THE LEDE

The District at a Crossroads

Something is broken in California's school funding model, and San Ramon Valley Unified is done pretending otherwise.

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District has spent the last three years cutting its way toward solvency. Three rounds of reductions totaling $37.5 million. More than 200 layoffs last year. Elementary school counselors, social workers, support staff. And now, world language teachers. Yet here it is again this spring, back at the same table, with 16 more teaching positions on the chopping block and a structural deficit that simply will not close.

In February, the board voted 4-1 to eliminate 16 full-time equivalent teaching positions for next year. World language programs took the hardest hit: one full FTE cut from Spanish, 1.5 from French, and 0.4 each from Korean and Japanese. Teachers showed up at the March 10 board meeting to argue against it, and the frustration in that room was real. One Iron Horse Middle School Spanish teacher told the board that kids' worlds open up because of language classes. That is not sentiment. It is a fact about how learning works, and losing those classes is a cost that does not show up on a budget line.

Now the board is trying to make the case that Sacramento is the real problem. On March 24, Board President Susanna Ordway and Vice President Jesse vanZee signed on to an open letter alongside officials from Fremont, West Contra Costa, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, calling for an "urgent state funding overhaul." The letter asks Sacramento to stop withholding $5.6 billion in Prop. 98 funds, fully fund special education, and abandon its attendance-based funding formula. California and five other states are the only ones in the country still using that model, which the letter calls "no longer compatible with the economic realities of the Bay Area." When districts from Oakland to Danville are all in financial distress simultaneously, it is not a local management problem. It is a systemic one.

The district is also trying to generate revenue on its own. It recently purchased a new building in San Ramon with plans to lease the space and eventually sell the district headquarters at 699 Old Orchard Road in Danville. The math on that does not close the gap alone, but it reflects the kind of creative problem-solving the board can do without waiting for the legislature.

This Friday at 8:30 a.m., the board holds a closed special session to discuss principal appointments at three schools: Quail Run Elementary, Neil Armstrong Elementary, and Stone Valley Middle School. An employee discipline item is also on the agenda. Closed sessions do not generate headlines, but mid-year principal changes at three schools simultaneously is not routine. What the board decides will shape the experience of hundreds of students next fall. Details on the agenda are available at srvusd.net.

The final deadline for layoff notices is May 15. Between now and then, teachers are waiting, parents are watching, and the board is hoping Sacramento moves faster than it usually does.

THE RUNDOWN

Blackhawk Plaza: Nationally Famous, Locally Stuck

What started as a local retail story has gone national. Since Ramanujan Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 18, Blackhawk Plaza has turned up in SFGate, TheStreet, and the Bay Area Telegraph. Tenants told reporters they learned about the bankruptcy from Facebook, because nobody at the company told them directly. Blue Sakana owner Jung Dong Choi described years of poor communication and said simply: "They're running around trying to hide things."

The numbers: Ramanujan Group owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors, including more than $207,000 to the property management firm, more than $112,000 to PG&E, and nearly $57,000 to East Bay MUD. The bankruptcy protection pauses all collection and foreclosure actions and gives the company until June 16 to file a restructuring plan in federal court. The property stays in Ramanujan's hands until then.

Housing rumors continue to circulate, but as of this week, no redevelopment application has been filed with Contra Costa County. The county's general plan allows for residential use at the site, but nothing is imminent. June 16 is the next date that matters. The county's Blackhawk Plaza information page is at contracosta.ca.gov/blackhawkplaza.

E-Bikes: Parks Rules Tightening, Sidewalks Still Pending

The town's ongoing effort to address e-bike safety got some clear direction at the March 10 council study session. Town Manager Tai Williams recommended amending the parks ordinance to restrict e-bikes and scooters to paved paths and establish a 15 mph speed limit in town-managed parks and trails. The council appeared supportive. On the question of expanding sidewalk restrictions to residential areas, the town is waiting to see how the state legislative session develops first.

Context worth having: John Muir Health reported that e-bike injuries treated in 2025 doubled compared to the prior year, with teenagers and seniors most affected and head injuries most common. A formal parks ordinance amendment is expected to come to the council for a vote in the coming months. Current e-bike information from the town is at danville.ca.gov.

Danville Goes to the Dogs

The town officially launched its Dog Friendly Danville campaign this month, spotlighting restaurants and shops that welcome well-behaved dogs. The initiative is part of a broader effort to animate downtown and give residents more reasons to explore on foot. If you have been wondering which coffee shop tolerates your golden retriever, the answer is now mapped out at danville.ca.gov.

Trail Connection Coming to Diablo Road

Construction is underway on the final 0.9-mile segment of a 2.1-mile paved multi-use trail along the southern shoulder of Diablo Road, connecting Green Valley Road to Blackhawk Road and improving non-motorized access to Mount Diablo State Park. Work is expected to continue through December 2026 in phases, with periodic traffic disruptions along the corridor. Project updates are at danvilletowntalks.org/diablotrail.

FAMILY AND KIDS

Three Schools, One Friday Morning

The SRVUSD board meets in closed session this Friday at 8:30 a.m. to consider principal appointments at Quail Run Elementary, Neil Armstrong Elementary, and Stone Valley Middle School, along with an employee discipline matter. The board is required to report any formal actions taken when it reconvenes in open session. Mid-year principal transitions at multiple sites simultaneously are uncommon, and families at those three schools should watch for announcements in the days that follow. The agenda is available at srvusd.net.

Eggstravaganza Is This Saturday

The town's annual Eggstravaganza is Saturday, April 4, at the Danville Community Center and Town Green. Two sessions: 9 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Egg hunts are organized by age group and run in 15-minute blocks, so your child will be hunting with kids their own size. Arts and crafts, face painting, and a photo stop with the Spring Bunny are also on offer. Downtown businesses are joining in with special promotions throughout the day. Registration by session and age group is at danville.ca.gov.

MEANWHILE, ON NEXTDOOR…

A big week for dogs, apartments, and a $10 Venmo that may or may not have been the greatest investment of the year. A selection from the feeds:

DOGS, WHY WALK THEM?  A Greenbrook resident posted a genuine inquiry this week: why do people take their dogs on walks? They have yards, after all. The neighborhood responded with several dozen comments explaining the concepts of exercise, socialization, and canine mental stimulation. In a touching coda, the original poster clarified they have nothing against dog walking and never intended to start anything. They just lost a butterfly bush their late husband had given them to attract butterflies, and they were hoping someone might say sorry.

THE YARD AS PUBLIC AMENITY  A Crow Canyon Country Club resident asked whether it was too much to want neighbors to steer their dogs away from his carefully landscaped front yard. More than 160 people replied. Suggestions ranged from motion-activated sprinklers to cayenne pepper to wolf urine crystals to simply letting it go. The poster handled the whole exchange with remarkable good humor and later reported, in a perfectly timed update, that while walking through the neighborhood greenbelt reading the replies, he stepped in a wet pile of the very thing under discussion.

THE APARTMENTS IN THE PACKET  A Blackhawk resident posted a detailed analysis of the recently approved Town and Country apartment project, raising concerns about CEQA exemptions, unresolved traffic and fire access issues, and waivers for height and density that she argued were not fully justified in the application. Another commenter replied that the project was already approved by the planning commission on February 24 and became final on March 6 when no appeal was filed. The horse, as one neighbor put it, has left the barn.

THE PORTRAIT THAT WAS NOT  A woman at the San Ramon Target saw a teenager outside selling custom drawings for $10, wanted to support him, paid in advance via Venmo, and exchanged phone numbers. Eight days later: no portrait, no callback, no reply. She posted to ask whether anyone else had received their drawing. The replies were mostly gentle. "Thankfully," one neighbor observed, "it was only $10."

ONLY IN DANVILLE

An Oscar, 98 Years in the Making

There was a moment at the Oscars ceremony on March 15 when cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw walked to the podium to accept the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for "Sinners," Ryan Coogler's record-breaking vampire drama. She asked every woman in the room to stand up, because she said she could not have gotten there without them. What most of the country did not know is that Arkapaw grew up in Danville and graduated from San Ramon Valley High School. She became the first woman, and the first woman of color, in the award's 98-year history to win in that category.

The cinematography behind "Sinners" includes what critics described as one of the most technically ambitious single-shot sequences in recent memory, a several-minute Steadicam run through a juke joint that stitched together past, present, and future in a single unbroken take. That shot was designed and executed by someone who went to high school five minutes from the center of town. Mayor Arnerich put out a congratulatory statement. Superintendent Cammack called it a "terrific achievement." Not bad for a Tuesday in March.

ON THE CALENDAR

Eggstravaganza | Saturday, April 4 | Danville Community Center and Town Green. Two sessions available (9-11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); egg hunts are age-grouped so register for your child's age block. Arts, crafts, face painting, Spring Bunny photos, and downtown business promotions throughout the day. Register at danville.ca.gov.

Citizens Police Academy | Starts Wednesday, April 15 | Danville Police Department. Six-week program running Wednesday evenings, 6 to 9 p.m. Open to Danville residents 18 and older. Topics include patrol procedures, traffic enforcement, crime scene processing, and impaired driving investigation, with hands-on exercises. A genuinely interesting look at how the department works.

Lend A Hand Day | Saturday, April 25 | Location TBD. The town is recruiting volunteers to help local seniors with yard work. A few hours on a Saturday, a real difference for a neighbor who needs it. Sign up at https://www.danville.ca.gov/343/Event-Listing-Registration.

THE NUMBER

Years the Academy Awards ran before a woman won Best Cinematography. The barrier fell this month, and the woman who broke it grew up in Danville.

FINAL THOUGHT

Danville is the safest city in California, has an acclaimed school district, and just found out one of its own won an Oscar. It also has a mall in bankruptcy and schools cutting language teachers to close a budget gap. This town contains multitudes.

THE SIDELINE

Softball Leads a Busy Spring

The San Ramon Valley softball team has been the headline act of the spring, but there is a lot happening behind it. The Wolves shut out Monte Vista 2-0 on Tuesday to push their winning streak to six and improve to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in EBAL, ranked 59th in California. The pitching has been dominant across those six wins, allowing just over one run per game on average. The Wolves head to the Stampede tournament this weekend before EBAL resumes April 14 at Livermore.

If you are looking for something to watch today, the cross-town baseball rivalry is on. SRV baseball (7-2) hosts Monte Vista (5-4) at 4 p.m. The Wolves came into today on a two-game winning streak after a 4-3 nail-biter at Livermore on Wednesday, where pitcher Carson Williams went 6.1 innings and went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a triple. Both teams have been stingy this season, each allowing fewer than 2.7 runs per game on average, so runs will be earned. EBAL play for both programs starts in two weeks.

The team quietly putting together the best league record in Danville right now may be boys volleyball. SRV sits at 6-0 in EBAL play and 16-7 overall, ranked 95th in California, and heads to De La Salle tonight at 6:30 p.m. in what should be the Wolves' toughest test of the early league season.

One more worth noting: the SRV girls lacrosse team is ranked 9th in California and 21st in the country at 7-3 overall and 3-0 in league play. That is an elite program operating at a high level with the Monte Vista rivalry game coming April 14. Full schedules and scores for both schools are at maxpreps.com.

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