Create, touch, play: New ‘music lab’ to enhance curriculum Juni Thurston and Sophie Zhang March 3, 2026
Celebrating one of our own: Ava Knapp named state Journalist of the Year Navya Narayanan and Lise Concolato February 26, 2026
Faculty responds to superintendent’s separation from district Navya Narayanan and Juni Thurston February 22, 2026
School board ‘separates’ from superintendent Ava Knapp, Navya Narayanan, and Juni Thurston February 20, 2026
Board meeting centers on student safety, support Navya Narayanan and Mayu Altekar-Okazaki February 12, 2026
Physical education teacher returns after administrative leave Diego Hakeman and Jasper Veer Tuteja February 11, 2026
Verbal conflict erupts in contentious board meeting Oscar Varodayan and Navya Narayanan February 11, 2026
School Board votes to offer reduced parcel tax rates on June ballot Priya Tamura, News Editor, Webmaster February 11, 2026
Preview: Board seeks final decision on Multivariable Calculus implementation tonight Priya Tamura and Mayu Altekar-Okazaki February 10, 2026
![Michael Najar, Palo Alto High School Visual and Performing Arts teacher, plays an electric bass guitar in the new "music lab," a dedicated music creation room on the second floor of the Media Arts Center. According to Najar, the new room is the beginning of his efforts to change the audio and music production courses to move away from digital-only learning. "I'm talking to my colleagues here in the building [Media Arts Center] to see if we can start finding a balance of making more stuff hands-on, in terms of music craft."](https://palyvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_4615-1200x800.jpg)
![Shounak Dharap, president of the school board of Palo Alto Unified School District, announced Friday morning that Superintendent Don Austin separated from his superintendent position at PAUSD. Corbin Dodd, an Ethnic Studies and AP Seminar teacher at Palo Alto High School, said that Austin's separation from the district surprised him and his colleagues. "Negotiations are happening right now, so there's a lot of talk about the school board and the superintendent, but it [Austin's separation] wasn't on my radar, and I don't think it was on the radar of any of the teachers I've spoken to," Dodd said.](https://palyvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_7950-1200x900.png)
![Board meeting attendees, many of whom are Palo Alto Educators Association members, filled the room at the district board meeting on Tuesday. According to math teacher Herb Bocksnick, the time teachers save by not having to produce their own copies lets them support students. “I have done 34 summer recommendations over the last two months afforded by the time that Veronica [Rodriguez] provided me instead of standing in front of a copier,” Bocksnick said.](https://palyvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_3464-1200x900.jpg)
![All eyes watch the Palo Alto Unified School District board and leadership Tuesday night at the district office. Allison Zeman, PAUSD reading specialist and parent, said she supports a sustained parcel tax to help maintain staffing levels and a sense of belonging for every student. “In order for us to really provide that [environment] for every student, we need the staffing, because there's nothing more powerful than the relationship between a student and the staff members,” Zeman said.](https://palyvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_3470-e1770845808759-1200x731.jpg)
