Trustees discuss school consolidation options

“This is a lot of information and the trustees have some very important decisions to make,” Winders said.

At the meeting, Winders favored consolidating Altimira and Adele Harrison High Schools in Altimira, among other reasons, because they are located closer to where most students live.

Trustee John Kelly said he believes consolidating schools in Adele Harrison is the best option for several reasons.

“Adel does not require the expensive geotechnical upgrades that Altimira would require,” he said. “By consolidating into Adele, which is a newer facility, we will be able to centralize our educational services on Broadway next to Prestwood Elementary and our high school.”

He said it would reduce the county’s footprint, resulting in improved management efficiencies and cost savings.

“Additionally, locating the middle schools closer to the high schools allows our Public Information Officer Ed Esponda (of the Sonoma Police Department) to more effectively address student discipline issues. Consolidation at Adel also provides the opportunity to keep sixth graders in their primary schools, a preference I have heard from many families.

“Finally, this plan allows us to meet our obligations for remaining bond funds without diverting resources from previously promised projects.”

Trustee David Bell, while emphasizing that he was speaking only for himself and not for the board as a whole, said he also favors consolidating schools in Adele Harrison.

“The Altimira campus is our second largest facility after the high school and can accommodate more than 800 students,” he said after the study session. “That’s more power than we need, plus it requires many millions of dollars in upgrades, both seismic and cosmetic. Adele, on the other hand, doesn’t need much, if any, updating.”

Bell supports closing Sassarini or Prestwood if the elementary schools need to be consolidated.

Kelly said if the elementary school were to close, he advocated for community-based consolidation where educational services would continue to be offered at each school through partnerships with Sonoma and Woodland Star charter schools.

“We saw the success of this model in Dunbar, where the relocation of Woodland Star Charter School resulted in increased enrollment and continued community engagement,” he said.

Kelly said Sonoma Charter School has expressed a willingness to move to a location where district services can be discontinued, allowing educational services to continue at that location.

“In particular, I believe Prestwood and Flowery primary schools should not be disturbed and the committee report was clear that El Verano Primary should not be considered for closure either,” he said. “That means Sassarini Elementary is a school that I think is under consideration.”

He said this approach could allow the Sassarini facility to remain an active educational institution through a partnership with Sonoma Charter School.

“This means that rather than closing the school entirely, we will transition the campus to an alternative model that will continue to be used for educational services, thereby minimizing disruption to the community,” Kelly said.

Landry said she is not yet ready to recommend which schools should close.

The consolidation committee also explored the possibility of creating new grade configurations, such as K-8 or K-6 schools.

Bell said the district should consider creating all K-6 elementary schools instead of the current K-5 and/or creating a K-8 dual immersion school at a location other than the current ones: Flowery Elementary School and Adele Harrison Middle School. .

“We sought the district’s input on the specific issue of K-6 and K-5,” Bell said. “I’m interested in knowing the pros and cons.”

Kelly said he believes the introduction of the K-6 model has “potential.”

“Many parents said sixth-graders might benefit from staying in elementary school for an extra year before moving on to middle school,” he said. “If this approach fits family preferences and is feasible within our district’s resources, I support exploring a K-6 configuration.

“This could address certain developmental and discipline issues, providing a smoother transition for students as they progress academically.”

Kelly said he doesn’t support creating K-8 schools because the model doesn’t fit with the district’s current educational structure and research shows it may not be the best.

He said the consolidation process has not been easy for everyone involved.

“However, I believe this is an opportunity to improve our educational programs, expand choices for families, preserve resources and strengthen the path to the future of our district,” Kelly said. “Our goal is to become a more unified county—not just administratively, but as a cohesive community.”

Bell noted that the school district has approximately $11 million in capital improvement funds and urged the board to use that money wisely, focusing on both current and future needs.

“Hearing public opinion at the October 29 meeting, I fear that people do not fully understand how dire our budget situation is and, unfortunately, the only way we can even begin to solve the problem is through school consolidation,” he said.

Contact reporter Dan Johnson at [email protected].