Farewell, Dunbar. Second-oldest school closes

This editorial is Sonoma Index-Tribune:

You just have to drive to Dunbar Elementary School’s Glenn Ellen campus to know it’s something special. The tree-lined road gives way to an oak-filled property dotted with colorful classrooms and open space.

With such a bucolic setting, it’s easy to see why founders selected Dunbar Road when building the original school 166 years ago. Mary Linder became the school’s first teacher to 21 students in 1857, using a building donated by Alex Dunbar and a budget of $500.

It moved to its current site, just north of the original location, in 1930, which marked a period of steady growth for the school commonly referred to as California’s second oldest. There was demand, especially in the post-World War II years when the Sonoma Valley’s population grew quickly.

But Dunbar always stayed a small school, where everyone knew everyone, which sadly became the cause of its impending closure.

By the 2023-24 school year, Dunbar was expected to have just 81 students spread across five grades, most of whom would be bused in from the Springs. Facing a 62% drop in enrollment since 2016, the Sonoma Valley Unified School District made the hard but reasonable decision to close the public campus.

While Glen Ellen continues to grow, with 1,214 residents in 2023, up from 784 in 2010, the population is becoming older and more affluent. The median age is 57.8, 1.5 times higher than the California average of 37; with a median household income of $250,000, nearly three times the state average of $84,097.

Those above average numbers don’t bode well for public schools, as such residents usually don’t have elementary-aged students, and those who do often pick private education.

The campus won’t sit barren; Woodland Star Charter School is making plans to take over the beautiful Glen Ellen location. But the Dunbar community will come to an end on the last day of school — taking with it the small class sizes, tight-knit culture, weirdly hilarious melodramas and rich history.

Like any death, it’s important to take time to remember the good and mourn the loss of a school that meant so much to so many.

On June 3, Dunbar students, parents, staff and alumni are invited to come together to honor the school’s lasting legacy. All are welcome from noon to 4 p.m. to meet at the famed Haver Stage under the oak trees and share in memories and merriment.

There will be an after-party from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the back patio at Jack London Lodge.

The little school with big personality will continue to be celebrated in photos and artifacts, which should soon be on display in the district. It’s a history worth holding on to.

We’ll miss you, Dunbar Dolphins. But you’ll be forever in our hearts.

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