August 19, 2022
Dear PCS Community,
What a fabulous first week of school! If you didn’t get a chance to see our first-day video, please take a moment to check out the amazing things happening throughout Petaluma City Schools.
I want to take a moment to thank our incredible teachers and staff for their hard work these past several weeks. Each year, the miracle of the first day of school comes and goes, and it is our amazing teachers and staff who put in the extra time and effort to make sure our students and families experience such a special start to the school year.
As I reflect on the start of school this year as compared to last year, I feel optimistic and downright excited that the culture and traditions that had been put on hold over the past couple of years due to Distance Learning are being reestablished and reimagined on each and every one of our campuses.
Our District’s mission statement calls us to deliver an excellent, 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 the community.
This year, as an organization, we are focusing on the following five core values / beliefs:
- All students have value, infinite potential, and the right to an excellent education.
- All students learn in a safe and caring environment where they are motivated to do their best work.
- All students reach high levels of achievement through rigorous and culturally relevant curriculum.
- Diversity is an asset that strengthens and enriches our learning community.
- Parents and caregivers are recognized and engaged as partners.
Our aim is for all students to feel safe, have at least one trusted adult at school, and feel part of a caring community of learners. We want all students to receive rigorous and relevant instruction with high expectations for their learning as they prepare to graduate from high school ready for college and their future career.
Have a wonderful weekend PCS, and I look forward to an exciting second week of school.
In partnership,
Matthew Harris
Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools
