[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5975483,"mediaKeyId","5843767-c2f009ba66a3feb11c085107dea84bd5","parentId",5843767,"title","San Rafael district reports steady attendance, enrollment dip and $29.5M in summer capital work","audioSeconds",1278,"startMs",4406000,"endMs",5684000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5843767-c2f009ba66a3feb11c085107dea84bd5&start=4406&end=5684","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5843767-c2f009ba66a3feb11c085107dea84bd5/thumbnail_4406000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5975483/California/San-Rafael-district-reports-steady-attendance-enrollment-dip-and-295M-in-summer-capital-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975483-1ecf261afbbc30b2d038f64410f45ead/orig.mp4?Expires=1773577867&Signature=SVWr9Tb3mYPLApTBHVD~vQL2J04b1ebHdaXUixit711S5cWeeJLjARLiKZo-FokRtXd6GsQqeDJLJ9arQ7FNif0uhYzTeRRV9DTETdCKgqkS2Oy4oLPx1pC4IU7l9JopQsX-9sFwYXwfgYj8OGJDS0tTVZewAsnweFlmcBhZuufB1YWGBxgxiZpqGmKovSGdRZ6bx1fLFspy8COClyBxvat48RiYTWt0j3qmKC6o8-EK6vsZQhgsB240TtAaCthHLpvYzTX1ORqCPnYYnFWDuuizVQ0KloB6646IBSJxVOioXvfiizLN2fffB2n47YNhXolZR8dxJuTIaF6mwd~Myw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Rafael City High","date","2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","article","Superintendent Diaz Geisel and district staff updated the San Rafael City Schools Board of Education on Sept. 23 with a back‑to‑school report covering enrollment, attendance, staffing, curriculum implementation and capital projects.

Superintendent Diaz Geisel said the district's September 19 snapshot shows a decline in total enrollment compared with the prior year. \"We are, as you can see ... about 210 students here, in both the elementary and the high school district,\" she said. Despite the enrollment slide, the district reported strong attendance rates: about 97% for TK–5, 96.8% for grades 6–8 and 96.4% at the high‑school level.

Nutrition and transportation: Deputy Superintendent Bob Marcucci said the district provides \"free breakfast and lunch for all students,\" a change staff called transformative for stigma and participation. Marcucci said average daily meal participation remains above 4,600 and that total meals served in the prior period were about 336,957, representing a 6% decrease from August 2024 tied largely to enrollment changes. Transportation data showed the district operating 16 buses on 31 routes (one additional route added to serve an after‑school program), with a net loss of about 36 riders.

Staffing and teacher pipeline: Human Resources Director Darlene Amelas reported staffing changes and growth in the teacher residency program. The district hired fewer new certificated staff this year compared with the prior cycle (elementary hires down by about 20 relative to last year; high school hires smaller in number). The district currently has 19 teacher residents in cohort 3, expects a cohort 3 graduation in June and is accepting applications for cohort 4 with a target up to 25 residents. Classified hires for 2025–26 included 11 at the elementary level and six at the high‑school district; administrators hired were fewer this year compared with the prior year.

Curriculum and professional development: The district reported rollout of a new TK–5 math curriculum (classroom mathematics) with publisher and site professional development, including a math learning lab to allow colleagues to observe practice in classrooms. Secondary work focuses on standards‑based teaching, common assessments and a common grading philosophy to emphasize growth and proficiency. District training also included guidance for speech‑language pathologists and psychologists on best practices when evaluating multilingual learners.

Data systems and family engagement: Technology and data staff highlighted the Aeries parent portal for data confirmation (student emergency info, household counts, free/reduced lunch information) and encouraged families to complete digital forms; staff said middle and high school portals also give families access to teacher and grading information.

Capital projects: The district's facilities update described an intensive summer of construction and repairs: about $14.4 million invested in elementary sites and $15.1 million in high‑school district projects, with a peak of roughly 500 workers on campus. The work included classroom upgrades, restroom renovations, new furniture, amphitheater construction, gym floor work, pool tiling and other site improvements. Facilities staff said this summer's outlays were funded by parcel tax and bond measures and that additional project videos and progress reels will be shared for ongoing projects.

Board reaction and next steps: Trustees thanked staff for the report and asked for follow‑ups on several items, including the middle‑school pilot, artificial intelligence guidance and how AP and a–g access is being increased across both high schools. Staff said they will return with additional updates in coming months and continue coordination across TK–12 to align curriculum and supports.

What the board did not decide: the presentation was informational; no formal action on curriculum, staffing or capital projects occurred at the meeting beyond consent items earlier in the agenda.

Ending note: district leaders framed the year as one of alignment across TK–12, continued investment in facilities and a focus on equitable access for multilingual learners, advanced coursework and homegrown teacher recruitment through the residency program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SRCS Board of Education Regular Meeting - Sept. 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Sept. 23 meeting the San Rafael City Schools superintendent and staff reported a roughly 210‑student enrollment decline year‑over‑year, stable attendance rates near 96–97%, expanded teacher‑resident cohorts, and about $29.5 million in facility work completed across the elementary and high school districts during the summer.","taxTitle","San Rafael City High, School Districts, California","taxId",76640,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5975488,"San Rafael school board votes to pursue public sale of McPhail surplus property; neighbors urge community center instead",2039,2096000,4135000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5843767-c2f009ba66a3feb11c085107dea84bd5&start=2096&end=4135","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5843767-c2f009ba66a3feb11c085107dea84bd5/thumbnail_2096000.jpg","/articles/5975488/California/San-Rafael-school-board-votes-to-pursue-public-sale-of-McPhail-surplus-property-neighbors-urge-community-center-instead","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975488-2b22e945ae6673fafcc379ec9c034c07/orig.mp4?Expires=1773577867&Signature=EokrPtQoZlp~YmmgAh2HsmlyhzGSmoIhM44sMhOPE9vc93iUBx2swoFNbAowo8GeHITevqdk~SMjQ-ckgOb4o~4Evvk8tpmxkOVcNEaaT4VMRJinY5LQ0-cj1iyTzQfSUNNCVzbhg2YGiuTnbulZf~3wLaCL7fG-My8WB1O58~K6dOS9JD1WzjS3YaDtsB~VgoxeZxCu-78Zy1ejaMMoe-GYS-H5iP3G-l~BT5vcde8-ZLk6QUDdwgrud5DhZtQRPinK7rii0upGs-D3PtT~w1TNCMzYPsiySi1XEtuM5a9BSOVvZ8btqwHDrhw-bTiRvNd5-km8pXjgDTujdqPRug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Rafael City Schools Board of Education voted Sept. 23 to declare its intention to sell the district's surplus McPhail property and to open the site to public competitive bidding. Deputy Superintendent Bob Marcucci told the board the parcel covers about 9.76 acres on Mendola Drive in the Santa Venetia area and that Education Code procedures require the board to set the minimum sale price and the schedule for receiving sealed and oral bids.

The board's action follows years of outreach and prior offers: the district declared McPhail surplus in 1979 and reaffirmed that status subsequently, most recently in March 2024. Marcucci said staff received two eligible, compliant written offers and one ineligible offer, engaged in extended good‑faith negotiations, and was unable to reach an acceptable purchase agreement. He said staff recommends public competitive bidding so the district can ensure the property is sold at fair market value and that any sale proceeds are used only for capital improvements or ongoing facility maintenance in the elementary district.

Why it matters: the McPhail site is adjacent to a residential neighborhood, wetland areas and active community organizations. Neighbors told trustees the property has been a local blight for decades but urged them to preserve it as a low‑impact community resource rather than sell to private developers.

At the meeting Marcucci outlined the formal timetable set in the draft resolution: sealed written bids must be received by San Rafael City Schools by 5 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2026; eligible oral bids may be made at the public board meeting on Jan. 27, 2026; and the board will open and consider all sealed and oral bids at that Jan. 27 meeting. \"The minimum bid shall be no less than $6,000,000,\" Marcucci said. He also reiterated the statutory requirement that sale proceeds be used for capital projects or facility maintenance, not the district's general fund.

Public comment: about a dozen residents and nonprofit representatives spoke during the allotted public‑comment period, urging the board to slow the sale, prioritize community uses or negotiate restrictions on future buyers. Giselle Block, a long‑time Santa Venetia resident, said, \"So this is not the highest and best use for the community,\" and asked the board to reconcile that view with the district's stated goal of serving students and neighbors. Gina Hagen, president of the neighborhood association, said the site has been \"a magnet for ... blight\" and that the community has pursued low‑impact uses for decades. Speakers cited concerns about wetlands, traffic and loss of a potential community center; several asked the district to continue negotiations with local nonprofits such as Santa Venetia Commons rather than immediately accept the highest monetary offer.

Board discussion and vote: Trustee Lau acknowledged the community's input and said the board must balance neighborhood preferences with its fiduciary responsibility to sustain district finances and facilities. \"Our primary focus ... is to educate our students and protect the best interests of those in our school district,\" Lau said, noting the district's structural budget pressures and the legal process the board must follow. After discussion, Trustee Lau moved to adopt the resolution declaring the board's intention to sell the McPhail site and to set the terms described in the resolution; Trustee DeNammar Marsh seconded the motion. The chair called for the ayes and announced the motion passed.

Next steps: with the resolution adopted, staff will proceed to publish the bid notice, continue neighborhood outreach and post updates on the district website as the bid and review process proceeds toward the Jan. 2026 deadline. Any final sale will require the board to accept the highest and best bid after the Jan. 27, 2026 public meeting; the district emphasized that funds from any sale must be committed to facilities work in the elementary district.

Context and constraints: Marcucci noted the district previously offered priority notice to certain public entities and eligible nonprofit organizations before pursuing other sale channels; the board previously approved two leases for the old Galena site, with WildCare and Galena Valley Little League, showing staff's willingness to pursue nonprofit partnerships. Marcucci also said the district is committed to transparency and additional outreach to neighborhood stakeholders during the sale process.

What the board did not decide: the vote declared the board's intent to sell and set the competitive‑bid process; it did not accept a specific purchase offer or change the statutory requirement that sale proceeds be used for capital projects.

Ending note: neighbors and nonprofit advocates left the hearing urging continued dialogue and alternatives to a standard highest‑bid sale; trustees said they would continue outreach while complying with Education Code sale procedures.","The San Rafael City Schools board voted to declare its intention to sell the 9.76‑acre McPhail site and to offer it for competitive public bids with a minimum price of $6,000,000. Neighbors and nonprofits urged the board to favor a community center or park over private development during a lengthy public comment period.","actionData","errors"]

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San Rafael district reports steady attendance, enrollment dip and $29.5M in summer capital work

San Rafael school board votes to pursue public sale of McPhail surplus property; neighbors urge community center instead