About Petaluma City Schools

Mission Statement

What we do as an organization:
Petaluma City Schools delivers a high-quality, diverse, equitable, and inclusive education to all student scholars so they creatively explore interests, collaboratively solve problems, and fully develop as resilient, caring, and responsible members of our community.

Core Values

What we believe as an organization

1. All students have value, infinite potential, and the right to an excellent education.
2. All students learn in a safe and caring environment where they are motivated to do their best work.
3. All students reach high levels of achievement through rigorous and culturally relevant curriculum.
4. Diversity is an asset that strengthens and enriches our learning community.
5. Parents and caregivers are recognized and engaged as partners.
6. The community supports the educational program and is engaged as a partner and resource in student learning.
7. District employees are dedicated to student success and operate as a high-performing, collaborative team.
8. Shared decision-making is valued and active participation from all stakeholders is critical to student success.

District Goals

Goal One

All student scholars will experience an excellent, diverse, equitable, and inclusive education. 

The District will:

1. Close the opportunity gap identified in our 2021-22 Equity Study;
2. Implement common math assessments TK-11, allowing time for professional development. In addition, begin exploring culturally-relevant ELA assessments;
3. Provide Professional Development for all staff in order to ensure our curriculum is representative and reflective of our students;
4. Provide implicit bias, restorative practices, and community wellbeing training for all staff in their work with students;
5. Create systems to hire new staff and retain current staff in order to ensure that our adults are reflective of our students;
6. Build a diverse teacher pipeline for our school district;
7. Review and ensure a meaningful evaluation process for all staff;
8. Successfully implement a dual-language immersion program.

Goal Two

All student scholars will have rich academic options that meet their unique needs.

The District will:

1. Build program that will attract and retain families in the District;
2. Ensure that all high-school students have access to A-G courses;
3. Explore adding additional courses and pathways to enhance learning opportunities;
4. Eliminate barriers that restrict open access to accelerated courses;
5. Provide Professional Development for all staff on how to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students in accelerated courses; 
6. Introduce curriculum and programming to further our District focus on environmental literacy and climate action;
7. Create a strategic plan to integrate Arts education into our schools.

Goal Three

All student scholars and families will be engaged in their learning community.

The District will:

1. Create districtwide experiences that will allow all students to explore their interests;
2. Explore a two-way system to improve and expand stakeholder communication and feedback;
3. Expand participation for a diverse and representative group of stakeholders to be engaged in and support our schools;
4. Intentionally build community to ensure that every student in our District can identify a trusted adult at school;
5. Explore the possibility of qualifying a school site as a Community School.

Goal Four

Our District will enhance the long-term sustainability of our organization, infrastructure, and operations.

The District will:

1. Match enrollment to the demand in our community and the capacity of our facilities;
2. Enhance the environmental sustainability of our infrastructure and operations;
3. Connect our District’s financial plan to our District’s priorities;
4. Ensure long-term fiscal stability in order to balance the needs of all stakeholders, focusing on our need for equity in all schools and programs throughout our District.