Date: March 18, 2025
To: Sebastopol City Council
From: Sara Gramm, Superintendent, Sebastopol Union School District Deborah Drehmel, President, Board of Trustees
Re: 13. Consideration of Request for Quarterly Joint City Council/Sebastopol School District Meetings We’d like to comment on Item # 13 on the March 18 City Council Meeting.
We appreciate the open lines of communication and more recent cross collaboration with city staff members (city manager, public works, fire & police chiefs) to plan, problem solve and develop ideas and initiatives as needed.
The idea of a one-time opportunity to share goals, and provide information regarding areas of common interest is worth further discussion. In recognition that everyone’s time is constrained, all staff are hard at work on their primary responsibilities, and there isn’t that much overlap on areas of concern, we feel that ongoing joint committee work would be difficult to sustain. The District would consider a meeting to share a “state of the city” & “state of WSCUHSD & SUSD,” and possibly clarify areas of joint interest.
As points of information, we understand that at one time Cotati Rohnert Park & SSU held joint committee meetings, which have since been dissolved. Sebastopol City has, at various times, appointed a council member as school district liaison. While these initiatives increase mutual understanding, the core responsibilities of each governance body have little overlap. On February 12, 2025, the City of Windsor and Windsor Unified School District held a one-time Special Joint Meeting. They shared “State of the city and the state of the school district” reports. The only quarterly meetings referenced were Safety Meetings with Police, Fire & school representatives, which our staff already do on an as needed basis.
Again, we’re very appreciative of the relationship between the city and school district.
Thank you for your time and your service to the Sebastopol community.
Sincerely,
Sara Gramm and Deborah Drehmel
District Office
7611 Huntley Street
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 829-4570 office
(707) 829-7427 fax
www.sebastopolschools.org
“Elevating Excellence for All”
Park Side Elementary School
Molly Bulwa, Principal
7450 Bodega Avenue
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 829-7400
Brook Haven Middle School
Sara Gramm, Superintendent/Principal
7905 Valentine Avenue
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 829-4590
CASTLE Preschool & Child Care
Ashley VanBezooyen, Director
7601 Huntley Street
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 829-4577
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