Sonoma County goes back to school

About 70,000 students - more people than live in Petaluma - start school in Sonoma County this week.

“I tell you, I’m excited,” said Bob Raines, superintendent of Alexander Valley Union School District and principal of its lone school, which kindergarteners through sixth-graders attend.

Altogether, there are 71,096 Sonoma County students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

As opening day approached, teachers prepped their classrooms and took part in district trainings, and parents secured last-minute supplies.

“You’ve got your new boots on, your new dress, your new backpack,” Jordan Bugarske said to his daughter Ellie, 6, as he walked her to Mattie Washburn Elementary in Windsor on Thursday, the first day of school in that city.

The scene in Windsor forecast others that will take place around the county this week: With traffic knotted, some tears were shed and some parents were clutched, while other children raced off toward the new.

Was Lahila Sanchez ready? She nodded.

Was the 5-year-old nervous? She shook her head.

Was she excited? Another head shake.

“I’m happy and nervous,” said her father, Luis Sanchez, sitting beside her on the playground, where balls flew, hands were held and high-fives exchanged.

The biggest flood of students will be Wednesday, when most districts in the county, including Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Petaluma, launch the year.

The academic year starts with healthier budgets, due to new funding formulas and the continued growth of the state economy.

“The year is certainly a better one than last year and last year was a better one than the year before, because ... districts are getting considerably more money than they were,” said Ed Hasson, staff representative with the California Teachers Association.

But there are challenges, including a shortage of new teachers.

“It is a major crisis right now. Less people are entering the profession, numbers of retirements are exceeding what we normally see as our workforce ages, and our enrollment is remaining pretty much the same,” said Karen Ricketts, regional director of the North Coast Beginning Teacher Program, which is part of the Sonoma County Office of Education.

“Some of our districts are finding it very hard to find teachers,” she said.

As of Thursday, there were a 219 vacancies for full-time and part-time certified teaching positions countywide, according to edjoin.org, a job listing service of the state association of county schools superintendents.

On Thursday, one veteran teacher seemed far from retirement as she readied Room C3 for her second- and third-graders - placing calendars here, books there, posters up there.

“I’m always ready to come back to school,” said Charlotte Straub, starting her 21st year in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, this year at University Elementary School.

The district is really focusing on “project-based learning,” she said, beaming as a third-grader speaking of ice cream likely would.

At Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, incoming freshmen milled around the campus.

“Why are we here?” one asked. “What is this for?” asked another.

The LinkCrew program was getting underway, a day for freshmen to meet upperclassmen and join in activities designed to equip them with strategies to succeed in high school.

“Studies have been done that show that if they have a good freshman year, the odds that they will graduate with their class are exponentially higher,” said Mary Lim, a resource teacher and the program’s co-coordinator.

A group of young men gathered in the shade of a tree by the school office.

“Football,” Marlon Zapata, 14, said of what he was anticipating most.

“Hanging out with friends again,” said Andy Diaz, 14.

“Girls,” said Andy Delvilla, 14.

Were they nervous? “Nope.” “Nope.” “Nope.”

A few minutes later, the gymnasium doors were thrown wide and 363 new freshmen rushed in through a channel of yellow-shirted juniors and seniors offering applause, high-fives and hoots.

At Mattie Washburn, 450 kindergarten and first-grade students - “a lot of kids who can’t tie their shoes,” as principal Benita Jones said - started the 2015-2016 year.

In Room 12, Ms. Altamirano cupped her ears.

“Whenever you hear the beep, beep, do this,” she told her class. “Stop and listen. It could be something very, very important.”

Her kindergarten students cupped their ears.

A girl clung to her mother. A sweatshirt had already gone astray - Ms. Altamirano held it up, seeking its owner.

A boy announced, “I don’t like doing things over and over again,” and Ms. Altamirano smiled.

A story about a raccoon apprehensive about starting kindergarten was read. The End. Goodbye kisses. Parents filed for the door.