Midpeninsula schools went through a year full of change as administrators stepped down and new programs were introduced.
One of the biggest changes came when Sequoia Union High School District Superintendent Darnise Williams abruptly resigned following closed-door board meetings and emotional public meetings with community members alleging that the board was trying to fire her.
With a new state law in effect, some local school districts rolled out new transitional kindergarten programs for children under age 5 while districts like Ravenswood, Portola Valley and Woodside expanded their TK offerings. The Almanac documented some of the first days of these programs.
Regionally, districts continued to see student enrollment dip as families continue to leave the area because thanks to increased flexibility from remote work and from the economic pressures of the rising cost of living.
High school start times were pushed back because a new state law that took effect this past fall. It aims to improve students' academic performance and mental health by more closely aligning the school day to typical teenage sleep patterns.
Most local schools saw a decline in student performance on standardized tests this year, which were administered in the spring and were the first such assessment since the pandemic and the switch to remote learning.
Menlo Park City School District Superintendent Erik Burmeister announced he would be departing the district at the end of 2022 and named district administrator Kristen Gracia as his predecessor.
In June, voters in the Ravenswood City School District approved a $110 million bond measure to replace aging portable buildings and create preschool classrooms, among other upgrades. The district also made progress in renovating its middle school. Ravenswood officials are exploring options to lease district-owned land to improve its financial stability and is looking to build workforce housing.
In November, community members wondered why, on two separate occasions, students brought loaded guns to Menlo-Atherton High School's campus. Woodside High School faced a lockdown, which turned out to be a false "swatting" call that brought San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies to the campus to investigate.
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