Valley Vista parents and staff protest principal’s exit, cite poor communication during Live Oak merger

Dozens of Valley Vista parents, staff and allied union leaders told the Petaluma City Schools board on March 18 that they were shocked and upset to learn that Valley Vista Elementary principal Jamie Bushman will not continue after the school’s merger with Live Oak Charter. Speakers said the decision and the district’s communication about it have eroded trust and risk leaving the school’s most vulnerable students without needed supports.

The comments came during the board’s public comment period, which the board said it could not respond to at the meeting. Multiple speakers urged the district to explain why Bushman will not remain at Valley Vista and to ensure services for English learners and other students continue uninterrupted.

Why it matters: Valley Vista is a neighborhood public Waldorf campus with a largely Latino and English-learner population; speakers said the school’s community-supported leaders provide crucial day-to-day supports. Parents and staff warned that the transition to a combined campus with Live Oak — which speakers said will include “over 450 students” on the same site — could overshadow the needs of the roughly 85 students expected to remain at Valley Vista without intentional planning and communication.

Dana Levy, an education specialist at Valley Vista and a Live Oak parent, said the shift has left teachers to “navigate the impacts” of leadership change and urged the district to consider how to communicate with the 85 students who will remain on the Valley Vista campus. “We as educators are now left to navigate the impacts of that choice,” Levy said.

Kylie Minto, Valley Vista’s office manager, said she had supported the merger but felt betrayed when families learned Bushman would not continue. “These are neighborhood kids. They need a school to walk to,” Minto said. “I hope that moving forward … we don't lose sight of those students, especially our English learners.”

Several parents, speaking in Spanish through translation, repeated similar concerns. Mario Vasquez said families have not received clear, culturally accessible information and that rumors, inconsistent details and missing translations have heightened fear in the community. A representative reading an ELAC/DLAC letter said the Latinx community “feels disappointed and left out due to the lack of support from the PCS district.” The letter, read aloud at the meeting, said the ELAC agenda was set aside because of the news about Bushman and named Assistant Superintendent Jason Setter as the recipient of the letter.

Other speakers described personal impacts. One parent said her child came home crying after learning Bushman would not continue; another urged the board to ask Bushman to reconsider. Sandra Larson, president of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers and a long-time Valley Vista teacher, said Valley Vista staff and the classified employees are vital partners in students’ day-to-day success.

The board earlier in the meeting introduced Kat McPhee as the new principal of Valley Vista Public Waldorf Charter School for the 2025–26 school year. The district release read at the meeting said McPhee brings three decades of experience in public and Waldorf education and plans to lead the blended Valley Vista/Live Oak community on opening day in 2025.

District limitations and next steps: Speakers repeatedly requested clearer, translated communications about the merger timeline, staffing and supports for English learners. The board noted it could not act on items not on the agenda during public comment but invited written submissions. Several parents said they will present a signed letter from Valley Vista families and asked for direct outreach to Spanish-speaking families.

The public comments recorded at the meeting do not document any board vote or reversal of the staffing announcement; rather, they reflect community appeals for more transparency and direct outreach as the district completes the transition planning.

The meeting audio/transcript shows multiple speakers from the Valley Vista community and union leaders delivering similar messages of concern and requests for specific outreach and promises of supports for students.

Ending: Parents and staff asked the board to prioritize the needs of English learners and neighborhood families during the merger. The board indicated it would accept written comments and that officials would follow up outside the meeting; no formal board action was taken during the public comment period.