Did you know Prestwood is at risk of closure for the 2026/2027 school year?
Now is the time for us to stand up, speak out and make our voices heard. Our school, our children and our community matter.
ATTEND UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS:
Community Protest: September 5 at 4pm, Sonoma Plaza
Board Meeting: September 11 at 6pm, located at Sonoma City Chambers, 177 1st West, Sonoma
Board Meeting: September 23 (TIME AND LOCATION TBD)
SIGN: Save Prestwood Petition Note: No donation is required to sign.
Please take a moment to sign and share this petition to help us protect Prestwood Elementary from closure. Your support makes a difference! We’ll be sharing the petition results with the SVUSD School Board to ensure our voices are heard.
EMAIL: SVUSD Board:
dbell.trustee@sonomaschools.org
aching.trustee@sonomaschools.org
gguzman.trustee@sonomaschools.org
clandry.trustee@sonomaschools.org
jlehman.trustee@sonomaschools.org
EMAIL: Sonoma City Council Members & Mayor
patricia.farrar-rivas@sonomacity.org - Mayor
ron.wellander@sonomacity.org - Vice Mayor
LEARN THE FACTS - KEY POINTS
All Sonoma public elementary schools are under 50% capacity, and enrollment continues to decline across the district.
The first opportunity to vote on which elementary school to close is scheduled for September 23. At this point, alternative options are no longer being considered. During the August 20 board study session, Prestwood was identified as the most likely school to be closed.
Prestwood leads in academics, outperforming the next best public school by 14% in English Language Arts and 11% in Math. Test scores link>
Closing Prestwood would worsen traffic on 5th St. West, affecting access to the hospital and grocery stores and endangering pedestrians crossing the street.
Prestwood has the best permanent infrastructure, with the most brick-and-mortar buildings and the fewest portables in the district. A brand-new $6.9M multi-purpose room, and access to the high school's brand new $14M track and field sports complex.
Sassarini’s 1-mile zone overlaps with El Verano and Prestwood, so its students could be reassigned with minimal disruption and many would have shorter commutes. But closing Prestwood would force longer commutes. Prestwood zone> Sassarini zone> El Verano zone>
Prestwood has over 39% more outdoor play space than Sassarini (288,550 sq. ft. vs. 206,480) and the second-largest campus capacity after El Verano, with ample room to expand even further.
Closing Prestwood means losing a vital community space, and facing an uncertain future for the site. Without it, we lose events, sports, and after-school programs, while the property risks being sold, leased for non-residential use, or left vacant and neglected. Did you know Flowery is a closed campus, meaning it is non-accessible for public use?
In Sonoma’s real estate market, access to strong public schools like Prestwood significantly influences buying decisions. Closing the school would not only reduce the area’s appeal and drive potential residents elsewhere, but also accelerate the trend of Sonoma becoming a childless community.
Extensive Support Needs (ESN) FACTS AND RESOURCES
Prestwood supports Sonoma’s most disabled students, with $600K invested in specialized classrooms.
Our Special Educations program promotes integration and belonging through neighboring classrooms, shared play, a school garden, and inclusive field trips.
Our ESN community moved from Dunbar to Prestwood after its 2022 closure, with a district promise they wouldn’t be displaced again. Now facing another move, it’s clear the district isn’t upholding its commitment to protect these students. This raises serious concerns about discrimination and a potential 504 violation. If you would like to file a complaint with the California Department of Education (CDE) and make your voices heard, please use these resources:
For information regarding the complaint process, see:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/cmplntproc.asp
You may find forms and resources here:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa
If you have additional questions about special education procedural safeguards, please call the Dispute Resolution Services Unit at 800-926-0648, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
