Pasadena Unified Will Release Interactive App, Field Live Questions During ‘State of the Schools’ Address Tonight

Tuesday’s State of the Schools Address promises to be like no other for the Pasadena Unified School District.

The event will start with student presentations, which have is a tradition, and of move into the main event, the address by Board President Kimberly Kenne, also a traditional centerpiece.

But as the evening progresses — with its focus on technology — the District will launch a new smartphone app called Parent Link.

The app brings the District’s webpage to mobile phones and makes the website interactive. During the speech by Board President Kimberly Kenne, parents can interact with board members and administrators live as the speech is being made.

“This will be an opportunity to for families to engage PUSD via their cell phone to get updates on everything from the bus routes to school, to accessing their parent portal account, getting information about their student’s grades,” said Pasadena Unified School Support Services Associate Superintendent Mercy Santoro.

The 5:30 p.m. event itself is much different than in years past in other ways,too, featuring a live interactive panel, and encouraging the posting questions to the Board President and other administrators on hand.

“I think that speaks to the level of investment in community and parent engagement that the district is concerned with, which is the focus area for the Board and the Superintendent this year,” said Santoro.

The interactive panel will be chaired by NBC4 General Assignment Reporter Kim Baldonado.

Santoro put the interactive portion of the address into perspective.

“By hearing feedback on where we’re going, what we should be thinking about, and leading this effort to bring more awareness and engagement opportunities to families — particularly those who can’t always make it because they’re working,” she said.

Continuing with the theme of infusing technology into everyday operations, Santoro said, “We are promoting sustainability, we’re not trying to print a bunch of [materials], we’re really trying to encourage convenient ways to get access to information using your mobile device.”

Tonight’s address begins at 5:30 p.m. at McKinley School Gymnasium, 325 South Oak Knoll Avenue. Watch the address on live stream: gopusd.com/stateofschools