AUGUST 2025 | VOLUME 6 | EDITION 1
Stuart Okunami, a Senior at Colfax High School, entered a juried student photography show at Viewpoints Gallery in Sacramento last Spring. Out of 100 images submitted, his photo was selected as 1 of 9 high school students (the rest of the images in the show were college students.) Beautiful work Stuart!!!
Official Newsletter of the Placer Union High School District Throughout this year, I will feature each of our schools in the newsletter. The timing of these articles will align with the school's showcase during the monthly Board meetings. I encourage you to attend these meetings to gain insights into each of our sites and the dedicated efforts of our Administrators and staff. They work tirelessly to provide our students with the opportunities and programs necessary for their success after high school. We are hopeful you all have had a wonderful Summer break and were able to rest, relax, and make some great Welcome to the 2025-2026 School Year! It feels surreal to kick off another school year when it seems like the last one just wrapped up. This time of year is always filled with excitement—welcoming new students (a warm welcome to the Class of 2029!), new staff members, and this year, we are thrilled to introduce our new Superintendent, Tom O’Malley! Each school year presents a fresh chance to create opportunities, forge new friendships, set ambitious goals, and build bridges that unite our communities.
August Board Meeting Tuesday - August 19, 2025 5:30 pm RVO Meeting Room 13000 New Airport Road | Auburn
memories. We look forward to seeing all of our students on Friday, August 8th!
Sarah Rath, Communications Officer Sarah Rath
Meet Superintendent O’Malley My name is Tom O’Malley, and I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of the Placer Union High School District. I believe my work ethic, attitude, enthusiasm, and experience will be a great fit for the schools, the District, and the PUHSD communities. My journey in education began in the Sacramento Valley, where I taught math and coached football and baseball. As my wife and I wanted to raise our children close to our families, we returned to Modoc County. I have spent the past 20 years serving the Modoc Joint Unified School District community as an Assistant Principal, Principal, and Superintendent. What makes these past two decades even
more special, is that I attended elementary, middle school, and high school in the very same District I served. (I understand that PUHSD is no stranger to alumni returning to serve in its schools as well.) It was truly a unique and humbling experience and a great honor. Over the past twenty years in Modoc County, significant changes have occurred. Our children have grown—our oldest recently earned her
Master’s in Social Work from Baylor University and now works for Waco Independent School District, while our youngest is pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology at Franciscan University in Ohio. With our nest now empty, my wife and I are excited for the opportunity to return to the Sacramento area, specifically Placer County. As I begin my journey within the Placer Union High School District, I am eager to collaborate with everyone—students, staff, administration, the Board, and all educational partners and families associated with PUHSD. My experience as Superintendent has taught me that success is genuinely a collective endeavor.
While this role is fulfilling, it also brings forth challenges that are vast in scope, complexity, and time commitment. The hurdles we face today as educators are markedly different from those we encountered a decade ago. I do not take lightly my responsibility of steering the District toward maintaining its vision of being “Committed to Student Learning by Providing Teaching Excellence in a Supportive Environment.”
To realize this goal, I intend to immerse myself in this role promptly and comprehensively by:
Gathering insights about the communities we serve Establishing a strong community presence Assessing and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of our schools and the District Leveraging resources that will help us elevate the standards for all students and staff in the Placer Union High School District
My wife and I are excited to call this area our new home. I look forward to meeting many of you and rejoining a high school district, where I can dedicate myself to ensuring that every student has access to the full range of opportunities the District can offer to prepare them for success in their next chapter.
Please reach out to me at any time. tomalley@puhsd.k12.ca.us
See you out on campus soon,
Tom O’Malley Superintendent
Newest member of the O’Malley Family Lucy
Please join us in welcoming our newest staff members to the PUHSD Family (some began following the first day of school last year)
Alexandria Bedolla Food Service Worker
Del Oro
Ali Dodds
Instructional Assistant I
Placer
Alissa Sinor
Instructional Assistant II
Placer
Alysia Nichols
Teacher
Foresthill
Amy Lloyd
Assistant Principal
PSA
Angela Millard
Teacher
Foresthill
Anne Ingram Senior Clerical Assistant
Del Oro
Anthony Kerrigan Teacher
Placer
Barry Pearson
Student Intervention Specialist-Behavior Placer
Bella Bartosh
School Psychologist
District Wide
Christina Nokes
Teacher
Foresthill
Administrative Assistant to the Director of Maintenance & Operations and l Warehouse Worker/Delivery Driver
Claudia McNichols
District Wide
Colin Robles
District Wide
Coty Ellis
School Psych Intern
District Wide
Daun Manning
Director of Maintenance & Operations
District Wide
Eva Huffman
Attendance Tech/Senior Clerical Assistant PSA
Gavin Swatzke
Instructional Assistant II
TAL
School Financial Technician/Senior Clerical Assistant
Hannah Sex
Placer
Hogun Lee
Counselor
Confluence
Jacqueline Gabert School Nurse
District Wide
James Laughrea Teacher
Del Oro
Jennifer Hubbert Teacher
Placer
Student Intervention Specialist- Behavior
Jordan Johnson
Del Oro
Karen Montgomery
Teacher
Del Oro
Katie Fowler
Teacher
TAL
Lori Nguyen
School Psychologist
District Wide
Teacher Regular Classroom (AG Welding)
Lucas DeLapp
Del Oro
Megan Heynen Counselor
Del Oro
Monica Brown
Instructional Assistant II
TAL
Patricia "PJ" Decker
Senior Clerical Assistant/ School Financial Technician
Colfax
Rebecca Sipe
School Administrative Assistant
Confluence
Sahara Hinkey
Instructional Assistant I
Del Oro
Sheilan Kazzaz
Assistant Principal
Placer/Confluenc
Tyler Patterson Custodian Itinerant
District Wide
Valerie Williams Teacher Regular Classroom Del Oro
This list contains employees that were cleared to begin working as of August 1, 2025.
We are asking all families to complete one form.
Completing the Meal Application form secures ongoing funding to support all students in the Placer Union High School District. As we navigate budgetary challenges, this is a meaningful way for families to assist our schools and the District in obtaining State and Federal funding.
LINK TO FORM
M re than Mea a
SCHOLARSHIPS Local scholarships for enrichment activities
SCHOOL BUDGETS Increased State & Federal funding
as well as college application fees
Paper applications are available by contacting
pthomas@puhsd.k12.ca.us
The
P INT
Podcasts will be aired once a month during the school year (unless that needs
SEAS N 3
adjusting due to topics/schedule).
Episode #1 (25-26) ~ Welcome Back!!
It’s hard to believe that we are starting the third season of our podcast episodes! Superintendent O’Malley and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Caminiti will be co- hosting. We’ll be airing an episode each month over the course of the school year. Be sure to follow us on Spotify!
COMMUNICATION
Our District and schools’ mass communication platform is ParentSquare. This tool enables us to quickly and consistently send messaging to our students, staff, and families.
Registering allows you to personalize your account settings. Downloading the app on your cell phone will provide you with access to all messages, but more importantly, will enable you to receive urgent messages immediately when sent. Please refer to our webpage with tutorials and more information.
Stay involved by staying informed - register and download the app today!
District Brochure
The Placer Union High School District proudly serves four comprehensive high schools, two alternative high schools, one online virtual Charter Academy, and an Adult School. Take a look at our brochure highlighting these incredible schools, as well as the District’s programs and other helpful information. Feel free to share! The CalKIDS Savings Program, administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, provides children born in California with state-funded CalKIDS scholarships that can be used on qualified higher education expenses such as tuition, books, and computer equipment. All children born in California on or after July 1, 2022, are eligible for a scholarship, ranging from $25 to $175, regardless of income. Low-income students are eligible for scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,500. Scholarships are automatically created for eligible students but must be claimed using the students’ Statewide Student Identifier. Click on the image to the right to access the CalKIDS site in order to check your eligibility. Here’s how to find your student’s SSI number in Aeries.
In Aeries
SSI Number
From the desk of Crystal Eatherton, Director Child Nutrition Services Department
SUMMER TIME FUN...
SUMMER WORK GETTING DONE...
2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR This is a snapshot of the calendar. Please try to plan vacations during non-school days. When appointments are necessary during school days, please plan them in the morning or afternoon so that students can attend a portion of the school day. This not only keeps them current in their classrooms and engaged with activities on campus, but it also helps our schools and District capture our ADA funding from the State. Attendance matters! Thank You!
Link to Calendars on website
13000 New Airport Road Auburn, CA 95603 Phone: 530.886.4400 Fax: 530.886.4449 Placer Union High School District
The Placer Union High School District (PUHSD) is committed to ensuring equal, fair, and meaningful access to employment and education services and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. PUHSD understands and will address the intersectionality of identities and how they can lead to unique forms of discrimination or harassment. PUHSD prohibits discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical information, national origin, disability, parental status, political affiliation, pregnancy and related conditions, race, religion, retaliation, sex, sexual orientation, military or veterans status, homelessness, foster status, or any other basis prohibited by California state and federal nondiscrimination laws consistent with Education Code 200 and 220, Government Code 11135, and Title IX. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying, you should contact Title IX Coordinator (Students) Steve Caminiti, 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4402, scaminiti@puhsd.k12.ca.us; Title II (Students) and Section 504 Coordinator Carrie Warda, 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4433, cwarda@puhsd.k12.ca.us; and/or Title IX and Title II Coordinator (Staff) Elena DalFavero, 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4426, edalfavero@puhsd.k12.ca.us.
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