Sentiment from district officials seems to support closing Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Penn Valley. At a sparsely-attended town hall meeting, Penn Valley Union Elementary School District Superintendent Torie England says the least-expensive option would have Pleasant Valley’s 4th and 5th graders joining K-3 students at Williams Ranch School, in Lake Wildwood, creating a K-5 school. The 6th through 8th graders would move to Ready Springs K-8 School, in Penn Valley, which would be the only K-8 to remain open. And England says the district also has enough money in its shrinking budget, or 140-thousand dollars. She says closing Williams Ranch and transferring all the K-3 students to combine with the 4th through 8th grade students at Pleasant Valley, and creating a second K-8, would cost over 4-million dollars, due to what she calls “off the chart” rennovation expenses…

click to listen to Torie England

Declining enrollment is the reason for a growing budget deficit, necessitating a school closure. England says she heard no particular preference from parents, but that doesn’t mean they’re happy about it…

click to listen to Torie England

A third option would bring all Pleasant Valley students to Williams Ranch school, for a second K-8, but would cost around 600-thousand dollars. A community facilities committee will also make a recommendation, when the District Board meets September 13th and likely makes a final decision. And the committee had recommended having TWO K-8 schools.