Board votes to consolidate El Molino and Analy high schools in west Sonoma County

All students at El Molino High School in Forestville will move to Sebastopol’s Analy High in the fall under a highly controversial and split decision made by the West Sonoma County Union High School District school board late Wednesday to consolidate the campuses following the failure of two tax measures that would have shored up the district’s yawning budget gap.

The 3-2 decision came on the heels of more than an hour of mixed input from dozens of community members, who passionately debated the merits and detriments of consolidation by next school year or later. The scenario, which will also move students from alternative school Laguna High to the Forestville campus along with the district offices, is intended to address a deficit projected to surpass $2 million by the 2022-23 school year.

Some families from the El Molino community reiterated their staunch opposition to the immediate consolidation and suggested a range of responses — from legal challenges to pulling out of the district altogether.

“Unfortunately, the stark underrepresentation of Forestville and the deep west county was clear tonight,” said Gillian Hayes, an El Molino parent who pushed for alternatives since the board began discussions of imminent consolidation last fall. “Recalls and lawsuits are next to rectify this misrepresentation since the board majority couldn’t do the right thing.”

Board members, including those who voted to proceed with the consolidation scenario conditionally approved in December, expressed anguish over the decision, acknowledging that the approximately 1,800 students served by the district and their families remain far from united as the disputed proposal moves forward.

“We need to start the healing process,” said Kellie Noe, president of the school board. She briefly excused herself from the virtual meeting almost immediately after casting the deciding vote to advance the consolidation, apparently in order to collect herself.

“What we’re doing currently is not sustainable in the west county,” she said. She was joined in her affirmative vote by Jeanne Fernandes, the board vice president, and Laurie Fadave. Board members Angie Lewis and Julie Aiello voted against the motion.

The district’s budget gap is driven primarily by declining enrollment districtwide and flat to marginal increases in state funding that have not kept pace with rising staff and facilities costs. The west county district student population has declined by nearly 12% in the last five years, and by about 32% since 1981.

The district’s approximately 100 teachers secured a new, hard-won contract in 2019 that included a 12% pay raise over three years.

The passage of either Measure A or Measure B in the March 2 special election would have automatically allowed officials to devote another year or more to a decision about either consolidating campuses or cutting programs. Since voters did not approve either one, the school board faced tight deadlines to identify where to cut costs in the coming school years. Those include a March 15 deadline to notify teachers that they may be laid off, and another deadline to approve a fiscal recovery plan two days later.

But opinions about how best to move forward were not aligned.

“I urge you to listen to the fact that we are a district deeply divided,” said Robin Leone, a parent who served on the superintendent’s budget committee this year. That committee itself was split in its recommendation to the board on how to address the deficit.

Chief Business Official Jeff Ogston in a presentation before the vote highlighted a few alternative options that the superintendent’s budget committee explored. Because the district is facing a structural deficit, each involved a different combination of layoffs or financial and community impacts.

The 19-member budget committee put forward two recommendations to the board: 10 people voted for consolidating in 2021-22. The other nine voted in favor of moving from a seven-period day to a six-period day in the fall, with consolidation happening either the year after or later.

Switching to a six-period day next year would have satisfied the requirements faced by the district to identify some budget cuts in the coming years to address the structural deficit. A few dozen community members asked the board during public comments to choose that option and allow more time for students to prepare for the possibility of consolidation.

"I don’t believe we are kicking a can down the road,“ said Steve Griffith, a retired teacher from Forestville. ”I urge you to use all the means that you have to not consolidate this year but give us time for team-building and a smoother road so that we don’t have confusion and resentments.“

But other speakers, almost all members of the Analy community, advocated against cutting classes, arguing that reducing elective choices would further discourage enrollment.

The head of the teachers union also urged against cutting a class period.

“Our organization must advocate for keeping the seven-period day,” said Lily Smedshammer, president of the West Sonoma County Teachers Association. “For our students, we cannot sacrifice programs and course offerings. For our members, we must advocate for their job security.”

Consolidation in the 2021-22 school year is expected to impact only slightly fewer teacher jobs than moving to a six-period day would have. While approximately 11 full-time positions would have been cut while moving to a six-period day, about nine teachers are still slated to receive pink slips this month under consolidation.

When decisions about course selection and enrollment numbers are more definitive, however, that number will likely change, officials said.

“Things will change between now and the final layoff notices that won’t be issued until May,” said Mia Del Prete, human resources director.

The approved consolidation scenario will take shape in the coming months, with community input gathered through a recently formed district unity committee. Some families are expected to leave the district, however, further impacting enrollment and diminishing district revenue.

You can reach Staff Writer Kaylee Tornay at 707-521-5250 or kaylee.tornay@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ka_tornay.