At the last Pleasant Valley School District board meeting, it was decided that a committee would be formed to study the necessity of closing Camarillo schools. The superintendent spoke about the possibility of closing one, two or three schools with a quick mention of possibly selling a school. The deadline for the committee’s report is February so that the board can move swiftly and enact changes before the start of the next school year.

While PVSD needs to save money and cut corners where necessary, I question if closing schools is in the best interest of the students. By closing Los Altos, arguably the first school on the chopping block, the district is in essence creating two mega-middle schools. PVSD’s stated goal for middle school enrollment is 1,000 to 1,200 students. This equates to 400 students per grade. Are 11-year-old children (and even 12- and 13-year-olds) developmentally mature enough to conquer a student population of this size?

The district cites a declining student population as the reason to close and consolidate its elementary schools. But the district should examine the total number of children in Camarillo, not just those enrolled in PVSD schools. Some parents have chosen to send their children to private school, to home school, or to transfer into a different school district. Before closing schools, the district should research the number of students opting out of PVSD, why parents made that decision and, most importantly, how PVSD might entice a wayward family to enroll within its district.

In addition, the district must set reasonable elementary and middle school enrollment goals that are conducive to producing confident students in safe, nurturing schools Furthermore, all PVSD schools must have equitable facilities, funding and district support so that each school has a fighting chance of being selected as a parent’s school of choice.

— Janni Fang, Camarillo