One such effort is the work of our local schools and a District team to develop a Facilities Master Plan, which will guide the maintenance and modernization of our facilities so all of our kids learn in high quality physical learning environments.  So, you may ask, "What is a Facilities Master Plan?"  Simply put, it is a long range strategic plan that specifically addresses what our schools and support facilities will look like for the foreseeable future.  It address the entire continuum of our facility needs from meeting basic life and safety codes to classrooms that reflect the learning world of the present and future.

Presently, individual school teams are addressing school based issues.  A District Facilities Master Plan committee (FMPC), comprised of staff, parents, and community, assists our staff and the Board of Trustees in setting the District vision for our facilities.  This work is one more example of our educational family pulling together in a strategic fashion so the Mill Valley School District continues to get better and better in all areas. We continue to move toward greatness!

Greatness does not occur overnight.  It happens over time, in small, incremental steps, and often, the organization may not be able to quantify when or where that inflection point to greatness occurred.  Jim Collins, author of Built To Last, Good To Great, and Good To Great in the Social Sectors, whose work our strategic plan team studied, encountered this phenomenon repeatedly when interviewing leaders of organizations that, by his methodology, had moved from good to great.  Said another way, "It is the thousands of little things that add up to the unassailable advantage."

We want our learning community to join us in addressing opportunities and challenges every day, in both small and large ways, to continue to move toward greatness.  Whether you are a staff member in any capacity, parent, student, Foundation or PTA member, or an involved community member, the little things we do every day add up to that advantage, and move our District on that 'greatness' pathway.  As we approach winter break in the next few weeks, I continue to be grateful for the opportunities presented to me as a member of this 'great' educational family.  I hope you feel likewise.

Happy Holidays,

Ken Benny

At the November School Board Meeting: 

• Mill Valley Principal Matt Huxley updated the Board on the Middle School's Navigating Educational Trails (NET) Program, an alternative education program now in its third year of operation.  This program, begun in 2005-2006 is supported by additional District funding to serve specific students in a smaller learning community.

• Outgoing Trustees Monib Khademi and Laura Murphy were honored by their colleagues for their years of dedicated service to the Mill Valley Schools at a reception prior to the Board meeting. We are grateful for their combined sixteen years of service to the children of Mill Valley.

At the December 5th School Board meeting:

• The Board approved a two year collective bargaining agreement with the Mill Valley Teachers Association (MVTA) to include competitive compensation and health benefits.  The Board also approved like compensation and benefits increases for administrators and unrepresented employees.  Additionally, the Board extended increases in health benefits for classified employees in California School Employees Association (CSEA).

At the next School Board meeting on December 12th:

• Incoming Board members Janet Miller and Judy Sherman will be sworn in by Marin County Superintendent Mary Jane Burke at their first official meeting as Board Members. The Board will then assign officers and committee responsibilities.

• Superintendent Ken Benny and Principals Peg Katz and Gail van Adelsberg will provide the board with an update on the work of the Mill Valley Teaching and Learning Collaborative, with an emphasis on professional development throughout the District.

• A follow-up report on the 2005-2015 Enrollment Projection Report will be presented by Tom Williams of Enrollment Projection Consultants. Mr. Williams presented an initial report in April 2006.  Due to increased enrollment in three consecutive years, the Board requested an updated projection.

• Superintendent Ken Benny will present for first reading changes to Policy and Administrative Regulation 5111.3 "Student Enrollment and School Assignment".