Close to Home: SR’s pioneer charter school faces closure

Santa Rosa Charter School's community of teachers, students, parents and alumni turned out in force at the Santa Rosa City Schools board meeting on Wednesday to advocate for the school's continued existence. The group's solidarity was as palpable as purple shirts were prolific. Person after person described how the school had changed their lives. Anyone observing would have to conclude that Santa Rosa Charter is a very special school, and yet it teeters on the brink of closure after serving our community for 20 years.

Santa Rosa's first K-8 charter school, founded here in 1995 and born from the Santa Rosa Co-op Preschool program, as of last year lost the lease it had for eight years with the school district. An exhaustive and time-consuming search yielded numerous promising sites, but problems arose every time they thought they'd found 'the one.'

Finally, with hopes of building a new school nearby, Santa Rosa Charter moved into Garrett and Finley halls at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on a one-year lease. All but one staff member signed on, and two-thirds of the parents re-enrolled their students, despite the challenges they faced holding preschool through eighth grade in exhibit halls. The charter community persevered, anticipating the construction of their 'forever home.' Unfortunately, that site deal fell through, too.

Santa Rosa Charter School has always had a waiting list and a lottery for enrollment. Why? Because it provides a unique community-learning experience. Parent commitment is high at this co-op school, with volunteers helping in classrooms every day. Parents take free classes in positive discipline, the core philosophy that underlies the school's culture of respect and empowerment. Students learn communication and problem solving in weekly class meetings. Misbehavior is minimal, because students are heard and respected, and they are part of the solution when problems arise.

In multi-age classrooms, older students act as role models, supporting younger students. Spanish instruction starts in kindergarten, along with weekly art, music and library classes. In addition to regular PE activities, each day begins with My School in Motion, a 15-minute fitness assembly for the whole community.

Sadly, this is the first year in many that students can't participate in Little Kids Rock. All the guitars are in storage, and there's nowhere to practice without creating a schoolwide concert.

A story in the Nov. 12 edition of The Press Democrat covered the school's difficulties in its temporary location at the fairgrounds functioning in 'two high-raftered halls that amplify the daily din.'

The school has had to move out and back into one or both halls five times due to the fairgrounds' prior commitments. All of the staff and the majority of the families have remained loyal because they believe the school is worth fighting for.

The Santa Rosa school board has agreed to allow Santa Rosa Charter to submit proposals to be heard at the Feb. 10 meeting. The school, which is eligible for bond allocations, needs at least a temporary accommodation to continue its important work. It will require the help of the school board for starters and likely some private funding for a new facility. It won't take $17 million like the much larger new Roseland University Prep that broke ground Jan. 22. Probably less than a quarter of that, actually.

Individuals in a position to help should contact Santa Rosa Charter School directly and write letters to the board in support of this exemplary school.

Kim Hawkins is a Spanish teacher at Santa Rosa Charter School. She lives in Santa Rosa.