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<\/a><\/p>\nThe implementation committee \u2014 comprised of district and union representatives, teachers and parents \u2014 is tasked with choosing which schools to consolidate and where to redraw attendance boundaries and relocate special programs. It strives to provide additional resources for students, as well as balanced school sizes districtwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people, including young children, braved the cold and rain to protest their school being on the chopping block at the school district office before Tuesday\u2019s committee meeting. The main meeting room and overflow spaces were at capacity, with many people holding signs saying \u201cWilliams: Stop the Whale Hunt,\u201d \u201cSimonds IS the School of Tomorrow!\u201d and \u201cLowell is Where I Learn, Play and Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that many of you are here tonight because you care deeply about your school communities,\u201d Committee Chair Patrick Bernhardt said at the meeting. \u201cThis process is difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee discarded one option during the meeting, and added new ones that included not separating students in special education classes from their schools.<\/p>\n
The first option would close nine elementary schools \u2014 Almaden, Anne Darling, Canoas, Gardner, Lowel, Rachel Carson, Selma Olinder, Simonds and Walter L. Bachrodt \u2014 with Hammer Montessori located at Galarza relocating to the Rachel Carson facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second option would close Empire Gardens, Gardner, Lowell, Rachel Carson, Reed, Selma Olinder, Terrell, Walter L. Bachrodt and Williams.<\/p>\n
At a virtual town hall the night before, Trustee Nicole Gribstad said school closures should be the last resort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think two months\u2019 time is enough time to fully look at the picture and allow for stakeholders to come and have their say,\u201d she said. \u201cWe want to have transparency. We want to have accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Concerned parents attended the SJUSD Schools of Tomorrow implementation committee meeting to speak against closing campuses. (Lorraine Gabbert\/San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight)<\/p>\n
According to San Jose Unified School District, enrollment has declined by more than 6,000 students since the 2017-18 school year, with 12 elementary schools having fewer than 350 students and the largest more than 800. The district has 25,000 students, from transitional kindergarten through grade 12.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of students at a school directly impacts how many teachers and support staff \u2014 counselors, nurses, campus supervisors, etc. \u2014 can be assigned there,\u201d the district said on its website. \u201cThe number of staff, in turn, affects which programs schools can offer, such as science, arts, and music. Staffing numbers also affect whether we need to create \u2018combo classes\u2019 in which two grade levels are taught by one teacher in the same classroom. The Schools of Tomorrow \u2026 will enable us to address declining enrollment in a positive, student-centered way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Declining enrollment is a statewide issue. Various districts in San Jose have already closed a dozen campuses.\u00a0Franklin-McKinley School District<\/a>\u00a0closed three elementary schools in 2025. In 2024\u00a0Berryessa Union School District<\/a>\u00a0closed three schools and\u00a0Alum Rock Union School District<\/a>\u00a0closed six schools.<\/p>\n Renata Sanchez, president of the San Jose Teachers Association, said the committee is being thoughtful in its deliberations.<\/p>\n \u201cThis work is challenging and emotional, and we all want what is best for our students,\u201d she told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cIt was also beautiful to see so many communities come out and express the love they have for their school. Each of the speakers brought up good points for the committee to consider.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanchez said the unions have negotiated with the school district to ensure no teachers or staff will lose their jobs due to consolidations. She sees this as an opportunity to address racism and disparities.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was important to the committee that we\u2019re making the decisions not based on academic achievement, because academic achievement is an imperfect measure of the effectiveness of a school and the effectiveness of teaching staff,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat is different are the circumstances that our students are living in and the experiences that they\u2019re bringing with them to the schools.\u201d<\/p>\n Lizeth Hernandez, a Lowell Elementary parent, is concerned closing schools will negatively affect struggling communities.<\/p>\n \u201cThese shifts often create big challenges for families who already have the least flexibility,\u201d she said at the meeting. \u201cNew school models can mean longer commutes, transportation issues, child care gaps and parents having to rearrange work schedules \u2026 when you are already juggling multiple jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n Parent Travis Curran said a benefit of walkable neighborhood schools is the opportunity to converse with his children.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not making eye contact and you\u2019re in motion and you\u2019re just kind of walking side by side. It makes my kids speak up a whole lot more and share with me about how their day was,\u201d he told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cYou lose things like that if you look at shutting down a community school.\u201d<\/p>\n Contact Lorraine Gabbert at\u00a0lorrainegabbertsjspotlight@gmail.com.<\/p>\n