Alvarenga to retire

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

Does anybody know anything about this person?  Contact me privately.  Thanks.

Pete Farruggio


San Rafael school chief Alvarenga to retire
<mailto:twhitaker@marinij.com?subject=Marin%20Independent%20Journal:%20San%20Rafael%20school%20chief%20Alvarenga%20to%20retire>Tad 
Whitaker
Article Launched: 03/14/2007 12:09:12 AM PDT
http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_5431763
San Rafael city schools Superintendent Laura Alvarenga says she will 
retire July 1 after six years with the district.
San Rafael City Schools Superintendent Laura Alvarenga announced 
Tuesday she will retire effective July 1.

The announcement came less than eight months after Alvarenga, 55, 
signed a three-year contract extension that included a $10,700 raise, 
bumping her up to $172,000 annually.

She said she decided last fall to retire to take care of her ailing 
parents and, even though they died within six weeks of each other 
this winter, her mind was made up. It will allow her to spend time 
with her husband and two children, who live on the peninsula full 
time while she stays in San Anselmo during the work week.

"I'm going to join the ranks of retirees," she said. "There never is 
a good time, but this seems like the right time for me."

Greg Knell, president of the San Rafael Board of Education, commended 
Alvarenga for strengthening the district's relationship with the 
city, county and Dixie School District.

"I personally appreciate what she's done," he said.

The board will discuss finding Alvarenga's replacement at a future meeting.

Doug Milani, president of the San Rafael Federation of Teachers, said 
Alvarenga was always honest and straightforward even when discussing 
difficult issues such as grievances.

"We had a good working relationship," he said.

Alvarenga, who was hired from the Emeryville Unified School District 
in 2001, had a difficult time speaking English when she emigrated 
from Mexico to the United States at 14. She went on to earn a 
doctorate in education from Columbia University Teachers College in 
New York along with dual master's degrees from San Francisco State University.

She started out as a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School 
District and rose through the system for 23 years, eventually 
becoming associate superintendent.

During her six years in San Rafael, she oversaw $170 million worth of 
modernization projects, helped pass $100 million in bond measures and 
an eight-year extension of parcel taxes, and created a mentor program 
for teachers. Test scores also improved.

The elementary district saw its API scores rise from 688 in 2001 to 
771 in 2006. In the high school district, scores increased from 672 
in 2001 to 720 in 2005.

However, those gains came with personnel problems.

In March 2005, the district's two unions representing 400 teachers 
and staff passed a resolution calling for Alvarenga's resignation 
because of an "autocratic" management style. Two months later, more 
than 500 parents signed a petition supporting the union resolution.

"At one time, it was really difficult," she said.

Union leaders and Alvarenga's administration eventually worked 
together on issues between them and both sides claimed later that the 
relationship improved.

"We have tried to address the issues," she said.

But during the fall of 2006, the San Rafael Board of Education 
declined to renew her contract beyond the 2006-07 school year. It was 
the first time the board had failed to do so since she was appointed in 2001.

During her time without a contact, Alvarenga became a serious 
candidate for the superintendent position at the Monterey Peninsula 
Unified School District. Members of the Monterey board visited 
several San Rafael schools during the process, but Alvarenga, the 
week a vote was scheduled, withdrew her name, citing family health problems.

The San Rafael board discussed Alvarenga's status during closed 
meetings in spring 2006 and eventually approved the three-year 
contact extension.

Knell said Alvarenga and union leaders have made progress working 
with each other. He said fast contract negotiations the past two 
years are a good indicator of where the relationship stands.

"It's greatly improved," he said.