Summer Update - Whitmarsh, WCSTNow, McMorris

Summer is here, and with summer we have vacations, camps, BBQ's and fireworks. While we relish in summertime fun, the issues that plague MDUSD and Northgate continue. Here is a quick update:

1. MDUSD has had a very publicly split board for most of the past year. The lines have been drawn with Eberhart and Strange on one side and Treece, Allen and Mayo on the other. This divide is seen, and heard, on blogs, at community meetings, and most importantly in voting records. After the November election the board majority may be very different and may represent a real chance for change in this district.
Sherry Whitmarsh has thrown her hat in the ring and is running for MDUSD School Board. She is backed by board members Paul Strange and Gary Eberhart. Strange and Eberhart have been calling for the Superintendent's resignation and replacement of board member April Treece. Both April Treece and Gary Eberhart are up for reelection in November.
To read more about Sherry Whitmarsh: HERE

2. Many Walnut Creek residents who live within the boundaries of the Mt. Diablo School District believe their concerns are not being heard by the MDUSD school board. In fact, that point was never more clear than last January when the school board dismissed the petition for the Northgate feeder pattern schools to leave the district, as nothing more than the interest of twenty parents. In response, over 100 supporters stood in the cold and rain this past winter to collect signatures from approximately 4,000 Walnut Creek supporters.
Walnut Creek Schools Together Now continues to move forward with the transfer of the Northgate feeder pattern schools out of MDUSD. In addition, their proposal would unite the vast majority of Walnut Creek children, and all of the city's schools, into the same school system. The County Committee has called for a hearing on September 10. Get involved.
To read more about Walnut Creek Schools Together Now: HERE

3. After years of ineffective leadership, Northgate is getting a new principal. During the few short months that interim principal Carl Toliver was at the helm, Northgate students and parents saw improvement in staff friendliness, the reassessment of ridiculous rules, a can-do attitude, and finally more AP classes. Things are far from perfect, we are still faced with low teacher morale, high teacher turnover and a subsequent drop in teaching experience. Test scores are continuing to fall behind when compared to other similar schools and there is still no AP English. Incoming principal, John McMorris will now be charged with addressing these issues, and others. We hope he addresses them aggressively and with the interest of the students in mind.
To read more about John McMorris: HERE

4. Mr. Eric Kapral will not be returning to Northgate, he has taken a job elsewhere. The MDUSD strategic plan process is stalled. The MDUSD parcel tax is still being bantered about.