It appears the oldest public school in the city of Vallejo won’t close anytime soon.
Vallejo school district Superintendent Adam Clark sent notice Friday afternoon, shortly before the school board’s Wednesday agenda was released to the public, that his office is recommending Lincoln Elementary School remain open.
However, three other school sites — Beverly Hills Elementary School, Franklin Middle School and the Farragut Academy — are being recommended to be closed or consolidated for the 2020-21 school year.
Clark said he will present his list of recommendations at the upcoming board meeting on Wednesday. No school board action is planned that day, as the board is expected to make an official decision on Clark’s recommendations at its Feb. 19 meeting.
“Please understand that this recommendation is extremely difficult to make,” Clark said in a statement to the district community. “I share this with you at this time because my desire is to increase trust and transparency throughout the district.”
The Vallejo school board received an official recommendations from its Property Advisory Committee (PAC) during the board’s Jan. 15 meeting.
The committee had recommended closing Lincoln and sending the students to to Mare Island Health and Fitness Academy and Farragut Elementary, while the district re-uses the property or sells it.
Clark agreed with the committee to declare the Crest Center, at 1220 Gateway Drive, and Grant Facility, located at 740 Fifth Avenue, as surplus district property that can be sold.
He is also recommending that the Vallejo City Unified School District offices on Mare Island be considered for closure or consolidation, and the former site of John Finney High School at 233 Hobbs St. be considered for future usage or be declared surplus and eventually sold.
Students at John Finney have since moved to the former Vallejo Middle School site on Amador.
As the school district continues to struggle financially, the board appointed the nine-person committee to review and establish a list of surplus district property that can be sold. Clark previously said any money from selling district property would be used to pay down $15 million owed to the state of California.
Almost two decades ago, the state bailed out the district with a $60 million loan after then-district officials underestimated salary figures, inflated enrollment numbers, and approved union contracts the district couldn’t afford.
Parents, students, and members of the community spoke out against the committee’s recommendations during a public hearing in mid December. They asked the committee not to recommend closure of Lincoln and Beverly Hills.
Many also spoke during the board’s Jan. 15 meeting, pleading not to close the facilities.
“Regardless of what happens, our students need us to continue to provide a high quality set of services,” Clark added in his same Friday statement.
The Vallejo school board will meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday, inside the Governing Board Room, 665 Walnut Avenue on Mare Island in Vallejo.