April 2019 Newsletter
Keysight April 2019 forum
A message from the Superintendent
At a recent community forum at Keysight, I asked some of that technology company’s employees:

“If you think about yourself as a child and as an adult today in your work at Keysight, what would the ideal classroom have been like for you then to do what you are doing now?”

I asked that question because we have an opportunity to think differently about a teaching and learning environment at the location that used to be the site of Hidden Valley Satellite School. Due to declining enrollment after the fires, and the lack of affordable housing in the area, Hidden Valley Elementary no longer needs a satellite campus. Childcare is still needed, and a rebuild of the childcare facility is expected to be ready by August 2020.

What are the future educational possibilities for the Keysight location? There will be another community forum at Keysight on May 23 to continue this discussion. Meanwhile, please share your thoughts and ideas on this form: https://srcs.link/srcs-keysight

Dr. Diann Kitamura
Superintendent
Reminder: No School Thursday, April 11
Teacher Professional Development Day
School board to fill vacancy
At the April 10 regular Board of Education meeting, the board will interview four applicants to fill a vacancy in Trustee Area 3. The vacancy was created when Evelyn Anderson resigned from the board in February. The applicant who is selected by the board will be sworn in at the April 24 meeting. The seat will be up for election in November 2020.
School board meetings are held at 6pm at City Hall. You can watch live streaming of school board meetings on the district's YouTube channel .
Important dates
closeup of page from a calendar
The instructional calendar for the 2019-20 school year is being negotiated with the teachers union. Once the calendar is approved by the school board, it will be posted on our district's website and social media. Meanwhile, here are some upcoming key dates:
  • April 1 - May 30 - CAASPP (SBAC) standardized testing for grades 3-8, and 11. Check with your school for their testing dates.
  • May 23 - Elementary Open House (May 16 at Hidden Valley)
  • May 27 - Memorial Day Holiday - No School
  • May 31 - High School Graduation
The first day of school for 2019-20 will be Wednesday, August 14, 2019.
Summer learning & high school credit recovery
This summer, our district is offering camps from Maker to Mariachi, and summer learning for students from transitional kindergarten through high school. For more information: Summer Programs web page .

IMPORTANT information for high school parents/guardians: If your child has received an "F" in one or more classes, please make sure that you are able to log in to our Illuminate Education parent portal . Summer school registration for high school credit recovery will be completed in Illuminate Education. If you need help to access the parent portal, please contact the registrar or counseling secretary at your child's school. You can find school phone numbers on our website: Our schools web page .
Negotiations update: tentative agreement
Handshake illustration
Santa Rosa City Schools has reached a tentative agreement with the Santa Rosa Teachers Association (SRTA) that includes a significant compensation increase for district teachers over the next two years. The Tentative Agreement, through June 30, 2021, provides for 7% future ongoing salary increases, beginning with a 3% increase next school year and a 4% increase in July 2020. It also includes an additional $1,500 in medical benefits cap increase over two years, which will bring medical benefits for teachers to $6,800 in July 2020.
The teachers union will vote on the tentative agreement the third week of April, and the school board is expected to consider it at the April 24 meeting.
Financial Aid Workshop at SRJC
Santa Rosa Junior College is providing a workshop to support students with the next steps in finalizing their financial aid. Financial aid is key to college entrance, so this would be a great opportunity for seniors to learn more about what to do after submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act application.  Event Details: 
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2019
  • Drop in: 5:30-7:30pm
  • Location: SRJC Santa Rosa Campus – Plover Hall, Room 530
  • Parking: $4  
  • Prizes provided by SRJC Bookstore
  • Parents welcome! 
Upcoming choir concert at Green Music Center
Choir in the Green Music Center
The William Barclay Memorial Scholarship Concert features a showcase of choirs from our high schools, performing at Green Music Center's Weill Hall on the Sonoma State University campus,  Tuesday, April 23  at 7pm. This year, the concert is dedicated to Jan Ferrin, a beloved co-producer and accompanist at Elsie Allen High who died earlier this year. The guest conductor will be Dr. Buddy James from CSU East Bay in Hayward.
Tickets are required. Free tickets are available through the choral departments in each high school or at the box office .  A donation of $10 per ticket is suggested to go toward scholarships at each high school, but any donations will be gratefully accepted! Parking in the Green Music Center lot costs $5.
For more news, follow us on social media:
@SRCSchools #SRCStogether #madeinsantarosa
Santa Rosa City Schools
211 Ridgway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-890-3800
communication@srcs.k12.ca.us