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SUSD September Newsletter

Posted Date: 09/21/26 (11:41 AM)


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Sebastopol Union School District

September Newsletter

September 21, 2026
Hello September
 
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🍎 September Around SUSD 🍎

Dear SUSD Families, 

September is in full swing, and our campuses are buzzing with learning, creativity, and connection! Classrooms are filled with engaged students digging into new learning, while our student-athletes are building teamwork and school spirit through fall sports. Drama is underway, and Garden Club is beginning, giving students even more opportunities to explore, create, and connect outside the classroom.

We are especially thankful to our friends at SEF for sponsoring our Back to School BBQ, where we welcomed a record number of families! It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying good food, reconnecting with friends, meeting new families, and simply spending time together as a school community.

And there is more to come! Movie Night, Lotería Night, and Halloween events at both sites are just a few of the upcoming opportunities to get involved. These events are about more than having fun. When families attend and students participate, they get to experience community in action and see firsthand that our schools are places where everyone belongs.

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events! 

Sara Gramm, Superintendent
Molly Bulwa, PS Principal
Rachel Lasek, BH Principal
 

🌱 A First Look at the Future of Park Side: Kindercourt & CASTLE

At our Back to School BBQ, attendees got a sneak peek at the plans for Park Side's Kindercourt & CASTLE plans. These plans were submitted to the Department of State Architecture last week, and we are hoping to receive approval in March. Demolition will begin in the coming months.

We’re excited to share plans for the transformation of Park Side Elementary's upper campus designed especially for our youngest learners! After years of planning and the passage of Measure N, the vision for Kindercourt & CASTLE is taking shape.

There is a lot behind this vision! The latest design package includes nearly 200 sheets of architectural drawings and more than 1,800 pages of specifications and supporting documents detailing the work ahead.

Designed by Studio Blitz, the approximately 20,350-square-foot project will create two distinct early-learning spaces:

🌳 Kindercourt will be a TK and kindergarten village with seven classrooms surrounding an expansive 11,800-square-foot outdoor play and learning landscape.

🏰 CASTLE will provide a welcoming preschool and childcare hub with preschool and aftercare classrooms, a shared culinary classroom, and an intimate outdoor play courtyard.

This project represents years of planning and partnership, beginning with the District’s Facilities Master Plan and made possible by our community’s support of Bond Measure N in 2024. We are thrilled to see the plans moving closer to reality, with occupancy anticipated in 2028.

We can’t wait to watch the Garden of Growing Things grow! 🌱
 

Click Below to Watch A Fly Through Video of the Project

Kindercourt
CASTLE
 
Brief Overview
Prelim Site Plan
 
Project Schedule Overview
 

💰 Help SUSD Maximize Funding for Our Students

Did you know that families can help SUSD protect and maximize important funding simply by completing a few key steps? Every dollar helps us provide strong programs, services, and opportunities for our students.

🏫 Attend School Every Day Possible
Student attendance matters for learning and funding. California schools receive funding based on student attendance, so regular attendance directly supports the resources available to our schools.

📚 Ask About Independent Study for Planned Absences
If you know your child will be absent, contact the school office ahead of time (three-day notice is required). SUSD can now offer Independent Study for absences of just one day or more. When requirements are met and work is completed, students can stay connected to their learning while helping the district recover attendance funding that would otherwise be lost. Please contact our school office managers if you have any questions. 

📝 Complete the Income Verification Form
Even though all SUSD students receive free brunch and lunch, completing the annual Income Verification Form is still extremely important. California uses family income information to determine eligibility for additional education funding and other resources that support students and schools. The information can help SUSD qualify for funding that goes well beyond meals, supporting programs, staffing, student services, and expanded learning opportunities. We will be reaching out to families who have not turned in their form. Please help us by returning it to the school office. 

Three simple actions- attend, request Independent Study when appropriate, and complete your Income Verification Form- can make a meaningful difference in the resources available to SUSD students. 

Thank you for helping us make every dollar count!
 

🏫 September School Board Meeting Highlights

Here’s a quick look at key items from the September 10 Board of Trustees meeting agenda:

  • 🌟 Celebrating Volunteers: The Board recognized the district’s 2025–26 Volunteers of the Year: Crista Mason, Julia Van Soelen Kim & Flannery Norton, for their extraordinary work in creating the Multicultural Night last spring. 
  • 🚌 Student Experiences: Trustees approved the upcoming 7th-grade field trip to Doran Beach as part of the LIMPETS program.
  • 💰 District Finances: Trustees considered the 2025–26 Unaudited Actuals Financial Report and adoption of the annual Gann Limit.
  • 🏗️ Facilities Planning: Several resolutions addressed Proposition 2 facility funding, including facility hardship, bond authorization, and the district’s Facility Master Plan as part of our application for modernization funding.
  • 🏫 Supporting Continued School Funding: The Board passed a resolution in support of Proposition 3, which would make permanent the existing higher income tax rates on high-income earners that are currently scheduled to expire in 2031. The measure would maintain state revenue that supports California schools and community colleges, as well as other state programs.
  • 📋 LCAP & Board Business: The agenda included the Sonoma County Office of Education's approval of the district's LCAP, as well as district and school reports, and discussion of Board policies.
  • 📅 Coming Up: The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for October 8, 2026.
 
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Sebastopol Union School District

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

  • (707) 829-4570
  • 7611 Huntley, Sebastopol, CA
  • www.sebastopolschools.org