Message from the Superintendent: Get Involved and Make a Difference in Our Schools!

Get Involved and Make a Difference in Our Schools!

Dear SRCS Community, At San Rafael City Schools, we believe that the success of our students and schools is built on strong partnerships between families, teachers, staff and our community. One of the best ways to get involved is by joining one of our District committees. These groups bring together representatives to collaborate, share ideas and give feedback to help shape decisions that impact all of our students. Your voice matters — and your participation helps ensure that the diverse perspectives of our District are represented. Whether you’re passionate about student achievement, budget priorities or creating welcoming and inclusive learning environments, there’s a place for you. Below are a few of the opportunities to get involved this year. Please consider joining us to be part of the important work we do together for our students!  Sincerely, Carmen Diaz Ghysels Superintendent Spanish interpretation is available for all meetings by request Strategic Plan Refresh Taskforce The Strategic Plan Taskforce will review and refresh SRCS’ Together 2024 plan to ensure it remains a dynamic roadmap for student, staff and District success. As a member, you’ll help reaffirm our SRCS values, culture and graduate profile, and importantly, revise our goals and actions to ensure we are meeting the needs of all our students. Your voice will influence the priorities and strategies that support student achievement and continuous improvement. Furthermore, the work will closely align with recent plans and efforts, such as our Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP), Artificial Intelligence Task Force, Committee on Culture, Equity and Belonging and more.  Meeting Details Location: District Office Boardroom (310 Nova Albion Way) Time: 5:45 - 7 pm Dates: Oct. 15; Nov. 5; Jan. 7; March 18; May 6 Questions? Contact superintendent@srcs.org or 415-492-3233 Learn more | Sign up Budget Advisory Committees SRCS is faced with the very difficult task of planning for budget reductions for both our Elementary School District (serves grades TK-8) and High School District (services grades 9-12). We'll need our community to work together to make the best decisions in how to reduce our spending for next school year and beyond. The primary financial challenge affecting us and many other districts across California is that we are approaching the very end of the large, one-time state grants provided in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. At the same time, rising daily operational costs continue to put pressure on our budget. As we navigate these tough choices to manage the many competing demands on our resources, we need your engagement. The Budget Advisory Committees will serve as the primary venue for these important discussions. It is especially important for participants to attend all of the first four meetings, as we expect to present proposed budget reductions to the Board on December 16, 2025. Meeting Details Location: District Office Boardroom (310 Nova Albion Way) Time: 4:15 - 5:15 pm (unless otherwise noted) ESD Dates: Sept. 16; Oct. 21; Nov. 19; Dec. 9; Jan. 22; Feb. 11; March 11; April 22; May 20 HSD Dates: Sept. 17; Oct. 22; Nov. 20; Dec. 10; Jan. 21; Feb. 12 (5 - 6 pm); March 12 (5 - 6 pm); April 23; May 21 Questions? Contact business-services@srcs.org or 415-492-3205 Sign up   District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) DELAC is an essential committee composed of parents and staff who collaborate with District leadership on key issues affecting English learner (EL) student success. DELAC helps advise the District on programs and services for ELs, including: development the District’s plan for ELs; conducting a district-wide needs assessment; establishing programs, goals and objectives to serve our ELs; reviewing the District’s reclassification procedures and more. Through DELAC, you’ll help ensure our District’s programs for English learners are responsive, equitable  and effective - and that parent and guardian perspectives play a central role in shaping our policy and practice. Meeting Details Location: via Zoom (links sent prior to meetings) Time: 6 - 7:30 pm (unless otherwise noted) Dates: Sept. 18; Oct. 9; Nov. 13 (6 - 7 pm); Jan. 8 (6 - 7 pm); Feb. 12; April 16; May 7 Note: Conducted in Spanish with English interpretation available by request  Questions? Contact krico@srcs.org or 415-492-3590 Learn more | No sign up necessary Committee for School Culture, Equity and Belonging This committee seeks to identify opportunities for how our District and schools can improve our approach to creating more equitable, supportive and inclusive environments in our schools for all SRCS students. A committee member is a thought partner and a community advocate and will provide personal and representative input on the District’s equity efforts. This school year, the committee will review the recommendations from last year to prioritize and strategize how to implement.  Meeting Details Location: District Office Boardroom (310 Nova Albion Way) Time: 5:45 - 7 pm  Dates: Sept. 24; Nov. 12; Jan. 21; April 15 Questions? Contact ksalazar@srcs.org or 415-492-3738 Sign up: Contact Student Services at ksalazar@srcs.org or 415-492-3738   YouthTruth: Online Survey for All Coming Soon If you cannot commit to an ongoing committee, know that your voice can still be heard! This December, the District will once again partner with YouthTruth to conduct online comprehensive surveys to hear directly from those we serve about what we are doing well, and how we can improve. There will be survey opportunities for all parents and guardians and staff members, as well as students in grades 3-12. Stay tuned for more information.  More! We also have opportunities for committees focused on the following topics: curriculum advisory; safety; special education; school calendar; digital literacy; community schools; parcel tax oversight; and bond oversight. If any of these interest you, please contact superintendent@srcs.org or 415-492-3233 to learn more!      San Rafael City Schools www.srcs.org  |  communications@srcs.org 310 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA 94903