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Hello again! We hope parents are starting to settle into the routine of a new school year. A lot has happened with SLCUSD and PG&E in the last few weeks, so we wanted to do a quick run-down for everyone. PG&E Funding for SLO County and SLCUSD While PG&E has promised the County $16 million over the next two years, the public has received no updates on when or how that funding will be distributed. So far, SLCUSD staff say they have received no word from PG&E or the County on the funding. Last Tuesday, the County Supervisors discussed the recent legislative session with their lobbyists. Included was an outline of a new goal to receive $25M in annual revenue from ongoing Diablo Canyon operations. While the County was initially resistant to push back against PG&E, we are starting to see a shift in the way Supervisors and other stakeholders are discussing the company’s responsibility to our community. SLC-PIN members gave public comment at the meeting, noting the importance of fighting hard for ongoing revenue and discussing how we believe PG&E has not engaged with parents or the community in good faith. School Board Trustee Elections and Upcoming Candidate Forum This election cycle features two Trustee Areas with competitive elections for SLCUSD school board members. On October 14, 2026, at 5:30pm, the League of Women Voters is hosting a candidate forum at Los Osos Middle School. The moderators will be taking written questions from attendees. In nearby Lucia Mar Unified, a similar candidate forum was marred by political theater, with audience members refusing to comply with the forum’s rules and candidates declining to participate. All four candidates are scheduled to attend, and this is an opportunity to get a sense of what they value. Voting in the election is one of the most impactful ways parents can guide district policy. We encourage you to attend if you're able, particularly if you’re a resident of Trustee Area 1 or 2. Additionally, Sadie Dittenber at the SLO Tribune wrote an article featuring candidate responses to various survey questions. SLCUSD Trustees Announce New Superintendent On Monday, October 5, SLCUSD announced that it had chosen Dr. Heather Contreras to succeed Dr. Eric Prater as SLCUSD’s Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Contreras has spent the last two+ years at the Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District, and oversaw a contentious reduction in student-facing staff earlier this year. At the October 6, 2026, SLCUSD board meeting, representatives from the teachers' union and other community members voiced their concerns about the selection of Dr. Contreras. They asked the Board to delay a vote on the new employment contract so the community could feel more engaged and informed. The SLCUSD Trustees defended their selection process and discussed the reasons Dr. Contreras stood out as the best candidate. Two current PVUSD Trustees gave public comment to support Dr. Contreras, highlighting her success at improving attendance and academic scores while navigating a challenging environment with her “amazing leadership.” The SLCUSD board did not delay a vote on the employment contract, and Dr. Contreras spoke about her commitment to “complete collaboration, to listening, and to being a part of integrating into what is here already in this community.” Parent Engagement on Technology in Schools On October 6, several parents also gave public comment regarding the efforts of Schools Beyond Screens and Purposeful Learning SLO for district action related to screen and technology use in classrooms. Parents presented a change.org petition that garnered hundreds of signatures, which asks SLCUSD to adopt a districtwide policy with guidelines for screen time and Edtech use in the classroom. For additional information on the organizations (which have now joined forces), you can read this SLO Tribune article, this KSBY report, or reach out directly to the parent advocates. As always, you can reach us at info@slcpin.org. Appreciatively, The SLC-PIN team.
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