Focus Goals
Academic Excellence and Learning
- Improve student connectedness and strengthen support systems for student social, emotional, physical health
- Encourage site-developed approaches to improve student connectedness
- Continue and strengthen the relationship with Project Safety Net Task Force
- Identify strategic opportunities through Project Cornerstone survey results
- Develop a multi-year systematic approach to these complicated issues
One of the most important and fulfilling parts of being educators is the opportunity to work with parents on the social/emotional development of our students. To align with District focused goals to improve student connectedness and strengthen support systems for students, PAUSD is working in conjunction with Project Cornerstone a county non-profit organization helping communities build asset rich environments for the youth. The 41 Developmental Assets model provides a framework for building resiliency and other positive character traits amongst youth. This effort is in partnership with Project Safety Net and community agencies for a common vision and language for what youth and teens need to thrive.
California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS)
Palo Alto Unified School District administers the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) every other year at the secondary level. The CHKS is the largest statewide survey of resiliency, protective factors, and at risk behaviors in the nation and has led to a better understanding of the relationship between students' health behaviors and academic performance. The CHKS is acknowledged as a critical component of school improvement efforts to help guide the selection and development of effective health and prevention programs. For more information visit CHKS.
Palo Alto Unified School District utilizesCHKS to inform policies, practices and programs at the secondary level. The District and community are committed to continuing efforts to support student health and safety at all levels. District and school reports are included below.
J. L. Stanford Middle School 
Jordan Middle School
Terman Middle School
Gunn High School
Palo Alto High School
District Key Findings
District Main Report
Presentations and Materials
Presented to the Board of Educaton on March 8, 2011
Presented to the Community on February 13, 2011
Presented to the Board of Education on December 14, 2010
Palo Alto Developmental Assets Initiative
Project Safety Net
The Project Safety Net Committee, a group of community members who came together to address the crisis our community recently faced, has developed a set of recommendations to increase the support of youth and teens in Palo Alto.
Project Safety Net Mission
- To develop and implement an effective, comprehensive, community-based mental health plan for overall youth well-being in Palo Alto.
- The plan includes education, prevention, and intervention strategies that together provide a Safety Net for youth and teens in Palo Alto, and defines our community’s teen suicide prevention efforts.
Project Cornerstone
41 Development Assets Initiative
Developmental Assets are defined as the positive values, relationships and experiences that help youth and teens succeed and thrive. The Developmental Assets framework identifies 41 essential elements for supporting the health, resiliency, and overall well-being of youth within their communities. Research shows a significant correlation between higher number of assets and positive indicators, such as school performance and resiliency, and lower numbers of assets and increased risk-taking behaviors such as drug and alcohol use. The framework has been adopted by the Palo Alto Unified School District, the City, YMCA, Youth Community Services and many other youth-serving agencies. You can find more information about the Developmental Assets at Project Cornerstone.
The Developmental Assets provide a common vision and language for youth and teen well-being. Research done by the Search Institute has confirmed that the more of these assets kids have, the better they do in school and life. But kids cannot develop the assets on their own; many of these relationships and experiences depend on interactions and opportunities in the community surrounding our youth.
2011 PAUSD Developmental Asset Survey Reports
FAQs for Developmental Assets Survey Results
Developmental Assets Comparison Chart
Elementary Schools Full Report
Elementary Schools Appendices
Addison
Addison Appendices
Briones
Briones Appendices
Duveneck
Duveneck Appendices
El Carmelo
El Carmelo Appendices
Escondido
Escondido Appendices
Fairmeadow
Fairmeadow Appendices
Walter Hays
Walter Hays Appendices
Hoover
Hoover Appendices
Nixon
Nixon Appendices
Ohlone
Ohlone Appendices
Palo Verde
Palo Verde Appendices
**Survey reports for the following schools were made available post district reports of March 2011. Thus, the PAUSD elementary school report has also been updated to reflect the changes with the additional elementary school reports:
Addison, El Carmelo, Nixon, Palo Verde
Middle Schools Full Report
Jordan Middle School
JLS Middle School
Terman Middle School
High Schools Full Report
Gunn High School
Palo Alto High School
For more information on Student Connectedness, please contact Brenda Carrillo, Coordinator of Student Services, at bcarrillo@pausd.org or 650-329-3769
Revised October 2012
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