• When PVSD board member Michael Maffia stepped down from his post in the spring, the board chose Kimberley Morris Rosen to fill the seat. In August, Gulliver La Valle also resigned from the Portola Valley board.
• PVSD received a double upgrade in its bond credit rating from Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings. Standard & Poor’s upgraded the District’s general obligation bond credit rating two levels, from ‘AA-’ to ‘AA+,’ the second highest possible rating an issuer can achieve based on these factors: (1) District finances, (2) District management, (3) District debt/pension obligations, and (4) local economy. 
• 62.4% of Portola Valley voters supported Measure Z, a local facilities bond measure which provides $49.5 million to upgrade our schools at a cost of $30 per $100,000 of assessed value per year. The measure will allow us to replace leaking roofs, upgrade old plumbing and electrical systems; refit aging classrooms, labs and technology infrastructure to support academic instruction in math, science, reading, writing and the arts; upgrade outdated fire alarms, classrooms, facilities and security systems to improve school security and meet current safety codes; and update educational facilities to keep pace with 21st century teaching and learning. 
• Superintendent Eric Hartwig retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year. I, Roberta Zarea, was selected to fill that post on July 1, 2019. I am delighted to serve the students, staff and families of this fantastic school district!
• The county canceled the district's School Board election in November because the number of qualified candidates in the race was equal to the number of open seats. The candidates for the two open seats -- incumbent Brooke Day and Anne Fazioli-Khiari -- were then appointed by the Board. 
• The Board passed a resolution this fall to put a renewal of the district's parcel tax on the March 3 ballot. Measure O, which passed in 2013 with 69% of the vote and generates about $1.2 million annually, is set to expire in June 2021. Property owners pay about $581 per parcel annually, according to the district. Two-thirds of voters must approve the tax for it to be renewed.
• PVSD teachers and other certificated staff received pay increases, including the potential for a bonus and a boost to overtime pay. District teachers, unlike other local educators, since 2013 have received raises based on their performance and their students' performance, and not on the number of years they have been in the district. The new contract established a $1,500 bonus for teachers who receive a positive annual evaluation.
• Academically, our students are excelling. In all tested grades, eighty-seven percent of students met or exceeded California’s English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) standards- an increase of three percent over last year, and eighty-three percent of students met or exceeded standards in Mathematics - down two percent from the previous year.
• The District’s results on the CA Dashboard show that our district and schools are meeting the needs of our students. However, while our district and schools are making progress in many key areas, there is always more work to do. Continuous improvement takes a united effort, and we look forward to working with our staff and families to ensure success for every student.

• smaller class sizes 
• specialists and programs in areas such as reading, writing, math, music, technology, and diverse middle school electives, counseling
• professional development for teachers to increase their content knowledge as well as hone their instructional craft

• Continued effective communication with PVSD staff, students, families and the Portola Valley Community
• Implementation of PVSD’s Blueprint for Excellence, with a focus on student achievement, climate and safety, and creative, hands-on learning
• Fiscal responsibility and facility stewardship, as we move into the Schematics Design phase of our Measure Z Bond program and renewal of our district’s parcel tax.