THE LEDE
New Leaders for Three SRVUSD Schools, and Old Questions That Remain
In a year when San Ramon Valley Unified has been synonymous with bad news, three schools just got something different.
The district has been the backdrop of nearly every hard conversation in this community for the past year: layoffs, budget shortfalls, five-hour board meetings, and parents at microphones struggling to hold it together. Last month, parents at Quail Run Elementary showed up in force at the March board meeting, frustrated over cuts to administrative support that had left the school stretched and understaffed. They asked the board to restore an assistant principal position that had been eliminated as part of the broader cost-cutting plan.
The board listened, said it would look into things, and went into closed session. What came out was three principal appointments, decided unanimously, effective July 1.
Andi Calloway, currently an assistant principal at Diablo Vista Middle School, will lead Quail Run. Karen Johnson, already serving as assistant principal at Neil Armstrong Elementary, will step into the top role at her own school. And Jami Greer, an assistant principal at Miramonte High School in the Acalanes district, will take over at Stone Valley Middle School, bringing experience from Acalanes, San Mateo Union, and her current administrative post.
Superintendent CJ Cammack's language in the announcements was deliberate. He called Calloway someone who "believes deeply in the power of a supportive school community." He described Johnson as having made a "significant impact on school culture and climate" and praised Greer for believing "in the power of strong family partnerships." After a year of decisions that felt to many parents like the district was optimizing for spreadsheets over schools, Cammack is now emphasizing culture, community, and relationships.
Whether the new principals can deliver on that in schools still operating with fewer counselors, fewer social workers, and larger class sizes is an open question. But leadership certainty heading into the fall, rather than more unknowns, is at least a place to start.
The tension is sharpest at Quail Run. The parents who showed up in March were not just asking for a new principal. They were asking for the restoration of an assistant principal position, a demand that remains unaddressed. Calloway walks into a school that has been publicly frustrated and administratively stretched. Cammack called her "an experienced educator and leader." She will need to be.
The board voted unanimously on all three appointments from a closed session, which signals the selections were not controversial within the district. The real test, as it has been all year, will come when September rolls around and the hallways fill again.
THE RUNDOWN
The Borel Affordable Housing Project Asks Danville for a Break
The affordable housing component of Danville's Borel walnut orchard development has run into an unexpected complication from a familiar source: the town's updated Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District. The Armony Company, the developer behind the 44 affordable rental apartments planned for a portion of the historic Borel property on Fostoria Lane, is asking the Danville Town Council to exempt the project from the higher fees that came with last year's LLAD update.
The dollar amount at stake is $53,040 over five years, according to the developer's attorney. For a project built specifically to serve low and very-low-income households, that's a meaningful hit to the financing. The council discussed the item at a study session on April 14 and has not yet voted on whether to bring a formal exemption resolution forward. For context: the full Borel project includes 124 for-sale townhomes from Trumark Homes, the 44 affordable apartments, and a 10-acre agricultural park on the remaining land as a tribute to the late Armand Borel, Danville's last walnut farmer.
San Ramon Regional Gets Its Fifth CEO in Under Five Years
Rob J. Anderson became the new CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center on March 31, the hospital's fifth chief executive in fewer than five years. Anderson comes from Tenet Healthcare's operations in Florida, where he most recently led Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
His predecessor, Murali Naidu, had been brought on in 2024 as the hospital's first permanent CEO since Ann Lucena's departure in 2022. The circumstances of Naidu's swift exit have not been publicly explained. Renee Morgan, the hospital's governing board chair and a sitting Danville Town Council member, praised Anderson's experience in "operational growth" and "building strong teams." SRRMC serves as the primary hospital for Danville and the surrounding valley. Stability at the top would be welcome.
Danville Launches Small Grants for Local Business Events
The Danville Town Council has approved a new grant program that will reimburse Danville-based brick-and-mortar businesses and local organizations for up to $5,000 for collaborative events and programs that drive local patronage. Application details are expected to be published at danville.ca.gov. Worth watching if you run or support a local business.
Blackhawk Plaza: The June 16 Deadline Is Coming Into View
It has been about four weeks since Ramanujan Group LLC filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy for Blackhawk Plaza, halting a receivership process that an Orange County judge had ordered in February. That filing gave Ramanujan 120 days to submit a restructuring plan to the court, putting the deadline at June 16.
A bankruptcy expert told DanvilleSanRamon.com at the time of the filing that "some direction of what will happen to the property will become clear in the coming weeks and months." That timeline is now running. June 16 is roughly 60 days out. The plaza carries approximately $36 million in secured debt and continues to lose tenants. The next chapter of this story is approaching.
FAMILY AND KIDS
If your student attends Quail Run Elementary, Neil Armstrong Elementary, or Stone Valley Middle School, the fall just got a little clearer. Three new principals were appointed unanimously by the SRVUSD board earlier this month: Andi Calloway at Quail Run, Karen Johnson at Neil Armstrong, and Jami Greer at Stone Valley. All three start July 1.
Time-sensitive: Danville Youth Council applications close this Friday, April 17. The council is open to local middle and high school students who want to serve in an advisory role to the town, volunteer, and participate in civic events from September through May. It is a real leadership opportunity with a real town institution. Apply at danville.ca.gov before Friday's deadline.
For a free weekend outing, the Village Theatre and Art Gallery at 233 Front Street is hosting an opening reception this Saturday, April 18, at 10 a.m. for "Aligned Again," featuring work from six women artists. The exhibition runs through June 19 and admission is free.
MEANWHILE, ON NEXTDOOR...
The week in Danville, as filtered through 11,000 of your closest neighbors.
THE 680 SITUATION A neighbor returned from a 1,200-mile road trip and reported that the stretch of Interstate 680 between Dublin and Danville was the single worst pavement of the entire journey, inferior even to Nevada. The observation generated 279 comments covering California tax policy, state governance, and the population density of the desert Southwest. Buried in the thread, one neighbor had actually looked it up: Caltrans announced a pavement rehabilitation project on that exact stretch back in March, covering approximately seven miles from Alcosta Boulevard south to Diablo Valley Road. Projected completion: spring 2028. Two years for seven miles. Caltrans project details.
LIGHTNING? IN DANVILLE? A neighbor out for an evening walk noticed flashing lights in the sky toward Blackhawk, described as resembling sheet lightning, and posted to see if anyone else had spotted them. The thread produced a range of theories. It was, in fact, lightning, arriving ahead of a forecast weekend storm. Danville apparently sees it rarely enough that the phenomenon required community crowdsourcing to identify. Somewhere around comment twelve, a neighbor noted they had also seen flashing lights, after their third glass of wine.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAT OPERATION Over the course of a single afternoon, a stretch of Cameo Acres coordinated in near real time to locate, corner, and gently capture a beloved neighborhood stray, a large tom who had been making rounds through the area for years, charming multiple households along the way. The cat, described as a tough-looking survivor with fresh battle wounds and a known heart murmur, has an appointment Monday for a procedure that will, if all goes well, usher him into permanent indoor retirement. Updates were posted throughout the operation. The final message: he is in a foster room with room service until Monday. His future, the poster wrote, is so bright he will have to wear shades.
SHOW YOUR FATHER AROUND A resident asked for suggestions to keep her 89-year-old father entertained during a monthlong visit from Panama. He walks with a cane, has done most of the standard tourist routes, and was looking for something different. The community offered Filoli Gardens, the Napa Wine Train, the Lafayette Reservoir, the Berkeley ferry. When someone suggested the Danville Railroad Museum, the resident replied that her father had spent 50 years working on the railroad. The thread went quiet for a moment. Then someone recommended a Mongolian barbecue place in Pleasanton where you build your own bowl.
ONLY IN DANVILLE
An Art Show About Breaking Rules, in a Town That Prefers to Follow Them
The Village Theatre and Art Gallery is currently showing an exhibition called "Breaking Rules," featuring five local artists whose work explores what the town describes as "the creative process of defying artistic conventions." The show runs April 12 through June 13 at 233 Front Street.
Consider the timing: Danville just finalized a Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District fee increase for the first time in 20 years, is now sorting out whether an affordable housing developer qualifies for an exemption from that same increase, and holds its final vote on dissolving the old district at its April 21 council meeting. Sometimes the rules exist for good reasons. Sometimes an art show about abandoning them is the right corrective. Free to visit. More information at danville.ca.gov.
ON THE CALENDAR
"Aligned Again" Opening Reception | Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m. | Village Theatre & Art Gallery, 233 Front St.
Six women artists whose work spans styles and mediums, brought together around themes of connection, contrast, and creativity. The opening reception is free and the exhibit runs through June 19.
Danville Teen Job Fairs | Dates TBD | Town of Danville
The town is organizing two upcoming fairs to connect residents ages 15 and older with local employers. Watch for dates and locations as they are announced. Check danville.ca.gov for updates.
THE NUMBER
5
The number of chief executives at San Ramon Regional Medical Center in fewer than five years. The hospital that serves as the primary medical facility for Danville and the surrounding valley has cycled through leadership at a pace that raises questions. Rob J. Anderson is now in the chair, effective March 31.
FINAL THOUGHT
Three new school principals, a new hospital CEO, a new art exhibition, and a walnut orchard housing project asking for a small break on its landscaping fees. Spring in Danville is administratively full. At least the ducks at Blackhawk are still there.
THE SIDELINE
A Cross-Town Tuesday, and the SRV Girls Lacrosse Season Worth Paying Attention To
Tuesday evening produced one of the more interesting results of the spring. The two Danville schools played each other in both boys and girls lacrosse on the same night, April 14, and the scoreboard told very different stories depending on which jersey you follow. Monte Vista's boys dominated San Ramon Valley 9-2, pushing the Mustangs to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in EBAL play, where they sit second in league. MaxPreps currently ranks MV's boys program 20th in California.
The girls side was something else entirely. SRV's girls lacrosse program beat Monte Vista 19-2, adding to what has been one of the strongest seasons any Danville team has put together this spring. The Wolves are 9-3 overall and a perfect 5-0 in EBAL play, sitting in first place. MaxPreps has them ranked 15th in California and 79th in the country. As the regular season winds toward its close, this is a program worth circling on the calendar before NCS seedings drop.
On the softball diamond, SRV sits at 12-6 overall and 5-2 in EBAL, second in the league. Pitcher Lila McLeod has been the team's engine all season. The Wolves beat Monte Vista 10-0 on Monday before falling to league-leading Livermore 5-7 on Tuesday. Livermore is now 16-1. SRV hosts Dublin next Tuesday in a game that matters for the final league standings.
Current records and schedules: SRV on MaxPreps | Monte Vista on MaxPreps | EBAL coverage at DanvilleSanRamon.com
The Danville Dispatch is an independent local newsletter covering Danville, California. To subscribe or read past issues, visit newsletter.thedanvilledispatch.com.