Parents plead for full-time Dunbar principal but budget rules for status quo

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees faced a room-full of frustrated parents on Tuesday. They all urged the board to give Dunbar a full time principal. They spoke of the need for continuity, leadership and support. None denied the budget crisis. “We’re requesting a minimum of 75 percent,” said one parent. “We understand the budget crisis. If you want the school district to succeed, you have to provide for continuity.” Another said, “How can you hold that person accountable if it’s only a half time job? It’s got to go back to full time, there’s no way around it.”
The challenges of school administrators and staff have changed as the students’ problems have changed. “Our schools have become increasingly troubled over the years,” said the Dunbar office manager, Linda Dehzad. “I have children coming into the office every day because they have been physically hurt or emotionally hurt. I’m not trained to handle that.” She urged the board to hire a full time principal to handle the problems that would normally fall to a principal. Respect, too, played a part. “If the district feels value in keeping the school open,” said another parent, “then I would ask that you demonstrate respect for it.” In conclusion, the group requested of the board a principal of Dunbar at a rate of at least 75 percent.
Board president Camerino Hawing said he liked the idea of the 75 percent. “I think we need to see if we can find, manufacture, some kind of cash to pay this position–without losing direction of our fiscal integrity for the district.” Other trustees agreed, but with budget realities weighing on their minds. Trustee Helen Marsh said, “I don’t think I’ve heard anything tonight I don’t agree with. But there isn’t any money waiting to be found. There’s not missing money. It may not seem like a lot of money [that they’re asking for], but we are operating so close to the bone …”
She thanked the parents for coming and reminded them of the budget problems. “It’s all painful right now. It’s all extremely painful.” She said the rumors that the board would close Dunbar are false. “ As far as the rumor goes. That’s been around since before I came on in 2002,” she said.
Nicole Abate Ducarroz offered other suggestions to get the parents the 75 percent principal, but to no avail. The other board members listed, with sadness, the reasons for keeping the status quo. A motion was made and passed, with Ducarroz dissenting, to maintain a 50 percent principal position.
In other business, the board approved the 2008 budget, heard a description of a new disaster plan, received a positive progress report about the pool and the new tennis courts, and bid goodbye to Superintendent Barbara Young.