SAN MARCOS — Present realities conflicted with childhood memories as 16 members of the San Marcos business community each paired up with a principal for a tour of the city’s schools in the annual Shadow A Principal Day on April 30.

The goal of the event, co-sponsored by the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce and the San Marcos Unified School District, was to give the city’s business leaders an inside look at how education works in the Valley of Discovery.

For some, it was their first trip back to school since graduation. Others have participated in this program for years, following the students as they progress from elementary through middle school on to high school.

“Everyone has been to school, but their understanding of what a school is like is tied to what they remember when they were 7, and it’s nice for them to see what it’s like now,” said Principal Elizabeth O’Toole of Paloma Elementary.

O’Toole paired up with Cinnamon McIntosh of the Vallecitos Water District, which provides field trips for several classes every year.

“I was very excited to get in on the ground level and see the challenges that they’re facing and the successes in the classroom,” McIntosh said.

Sheree Keller, vice president of Discovery Bank, has participated six times and is always surprised at how much the principal/student relationship has changed since she went to school.

“They’re so much more accessible. We were walking all over the campus and the students were coming up (and greeting us),” Keller said. “Remember when we used to be afraid of our principals?”

The most impressive experience for Keller, who toured the new San Elijo Middle School this year, was seeing the interactive digital Smartboards installed in the classrooms, which are connected to computers and provide a multimedia capability far superior to chalkboards. San Elijo is just one of two schools in the county to have them.

Mark Cathy is the owner/operator of the San Marcos Chick Fil-A, a popular local franchise restaurant that contributes to education through scholarships and reading incentives.

“I saw a lot of connections (between our store and the school),” Cathy said. “They’ve been open for two years, and we’ve been open for a year and a half, so there’s a lot of new growth and new opportunities we’re taking a look at.”

The learning experience worked both ways with school officials often gaining valuable insight from their shadows. San Elijo Middle School Principal Doug Hall described his shadow as an extra pair of eyes, seeing the educational system with a fresh viewpoint.

But the ultimate goal of the event was to strengthen the relationship between the city’s businesses and schools, a need sharply accentuated by the latest round of budget cuts in Sacramento.

“We have a close relationship with not only the universities, but the Chamber of Commerce and all the local businesses, and they support us. They allow us to do a lot of the things outside the classroom we can’t normally do,” Hall said.

Dorothy Shubin of Freedom Graphics said the tour gave her a better sense of how the community could help the schools, especially with the budget cuts.

Shubin added that school volunteers are more important than ever. “We’re just going to have to get involved to keep the level of education where we want,” Shubin said.

“We have an amazing community of volunteers so we’re really blessed that way,” said Principal Lynda McDonnel of San Elijo Elementary.