Trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School Board met in Special Session Tuesday, September 23 in the City Council Chambers, 177 First Street West, at 5:00 pm. The Agenda was limited to continued discussion of elementary school consolidation, and a vote on Resolution 26-07, in which the Trustees could name the elementary site to be closed at the end of the 2025-26 school year. The Resolution is the first step in the process; it triggers a CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) study, and the creation of a detailed transition plan; both will be presented at the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees on October 9. The Resolution was approved by a 4-0 vote; Trustee Anne Ching, representing Area 5 where Prestwood School is located, was unable to remain at the meeting after discussion for the vote due to medical reasons. At the October meeting the Trustees are expected to make a final vote on the Resolution.
Probably due to the inconvenient time for parents, and confusion about the actual date of this Special Session, there was a smaller than usual public turnout for such an important meeting. September 23 was Rosh Hashanah, and the Trustees had attempted unsuccessfully to find a mutually agreeable alternate date, out of respect for the Jewish holiday.
After brief public comment, including Zoom comments, Trustees heard a presentation by Acting Superintendent Rena Seifts of materials she had gathered at the Trustees’ request on Elementary School Consolidation. The information was updated since the September 11 Board meeting…