SILVAR  :  Newsroom  : Real Estate Articles

Real Estate Articles

REALTOR®: Real Estate and Community Important to School District, Says PAUSD Superintendent

Image about REALTOR®: Real Estate and Community Important to School District, Says PAUSD Superintendent
Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Palo Alto Union School District Superintendent Kevin Skelly is quite impressed with the Palo Alto schools and community. "Our school district is one of the greatest school districts in the country," Skelly announced at a recent SILVAR Palo Alto District tour meeting.

This is Skelly's second year at the helm of the school district, and he is aware of "the community's insatiable interest in the schools."

"It's rare that you find a community so engaged in the school district. It keeps us on our toes," he chuckled.

Skelly is also very much aware of the importance of real estate to the school district. The financial well-being of the school district is very much tied to the real estate sector. Skelly said, "Palo Alto is faring better than most because its budget is more heavily dependent on property taxes than other schools."

Skelly informed REALTORS® about the following key points in the district's strategic plan: developing quality education that meets the unique needs of each child; improving the recruitment, development and retention of teachers; enhancing the schools finances and physical environment; and continuing a strong working relationship with the community at the district office level.

The PAUSD superintendent sees continued growth in enrollment for the foreseeable future.

"We need to gear up efforts to house our students," Skelly said.

The district is currently struggling with capacity on the north and east side at the elementary level. Skelly sees the need to enlarge the elementary schools, but realizes it will be a challenge for some schools to expand physically. There also has been some discussion about a third high school, but he acknowledged "it will be hard to get kids to go there" since the district's two high schools - Gunn and Palo Alto - have excellent reputations.

The district has to watch housing patterns in relation to growth of student population and any future decision to change boundaries, Skelly said. REALTORS® can help the district by being knowledgeable about the schools and boundaries.

"Make sure homes you sell are in the school district," Skelly said. And even if a house is within the boundary of a certain school, he warned the district cannot guarantee that students will be able to attend that school because of the overflow situation.

"It is important for us to be in communication and work with families in that phase of the purchase," Skelly told REALTORS®.


The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.

» Back to Real Estate Articles

Site Navigation