I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving, and are enjoying this holiday season.
Last week, Superintendent Krause and your full board attended the CSBA Annual Education Conference in Sacramento, where we spent a few busy days learning alongside peers and connecting with board members from every corner of California. It was both energizing and reassuring to sit with people who care just as deeply about keeping students at the center of every decision. It was also sobering to hear how many of the challenges we face in Scotts Valley are being felt statewide.
The sessions were practical and thoughtful, offering tools to help us stay focused on student needs, increase transparency and navigate the ever-shifting policy landscape that shapes our schools. Listening to how other districts handle communication, governance and community trust sparked several ideas we’re excited to bring home.
Trustee Erica Turzak put it well: “I especially appreciated the conversations about elevating student voice and advocating for meaningful improvements in teaching, learning and school wellness. Talking with other board members reminded me how much we can learn from each other’s successes and struggles.”
We also received an update on California’s revenues that will lead to the governor’s first budget proposal on Jan. 10. Revenues have been strong this year, but future economic headwinds mean we’ll likely receive only one-time funds instead of the much-needed increase in our annual funding that would provide long-term stability for our students and staff. In future columns, I’ll provide more details as the 2026 budget takes shape.
In the end, the conference reaffirmed something simple but important: When we share openly, stay curious and keep students at the heart of our work, we move our entire community forward.
Progress on the Scotts Valley High stadium project remains stalled because the California Department of State Architecture (DSA) has not yet approved our plans. The DSA continues to raise highly technical, often minor questions, and our architectural team is responding as quickly as possible. However, many of the inquiries relate to procedural “box-checking” or requests for documentation dating back to 1999.
This experience is increasingly concerning, especially as we hear from other districts across the state that are facing the same frustrating, significantly delayed approval process. Unfortunately, these delays cost us both time and money. Based on the latest update, we will not be able to break ground until late January—an especially frustrating setback given rising construction costs.
On the plus side, we are making progress on the elementary school modernization, hiring contractors to conduct various needed site assessments, and working with our architect to develop plans for the new multi-purpose rooms at each site. Our initial community engagement nights provided good feedback, and our architect is working on revisions for further review.
Turning to our students’ needs, I want to share that SVUSD is partnering with the California Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) to expand funding for student health and wellness services. Through this partnership, our school has the opportunity to receive funding through Medi-Cal or private insurance for the services we already provide at no cost to families. All students benefit from these supports, which include grade-level presentations, lunch workshops, tutorial sessions focused on health and wellness and individual or group counseling. As more parents join the program, we are able to bill insurance and Medi-Cal to fund these vital services.
When I returned from Sacramento, I was able to enjoy the high school’s latest drama production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The play was a wonderful mix of witty dialogue and mistaken identities that made everyone laugh. Hats off to the student cast and crew for another amazing production! You can still enjoy the show with the last two performances being held on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13, at 7pm.
Looking ahead to January, I encourage you to save the date for Scotts Valley Middle School’s “Jam in January” on Jan. 16 from 5-7pm. Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Warriors, this event is always a lot of fun, culminating in the traditional epic basketball face-off between students and staff. Once the holidays are over, this is a fun night to keep your spirits bright into the new year!
Open enrollment for Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and new families is now open. More details can be found on the SVUSD Pre-Registration website, or simply visit scottsvalleyusd.org to learn more and enroll your children.
Our students, teachers and staff will be enjoying a much-deserved Winter Break from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2. During this time, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends, and many joyful and prosperous beginnings in 2026.
Roger Snyder is the Board President of Scotts Valley Unified School District. He may be contacted at rs*****@*************sd.org.
