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Walker Creek staff report enrollment shortfall, new grants and major facility work
Summary
Walker Creek Ranch staff told the Marin County Board of Education they are rebuilding enrollment after COVID, projecting roughly 4,200 student visits this year and working to reach a 160‑students‑per‑week goal; staff also reported grants and extensive reroofing, recarpeting and water/sewage upgrades to support outdoor education.
Presenter (Walker Creek staff) gave a detailed update on Walker Creek Ranch operations, reporting current outdoor‑school enrollment near 130 students per week against a 160/week target and a projected ~4,200 student visits this year. The presenter highlighted a recent Brewster West Foundation grant and described a multi‑year plan that pairs a conference program with the outdoor school to help the program become sustainable.
"We've received a grant from the Brewster West Foundation of $10,000 last year that we used to support a full scholarship," the presenter said, describing scholarship use to bring Marin City students to Walker Creek. Staff said conference occupancy last year rose above the 35% target and the conference division produced roughly $250,000 in profit for the 2024‑25 school year; conference revenue is being leveraged to offset outdoor‑school costs.
Staff reviewed recent facility work: recarpeting and reroofing of multiple buildings, new gutters, upgraded sewage aeration and the installation of shuttle valves to isolate plumbing when needed. The update also covered the in‑house launch of food service (previously outsourced), hiring of a food‑service manager and permanent kitchen staff, and creation of new changing stations for student privacy.
Board members pressed staff on operational details during a Q&A. A trustee asked about drinking water and sewage treatment; staff described well sources, gravity‑fed holding tanks, a treatment building and spray fields for treated effluent. Another trustee asked how discipline and homesickness are handled; staff outlined a multi‑step conduct system that escalates contact with teachers and families and occasionally results in sending a student home.
Staff said Walker Creek will test program expansions (one‑day programs, differentiated offerings) and partner with Marin Agricultural Land Trust for a community day in spring 2026 aimed at raising local awareness and bringing families to the site. The presenter closed by saying the combination of grants, facility investments and new program management gives the ranch room to grow but that reaching the 160/week goal will require ongoing marketing and operational work.
