1503 Willowside Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Love this school helped my daughter's iep

My daughter is going into her Junior year. She is doing excellent academically (according to her grades), but I feel the school is not preparing her for the rigor of a top college like I wish they would. They are more concerned with everyone passing and leaving no kid behind. They are wasting money and time trying to prepare every kid for college even though many have no intention, nor the aptitude to finish college. Meanwhile, we have a huge shortage of tradesmen in the workforce. What happened to the attitude of graduating kids with skills to make good wages and an honest living without needing college? We are doing them and those wanting to go to college a disservice. They must water down the higher-level classes so those that are not academically inclined can pass, yet they still don't need nor care what they kind of learned. I guess this is more of a district issue, but Piner could make their classes as hard as they should be and if some fail, so be it. Maybe then the district will get a clue. Another complaint I have is about the lack of pushing the kids to strive for the best. They are happy to push kids to easier schools like SSU. Why not push them to the UC's and if they fall short they can attend SRJC and TAG to a UC? Come on counseling staff and administration. Many kids are more capable than you give them credit for and will only do what you tell them to. Help them dream bigger with higher goals.The best thing about this school is the Early College Magnet program which many in other schools don't know about. My daughter is on track to finish the IGETC requirements and be certified by SRJC. Then she won't have to do any General Education classes when she is in college. I have to do all of the research myself. Unfortunately, it feels like I know a lot more about college planning than the staff at Piner or any other Santa Rosa school.Overall, she is having a good experience, but I feel they have a lot to improve on.

Now that kids five and up are eligible for covid vaccination, and the pandemic picture is looking much better I was surprised that Jack London will no longer allow parents on campus even briefly to drop off or pick up their kids even if you are masked, vaccinated, and outdoors the entire time. We were allowed to do this for almost three months, but now we are being told to "stay in our cars." Never mind that I walk my young daughter to school. The ironic thing is that I'm in closer contact with more kids while I stand at the back gate of the school than I ever was before when I was on campus! Ridiculous. The whole school packs into the cafeteria for Monday assemblies and kids eat lunch in close quarters, particularly when it rains, so it's not like they are overly cautious about everything.The teachers here have been great so far in my experience and I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools. It's just a shame that instead of rebuilding community at this stage of the pandemic the school chooses to remain distant and literally closed off.