Roundup: You are here
Counting heads, latte art, and other seasonal inducements
In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation posted this map of Southern Pomo and Coast Miwok villages and seasonal encampments along the shores of the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
More students for Analy
Analy’s Annual Showcase, to which all west county 8th graders and their families are invited, is happening on Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The evening starts out in the theater with performances from music, dance, drama and video production, and then moves into the gym where prospective students can interact with Analy teachers from each department, enjoy treats from the culinary class, and then head off for campus tours.
The showcase is the centerpiece of Analy’s recruitment efforts, but it is by no means the only one. According to Ag teacher Heidi Mickelson, students from the leadership class and the Ag department, as well as band teacher Casey Jones (with band) have been fanning out across west county, visiting all the middle schools and trying to recruit students for Analy for next year.
They’re doing this because Analy, like most high schools around the county, has seen a decreasing number of students every year.
At the last school board meeting, Superintendent Chris Meredith gave a brief and cheery report on enrollment. He said “Our enrollment is up, our interdistrict transfers-out down, our interdistrict transfers-in up, and students who've left the district for private schools or non-traditional schooling models is down. So all indicators for enrollment trends are in the green.”
In claiming that the enrollment was up, what he meant was that the number of students enrolled in August was 55 more than expected.
In his staff report, he noted, “The District consulted with a demographer in 2022-2023 to accurately forecast and predict enrollment trends in West County. The demographer provided the 9th - 12th grade enrollment projection of 1,475 (1,395 Analy & 80 Laguna) for the 2023-2024 school year. The District built the multi-year projections utilizing the demographer study projected enrollment numbers. As reflected in the enrollment data presented, the District saw an increase in enrollment for Analy of 55 students.”
A simple perusal of the numbers tells us something else, however. In fact, there has been a steady, multi-year decline in the number of students attending WSCUHSD schools (Analy and Laguna), a trend that is matched countywide.
The biggest drop came during the closure of El Molino, when roughly 250-plus students decided to go elsewhere.
First Friday Enrollment
Aug. 2016 -1,893 students
Aug. 2017-1,831
Aug. 2018-1,785
Aug. 2019-1,781
Aug. 2020-1,804
Aug. 2021-1,649 (the year El Molino closed)
Aug. 2022-1,532
Aug. 2023-1,520
It’s clear that Analy is still digging itself out of that hole, and in an environment where the potential pool of students is shrinking countywide.
Meredith wasn’t wrong, however, when he credited “the efforts of the Analy staff in providing a more robust recruiting process.” The Analy staff has coming out fighting like, well, Tigers, for every new enrollment they can get. And we bet the Annual Showcase—and the staff and students’ hard work in recruiting—will pay off in even higher numbers next year.
Getting in the spirit…
It’s hard to decide what our favorite Halloween activity in Sebastopol is. Trick or Treating – or just sightseeing—on Florence Avenue on Halloween night is hard to beat, but we’re also a fan of the Halloween Latte Art Throwdown (and Costume Party), which happens Thursday, Oct. 26 from 6 to 9 pm and features baristas from around the area whipping out their coolest or spookiest latte art. In the past this has happened at Retrograde Coffee, but this year you’ll have to trek to Brew, 555 Healdsburg Ave., Santa Rosa, to see your favorite local baristas compete for cash prizes.
You could also enter your dog in the Halloween Dog Costume Contest at the Sebastopol Paw Spa. Costume categories include Silliest, Most Creative, Best Handler/Dog Duo. Best Overall Costume will receive a basket worth over $200. This will be happening on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 10 am to 5 pm at 916 Gravenstein Hwy. S.
New city website address
The city of Sebastopol website address will change on Wednesday, Oct. 25, to https://cityofsebastopol.gov. City email addresses for all employees, including the police department, will change as well. Make a note of it.
Drug drop-off
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, Oct. 28, 10 am to 2 pm. Take your unneeded medications in their plastic containers to the Sebastopol Police Department, 6850 Laguna Parkway. They will dispose of them safely. (Remove personal information from the containers if possible.)
Speaking of Trick or Treat…
Become a paid subscriber to the Sebastopol Times between now and Halloween Night and you’ll be entered to win a seasonal basket of local treats. Become a Paid Subscriber today.
