West county schools superintendent retiring

Keller McDonald, superintendent of the West Sonoma County Union High School District for the past decade, has announced plans to retire at the end of the school year.

McDonald saw the district, which includes Analy and El Molino high schools, through the recent financial crisis that affected school districts across the state.

Under his leadership, Analy High School saw rising enrollment, bucking a regional trend as families moved away from west Sonoma County, while El Molino’s enrollment steadily declined. He helped lead recent efforts to reverse that trend, and this year, the Forestville school saw a small increase in enrollment for the first time in about a decade.

Also under his watch, the district passed a $23.8 million bond measure to fund major projects, including the creation of a performing arts center at El Molino and renovating the football fields at both schools. In 2012, an additional parcel tax passed to pay for keeping open schools’ libraries, maintaining student counseling services, and preserving elective classes like shop and culinary.

“My years with West County high schools have been wonderfully rewarding,” he said in a news release, which listed some of his other accomplishments as building strong relationships with neighboring school districts, maintaining good relationships with unions during difficult financial times and working to reduce substance abuse among teens.

In total, McDonald has spent 38 years in education.

Previously, he worked as assistant superintendent at the Willits School District, principal at Willits High School, and principal at Cobb Mountain Elementary in Middletown. The search for a new superintendent will start in the new year.

Staff Writer Jamie Hansen blogs about education at extracredit.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach her at 521-5205 or jamie.hansen@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jamiehansen.