Council meets with MDUSD trustees
On Wednesday, March 5, the Clayton City Council and Mt. Diablo Unified School district held a historic joint meeting.
During the struggles to win approval for Clayton Valley High School to become a charter school, it became apparent that the relationship between our city council and the school district was very thin.
Vice Mayor David Shuey led an effort to establish a stronger relationship between the city and the district. Unfortunately, the school board at the time had no interest in meeting with our city council or a sub-committee of our council.
However, I believe that Vice Mayor Shuey’s efforts exposed a need for greater collaboration between the MDUSD and the cities that it serves.
When current School Board President Barbara Oaks reached out to schedule a meeting we were grateful and excited for the opportunity to meet. Along with President Oaks, board members Linda Mayo and Cheryl Hansen (a Clayton resident) met with the Clayton City Council in our meeting room at the Clayton Library.
MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer gave a presentation on the new Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and new Local Control Funding Formulas (LCFF.) The state is changing the way it funds our schools and the way our schools are being held accountable. Details are still being worked out but the district seems enthusiastic about the changes.
We shared what we have been doing as a community to promote good character with our Do the Right Thing program.
The Board provided information on enrollment, student achievement, the new Common Core standards and improvement projects. Police Chief Chris Thorsen, talked about the ongoing challenges at Mt. Diablo Elementary School around traffic safety.
The meeting ended with a mutual appreciation for the opportunity to exchange information and to have an open dialogue. We sincerely appreciate Barbara Oaks, Cheryl Hansen and Linda Mayo, along with Dr. Nellie Meyer and the other district employees who were in attendance, for taking the time to meet with us.
The two governing bodies expressed the desire to meet again, possibly on an annual basis. We hope that what started off as a historical meeting turns into a regular occurrence.
Email your questions or comments to hstratford@ci.clayton.ca.us