Superintendent Mario Contini The headline, a well-known adage by Thomas Paine, certainly rings true today. We're in a major economic crisis, and both the private and public sectors are struggling to survive.

Unfortunately, Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) isn't being spared. Low birth rates and high home prices have caused declining enrollment and a loss of millions of dollars in revenue.

Combined with the current economic crisis and no lastminute bailout, we find ourselves facing serious challenges.

Now, more than ever, is a time for all of us who value education to face these brutal facts and make the tough choices necessary to continue giving our children the best education possible within these new budget constraints.

Have no doubt, we are going to have to make sacrifices at all levels. Many of the decisions won't be popular, but they may be necessary for us to survive.

It's a time to test our character, to draw upon our courage and to reach deep into our souls and guide our decisions by our core values- especially those gutwrenching and potentially unpopular decisions.

The CVUSD Board of Education will base its decisions on its core value: Doing what's best for the students and remembering that every child matters.

The public expects governmental agencies to use tax dollars wisely and operate efficiently.

Last year it was determined that continued operation of all 20 elementary schools in CVUSD, given below average enrollment, was not an efficient use of tax dollars. After thorough analysis and a tremendous amount of public input, the board voted to close Meadows and University elementary schools.

This would help protect the quality of education for all 22,000 students in the district, including those at the schools being closed. The board indicated that it intended to use the closed sites for other district programs or lease the sites to gain revenue that would benefit all students.

Following the decision, parents and staff at Meadows filed a petition to form a charter school (MATES: Meadows Art and Technology Elementary School).

The petition was denied by the local school board, but on appeal was approved by the Ventura County Board of Education. MATES has maintained that as a conversion charter under Proposition 39, it's entitled to the Meadows campus.

On Jan. 6 the board reviewed four options for locating the MATES charter school. These included placement at Meadows, University or Glenwood.

At the request of MATES, the board also included an option to reopen Meadows as a district arts magnet school with an understanding that MATES would abandon its charter and not pursue litigation against the district. This last option would eliminate the loss of student enrollment to the charter but would simultaneously eliminate the opportunity for the district to earn significant revenue by leasing the Meadows campus.

Also on Jan. 6, the board was presented with offerings for the lease of Meadows and University elementary schools by private entities totaling more than $500,000 in potential annual revenue to the district.

CVUSD has a tradition of excellence and is considered by major educational and business journals as one of the finest school districts in America.

The district has weathered many storms over the years and has always continued to build upon its excellence, even in the worst of times, as evidenced by several presentations made at the board meeting on Jan. 6.

At that meeting nearly 100 students were recognized for academic and athletic excellence. Outstanding programs such as the Open Program at Conejo Elementary School and the EARTHS (Environmental Academy for Research Technology and earth Sciences) magnet being formed at Manzanita Elementary School were showcased.

The highly successful junior kindergarten program and expanded preschool opportunities are other examples. This district is moving forward, and when these trying times pass, the education our children receive will be even better than it is today.

On Jan. 21, the board will decide on the placement of MATES and the lease of the two closed sites. Whatever decisions are made, they will be supported by some and denounced by others.

There are no easy answers.

The board will base its decisions on the best information it has at the time and on the core value of doing what's in the best interest of all 22,000 students.

Our ability as a community to get through this difficult period together will depend on how well we accept the brutal facts we face and how well we respond to the decisions that must be made.

These are certainly times that will try our souls.

Contini is superintendent of CVUSD.