Small School with big spirit celebrates 100th birthday

On a cloudy April morning, the main street through Sunol was closed for a parade. Antique cars with gleaming wheels, wagons with hand-painted signs, and groups of children waving glittering pompoms proceeded down the road.

A family contingent from the neighborhood farm appeared with a cart bedecked with paper turnips, cabbages, carrots and a rainbow backdrop made of pool noodles. As the local theater troupe followed in full costume, an onlooker cheered in recognition of Robin Hood, the main character of this season’s play.

The celebration marked the 100th anniversary of Sunol Glen School, which was built in 1926 and is scheduled to undergo extensive renovations next year. Nestled in the hills between Fremont and Pleasanton, Sunol is a town of roughly 900 residents. According to the school registrar, 68% of the students are from commuter families who live in other cities. 

Despite this mix of locals and commuters, it’s clear that the families share a strong sense of community. One alumna, Emma Graydon-Foicrockroft, traveled around 5,300 miles from England to attend the festivities. Jack Balch, the current mayor of Pleasanton, is also a Sunol Glen alum who called out several beloved long-time teachers in his speech.

Julianna Bradford, a new parent whose child started attending classes in April, showed up in a festive outfit paired with dangly pencil earrings. “We literally scheduled our move so we could be here,” said Bradford, who is originally from Fremont and has returned with her family to the Bay Area for work. “It’s such a neat community.”

“We always accepted everybody,” said Rebecca Radulovich (Mrs. Rad), a guest of honor at the centennial celebration who taught for 35 years. “When I first started, everyone lived in Sunol,” Mrs. Rad explained in her speech, adding that years of advocating for resources paid off and the school has consistently attracted “kids that don’t do well in a very large school.” 

Many parents seem to echo this appreciation for a tight-knit community. One mother with children aged four and seven said that she learned about the school while her oldest was attending a play-based Montessori preschool. “It’s a hidden gem,” she said, adding that she was “really impressed” by Sunol Glen after touring it. Although the interdistrict paperwork “required some patience,” this parent believes the change has been beneficial and plans to enroll her youngest as well.

 “The people that choose Sunol Glen come because of the community.”

Kristen Bobertz

“We’re very inclusive and we love everybody. Everyone is welcome to come be at our school,” said Kristen Bobertz, who serves as a garden co-chair and is also the wife of Chris Bobertz, a recently appointed trustee on the school board. The Bobertz family started out in Fremont before moving to Sunol permanently. They love the small-town feel and the increased support for their children. “The people that choose Sunol Glen come because of the community,” Bobertz said. 

Sunol Glen’s campus is lush with greenery and set against a backdrop of rolling hills. The main building has grand triple hung windows and a Medieval Revivalist facade ornamented with columns. According to a trivia site run by the school’s parent volunteer organization, the building’s architect W. H. Weeks believed a beautiful environment with plentiful natural light and efficient hallways would be beneficial for children.

“He believed that students learn better when a school is designed well,” said Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert in a speech, noting that the building was originally constructed with a $45,000 bond from Alameda County. 

The school’s grounds also offer opportunities to play outside. Once a month, kids attend a “garden day” at the community garden, where they help with tasks like planting and weeding, and learn about composting and plant care, ending with a tasty garden snack. 

“We have chickens in the garden that we take care of. The eggs that come from the chickens we give to staff members as a raffle every week,” said Bobertz, who notes that her garden co-chair and fellow Sunol Glen parent is farming expert Matt Sylvester, an owner of Happy Acre Farms. 

The school has experienced several changes in recent years. In 2023, heavy storms flooded the grounds. California State Assemblymember Alex Lee recalled being moved by the strength of the community when he showed up to help clear the roughly half foot of mud that had accumulated on the field. “Everyone came to help out,” Lee said. 

Last year, the school also made headlines regarding an effort to recall members of the school board after a controversy regarding whether to display only  “flags required by law” and ban others, like the pride flag. The trustees who advocated for the stricter flag policy were later recalled in a heated race. That year also marked the beginning of new principal and superintendent Shay Galleti’s tenure, after her predecessor Molleen Barnes served 17 years.

Next year, as workers begin significant renovations, the school will enter yet another transformation. Plans include removing the “cold-formed steel lining on the walls in the projection booth” and adding modern strand board reinforcement to boost earthquake safety. Then, the historic steel lining will be carefully reinstalled, according to the community club website.

From personnel and population changes to new structural updates, Sunol Glen School’s renewal represents a continued effort to strengthen existing bonds while preserving the school’s unique original character. As Mrs. Rad said in her speech: “There’s something about this school that binds us all together.”