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Daily education news and conversation

Art exhibit for Petaluma high school students

Students from Casa Grande, Petaluma  and St. Vincent de Paul high schools will have their art on display at the Petaluma Arts Center from March 15-30. The High School Masterworks exhibit will show the work of about 100 advance placement art classes from the three schools. Students will select and frame their work, as well as participate in planning, marketing, installing and sell pieces, according to organizers. An opening reception is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on March… Read More »

Petaluma High School to hold open house

Petaluma High School is hosting an information night for prospective students and their families from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The showcase will feature information on the school’s pathways programs, electives, Advanced Placement and honors classes, the band, athletics and clubs. Faculty members will make presentations and show displays. The program is designed for local sixth through eighth graders, according to the school. Students and parents can take tours as part of the program. The showcase will be… Read More »

Holley named asst. principal at Petaluma High

Bennett Holley has been named interim assistant principal at Petaluma High School. He is also joining Petaluma City School’s District Leadership Team, according to the distict. Holley took over Aug. 9 and was introduced to the school board on Tuesday. Holley has taught physical education and sports medicine at Petaluma High School for five years, and last year taught two sections of human interaction at Casa Grande High School.

PHS Class of ’71 tonight! When’s yours?

Reunion season is upon us. As I did last year, I’ll try to post and repost calls for classmates as often as practicable throughout the spring or summer. So if you and your Sonoma County classmates are having a reunion this summer, shoot me an email with the details and event website if possible and I’ll add it to the rolling list. Please note that many of these events are multiple day affairs so please check their websites for more… Read More »

Seven recent grads earn scholarships

Seven recent graduates of Sonoma County high schools were among those awarded scholarships from the California Druidic Order last month. The $1,000 awards were given to students who are committed to furthering their education. The 2011 winners are:             Allison Bailey, Novato High School, Novato, CA             Stephanie Black, Middletown Christian High School, Middletown, CA             Tyler Cook, Healdsburg High School, Healdsburg, CA             Erika Eide, San Marin High School, Novato, CA             Colin Gallagher, Petaluma High School, Petaluma, CA… Read More »

UPDATED: Co-principals named at Petaluma High

UPDATED: A reader comment prompted me to check back in with Petaluma City Schools on the number of years Brian Howard was principal at Petaluma High. It was four, not six, years. It has been updated below. Good catch, Jake. ____ Petaluma City Schools has tapped two former employees to join forces and become interim co-principals at Petaluma High School. Four year veteran Brian Howard left the principal post to become principal at Willowide Middle School, according to Ron Everett,… Read More »

Nine local seniors to be honored in Sac today

Nine Sonoma County high school seniors are scheduled to be honored today in Sacramento for winning Comcast’s Leaders and Achievers Scholarship. The local winners are: Austin Schmidt of Cloverdale High School Elizabeth Fox of El Molino High School  Suzanne McNamara of Casa Grande Senior High School  Laura Smith of Petaluma High School  Nicole Thompson of St. Vincent High School  Janice Castro of Roseland University Prep  Bethany Codding of Ursuline High School Rebecca Hildebrant of Rincon Valley Christian School Carlos Velasquez… Read More »

Petaluma automotive tech team takes 2nd

The team of Jackson Vossler and Tyler Weis from Petaluma High School won second place in Friday’s Northern California Ford/AAA Auto Skills Competition in Danville. A team from Fortuna High won the northern California division and a pair from San Luis Obispo took overall honors for California and will represent the state at a national competition in Dearborn Michigan on June 14. The students, working at Blackhawk Museum, in Danville, were tasked with diagnosing and repairing a deliberately “bugged” vehicle… Read More »

Petaluma High French students get petanque-y

Do you petanque? French teacher Sarah Wadsworth and about 25 Petaluma High School French students got a lesson in the classic French game (think of something akin to bocce) from the Petaluma Valley Petanque Club. The lesson was given in French in Oak Hill Park Friday afternoon. Club members Sabine and Roger Mattei, Frank Pipal and Christine Lemore Drake gave game instructions in French. Earlier this month, the club hosted a lesson on the rules of the game in English… Read More »

Valley Vista students to get lesson in nutrition

Students at Valley Vista Elementary School in Petaluma are scheduled to get a primer on nutrition and healthy eating from members of a child development class at Petaluma High School Tuesday morning. Dana Dickinson’s introduction to child development class is using a $450 grant from the Sonoma County Office of Education to purchase local produce and products and give a presentation to two primary grade classes at Valley Vista. “They planned healthy foods that they are taking to the elementary… Read More »