UPDATE: WCSD Board Votes to Transfer Parkmead Principal, Adopt Disputed Rotation Plan

The Walnut Creek school  board left some Parkmead Elementary parents with crestfallen faces by voting  5-0 to adopt a controversial plan to transfer that school's principal to Walnut Heights and to rotate principals at four of the district's five elementary schools.

The Walnut Creek School District's governing board members deliberated for 2 1/2 hours after nearly 200 Parkmead parents, students and teachers crowded their meeting room to object to the loss of Kathleen Scott in a principal reshuffle. The changes in campus leadership were prompted by the principals at Indian Valley and Buena Vista announcing their departures, due to, respectively, retirement and a new job in another district. 

The board went into closed session at about 7:45 p.m. after hearing some 20 of the Parkmead parents ask why the district would make such major changes in this time of state budget cuts and economic uncertainty.

In announcing their decision at around 10:30 p.m.,board members attempted to explain the decision without giving too much away about personnel issues. In the words of board member Katie Pena, board members "truly" heard the words of parents and valued their input. Board members described multiple factors that led to their decision, including the way Parkmead parents showed such passion, organization and collaboration in mounting Thursday's protest against Scott's transfer. They said that many people are involved in making a school community thrive, and the principal is just one of those people. 

Board president Arthur Clarke, who has been a board member for 23 years, said principal rotation is not a new concept in this district. "Each time, the reassignment has been successful, even with controversial assignments," he said. "The school community has adopted and integrated the new principal. I have confidence it will occur in this case." 

Board member Jon-Michael Johnson said the district has received more than 70 applicants to fill those vacant positions, which indicates that highly qualified educators want to work in the Walnut Creek district and that Parkmead will receive a worthy replacement for Scott. "We want to continue to retain the best people and attract the best people," he said. 

Jennifer Sanan was one of the Parkmead parents disappointed and dissatisfied by the board's decision and explanations: "I just think they made the wrong decision," said Sanan, who has a daughter in second grade. "I don't think they listend to us. I felt like we presented logical arguments. They didn't provide logical reasons for their decision." 

Earlier in the evening, during the public comment portion of the special board meeting, Sanan and other parents said  Scott has brought strong leadership to the school community in her nine  years, bonded with their children and led Parkmead to become the top-ranked school in the district with the highest API scores of all the district's schools.

The parents contend that moving Scott would unnecessarily cost the district time and money. They also questioned the process that the district has devised this plan, saying that they received little time and insufficient notice that such changes were being considered. They described the process as disrespectful to parents, who put in hundreds of volunteer hours and raise thousands of dollars each year to to support school programs. They said the board would create ill will in the community by going through with this plan--and that some board members could lose their seats in future elections.

"As programs are cut, class sizes are increased and teacher turnover begins to happen, we must consider that this is not the time for anadministrative change that will put our sensitive children at an even higher risk of falling through the craks and falling short of curricular expectations," said Mike Utzig, the father of two special needs children. He added that when his son heard that he might lose Scott as principal, he cried "No! They can't take Dr. Scott away!"

In an email sent Tuesday to the district community, Superintendent Patricia Wool announced the proposed reassignments. Scott would go to Walnut Heights Elementary and a new principal would be hired for Parkmead. Walnut Heights principal Susan Drews would go to Indian Valley, whose current principal Nancy Weatherford is retiring at the end of the year. The district would also hire a new principal to replace Buena Vista principal Heather Duncan, who announced that she was leaving at the end of this school year to take a new job as principal of Springhill Elementary in Lafayette.

About 45 minutes before the start of the 6:30 p.m. meeting, parents and their children held up signs visible to passing motorists along Ygnacio Valley Boulevard.

They then crowded into the district's meeting room.

"This is the largest group we've ever had in this room," said governing board President Arthur M. Clarke as the meeting got under way at 6:30 p.m.

The issue of principal assignments had become a highly sensitive topic. A group, calling itself a Group of Concerned Parkmead Parents, objected after they started hearing rumors of  Scott's transfer to a new school. They also raised objections to the district's handling of these job placements. As Walnut Creek Patch previously reported, and , the Parkmead parents said they were "dismayed that decisions are being made in closed-session meetings without parent input."

Walnut Creek Patch that the district's governing board met in closed session last Friday to decide who will be principal at each of its five elementary schools.

While some parents complained that they were not properly notified of the meeting, the district said it met the legal requirement for open meeting laws by posting a notice of the special closed-door meeting the previous Tuesday at its school campuses and by contacting parents through a district e-mail list. School board members and Superintendent Patty Wool said they could not comment on what if any transfers were discussed in closed session because they pertain to personnel matters, which cannot be disclosed until a final decision is made.

Then came Wool's email, and Parkmead parents rallied to organize what, for this district, is an unusual show of community disapproval of a school board proposal.

Parkmead teacher Krista Smith spoke of how the teachers respect Dr. Scott for encouraging them to strive towards excellence in teaching but at the same time, respecting their teaching styles. She also mentioned that there is a long term plan to solidify a sustainable program at Parkmead – and that Dr. Scott still has unfinished business at Parkmead.

Parent Ruth Kale-Fok spoke on change, how everyone involved in the decision--administrators, teachers, parents and students--has limited energy in these times of budget cuts.

"Knowing this, why would you saddle us with another drain on our resources? We already deal with change, and we deal with it quite well when budgets are cut. When it comes to our children and their education, we take that seriously. However, the benefits of change must outweigh the costs." 

The some 20 parents who spoke also questioned the practice of principal rotation. They cited studies that said the practice does not bring new energy to a campus and boost achievement at schools. Rather the disruption of leadership can drag down the morale of staff, parents and students--as well as test scores.

Jessica Friels does not have children at Parkmead. She identified herself as a former Indian Valley parent whose special needs child enjoyed a  supportive learning environment under the leadership of retiring principal Weatherford. In praising Weatherford for having the kind of qualities she would expect of a principal, she spoke in support of Parkmead parents' desire to keep Scott as principal. "I get the impression that all these parents trust the lives of their children to this woman. I don't see any Walnut Heights parents in here. They know the value of this principal. They know they are winning the lottery."

She added that with all the support that parents give to the schools, "in cases like this, I want to feel like a soldier and not a victim.  These people are in the trenches and you're directing the war, and they're telling you that this is not in the best interest of their children. These are passionate people who work hard to make this school very well run. You have to listen to them." 

Parkmead father Bram Zeigler said that if the board decides to go ahead with this proposal its members should make an effort to explain their decision. "You owe the people in this room that."