Jessica Spade, board president and trustee for Area 2, and Tom O'Malley, superintendent of the Placer Union High School District, presented the district's first State of the District message, outlining priorities for teaching, college and career readiness, safety and fiscal stability.

"Every student graduates prepared for college, career, and life," Spade said, framing the district's mission as the organizing principle for classroom instruction, extracurriculars and support services.

The leaders highlighted several measurable programs that they said support that mission. Tom O'Malley noted that "Placer School for Adults continues to change lives, from helping over 4,000 adults earn diplomas and job skills to launching a new truck driving program that leads directly to high paying careers." The district also offers "24 career pathways across 12 industry sectors," and O'Malley said dual-enrollment participation has "nearly doubled in 3 years," giving students opportunities to earn college credit at no cost.

School safety was a second focal point. O'Malley said the district works with the Auburn Police Department and the Placer County Sheriff's Office to place resource officers on campuses as needed, and that each site's safety committee oversees emergency planning and preparedness.

Leaders also pointed to a broad set of extracurricular offerings'music and theater programs, competitive athletics, Future Farmers of America and dozens of clubs'as central to student engagement and belonging.

On finances, Spade acknowledged "budget challenges are real" amid regional stability and declining enrollment, and outlined steps the district is taking: a retirement incentive, formation of a budget advisory group, and other cost-saving measures intended to preserve student programs.

O'Malley framed the overall state of the district positively, saying staff dedication, student resilience and community support leave the district well positioned for the future.

The presentation concluded with a thank-you to Colfax High School and "the amazing Wade Wolf and his team" for hosting the event and a seasonal greeting to the community.

No formal votes or policy actions were taken during the address; leaders presented status updates and program highlights and summarized next steps on fiscal planning.