First public hearing on school closure possibilities attracts a large crowd
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Parents and community members showed up in large numbers at the first of two public hearings on the possibility of closing elementary schools in Conejo Valley Unified School District.

After a summer spent listening to research on declining enrollment in the district, tears were shed and strong words were spoken as speaker after speaker asked the board to explore every other option before shutting down any of their neighborhood schools.

Linda Smith, who has children at Maple Elementary, said if Maple closes, many will take their kids to private schools.

"We cherish what the Conejo Valley district offers," Smith said. "Smaller is better. And I have 14 years straight (at CVUSD) that proves that true. The quality of education is due to our size."

Jeff Baarstad, assistant superintendent of instructional services, recapped the research behind the severe declining enrollment that CVUSD, along with many other districts in the state, is experiencing. Solutions ranged from closing two to three schools to making cuts.

"A lot of people say, 'You can cut the budget, but we don't want anyone to lose their jobs,'" Baarstad said. "That's hard to do when 87 percent of the budget is people."

Vicki Schuster, president of Meadows Elementary's ParentTeacher Association, alluded to possible program cuts.

"In our small school, we, as a PTA, raise $900,000 a year," Schuster said. "If our little school can do that, can't you guys find the money?

"I send my kids to school to learn their ABCs," she added. "My husband and I can give them hugs, teach them art and make them run in the backyard. We just need you to teach them."

Resident Cathy Carlson suggested putting a moratorium on awards because of application costs. Other cuts could include pizza parties, designer water and board travel costs, she said.

Parent Diane McKay made an effort to calm other concerned parents.

"I know it's hard to talk about closing schools," McKay said. "I have 17 years' experience at large schools. We've been at Madrona Elementary when it had 450 (pupils), 750, then 550. It can be done. Don't be afraid."

McKay served on the facilities planning committee that studied the declining enrollment issue.

"Try as I might, I can't come up with a way to balance the budget (without closing schools)," McKay said. "For five years I've seen this coming. We need constructive ideas on where we're going to come up with that money."

The idea to move sixth-graders from middle schools to elementary schools was again shot down by Baarstad for a variety of reasons, including earlier community opinion that two years was too little to spend in junior high.

Parent Laurel Wennerstrom suggested not only moving sixthgraders down, but also moving ninth-graders from high school down to middle school. Then, both high school and middle school would have three grades and the only decrease in students would be at the high school level, where overcrowding is already an issue.

Neither Baarstad nor the board commented on Wennerstrom's suggestions, which drew support from the audience.

The second public hearing on declining enrollment is set for Tues., Sept. 18.