HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report Discussion of Committee Purpose and City-PAUSD CollaborationsCity Schools Liaison Committee
Staff Report
From: Chantal Cotton-Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager’s Office
Meeting Date: March 16, 2023
TITLE
Discussion of Committee Purpose and City-PAUSD Collaborations
BACKGROUND
The City Schools Liaison Committee (CSLC) began to discuss the Committee Purpose at the
February 16, 2023 meeting. Staff shared that the City Council and PAUSD Board adopted the CSLC
Purpose Statement in November 2019 (Attachment A) and the Committee asked for this
information to be brought to the March 2023 meeting.
In addition to the Purpose Statement, the Committee also requested to bring back the
discussion on the City and Schools Collaborations. The most recent memo on that was from
June 2021 and it is included here as Attachment B for Committee review.
Purpose Statement - City School Liaison Committee
Agreed Upon at the November 21, 2019 Meeting
November 21, 2019
The City of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) have a
shared interest in the health, safety, and welfare of students and families in the Palo
Alto community. The following is the purpose statement for the City School
Liaison Committee, agreed upon by the City School Liaison Committee on
November 21, 2019.
Purpose: The Committee meetings serve as a time for PAUSD Board Members
and City of Palo Alto City Council Members to officially come together on a
regular basis. It provides a unique opportunity for the elected representatives and
associated staff to:
•Establish stronger relations between and among elected and staff across
separate jurisdictions operating in the same community
•Gain understanding of perspectives, opportunities, constraints of
PAUSD, the City, and other schools in the community
•Share current actions and activities
•Explore current and ongoing issues of mutual interest
•Identify issues and/or devise means to prevent issues from arising in the
future
•Work together on relevant community projects
•Regularly communicate to both bodies
Attachment A - March 2023
Page 1
To: City School Liaison Committee
From: City Staff
Date: June 17, 2021
Subject: City and Schools Collaborations Follow Up Discussion
At the March 25, 2021 City School Liaison Committee, the Committee started to review existing
collaborations that exist between the City of Palo Alto (the City) and the Palo Alto Unified School District
(PAUSD) for serving the needs of youth and families. The initial list of categories of collaborations were
included in the memo contained online (https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-
minutes-reports/at-places-memo/03-25-21-cslc-at-places-memo-item-5.pdf). The Committee continued
the conversation at the May 20, 2021 meeting with the City staff providing an updated memo with
additional context about the programs offered by the City. The Committee asked the School District to
fill in programs within applicable categories.
The information below is that additional information in red from the School District for the Committee
to review and provide guidance on future discussion scheduling of these items. This is still not an
exhaustive list but is additional information adding to the initial lists mentioned above.
Transportation and Planning:
-Student travel safety
o Safe Routes to School – 21+ years
City program management, education, contracts
Schools facility use
Ongoing informal support from the District
Ongoing parent engagement – City /School Traffic Safety Liaison Committee
o Crossing Guards – 10-20 years
Warrants and analysis
City contract management
-Shuttle buses (10-20 years – discontinued in FY 2021)
-Railroad grade separations and bike/ped improvements
o Ongoing implementation of pedestrian and bicycle improvements (e.g., South Palo Alto
bikeways project, SRTS CIP).
o Process mapping opportunity
o District and community engagement
Youth Mental Health:
o Project Safety Net youth mental health
o Care Solace (online resource with a live, multilingual Care Concierge meant to assist individuals
in finding local mental health-related programs and counseling services).
o On-site Wellness Centers
o PAUSD Telehealth Services
o Asian American Community Involvement (ACCI) – Individual, group, and family therapy;
Substance Abuse
o Contracted services through three mental health agencies (Cassy/Acknowledge
Alliance/ Family and Children's Services) at the elementary level and one mental health
agency (CASSY) at the secondary level, to offer free, comprehensive site-based
counseling supports to students.
Attachment B - March 2023
City-Schools Collaborations Memo June Edition
City-Schools Collaborations Memo June Edition
Page 2
Teen Leadership Programs:
-Palo Alto Youth Council and Teen Advisory Board
-Other programming for teens at community centers and libraries
-District programs
Recreation:
-Middle school athletics
-School playing fields after hour rental, management and maintenance
-PAUSD InPlay – comprehensive collaborative community effort to develop a citywide network of
quality summer and after school learning opportunities.
Libraries and Community Services:
-Libraries
o Partnership between school and City librarians (e.g., sharing Summer Reading Program
materials at schools)
o Career services – 2 years
o Student Library ID as City Library Card partnership – 4-6 years
-Community Centers
o Cubberley (MakeX maker space)
o Mitchell (the Drop-in Teen Center)
-Art Programs – 10-21+ years
o Youth Art Exhibit at Art Center
o Project Look – Partnership for Art Center School Tour Program
o Cultural Kaleidoscope Program – Art Center artists in classroom art instruction
o Dance in Schools – dance programming in schools
o Teen Arts
o Children’s Theatre – Outreach and Theatre in elementary schools
-Junior Museum and Zoo – science education (10-21+ years)
-Childcare
o Palo Alto Community Child Care
o Right At School
Safety:
-School Resource Officers (onsite officers, safety trainings, etc.) – 30 years; discontinued FY 2021
-Ongoing communication with schools and District (special events, investigations, major case
support, etc.)
-Emergency Services support
-School site emergency plans