The closure of an elementary school is a necessary step being taken after exhausting all other avenues to achieve fiscal stability for our District. This decision is part of a larger, districtwide effort to:

• Optimize resources and improve operational efficiency.

• Improve academic programming and enhance educational offerings.

• Strengthen student supports.

• Respond to changing enrollment trends.

Consolidating our elementary schools allows us to focus our resources, ensuring we can continue to provide the high-quality resources and programs that our students truly deserve.

The Board of Trustees approved the closure of Prestwood Elementary School during their Board Meeting held on October 9, 2025.

The closure of Prestwood Elementary School is set to take effect at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year.

It is the board’s intent to continue to offer the dual immersion program at Flowery Elemenrary School, and allow for expansion if possible. Starting the 2026-27 school year, Flowery Elementary will become a school of choice with no boundary. 

The Board of Trusteen approved the new boundaries at the October 9, 2025 Regular Board Meeting. Boundry Map – Board Approved 10/9/25

Families will be notified of their student's new school placement beginning at the end of October 2025.

The District's Transportation department is actively working to manage the impact of the consolidation. This work includes:

• Confirming New Routes: Confirming the need for and securing two additional bus routes.

• Data Analysis: Analyzing current ridership data to develop efficient and safe routes for all students.

This work is scheduled to take place in Spring 2026.

The District is implementing a comprehensive plan to ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition, with a strong focus on student and community voice. Key support activities include:

• Student Listening Circles and Focus Groups: Educational services and the Wellness Team will provide multiple opportunities for students to participate in listening circles and focus groups during the Spring of 2026. This allows students to share their hopes, questions, and ideas for merging the school communities.

• Joint Community Events: Site administrators will plan joint events—such as Field Day, Jog-a-Thon, and PTO gatherings—to foster new relationships before the consolidation takes effect. A full school community event, such as an evening Open House, is also planned.

• Campus Tours and Field Trips: Incoming students will participate in events and field trip opportunities that include campus tours to help them become familiar and comfortable with their new school locations.

The District is committed to a thoughtful process for managing staff transition, which is detailed in the Focus Area Three: Staff section of the Transition Plan.

Key actions include:

• Staff Input and Feedback: The District will provide a Google Form for staff to submit questions and concerns on an ongoing basis.

• Surveys and Intent to Return: Staff will be surveyed on their intent to return and their preferred site in December 2025.

• Staff Reassignment Plan: A comprehensive plan for staff reassignment will be developed during Spring 2026, which will also provide necessary professional development and ensure adequate staffing levels across all affected schools.

• Collaboration and Training:

  • The District will collaborate with labor partners from December 2025 onward.

  • A School Transition Support Team will be built in January 2026, including staff representation from each site, to meet regularly and communicate back with the larger staff.

  • Specific days, including the December 10th Extended Collab Day and the February 13th Professional Development Day, will focus on transition planning.

The District's goal for consolidation is to strengthen student supports and enhance educational offerings. We are committed to maintaining class sizes that adhere to all collective bargaining agreements and State requirements. The transition plan includes a detailed process to ensure adequate staffing levels across all remaining elementary schools, thereby preserving a positive and effective learning environment for every student.

The District does not have any immediate plans for the future use of the closed Prestwood campus. The determination of the campus's future use (e.g., sale, lease, or alternative use) is a public process governed by state law:

• 7-11 Committee: The first step is forming a 7-11 Surplus Property Advisory Committee of community members.

• Public Input: This committee will study whether the property is surplus and recommend potential future uses to the Board of Trustees in a public report.

• Board Decision: The Board will make the final decision at a public meeting, which could include:

  • Sale or Lease: Proceeds would benefit the District's fiscal needs, funding either infrastructure projects (from a sale) or operational expenses (from a lease).

  • Alternative Uses: Retaining the site for other district or community programs that benefit students.

The District is committed to a transparent process and welcomes community input.

The District is committed to transparency and community involvement through several channels:

• Community Forums: You are invited to attend our upcoming Community Forums to learn more and share your input:

  • Monday, November 17 at 6:00 PM (Spanish) – El Verano Elementary

  • Wednesday, November 20 at 6:00 PM (English) – Sonoma Valley Community Center

• Question Submission: You can submit your questions directly to the District. These will be answered and updated regularly in a live Q&A document on the website.

• School Consolidation Committee: A School Consolidation Committee is currently being formed with one parent and one staff representative from each elementary school to ensure a broad range of community perspectives are represented.

You can find links to the Elementary School Consolidation Plan on our School Consolidation webpage or by clicking the link here:  Elementary Transition Plan

Adele Harrison Middle School is closing as part of a larger districtwide effort to optimize resources, improve academic programming, and respond to changing enrollment trends. Consolidating into one middle school campus allows us to enhance educational offerings, strengthen student supports, and improve operational efficiency.

The closure of Adele Harrison Middle School takes effect at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Starting in Fall 2025, all middle school students in Sonoma Valley Unified School District will attend Altimira Middle School.

Students who would have attended Adele Harrison will be enrolled at Altimira Middle School beginning in the 2025-26 school year. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for every student, including orientation events, peer activities, and staff support.

The district is planning a series of transition activities throughout the upcoming school year, including:

• Student and family orientation nights

• Campus visits for current Adele Harrison students

• Peer buddy programs

• Dedicated counseling and social-emotional support

• Ongoing communication from school leadership

Yes, in a positive way. The consolidation enables us to expand course offerings, provide more robust electives, and ensure consistent access to programs such as visual and performing arts, STEM, and language courses. Larger enrollment at one site will also allow for more consistent academic and social-emotional supports.

Yes. Facility assessments and planning have confirmed that the Altimira campus has the capacity to serve all middle school students in the district. We are making site improvements to ensure that the campus is welcoming, safe, and equipped to handle increased enrollment.

Class sizes will remain unchanged. The district will fully honor the current union contract by upholding all negotiated class-size limits.

Even as we consolidate facilities, our mission remains firm: to advance an inclusive educational environment that provides targeted support, skilled staff, and deep collaboration—ensuring each student with special needs thrives academically, socially, and emotionally.

Consolidation often increases the pool of students and even develops sports programs that were previously not viable at smaller schools. With more participants, athletics can become more competitive and sustainable, offering depth and variety across sports and levels. Beyond athletics, consolidation can boost musical ensembles, arts, clubs, and academic competitions, given a larger student body and combined resources. Opportunities may expand for groups like chess, debate, yearbook, robotics, performing arts, and honor societies.

After-school programs should not be affected by school consolidation. The only concern that the district has regarding after-school programs is the possible loss of federal funding for the programs that are being offered.

The district is undertaking seismic upgrades at the Altimira campus to enhance safety and seismic resilience. This two-phase project will be carried out over the summers of 2025 and 2026.

Transportation routes and schedules are being updated to support the new middle school configuration. Additional busing options may be introduced where needed. Details will be shared well before the start of the 2025-26 school year.

Creekside High School has been temporarily relocated to the Adele Harrison campus. The district will also operate a transition program at that location. La Luz has rented portable units at the site from the district to support its program offerings. In compliance with the Education Code, the district’s 7‑11 committee will soon evaluate the future disposition of the site. Later this year, the Board of Trustees will make a final determination on the school's long‑term use based on the information provided by the 7-11 committee.

The Board has decided to delay choosing a new name, mascot, and school colors for one year. Following board policy, it will gather input from staff, students, and the community before making a final decision.

School closure has necessitated the following reductions in staffing:

• Classified:

  • Kitchen Manager II (middle school)

  • Food Service Assistant II (middle school)

  • Campus Supervisor II (middle school) 8 hours per day

  • School Office Manager (middle school)

  • Attendance & Welfare Technician (middle school)

  • Health Assistant (middle school)

  • Office Assistant/Receptionist (middle school)

  • Accounting Specialist (ASB) (middle school) 1 hour per day

  • Senior Custodian (middle school)

  • School Library & Student Device Technician (middle school)

• Certificated:

  • Principal, middle school

  • Vice principal, middle school

  • Math teacher, middle school As the transition continues over the summer months, we are committed to minimizing disruptions and supporting our employees through this change.

At this time, the district does not have any finalized plans for the future use of  the Adele Harrison and Prestwood campuses. We are not currently negotiating any sale or lease, nor are we in contact with interested developers.

The process is governed by extensive state laws designed to ensure public input and transparency. It is a multi-step and typically lengthy process. The first required step is the formation of a surplus property advisory committee, commonly known as a "7-11" committee.

The 7-11 Committee is a surplus property advisory committee required by statute. It must consist of between 7 to 11 members who are representative of the community.

• The committee will discuss whether the properties are surplus to the district's long-term needs.

• It will consider potential future uses of the properties.

• The committee's meetings are open to the public and include opportunities for public comment.

• Once its study is complete, the committee will submit a publicly available report with its recommendations to the School Board at a public meeting. These recommendations are advisory, and the Board will make the final decision. The district has established a dedicated webpage for information on the 7-11 committee and its meetings.

If the Board determines a site is surplus and decides to explore a sale or lease, it triggers additional public procedures to ensure an open and competitive process:

1. The district is legally required to give various public entities the first opportunity to lease or purchase the property.

2. If those entities decline, the property must then be offered to members of the general public.

3. Any final lease or sale must be Board-approved at a public meeting, providing a further opportunity for public input.

The sole beneficiaries of any sale or lease proceeds are the students of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District.

• If a sale occurs: Proceeds are generally placed in a restricted fund that can only be used for infrastructure projects that support our schools.

• If a lease occurs: Lease payments are typically unrestricted and can be used to supplement the general fund for operational expenses.

Both scenarios help the district address its fiscal needs, allowing it to maintain focus on and expand program opportunities for students.

No. The Board will consider a diverse array of possibilities for the sites. Other potential outcomes include:

• The Board may decide to retain the properties for future district needs.

• The sites could be put to alternative uses that benefit the district.

• The properties may be made available to other types of public or community organizations.

The California Department of Education (CDE) provides guidance and best practices that school districts must follow during a school consolidation or closure process. These guidelines ensure a fair and transparent process, with an emphasis on community engagement and equity. For more detailed information, you can review the official California statewide guidance on school closures from the Office of the Attorney General.

Guidance Regarding Laws Governing School Closures and Best Practices for Implementation in California

The District is committed to transparency and community involvement through several channels:

• Community Forums: You are invited to attend our upcoming Community Forums to learn more and share your input:

  • Monday, November 17 at 6:00 PM (Spanish) – El Verano Elementary

  • Wednesday, November 20 at 6:00 PM (English) – Sonoma Valley Community Center

• Question Submission: You can submit your questions directly to the District. These will be answered and updated regularly in a live Q&A document on the website.

• Regular updates will be shared via school and district websites, ParentSquare & Email newsletters, and through social media channels

Please contact the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Office at (707) 935-6000 or visit our school consolidation webpage for more information.