Much new ahead for Petaluma City Schools

Petaluma City Schools Superintendent Gary Callahan says the school district he oversees is the best in the Bay Area in many aspects. For him, that is not good enough. “We want to be the best, period,” he said.

Toward that goal, there are a number of changes being implemented as Callahan begins his second year in charge of the combined Petaluma City Elementary and Petaluma Joint Union High School districts.

One change that will excite students is an emphasis on extracurricular activities. The goal, according to Callahan, is to have every student, from kindergarten to 12th grade, participating in at least one extracurricular activity.

“We are really doing a great job with academics, but we want to make sure we are educating the whole child,” the superintendent explained.

Callahan said the school district is looking for the community to help provide extracurricular programs for students.

“We are trying hard to find community volunteers to work with us,” he said. “If a person has a passion for a particular activity, we invite them to be part of the program.”

The district has hired Mary Lam to help develop the new program. Lam is one of several new educators in the district office this fall. Cliff De Graw is the new assistant superintendent for educational service. Kim Harper is new director of education services and Chris Thomas takes over as chief business official.

They take their new positions during a busy school year, with much happening in the classrooms, in the district offices and on the school campuses.

One thing that will not happen this school year is the much-anticipated upgrades to the field and track at Ellison Field on the Petaluma High School campus. While construction will probably not start during the school year, plans are being finalized and will probably be brought to the school board next month.

A related project, the renovation or replacement of the Petaluma High School swimming pool, is still being evaluated. Callahan said whether or not the two projects will be linked financially is still to be determined.

A major capital project already underway will bring solar panels to all elementary schools, along with Petaluma Junior High School and San Antonio High School. Callahan said the project will provide 250,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year for the district and provide more than $8.5 million in energy saving over time.

In addition, the district is improving its computer system with an upgrade to the district’s parent participation platform. “It will be much more interactive for the parents,” the superintendent explained. “It will be easier for them to do more of the registration paper work on line.”

The district also is updating its website and websites for all 18 schools in the district to make them more useful and more user friendly.

There are a few problems as the new school year begins. Perhaps the most troublesome is declining enrollment. Although a complete account won’t be available until after school starts, there will be approximately 7,500 students combined in the elementary and high school districts, just about the same number as last school year, but still down from the 7,875 enrolled in 2009. Fewer students means fewer dollars flow into the district from the state.

Callahan acknowledged that enrollment is “a concern,” but noted that the Petaluma district is not in the situation alone.

“The decline in enrollment has a lot to do with the economic realities in Sonoma County. We are in the same boat as ever district in the county,” Callahan said.

As housing costs rise, fewer older homeowners move out and fewer young families with school-age children move in. Some younger families simply can’t afford to continue to live in the area.

However, the superintendent also maintains that because of the quality and diversity of the programs offered by the district, Petaluma continues to attract students from other districts.

While the new school year begins with high hopes and a flurry of activity, there are important negotiations going on behind the scenes as the district negotiates with its bargaining units, including the Petaluma Teachers Federation, on new contracts.

“We are trying to settle up by the end of the calendar year,” said Callahan. “Typically it takes all year and often goes into the subsequent year. We want to make sure we take our time and do it right.”

Callahan gave credit for the success of the district to what he called “an amazing school board that cares about our community.”

“They go all the way to be the most informed they can be before making any decision,” he said. “They are not afraid to make the difficult call when it is the best interest of the students.”