President's Message
Sandra Larsen, President of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers
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PFT President Sandra Larsen was honored with the California Federation of Teachers Women in Education Award at the 2018 CFT convention
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August 2025
I don't know how time seems to be passing ever more quickly. It's like summer just began, and now we are getting ready to welcome our students for the 2025-26 school year. I hope your summer was what you were hoping it would be. My husband and I were lucky enough to have our children, their spouses, and all 6 of our grandchildren together for a family vacation. It was a busy time for sure, and we both cherished the time we got to spend together with the people we love most in the world. Our cat Bootsie is still the only pet, but I am getting closer. I am submitting an application to Dogwood for a puppy this week. It may take a while, but we will be getting a puppy!
For those new to our district, we welcome you. My name is Sandra Larsen, and it is a privilege to serve as your president. I taught in the District for 29 years before I retired in 2022. If I include student teaching, I taught every grade from K-8 during my teaching career. Now that I am no longer in the classroom, I can concentrate on my job as president of PFT. Do not hesitate to contact me via email at [email protected] or call/text me at 707-696-5118 if you have any questions or concerns.
As a member of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers, you are part of a union with a rich history of advocating for certificated staff for over 50 years. We represent you at contract negotiations to ensure the best possible working conditions. Your voice is not just heard, but valued. Our leadership, a committed group of volunteers, is dedicated to representing you. We are 400+ members strong, and it's important to remember that the union is not just an organization, but a collective of individuals like you. You are the union, and your membership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to you and your professional well-being.
Our union is strengthened by a team of dedicated and hard-working teachers who serve as officers in the PFT. The individuals listed on the other side of this newsletter generously volunteer their time while teaching and form the backbone of our union. Their leadership is essential in maintaining our union's strength and effectiveness. We are in good hands, thanks to their commitment.
This year has not started as we had hoped. Superintendent Matthew Harris is back, and the promise of steady leadership gave us a reason to feel optimistic. However, we are now faced with a significant challenge. We learned two weeks ago that there was a $5 million shortfall for the 2026-27 school year, and the following day, we were informed that we had to make $1 million in cuts for the upcoming year. These cuts will inevitably impact students, as some of our members were reassigned due to the cuts. We understand that this is a difficult situation, and we are committed to supporting those affected. We acknowledge the hardships and are working tirelessly to help the district find solutions. Many of our budget issues can be traced to the implementation of the 7-period day for the high school schedule for both comprehensive high schools, after the secondary parcel tax did not pass last November.
We are still facing the need to make an additional $3 million in budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year. That feels catastrophic, as I do not know where we will find $3 million to cut in the existing budget. We may have the opportunity to put a secondary parcel tax before the voters this November. Governor Newsom announced his intention to declare a November special election for a state ballot measure that would create new partisan congressional districts in response to Texas's redistricting efforts. If that happens, there will likely be a higher turnout that will help the parcel tax get approved. We are deeply grateful for your past support, and we will need it again to convince our community to approve the secondary parcel tax. Your support is crucial in this endeavor. I will keep you updated as I learn how we are proceeding. For now, please think about ways we can support the parcel tax if we do have an election.
We are excited to announce that PFT is hosting our first social of the year at Brewsters on Friday, August 22 from 3:30 to 5:00. This event is an excellent opportunity for our members to meet our guests, State President, Jeff Freitas, and Al Muratsuchi, the Chair of the State Education Committee and candidate for State Superintendent of Instruction. We have also invited our local representative, Damon Connoly.
Come to meet new people and spend time with your colleagues. This social is a great way to celebrate the beginning of our school year. PFT will provide appetizers and buy your first beverage. It's going to be a fun event for everyone. We hope to see you there!
I don't know how time seems to be passing ever more quickly. It's like summer just began, and now we are getting ready to welcome our students for the 2025-26 school year. I hope your summer was what you were hoping it would be. My husband and I were lucky enough to have our children, their spouses, and all 6 of our grandchildren together for a family vacation. It was a busy time for sure, and we both cherished the time we got to spend together with the people we love most in the world. Our cat Bootsie is still the only pet, but I am getting closer. I am submitting an application to Dogwood for a puppy this week. It may take a while, but we will be getting a puppy!
For those new to our district, we welcome you. My name is Sandra Larsen, and it is a privilege to serve as your president. I taught in the District for 29 years before I retired in 2022. If I include student teaching, I taught every grade from K-8 during my teaching career. Now that I am no longer in the classroom, I can concentrate on my job as president of PFT. Do not hesitate to contact me via email at [email protected] or call/text me at 707-696-5118 if you have any questions or concerns.
As a member of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers, you are part of a union with a rich history of advocating for certificated staff for over 50 years. We represent you at contract negotiations to ensure the best possible working conditions. Your voice is not just heard, but valued. Our leadership, a committed group of volunteers, is dedicated to representing you. We are 400+ members strong, and it's important to remember that the union is not just an organization, but a collective of individuals like you. You are the union, and your membership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to you and your professional well-being.
Our union is strengthened by a team of dedicated and hard-working teachers who serve as officers in the PFT. The individuals listed on the other side of this newsletter generously volunteer their time while teaching and form the backbone of our union. Their leadership is essential in maintaining our union's strength and effectiveness. We are in good hands, thanks to their commitment.
This year has not started as we had hoped. Superintendent Matthew Harris is back, and the promise of steady leadership gave us a reason to feel optimistic. However, we are now faced with a significant challenge. We learned two weeks ago that there was a $5 million shortfall for the 2026-27 school year, and the following day, we were informed that we had to make $1 million in cuts for the upcoming year. These cuts will inevitably impact students, as some of our members were reassigned due to the cuts. We understand that this is a difficult situation, and we are committed to supporting those affected. We acknowledge the hardships and are working tirelessly to help the district find solutions. Many of our budget issues can be traced to the implementation of the 7-period day for the high school schedule for both comprehensive high schools, after the secondary parcel tax did not pass last November.
We are still facing the need to make an additional $3 million in budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year. That feels catastrophic, as I do not know where we will find $3 million to cut in the existing budget. We may have the opportunity to put a secondary parcel tax before the voters this November. Governor Newsom announced his intention to declare a November special election for a state ballot measure that would create new partisan congressional districts in response to Texas's redistricting efforts. If that happens, there will likely be a higher turnout that will help the parcel tax get approved. We are deeply grateful for your past support, and we will need it again to convince our community to approve the secondary parcel tax. Your support is crucial in this endeavor. I will keep you updated as I learn how we are proceeding. For now, please think about ways we can support the parcel tax if we do have an election.
We are excited to announce that PFT is hosting our first social of the year at Brewsters on Friday, August 22 from 3:30 to 5:00. This event is an excellent opportunity for our members to meet our guests, State President, Jeff Freitas, and Al Muratsuchi, the Chair of the State Education Committee and candidate for State Superintendent of Instruction. We have also invited our local representative, Damon Connoly.
Come to meet new people and spend time with your colleagues. This social is a great way to celebrate the beginning of our school year. PFT will provide appetizers and buy your first beverage. It's going to be a fun event for everyone. We hope to see you there!