Local school consolidation moving towards finalization
At their August 20 meeting, the SVUSD School Consolidation Committee narrowed to four the possible scenarios that could be followed for the necessary closure of District schools. The Committee will meet again on September 10 and October 15, and Superintendent Jeanette Rodriguez-Chien says there may have to be additional meetings.
It is important for the community to understand that the Committee’s role is advisory only; they are charged with submitting a report and making a recommendation. The Board of Trustees will make the decision on school closure. The three trustees who responded to questions about the school consolidation process have affirmed their respect for the Committee, and their unequivocal commitment to leaving the Committee to complete its work without influence from the Board. Current Board President Pro-Tem Celeste Winders stated, “I very intentionally do not participate in the School Consolidation Committee’s work because I think it is really important to allow committees to do their work without influence or being impeded in any way by trustees.”
The 18-member committee was appointed by Superintendent Chien, who explained that she followed California Department of Education (CDE) Guidance, which specifies all the stakeholders who should be included in the process of closure of one or more school sites. In addition, she invited the chief of police, the fire chief, and the Sonoma City Manager to bring their particular professional expertise to the site analysis. It is a Federal requirement that parents comprise 51 percent of a school consolidation/closure committee. Greg Silvi, current President of the District Advisory Council, is the President of the Committee, and the meetings are facilitated by an attorney hired by the District who specializes in the school closure process to ensure the Committee’s work is in compliance with the latest laws and regulations, both CDE and Federal.
The work of the Committee is guided by California Department of Education (CDE) criteria which the Committee revised and adopted in February for their work. The criteria include the condition and aesthetics of a school facility; the operating cost of a school; the capacity of a school to accommodate students displaced by consolidation; special program facilities; environmental factors; education programs; diversity balance; transportation; the neighborhood of students affected; and traffic.
Trustee Anne Ching told the Sun, “It’s critical that the community understand the rationale behind school consolidation. In 1999, enrollment peaked at approximately 5,100 students. At the end of last school year (2023-24), enrollment dropped to 3,194, a 44 percent decline over two decades. It is predicted to fall further to 2,350 by the end of the decade” according to a 2021-22 Davis Demographics Report.
The District website explains, “To ensure that future generations of Sonoma Valley students have access to high quality programs, and graduate college and career ready, it is imperative to address our current budget issues and adjust the costs of our facility operations by reorganizing our school campuses.”
Ching explained, “When student populations fall below critical mass, schools experience efficiency challenges because the cost per student tends to rise if no adjustments are made to overhead costs. Simultaneously, operational inefficiencies come at a real cost to student learning in terms of quality programming and a high quality workforce. Fewer students in a school threaten the existence of enrichment activities, acceleration programs, intervention support, technology, athletic teams, and a greater array of staff (i.e. counselors, art teachers, garden coordinators, etc.).”
Ching said both middle schools this year were unable to offer band, drama and a girls’ basketball team because each campus lacked the critical mass to offer these opportunities. “Preserving the same number of staff,” she said, “also makes it difficult to find the resources for ongoing salary increases. The district has an opportunity to chart a new path for our schools only if we reduce the number of schools to align with our resources.”
Dr. Chien explained that she had sent the Committee off for the summer break with the assignment to exhaust all the options possible for consolidation and closure. She urged them to think outside the box, creating different configurations. “It doesn’t have to look all the same.”
Rena Seifts, Chief Business Officer for SVUSD, will present September 10 to the Committee a financial analysis of the cost of the final scenarios and the savings to the District from school closure/consolidation.
Committee members each had three votes, which could be cast all for one option, or spread among three. All the final scenarios preserve Sonoma Valley High School and Creekside School. The scenario that received 15 votes in August, a strong majority, is to have three elementary sites, El Verano and two others to be determined; and Altimira Middle School, while closing Adele Harrison Middle School and one elementary. Another scenario, that received nine votes, is to keep El Verano, Sassarini and Prestwood elementary schools, making Flowery elementary (which has a dual immersion Spanish-English program currently continued at Adele) into a transitional kindergarten to eighth grade school, and keeping Altimira while closing only Adele Harrison. A third scenario, that got six votes, keeps all the current schools, closing only Sassarini Elementary. The last scenario which is moving forward would keep El Verano, Prestwood and Flowery, closing Adele and Sassarini.
When the board made the late decision in the spring of 2023 to close the Dunbar site starting in the 2023-24 school year, the District had not been able to send the required March 1 pink slips advising the staff that their positions would not be renewed. All the Dunbar staff had to be hired at other sites in the District for the 2023-24 school year. Superintendent Chien stated emphatically that this time pink slips would be sent on March 1, 2025 as required.
Chien is hopeful that the Committee will finalize its recommendation at their October 15 meeting, so it can be sent to the current Board for their decision in November. The Superintendent believes the current trustees, who “have been dealing with this question all along” should be the ones to decide. It needs to be noted that the July 31 resignation of Trustee Troy Knox created an opening on the five-person Board. Applications have been received, and the four Trustees at the regular meeting on September 12 will appoint a fifth Trustee to represent Attendance Area 4. Two seats on the Board, including the Area 4 seat, are on the November ballot. In December the two Trustees elected will be sworn in. The implementation of school closures/consolidation will occur in the 2025-26 school year.
Before the Board of Trustees meets to make their decision, the District plans to hold several Town Halls, in late September and early October, with dates to be determined, where the community will be invited to give input. Superintendent Chien affirmed that the District “is trying to implement a process so people feel they have a voice. It’s important to listen to the voices.” The public is also encouraged to attend the monthly Committee meetings which, in accordance with the Brown Act, provide a public comment section at each meeting in person, and also the opportunity for public comment via Zoom. Meeting dates and times are posted on the district website, and the agenda is posted 72 hours prior to each meeting on the front page.
The next meeting of the School Consolidation Committee is Tuesday, September 10, 4-6 PM, at the District Office, 17850 Railroad Avenue, Sonoma. A Zoom link will be provided on the District website once the agenda is posted. www.sonomaschools.org
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of articles focusing on critical issues facing the Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD).
By Anna Pier
3 thoughts on “Local school consolidation moving towards finalization”
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Will closing schools mean larger class sizes?? There are already typically 30+ students to 1 teacher in a local middle school, and many in any given class need Spanish instruction, which means a teacher can be easily overwhelmed by the task for that many students and bi-lingual education requirements. IMO this is a failing of public education.
Very informative. People need to attend and speak out. Ask questions. Gain understanding. Being silent is not the answer but there also needs to be away to do it and be respect at the same time.
Sassarini is a vibrant school with high Hispanic population, centrally located and recently beautifully upgraded at great expense. Prestwood is small and farther from the population center, serving mostly the wealthy. That is the one that should be closed.