Vision 900: The Next Plateau For Academic Achievement.By George Stratigos "Yes I Can" Committee

“yes I can”

Vision 900:
The Next Plateau For Academic Achievement.
By George Stratigos
Sept 27, 2004

In just a few short days, our public schools will be opening their doors to begin the 2004/2005 academic year. This will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our continuing quest to make the Sausalito Marin City School District the very best school district in the county of Marin.

Those who have lived in our community for five or more years know how long a mountain we have had to climb to come to the point where we stand today. We’re proud of test scores that have soared from lows in the 300s range to now, nearly 700. You may have read that Bayside Elementary was recognized as one of the two most improved schools in the entire state. The plateau that we have reached has put our schools, Bayside Elementary, Willow Creek Academy, and our middle school, Martin Luther King Academy, on a par with schools throughout California.

Now, however, with your continued support and involvement, we want to begin the trek to the summit. We call this mission “Vision 900,” and I’m excited to share with you what we hope to accomplish. On average, the best test scores in Marin County come out of places like the Ross School District. Their student scores range in the upper 800s. The best scores in California range in the mid 900s. Vision 900 is our plan to take our school district to the top level of academic achievement for all of Marin County’s public schools. The estimated time of this journey: five years. Total cost in a new school bond measure, to replace our middle school, and upgrade safety facilities at Bayside and Willow Creek: 16 million dollars. The results we anticipate—a community with young people successfully prepared for high school, college, and beyond: priceless.

The board has encapsulated our sense of mission in the district’s new signature statement: “Living Life Educated.” Part of our commitment to educational excellence is accepting the reality that, for us to make this climb, our journey demands we must do everything right. Raising the achievement level of all our children means carefully monitoring their individual achievement. To accomplish that, we must maintain a learning environment that hears the concerns of our district’s parents.

We are imposing on ourselves standards of excellence that we believe the community should impose upon us. In this climb to academic excellence, failure is not an option. The community should demand of us what we demand of ourselves: that our public schools will be the top ranked schools in this county.

The newest member of our school board, Mark Trotter, reminded us recently that no climb to the top is accomplished in a simple straight line. Often the trail goes through a series of switchbacks, and at times, unexpected turns. We should keep that in mind because there will be setbacks and unexpected challenges along the way. But we must never take our eyes off the prize: that our children will be a part of a community of learners, and these young people will be able to see a future with real promise: one in which they act and achieve with the civility of an educated society.

Vision 900 takes us beyond individual programs, and into a focused goal for success.
We will demand of our staff what our parents demanded of us: unity of purpose, clarity of mission, and focus on achievement.

To you, our community, your board of trustees has one message: Demand of us the very best, because it is what we demand of ourselves.


George Stratigos, a former member of the Sausalito City Council, is the President of the Sausalito Marin City School District’s Board of Trustees.

Prepared by the community volunteers at the “yes I can” committee P.O. Box 679 Sausalito, CA 94965 Tel 415-332-4197