Dear Dunham School Neighbor,
Dunham Elementary School provides a rigorous academic program and a wide range of enrichment classes in an intimate, family-oriented environment. Nestled in the rural dairy lands of North Petaluma, we serve 180 students in grades TK-6. Our small size allows us to know every family and child on a personal level: their likes, learning styles, and dreams. With only one class per grade, our kids feel a sense of family and stability as they grow up together.
Dunham is also the first elementary school in the area to develop an educational program focused on sustainable agriculture, deeply anchored in our local heritage. We have established a curriculum to connect agriculture to the State’s standards in science and partnered with local farms and ranches to more closely connect our students with our neighbors. Most recently, we planned and hosted the first annual Dunham Ag Days, on Tuesday, May 28th. The Dunham Ag Days featured an array of community partners and experts, and celebrated our students’ initial reports and achievements in agriculture. We are excited to do even more in the future!
While Dunham and our team have done a good job maintaining the existing classrooms and facilities on campus (including raising more than $1 million in funds from the State), to continue expanding our efforts in agriculture and create a space for many other activities and events for students and the broader community, the School Board is now envisioning the construction of an agricultural center on our campus.
To fund a significant portion of this project, the Board is considering asking the community for support through a General Obligation (GO) bond, which the District has not sought since 1968. In addition to grants and other funds the District is and will continue seeking, a GO bond could provide approximately $1.6 million in funds to:
- Build a Dunham Agriculture Center
- Improve access to our campus and prepare for the new facility, including constructing parking, pathways, and landscaping
- Make other required repairs and improvements
Such an investment would continue building upon our other recent successes and our reputation throughout Sonoma County — but before the Board makes its decision, we want to know what everyone thinks!
So please take a few minutes to answer the questions below — and thank you so much for your feedback!
In Partnership,
Ani Larson, Superintendent/Principal
The Dunham School Board
