Lagunitas Community School Summer changes in the Lagunitas School District by Steve Rebscher, Trustee, Lagunitas School District
Note: Laura will be working 60% this year. She can be reached by contacting Liz or via the school website.
Over the past summer we have added new teachers, staff members and administrative leaders to our elementary school, middle school and district office. During the out- reach to fill these positions we felt that our successful efforts to increase salaries for all district employees over the past several years are now paying off by both generating a larger pool of applicants for each position posted and by bringing us a larger propor- tion of better quality applicants than we have seen in many years. During the summer we also completed important facilities maintenance projects including reroofing the administrative building on the lower campus, asphalt repairs in the pre-school/TK area on the upper campus and replacement of the TK/Kindergarten playground area on the lower campus. Further roof replacements and asphalt repairs are at the top of our facilities needs in the near future. In this Stone Soup I want to introduce our new Chief Business Officer Karmela Cleary, and in her own words, Laura will introduce herself: Hello! I’m Laura Garroway Myers, and I’m excited to be joining the Lagunitas School District as the new superintendent. Joining Lagunitas feels like a natural fit for me. Both my husband and I grew up in Marin, and we’ve raised our family in Marinwood. The San Geronimo Valley has always felt like a wonderful neighboring community, so having the opportunity to serve here means a great deal to me. This is my 27th year in public education, and I’ve spent most of my career in the Mill Valley School District. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles, all centered around one goal: helping students thrive. One area I’m especially passionate about is creating positive school cultures. To that end, I created a busi- ness that partners with school districts to improve student behavior through positive, relationship-based practices. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been listening, asking questions, and getting to know the people who make this community so special. Whether I’m talking with staff, fami- lies, students, Board members, or community partners, I keep hearing the same thing: people care deeply about this place and about one another. It’s exactly the kind of community I hoped to find. When I’m not at school, I can be found working in my garden, enjoying amateur woodworking, or hanging out with my family, friends and pets. Like many families this year, ours is experiencing some big changes with our son heading off to college, and our daughter, her junior year of high school. As the school year gets underway, I look forward to meeting many more of you at school events, around the valley, and perhaps over a cup of coffee. I’m excited to learn from this community, work alongside you, and help make this a wonderful year for our students.
Karmela Cleary comes to our district through a different path. Although she has spent the last eleven years working in education Karmela began her career in business. Karmela grew up in San Rafael and graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Business Administration. She started work in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later moved into the tech sector working for Oracle, Adobe, Dolby and Dell. As her family grew Karmela turned back to Marin and wanted to actively participate in their schools. She started that new path as a school secretary at Hall Middle School, her favorite job. She moved on to fill the role of Executive Assistant to the superintendent in the TAM high school district and Executive Assistant to the superintendent and HR department at the Larkspur Corte Madera School District. As she became more and more committed to working in Marin schools Karmela completed the School Business Management program at USC. Thus, Karmela comes to us with broad experience in accounting practices, auditing and business and a track record of deeply caring about the children in our schools. With the help of the county office of education we have secured an experienced men- tor to work with Karmela as she transitions to this new position. Our business office will also be supported by the addition of a part time accounts and payroll special- ist, Rachel Ward, who comes to us with many years in bookkeeping and accounting experience and the past six months working in the county office of education business division. We are very confident that Karmela will excel in her new role. In her spare time Karmela enjoys cooking, hiking, indoor gardening, relaxing with a good view and is an assistant coach for the Redwood Cross Country and Track and Field teams. In our classrooms, we filled open positions with experienced teachers Breianna Williamson (TK/Kindergarten and Special Ed) and Tatiana Bliss (grades 1&2) and Amy McConnell (grades 2&3). Madison O’Neil Champagne is a first year Middle School teacher after completing the her degree at Dominican College in San Rafael. Both Tatiana and Amy have taught in our district previously and Madison completed her student teaching with Katherine Sanford last year. She is very enthusiastic about continuing the student Change Projects and civil rights focused trip to Alabama which were developed by Katherine. New staff, and returning staff members with changed assignments, include Malika Henderson, Library Assistant, Josh McIntosh, Music Teacher, Lilianna Keding, Instructional Aid/Art Specialist, Nancy Jenks, Instructional Assistant and Kai Champagne-Moore and Eric Humphrey, RSP Assistants. With new faces at every level of our school we truly appreciate the dedicated leader- ship of our principal Jenelle Ferhart. Her experience in teaching, curriculum, special education, physical education and conflict resolution support our students and staff in many ways. Some of these are clear for everyone to see and some are less seen but no less important and certainly no less appreciated. Thank you Jenelle! Welcome back to all of our students, families, teachers, staff and administrators that make Lagunitas a true Community School! that isolation takes a real toll on health, and programs like this one are proven medicine — for riders and drivers alike. Need a ride? Ride pickups run Mondays through Fridays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Just call the Com- munity Center at (415) 488-8888, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and noon, at least 24 to 48 hours before you need to travel — earlier is even better. Tell us where you’re headed, when you need to arrive, and whether you’ll need a ride home. Love to drive? Here’s the other half of the story: this program only works if neighbors like you take the wheel. Volunteer drivers use their own cars, set their own availability, and say yes only to the trips that fit their lives. We ask for as little as six hours a month. Drivers must be 21 or older with a safe driving record and current auto insurance; the Community Center handles the background check, orientation, and training, and a coordinator supports you every step of the way. Volunteers tell us the rewards run both directions. You give someone their independence back — and you gain stories, connection, and the satisfaction of knowing a neighbor made it to chemotherapy or a community event, picked up her prescription, or simply got out of the house because you showed up. The Valley’s collaborative spirit is a cornerstone of our community’s resilience and West Marin Wheels is another example of the benefits of caring for one another.
Neighbors Driving Neighbors West Marin Wheels hits the road. A new free volunteer transportation program for San Geronimo and Nicasio Valley residents by Sara Robinson
Living out here has its rewards — the hills, the quiet, the people who wave when they pass. But when driving is no longer an option, those winding roads can turn into walls. The public transit doesn’t fill the gap. There’s no regular bus at the corner and no taxi idling nearby, and a simple trip to the doctor or the grocery store suddenly depends on whether someone happens to be free. According to the 2024 community assessment, the provision of safe and accessible transportation options remains a top concern of Valley residents. Over 10% need it now and others (93%) know they will need it in the future, whether for a temporary health-related sus- pension (ex., surgery or vision) or permanently. That’s the gap West Marin Wheels was created to fill. This program will do far more than simply move a person from Point A to Point B — it will serve as a critical pillar for aging in the Valley. This program makes non-emergency medical trips possible, helping you to stay healthy and manage chronic conditions. Drivers provide door-through-door assistance, escorting you to waiting rooms or helping with the grocery bags. Our drivers are friendly, regular social connections helping you to maintain community ties to the community cen- ter, events, and friends. Knowing a trusted neighbor can provide a lift can restore a sense of personal agency or control in your life. Residents can recruit their own trusted drivers (friends or neighbors) to become West Marin Wheels -approved drivers or can use the pre-approved volunteers. Drivers are thor- oughly vetted and trained and can accommodate mobility devices or service animals. The program coordinator matches volunteer drivers with neighbors who can no longer get behind the wheel. Every ride is free, funded by grants and donors and powered entirely by volunteers. Rides are planned in advance, and drivers often stick with the same riders week after week. Regularly scheduled bookings are welcome. 4 Rural communities across the United States have discovered what happens next: the ride to dialysis becomes a standing conversation, the trip to the store becomes a friendship. 32% of our community said that they feel left out of the community. Research keeps confirming
Are you a senior ready to ride, or ready to drive? Call (415) 488-8888 or email rides@ sgvcc.org and be part of something that keeps our community moving — together.
SGV Community Center Stone Soup Page 9
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