'Heart-wrenching': Community devastated by Santa Rosa school closures
Santa Rosa shuttering 3 elementary schools
After eight months of open meetings, Santa Rosa school officials on Wednesday decided to close three elementary schools to help offset a multi-million dollar deficit.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A series of consequences from COVID-19 and the continuing decline in birth rates is causing schools nationwide to downsize.
For centuries, local schools have been a basic underpinning of the American experience.
3 elementary schools closing
What we know:
After eight months of open meetings, Santa Rosa school officials decided Wednesday to close three elementary schools to help offset a multimillion-dollar deficit.
"It's heart-wrenching. No one, no educator, superintendent, no position, no board member, signs up to serve to close schools," said Santa Rosa Superintendent Dr. Daisy Morales.
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Brook Hill and Albert Biella elementary schools will close by June of this year, and Steele Lane Elementary will close by June of next year.
Parent reactions
What they're saying:
Parents of Brook Hill students were devastated.
"I love those teachers. They've cared for my kids. It's not just my kids, it's a group of community that is a small school," said one parent. "I don't want my child to go to another school and be the loser kid that lost their school."
"They also offer a RICE program. My son is autistic. It's gonna be hard because we have a lot of families with special kids," added parent Ophelia.
What's next:
The school board has not decided which middle and high schools will close.
It's not just about closures but also the cultural impact.
The dismantling of a school can have a huge impact on the community, from teachers to students, staff to parents, families to friends.
"They know that each behind each school name is a community," said Morales.
There was a decline in enrollment post-COVID as many families moved away, along with a drop in student attendance.
"So as hard as it was to have it done in public, I wholeheartedly believe it was the most transparent," said Morales.
The Source: Santa Rosa school board meeting and KTVU interviews