The Evergreen School District in San Jose is moving forward with a plan to close two elementary schools at the end of this school year, according to a district release Wednesday.
District Superintendent Emy Flores announced she will be recommending to the Board of Trustees the closure/consolidation of Laurelwood and Dove Hill elementary schools. The board will be holding two public hearings in the next couple of weeks before voting on the recommendation, which is the result of two months of meetings, analyses and discussions by an advisory committee, the district said.
"This is a difficult recommendation to make because none of us want to have to close schools," Flores said in a statement. "However, we also know that we cannot ignore the rising operating costs and declining enrollment that we have been facing and will continue to face as a district, resulting in a $12 million financial shortfall. This decision keeps the best interests of our students in mind so that we can ensure that our schools maintain the level of excellence that our families expect and our students deserve."
The district said enrollment has been steadily declining to the tune of 2,500 students over the past six years, and the trend is expected to continue, with a loss of 1,500 more enrollees in the next five years.
The Board of Trustees public hearings will be held Monday, Jan. 27 and Monday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at Quimby Oak Middle School gymnasium, 3190 Quimby Road in San Jose. The board will then vote on the recommended closures/consolidations at its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 13.
