Marin County parents stopped a school closure, but district s funding challenges remain
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Special education teacher Liz Duffield (center standing) teaches a preschool-kindergarten combination classroom at Lu Sutton Elementary School on Monday, December 7, 2020 in Novato, Calif. The Novato Unified school board recently halted a proposal to close the school in 2022 for economic reasons.Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle
A Novato grade school has been spared the chopping block following a weeks-long campaign by parents who said their district violated its equity pledge by nominating three of its more diverse campuses for closure.
The decision to halt closure plans comes as the Novato Unified School District, like other districts around California, wrestles with difficult choices following years of declining enrollment and revenues.
Novato parents push to open more schools for in-person learning
Protesters frustrated with Zoom classrooms and distance learning want schools to reopen in Novato.
NOVATO, Calif. - More than 100 people protested in Novato Tuesday evening, demanding an accelerated plan to get their children back into school. No more Zoom, no more Zoom, they chanted, outside school board headquarters before trustees held their meeting.
Families say they re at a tipping point with distance learning. We all really want our kids back full-time in-person and not just hybrid, said protest organizer Katie Stafford. A lot of us have one foot out the door, leaning toward private schools, added Stafford. Novato has already lost more than 400 kids and they stand to lose hundreds more if they don t have a definitive plan.
Controversy over Novato school superintendent getting vaccine at teacher event
By KTVU staff
Novato superintendent vaccine controversy.
NOVATO, Calif. - Some members of the Novato Unified School District are furious that the superintendent was given the coronavirus vaccine before teachers in the classrooms.
On Jan. 17, Supt. Kris Cosca was vaccinated at the Marin Civic Center at a vaccination event sponsored by the school district and the county, and, the vaccine was given to more than 1,200 school district staff, including food workers and bus drivers.
The vaccines were reserved for Tier 1 priority school workers, a category that includes custodians, food service workers, bus drivers and special education teachers. At the end of the day, when vaccines might get thrown out, anyone can get the doses.