!” says Michelle Calva-Despard. “We didn’t even want to use an acronym, because we didn’t want to add to the alphabet soup that’s already out there sending us emails and filling our days and nights with meetings.”

“What I felt was missing was a hub for connecting all those spokes that reach out to different parts of the parent community – and for helping the District do a better job of connecting with parents who aren’t affiliated with any of the parent councils or committees.”

A Strategic Approach to Parent Engagement

To understand the genesis of the Action Team, it helps to go back a few years. In 2010, the School District revised its Strategic Plan with extensive input from students, teachers, parents, and the larger community. In response to this community input, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee recommended – and the Board approved – adding parent engagement as a strategic priority. Parent engagement was defined as: "a partnership between PUSD and families with a mutual commitment to:

• Build and maintain trusting relationships characterized by openness, integrity, respect, a welcoming environment, and two-way communication;
• Promote shared responsibility for decision making, student academic performance, and school improvement;
• Act collaboratively as informed advocates for ALL children by modeling the values, culture, and priorities adopted in the PUSD strategic plan."

A set of goals and preliminary plan for achieving them was outlined before Superintendent Diaz resigned, but with the transition to a new administration and a more than six-month gap between former Communications Director Binti Harvey’s resignation and Wolfson’s start date last October, implementation efforts were limited to what Welcome Center staff could accomplish in their roles as liaisons to the various school sites and parent councils.

But, as Michelle Calva-Despard points out, “District staff can only do so much to connect with parents. There just aren’t enough staff people to do it alone. But parent leaders at the school sites – or even on the District-level councils – cannot do it alone either. We’re hampered by the fact that we don’t have an effective way to communicate with each other.”

Until now, there has not been a parent-driven action team at the District level. PTA Council, DAC, DELAC, AAPC, CAC, and the GATE Team have monthly meetings, but these are predominantly opportunities for District staff to share information with each parent council, and for the councils to conduct their own business.

“The District-level council meetings serve a useful purpose, but there’s a silo effect; sometimes we’re all getting the same information, but without the chance to discuss it together, we miss opportunities to identify common objectives or coordinate our activities.” “I’ll get emails about the same event from all these different groups. It’s great that we’re all supporting the schools, but it would be better if we could streamline that communication,” says Calva-Despard.

For a time the Welcome Center convened a Parent and Community Leadership Council. Representatives from each of the parent groups (along with other community organizations) were invited to participate in the monthly meetings, but the agenda was set by District staff. Meeting participants had a chance to hear about what other groups were doing, but because the PCLC was not a forum for action, the group lacked a sense of purpose, and participation fell off.

With the arrival of Adam Wolfson as Director of Communications and Community Engagement last October, parents like Calva-Despard, Bell, and others saw an opportunity to create the missing hub, and to accelerate the pace of (and parent involvement in) implementation of the parent engagement piece of the Strategic Plan.

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Action!   

The Action Team has been meeting monthly. In addition to co-chairs Michelle Calva-Despard and Cushon Bell and PEN staff Laura Diaz and Susan Schwartz, regular "team members" have included parents Lorena Ramirez and Beverly Sims, Board Member Kim Kenne (also a current PUSD parent), Welcome Center staff Theresa Doran and Tracy Mikuriya, and Adam Wolfson and Hilda Ramirez-Horvath from the District Communications Office.

Between meetings, participants are assigned to network with other stakeholder groups (or one-on-one with representatives from those groups) to share Action Team discussions and solicit input on critical questions and next steps. Working groups meet as needed between Team meetings to move projects forward. (See below for list of current projects; contact Cushon Bell if you would like to work on any of the tasks.)

Currently, the Action Team is working on the following projects:

 Project: Develop hub/network of communication and relationships

 Project: Develop, communicate and implement an ‘informed/engaged parent’ profile

Participation in the Parent Engagement Action Team is open to any parent. Once the webpage is up (which should be before the end of May), it will include meeting dates, agendas, and summaries; opportunities to comment on works-in-progress (such as the “Engaged Parent Profile”); resources; and contact information.

The next scheduled meeting is May 17 at 9:45 am. For more information or to receive an agenda and meeting details, contact Cushon Bell.

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PEN has additionally asked Dr. McDonald whether he can be available to present an updated overview of the PUSD middle school program at our late spring program for 4th grade parents, "Looking at Middle Schools." The program is geared towards giving parents a framework for beginning to explore middle school options in the fall.

Background

PEN's March 9 meeting with Dr. McDonald grew out of questions raised by 4^th and 5^th grade parents at PEN information programs during spring and fall of 2011. While current middle school parents were able to respond to many of the “rising” middle school parents’ questions and concerns, some of the questions remained unanswered, or the discrepancies among school sites raised questions about the direction of PUSD’s middle school program. Specific issues raised by PEN middle school parents going into our meeting with Dr. McDonald included:

• Block schedule – is it being used effectively?
• Electives – the stand-alone schools in particular offer very few electives right now
• Academic Rigor – many students arrive at middle school unprepared to do grade level work; advanced students are not effectively challenged, and all students need a better foundation of study skills.

It is worth noting that safety was not one of the issues raised. Although bullying is a real problem that all schools need to address proactively, the parents surveyed or directly participating in this discussion were not raising concerns about their children’s safety at school.

Brian McDonald’s Observations

Overall, Dr. McDonald said that he has not been impressed with what he has seen in terms of middle school API scores or with academic rigor. He noted that English Language Arts (ELA) scores are lower than math scores – which is atypical, and more indicative of insufficient rigor in ELA than of strength in math. He also noted that PUSD has not had a secondary curriculum in place, and that his team is working on writing one now. The new curriculum will have to meet the requirements of the new Common Core standards, but because those standards will not take effect until 2013-14, the curriculum will need to meet the requirements of existing state standards as well.

One of the programs that McDonald and his team are looking at to boost PUSD students’ proficiency (particularly in ELA) is “SpringBoard,” a curriculum developed by the College Board. Other districts, including some demographically similar to PUSD, have had success with this program. (Dr. McDonald cited examples from both Texas and California.)

With regard to the Excellent Middle Schools (EMS) initiative, the stand-alone middle schools have implemented the block schedule component, but not effectively. One of the goals was to allow for greater collaboration among teachers at each grade level, but this is not happening consistently or to the degree hoped for. The Administration has been modeling what collaboration should look like in Principals’ meetings, with the expectation that principals will bring those practices back to their school sites. In some cases this is happening; in others it is not. “We are looking at the data, and we are looking very closely at principals.”

Although collective bargaining limits what principals can require of teachers, “dynamic principals find a way to get teachers to buy in” to what they are trying to do. “We need to do a better job of growing our own leadership team,” of grooming assistant principals, for example.

Dr. McDonald outlined some changes anticipated for Wilson and Washington Middle Schools:

• Wilson will offer learning academies, with the block schedule modified to allow for an extra period which could be used for intervention or enrichment/advanced learning. The extra period would be structured like a seminar, or “community learning” program. Students in each academy would have one teacher for ELA and history, and another for math and science. This is now the practice in 6^th grade, and it would be continued for 7^th and 8^th grades.
• Washington Middle School, which has been in program improvement (PI) status for a long time, would – pending Board approval – be reconstituted during the 2013-14 school year as a Middle School STE(A)M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Academy. The Administration wants to take a very deliberate approach to reconstitution. The Administration will be bringing a proposal to the School Board [presentation was made on April 17, 2012]. If approved, next year would be a planning year.
• Blair will continue to have an IB focus; the Superintendent is very supportive of the IB program.
• Middle school academies would be aligned with the high school academies, and the Administration is also planning a follow-on to the dual-language immersion programs now at Field and San Rafael.

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Parent Questions / Comments

The following PUSD middle school parents participated in this meeting: Morgan Kim, Blair IB; Roberta Tragarz, Marshall; Linda Machida, McKinley; Lorena Ramirez, Heather MacCartney, Andrea Fittipaldi, Connie Gennaro, Jennifer McCreight, Wilson; Susan Schwartz, Kim Kenne, Lauren Veca, Eliot. [back to top]

Comment: Parents are confused by the range of options available to them at the middle school level. There is no clear guidance as to why you might choose one program over another, or whether your child is getting an equally good educational opportunity at his or her assigned school v. one of the open enrollment options. Although the alignment of programs makes good sense – for example, families at Willard have priority to pursue the IB program by continuing at Blair for middle and high school – it also raises the possibility of parents vying for space in kindergarten at schools that feed to the middle and high schools they want their children to be able to attend. Unless the quality of academic opportunity is truly equitable, this is a problem.

Response: This is a good point for the Administration to be aware of as it pursues better alignment. One impetus for making changes at Wilson in particular is that, when the new Sierra Madre Middle School opens, it will draw some families who would otherwise feed to Wilson.

Question: What about Eliot? How will the District address the needs of schools with a disproportionate number of kids with mental health/behavioral issues and other special needs, and what are the prospects for partnering with the County – perhaps using the community schools model – to provide more comprehensive support for the kids being served at schools like Eliot?

Response: With respect to Eliot, “we’re not there yet” in terms of a plan. There are ways to address the needs of these kids. In Houston, for example, almost every campus has a behavior program; kids with needs are pulled out and put with a strong teacher. [Eliot principal Peter Pannell will be stepping down at the end of this school year. Superintendent Gundry will be meeting with Eliot parent-teacher leadership next week to discuss the process for selecting a new principal, and subsequent development of a vision and plan for Eliot with input from students, staff, and parents.]

Comment: With regard to new programs (e.g., academies, reconstitution), it sometimes seems as if the District “chases grants” with no plan for long-term sustainability.

Response: The academies program for Wilson would not require any additional funding. With regard to the Washington Middle School reconstitution, the District is seeking an I3 innovation grant, and looking to Houston’s Carnegie-Vanguard High School as a model, but we do recognize that we have to plan for sustainability.

Question: Math – how are kids identified for acceleration starting in 6^th grade with pre-algebra, and how do we coordinate so that the kids who are ready can be assured of getting high school accredited geometry class in 8^th grade? (Currently, there is no coherent plan – kids at K-8s and stand-alones who are ready for geometry either divert to a 6-12 or private school, leaving small group to get instruction from unprepared or improperly certified teacher, or to try to get into a high school class.)

Response: It should be possible to offer an accelerated 6^th grade math class that essentially includes pre-algebra along with other 6^th grade math strands.

Question: What’s happening with the roll-out of the Parent Portal? Most teachers are not using it. At Marshall, the PTA bribed teachers to use it by getting them gift cards. This could be a very effective tool, but only if everyone uses it.

Response: I’ve been working with UTP President Alvin Nash on this. It’s not that the teachers are opposed to it, but there is no way to require that they use it. Dynamic principals will find a way to get their teachers to buy in.

Question: How are directives communicated from District administration to principals, teachers, parents? If it just goes from the Superintendent or CAO to principals, without any direct message going out to teachers and parents, it’s harder to have accountability.

Response: We are looking to improve on our messaging system now that Adam Wolfson is on board as Director of Communications.

Comment: It would be great to share this information with all middle school parents – let them know what’s happening, what’s being planned, what’s being rolled out and when, what they can expect. Could we get some kind of quarterly update that gets mailed to all MS parents, in addition to a regular face-to-face meeting like this where we can ask questions and get updates?

Response: Good idea – let’s follow that up with Communications.

Follow-up: PEN staff met with Adam Wolfson, Director of Communications. In our initial discussion, we talked about including middle school update as part of a quarterly parent newsletter. The Communications office is hesitant to initiate any publications that they don’t have the capacity to sustain on a regular basis, but is considering a quarterly parent newsletter that could include a middle school program update.

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PEN is also planning its spring program for parents of current 4^th graders, tentatively scheduled for May 30, 2012. This program typically includes an overview of the PUSD middle school program. Although it’s clear that the current administration is looking to new initiatives beyond the Excellent Middle Schools plan initiated under Edwin Diaz, PEN has emphasized the value of PUSD presenting a coherent middle school plan that at least references the EMS framework. It was clear from the March 9 discussion that parents want to understand their options in the context of a program that offers equitable opportunities and consistent principles of instruction across all sites. PEN is following up with Dr. McDonald to invite him to present at PEN's May program.

Whether or not he is available for the May PEN program, we have asked Dr. McDonald to address these follow-up questions:

Dr. McDonald mentioned that PUSD has not had a secondary curriculum in place, and that his team is working on writing one now.  He specifically mentioned “SpringBoard,” a curriculum developed by the College Board.

• What is the timeframe and process for creating and implementing this new curriculum, and where are we now in that process? Will it be implemented at every middle/ secondary school? What about grades 6-8 at the K-8 schools?
  
  
• There seem to be some programs, like Accelerated Reader, that some school sites have purchased and others have not. It would be helpful to get a clearer picture of which elements of curriculum and instruction are consistent District-wide, and which elements are site-specific.
  

Dr. McDonald indicated that “it should be possible to offer an accelerated 6^th grade math class that includes pre-algebra along with the other 6^th grade math strands.”

• Will this be available to advanced math 6^th graders at all the middle schools next fall?

Several parents raised the concern that kids at the K-8s and stand-alone middle schools who are ready for geometry in 8^th grade either divert to a 6-12 or leave for private school, leaving smaller groups behind to get instruction from unprepared or improperly certified teachers – or their parents have to try to enroll them in a high school class at PHS. (This will be trickier to manage once the middle schools are no longer on block schedules.)

• Will there be a plan in place for rising 8^th graders who have passed Algebra 1 this year and are ready for geometry in the fall? How and when will parents of rising geometry-ready 8^th graders find out where their students will be placed?

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351 S. Hudson Ave.

Map and Directions | Register

Description:

This PEN program is for parents who will be starting to look at their student’s middle school options next year. PUSD Chief Academic Officer Brian McDonald will give an updated overview of PUSD’s middle school program, including recent and anticipated changes. Participants also will have a chance to meet other parents whose children will be starting middle school in 2013. Wednesday, May 30 at 7 pm in PUSD Board Room, 351 S. Hudson Ave. (2nd floor), Pasadena 91101.

Register

April 18

Pasadena High School (396-5880), John Muir High School (396-5600), Rose City High School (396-5620)

May 15

Franklin Elementary (396-5640), Jackson Elementary (396-5700)

May 16

Blair 6-12 School (396-5820), Marshall Secondary School (396-5810)

May 17

Eliot Middle School (296-5680), Washington Middle School (396-5830), Wilson Middle School (396-5800)

May 23

Cleveland Elementary (396-5670), Madison Elementary (396-5780), McKinley K-8 (396-5630), Roosevelt Elementary (396-5770), Washington Elementary (396-5840)

May 24

Altadena Elementary (396-5650), Don Benito (396-5870), Field Elementary (396-5860), Hamilton (396-5730), Jefferson Elementary (396-5710), Longfellow Elementary (396-5720), Norma Coombs (396-5660), San Rafael Elementary (396-5790), Sierra Madre School (Elementary: 396-5890 / Middle: 396-5910), Webster Elementary (396-5740), Willard Elementary (396-5690)

Incoming kinder parents – prepare to be an informed participant in your child’s educational journey by attending a PEN kinder coffee discussion. Choose one or more topics of interest. A reservation is required to participate; we will require a minimum of six parent participants to host each coffee. Please contact info@penfamilies.org (or call 866-216-7334) to RSVP or get additional information. Click here to download a flyer.

Kinder Readiness / The Kindergarten Curriculum [SIGN UP ONLINE]

Monday, April 23 at 7:00 pm – Zona Rosa Coffee, 15 S. El Molino St., Pasadena

Join PEN staff and PUSD kindergarten teacher Regina Major for a discussion about what your child will be learning in kindergarten and how you can best prepare him or her for a successful first year of school. We will bring any available updates on transitional kindergarten to this conversation as well!

Getting support for your child's unique needs [SIGN UP ONLINE]

Wednesday, May 2 at 7:00 pm – Sidewalk Cafe, 2057 N. Los Robles Ave (corner of Los Robles & Woodbury)

Thirteen percent of PUSD students – most of them in mainstream classrooms – receive specialized services or supports for a wide range of unique needs. What should you do if you have any concerns or questions about your child’s development? How are children assessed and what does it mean for a child to receive an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) – or not? Get the basics, ask questions and learn how to get additional information and support.

Participation 101 [SIGN UP ONLINE]

May 14 at 7 pm – Sidewalk Cafe, 2057 N. Los Robles Ave (corner of Los Robles & Woodbury)

Join PEN Program Director Susan Schwartz and Outreach Director Laura Diaz for a discussion about the range of ways parents participate in PUSD schools, from establishing an effective working relationship with your child’s teacher to working with other parents at the school or district level.

PEN has created a tour survey form. It will help you and your principal see your school through visitors' eyes. And it will help PEN better represent parent voices at the District level. 

Download the tour survey form and feel free to begin using it. If you have suggestions for improving it, LET US KNOW.

We have also created an online version of the survey using Survey Monkey. The link is printed on the bottom of the survey and also appears on our webpage. Parent ambassadors who collect surveys can either enter the info via Survey Monkey, email the responses to info@penfamilies.org, or just pop a copy of the survey forms in the mail (PEN, 3579 E. Foothill Blvd. #481, Pasadena, CA 91107).

Either way, we'll make sure you get any feedback related to your school!

The Pasadena Education Network is a nonprofit organization that was founded by parents, for parents. We are looking for new and dynamic leaders to join our Board of Directors. 

As a Director, you’ll not only be part of the governance body that determines PEN’s direction in both and short and long term, but you’ll receive many personal benefits. You’ll have opportunities to connect with community and PUSD leaders.  Because of our close working relationship with the school district, you’ll receive the most up-to-date information about public education in our community.  And, you’ll have an opportunity to have an impact on our schools and our students. 

You’ll also gain experience on a nonprofit Board.  If you have career or volunteer goals that include Board membership, serving on the PEN Board will give you a great Board experience plus it will be fun and rewarding.

In just a few years, PEN has gained the respect of the community and the school district. Our local politicians and business leaders support PEN and work closely with us to effect change in PUSD. We have had a direct impact on PUSD, and you can, too by joining our Board. We have representation on many PUSD committees including the Strategic Planning Committee, Open Enrollment, Parent Engagement Action Team, and the Budget Advisory Committee. We represent the voice of our members and work with the PUSD to resolve issues of concern to our parents. We interact with district administration on a regular basis.

We want to add four new Board members in May 2012 for one or two-year terms.  We hope you’ll consider joining us. Board members are not required to be current or incoming PUSD parents, although our by-laws stipulate that PUSD parents will continue to have majority representation on the Board. Being on the PEN Board typically requires a time commitment of 5-7 hours a month.

As a Director, your role will include:

• Determining the goals and policies for the organization.
• Connecting with our members and the community to make sure we continue to meet the needs of parents.
• Providing direction and feedback for our Executive Director.
• Helping to reach our fundraising goals so we can sustain PEN’s impact today and for the future.

Though not requirements, some of our specific needs for the Board are:

• Assist with fundraising, both by connecting PEN with individual donors and planning fundraising activities.
• A parent who is has financial experience, such as a CPA
• More representation of the diverse community within which we operate
• Connections to the political, corporate, and/or philanthropic community
• Expertise in any of the following areas: fundraising, technology, financial management or investments, and/or human resources

 If you are interested in finding out more about joining the Board, please send an email to PEN Board Vice President Jay Bechtol at jbechtol@hillsides.org.

All of our members will have an opportunity to vote for the PEN Board of Directors later this spring.

Thank you!

PEN Board of Directors

Chris Brandow, Chair

Jay Bechtol, Vice-Chair

Nury Arrivillaga, Secretary

Emily Mencken, Treasurer

Amelia Chapman

Crystal Morales

Larry O’Brien

Catherine Stringer