Lamorinda students walked back into classrooms Tuesday, Aug. 11, but the real action for parents starts this week at a string of school board meetings where new leadership, a new math curriculum and a high-stakes parcel tax will shape the year ahead.
Three of the Acalanes Union High School District's four high schools have new principals: Colin Malcolm at Acalanes in Lafayette, Robyn Harrison at Campolindo in Moraga and William Schloss at Miramonte in Orinda, according to Lamorinda Weekly. At the middle school level, Ann Kim took over at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette after the Governing Board approved her appointment 4-0 on May 13. Kim, who first joined Stanley in 2006 as a special education teacher, told Lamorinda Weekly her reason for returning to a school site was simple: "My heart belongs on a school site interacting with kids every day."
Stanley students will also be the first to use Amplify Desmos Mathematics California, a new core math curriculum for kindergarten through Algebra 1 that the Lafayette School District board adopted June 10.
Upcoming board meetings
Lafayette's Governing Board holds a governance workshop Thursday, Aug. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the district office, then a regular meeting Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Stanley Middle School Library, 3455 School St. Superintendent Brent Stephens leads the district; board President Katy Foreman presides alongside members Alida Smit, Jon Deane and Rob Sturm.
Orinda Union School District's Board of Trustees meets Monday, Aug. 17, with open session at 6 p.m. in the OUSD Board Room, 8 Altarinda Road. Public comments require in-person attendance. The next regular meeting follows Monday, Sept. 14.
Moraga School District, led by Superintendent Julie Parks, does not have a board meeting in the immediate window. Its Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee meets Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom to review construction bond spending.
AUHSD parcel tax heads to November ballot
Families at all three Lamorinda high schools will vote on Measure W, a new parcel tax slated to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to the district's Measure W page published Aug. 12. The district's parcel tax revenue has not increased since 2010, and AUHSD says it receives the lowest per-student state funding of any high school district in California. Its 2026-27 budget projects a $1.5 million deficit on $106.3 million in revenue, according to The Orinda News.
A previous attempt, Measure T in 2025, won 63.57% approval but fell short of the two-thirds supermajority required. Since then, the district has cut $4.2 million, leaving one librarian for all four high schools and more than 5,000 students.
Board member Jennifer Chen said at a May 20 meeting that staff were doing their best to shield students but added, "this is not sustainable."
The district's Measure W page lists upcoming town halls where residents can ask questions before the November vote.
