Parents, teachers and students press Santa Rosa board over layoffs, consolidation and administrator removals

The Santa Rosa City Schools Board of Education heard a detailed report on the district's school consolidation and transition plans on March 26 while dozens of parents, teachers and students used public comment to demand the reinstatement of site administrators and clearer information about recent layoffs and school closures.

The meeting included an update from district staff on how empowered teams, implementation teams and a design steering group are coordinating the consolidation work, and several speakers said those plans have not prevented confusion on the ground. Parents and staff recounted a March 14 staffing incident at Hidden Valley Elementary in which many classroom adults and substitutes did not report, leaving some young children unsupervised until parents arrived, and called for a root‑cause analysis and stronger protocols for staff absences.

District officials described the transition process and next steps. They said empowered teams and implementation teams are drafting weekly updates; a transition web page and a frequently asked questions document have been posted; a pool of vetted moving companies will be presented to the board on April 9; and appeals for recent intra‑district transfer decisions are scheduled for the week of April 7. Staff also briefed the board on special education…