Known for its counterculture vibe, creative community and alternative approaches to education, the Lagunitas School District has been teaching children from San Geronimo, Woodacre, Forest Knolls and Lagunitas for over 150 years. It has prided itself in listening to what parents want for their children, both from an educational and a social-emotional standpoint. The district currently houses three main programs: Open Classroom, developed in the 1970s, a Montessori program that started in 1981, and a middle school program that merges those two programs and helps prepare students for high school.
Both of our families chose this location, invested in our homes and developed roots based on this promise of a progressive alternative education with a small student-to-teacher ratio and a tight-knit, creative, community environment. Our children went through the Open Classroom program during a time of robust student enrollment and solid teacher configurations. For us, that promise was mostly fulfilled, but only because we supplemented the academics that were lacking. Our families loved a lot about Open Classroom, yet we had to pay thousands of dollars to tutors. We could afford to supplement; not all families have this privilege.
Over the last few years, we have seen a stalemate between the two programs around how they can operate optimally. Our older children will soon exit the middle school, but we care about younger and future families. We see the separation of elementary programs as a disservice to them. The promise of progress and the hope of unity is teetering, and the imbalance can be felt throughout the valley, at school board meetings and along the hiking trails.
It is time to redefine and re-envision Lagunitas School District with a focus on young families and the future. The district is seeing dwindling enrollment in both elementary programs. A significant number of families have left for charters—19 students in the 2021-22 school year, and nearly 30 in the 2022-23 school year. Others left the area altogether seeking better opportunities. In our basic-aid school district, we lose funding when students move to charters. With attrition at present levels, our district has lost nearly $200,000. These alarming trends jeopardize our ability to continue to properly serve families who live here.
“After years of voicing frustration about wanting a healthier elementary school program and naming the low morale, we decided to move our youngest son, in first grade, to Ross Valley Charter,” Rachel Felder, a Forest Knolls resident and mother of three, told us. “I would like to see more funding used for extracurricular activities and more consistency within the teaching staff to restore my confidence in this district.”
As with most schools, parent involvement is what makes our school community thrive. This year, a dedicated group of parents has been doing the hard work of uniting the district. We imagine they see what we have been observing: a district in trouble. LEAP has transformed the image of the school with a new logo, fundraising efforts, a robust social media campaign and more.
A March 15 Light article, “Lagunitas School parents will discuss fate of two elementary programs,” described how folks feel about the situation: Much of the population wants to merge into one new program. We witnessed this sentiment at the parent-only, parent-led meeting on March 22. So we were very disappointed to see Open Classroom’s statement indicating that they were not interested in working for the greater good. The article quotes their statement: “The Open Classroom Community remains committed to our current program, philosophy, and pillars. We are not interested in creating a new school.”
The Open Classroom was started in the 1970s and relies heavily on parent involvement in the classroom to have it function well. The Montessori program began in 1981, and its educational philosophies have not changed. Progressive education by nature is ever-evolving: it changes and adapts to the environment. It is not 1970. It is 2023, and most households have two working parents living with inflation and incredible financial pressures. Given the times and the increasing stress felt by families trying to survive in one of the most expensive counties in the country, it is time to put ego-driven outcomes aside. It’s time to listen to the young families and unite with one elementary school program that brings the best of all educational philosophies together.
We believe in this community—from the parents to the teachers and our principal. Our kids have had a great experience here, especially with the excellent core teachers in the middle school program. United, we will be able to provide children with more resources, connections and academic possibility. We believe the time is now. Let us move forward together, using our passion, care, creativity and intelligence for something that aligns with our current reality. Let’s stand on the shoulders of the past and keep moving forward.
The school board meeting to determine the direction of this district takes place on Friday, March 31 at 6 p.m. Please attend to show your support for a unification of our district.
Anne Mannes is a parent of a seventh grader. Michelle Olsen is a parent of a seventh grader and a fifth grader. Both live in Woodacre.