Since my own birthday is coming up in a few days, I’m in a reflective mood about what has happened over the years; especially the years spent living in Petaluma after retiring from San Francisco State University after 32 years of teaching in the College of Education from 1960-1992. Moving to Petaluma in 1993 certainly brought back what a “sense of community” really means. This historic river town is overflowing with so many community-minded citizens, from all sectors of the community.
BTW, the year of my birth is classified and isn’t important. In fact, my “memory chip” is so faulty, I can’t even remember what I wrote in my last blog. September 1, 1995, however, is the founding date for what is now known as PetalumaNet – a community think tank and incubator group of volunteers devoted to the promotion of computer technology and telecommunications.
During the fall of 1995, this volunteer group was known as “The Petaluma Tech Corps,” and its focus was encouraging the use of computer technology in the classrooms in order to facilitate the teaching-learning process. In a matter of months, the name was changed to PetalumaNet because a “National Tech Corps” had been formed and copyrighted the name. Your memory chip might recall that this was a period when the Clinton administration was pursuing the goal of getting every California classroom connected to the information highway by the end of the school year.
To make the long story short, PetalumaNet identified 10 objectives for the 1995-96 academic year, as well as creating a plan of action to accomplish them. Most of the goals were met as result of the following activities and events:
1- Two Computer Tech Fairs were held for K-12 teachers at Grant and Penngrove Elementary Schools. (80 teachers participated)
2- McDowell & Dunham Elementary Schools were the sites of two additional educational technology workshops for 35 teachers
3- Four additional in-service workshops were held: one for accessing GINA, two for Web Page design, and one CU-SeeMe tutorial, involved 30 teachers.
4- PTA programs for Grant and La Tercera Elementary Schools. (N=300
5- Publication of The Web for classroom teachers and The Net for administrators.
6- Four Pac Bell demonstration workshops for administrators, teachers, and the Petaluma Valley Rotary Club involved 48 participants.
7- Four donated computers and printers from Hewlett-Packard were awarded to the Teaching Learning Center, the Petaluma Historical Museum, and the Petaluma Senior Center, as the result of a PetalumaNet initiated grant application.
8- A community volunteer tested and repaired three IBM PCs and printers for Valley Vista Elementary School.
9- Individual meetings with 27 school administrators were held throughout southern Sonoma County in order to explain the mission and goals of PetalumaNet.
10- Special presentations were made to the Petaluma Valley Rotary Club, the Petaluma School District Board of Education, and the Petaluma AARP. (N=95)
11- Creation of the first PetalumaNet web site: http:www.metro.net/whammer/
12- Three demonstration workshops were video taped: Introduction to the Internet (Barry Sovel, Mentor Teacher, PJHS), Web Page Design & Construction (CWO Gerald Linnins, Two Rock Coast Guard Station), and CU-SeeMe (Gary Barr, Superintendent/Principal, Cinnabar School.)
13- A commercial grade colored printer and a word processor were donated to the Petaluma Schools.
14- Master plans for the 1st Annual Petaluma Community Internet Fair and the 2nd Annual 24-Hour Relay Challenge were completed.
When I look back, these achievements certainly demonstrate what can be accomplish when all sectors of a community come together and mobilize their talents and resources to achieve common objectives. It certainly was a “collaboratory.”
The debut of PEN (Petaluma Electronic Network; a portal web site for the Petaluma community took place on August 28, 1996, just prior to PetalumaNet’s first birthday. It’s second year, 1996-97, saw its Vision Statement modified – To create a partnership that will network all sectors of Petaluma, electronically, in order to create an online meeting space where citizens of all ages, can go to find information about the community, talk about issues important to the region, ask questions, and discover ways to get involved in local endeavors; as well as to promote greater use of technology in our schools.
PetalumaNet was growing up quickly, but that is another story for another time. Happy birthday PetalumaNet, and best wishes for many more. It’s 2006, and you are only 11 years old. Stay tuned.