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PUSD Superintendent Haglund highlights accomplishments, obstacles in State of the District speech

Original post made on Mar 13, 2023

Superintendent David Haglund delivered the 4th annual State of the District speech where he spoke about students struggling with post-pandemic learning issues, completed and ongoing Measure I1 projects and school boundary adjustments.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Sunday, March 12, 2023, 3:21 PM

Comments (7)

Posted by Frustrated Voter
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 13, 2023 at 3:42 pm

Frustrated Voter is a registered user.

"They initiated a substitute training program to supplement their robust recruitment efforts and to help inspire new educators, including parents and community members from Pleasanton," he said. "This is taking a parent who has a (bachelor's degree), getting them their substitute certification program and then helping them into the teacher credentialing program, if that's their interest."

And are any actual teachers assisting with this mentoring, or only classified staff?


Posted by Frustrated Voter
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 13, 2023 at 3:48 pm

Frustrated Voter is a registered user.

And in terms of staff being able to live in town, in order to “fully engage with the community,” that’s ironic, coming from a man who has commuted from Southern California for years while he’s been superintendent here. Didn’t realize he placed much value in that.


Posted by Karl S.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 13, 2023 at 9:11 pm

Karl S. is a registered user.

I'm sure Superintendent is happy. He has received a 39.5% raise over 5 years. He's making over $100,000 more this year than in 2017. And remember, the teachers nearly had to strike because the district offered them 0.24% raise (that is not a typo) because they didn't have any money. Yet jsut a few months later Super gets a 1.6% raise. It is abundantly clear where this district wants to put its money and it is not in the classroom. The DO staff increased by over 30% in less than 3 years Yet, we keep cramming more students into classrooms.

5 years ago, PUSD teachers were the highest paid in the area and had the lowest paid superintendent. Starting in August, we will have the highest paid Superintendent and lowest paid teachers. Somehow the district is believing that teachers aren't going to go to Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon. Sure, not everyone is going to leave, but PUSD used to be a destination site that people tried for years to get into. That has been changing.

Ask teachers around PUSD if the district is better or worse than 10 years ago. Ask them if any of their policies and actions have improved the classroom experience at all over the last 4-10 years. Ask how many of them are looking for opportunities elsewhere.

It's sad that with the amazing students and wonderful families in this district that the leadership takes credits instead of giving it to the students, parents, and teachers.


Posted by Karl S.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 13, 2023 at 9:47 pm

Karl S. is a registered user.

Sorry, typo...that was a 16.6% raise received by Super in August 2022 (not 1.6%)


Posted by Concerned Teacher
a resident of Livermore
on Mar 14, 2023 at 12:05 pm

Concerned Teacher is a registered user.

"These quickstart projects include moving the long-running Horizon Early Education Center and STEAM Preschool program to Harvest Park Middle School" Harvest Park already has limited parking options with no staff-designated parking lot. Adults and children alike are almost run over daily in that parking lot. How will PUSD accommodate the parking issues that are sure to come with these changes?

"Our employees often find it difficult to find affordable housing in town, which means they're commuting from work areas outside the Tri-Valley..." Teachers are not being given a COLA raise while the higher-ups continue to fatten their own pockets. Many long-time PUSD employees are going to surrounding districts that offer competitive pay and health insurance. $1,000 a month for an individual health insurance plan is unacceptable.


Posted by Former PTown Resident
a resident of Stoneridge
on Mar 17, 2023 at 5:45 am

Former PTown Resident is a registered user.

I retired from teaching in PUSD a number of years ago. It was nice to see that Haglund pointed out the issues caused by the lockdowns (covid didn't cause the problems, the lockdowns did). However, as a few of my former peers have mentioned to me, the district is offering NOTHING in providing some solutions to overcoming those gaps that were created from the lockdowns. He even pointed out in his speech that some individual teachers have been trying, but it seems it's up to some individual teachers to rectify a district wide problem. However, he mentioned the good things that come out of 2022 was, "the district's reimagined focus on diversity, equity and inclusion." Obviously the focus of PUSD is all wrong. The reimagined focus should be on quality education.


Posted by Jimmy The Jet
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 23, 2023 at 7:45 am

Jimmy The Jet is a registered user.

I guess moving into a new building for the District staff is more important than implementing the new boundaries. The district has been dragging its feet on this issue for years. Now it sounds like they will transition slowly starting in 2024-2025? I would think that with all the new staff positions in the district office that they would be able to get things done.


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