The reason the meeting had more attendance than usual was because board members are considering the possibility of closing two or as many as three of the eight district elementary school campuses next academic year to cut expenses. Parents left the Oct. 13 board meeting even more frustrated that the board members unanimously passed 22 school operations criteria and a school closures timeline. The item on the board agenda identifies how those campuses that will not close will handle the extra overflow of students from the closed schools, while minimizing disruption.

District Superintendent Phil Quon stressed that the possibility of closing schools in the 4,700-student district is a highly emotional issue. While Guadalupe Elementary School, 6044 Vera Cruz Drive in San Jose, and Alta Vista Elementary School, 200 Blossom Valley Drive in Los Gatos, are physically the smallest school sites, Quon said he had no idea where parents got the idea that specific schools had already been targeted for closure. Board members claimed during the meeting that no school within the district has been identified for closure.

The board will make its final decision in February 2004, and schools could be closed by the next school year. A task force will be assembled to discuss options other than school closures as well as school closures, Quon said.

While he appreciated the community feedback, Quon said parent comments were unfair when they said they were not well-informed about school consolidations and budget cuts. Many parents said they learned about the board meeting on Oct. 8, giving them short notice to prepare statements and become informed about the closure process in time for the Oct. 13 meeting.

Quon said he publicizes notices regularly in all of the school principals' newsletters, as well as updating information on the district's website and making sure board meetings and items on the agenda are publicized.

"I want to express my disappointment that you went through this, and didn't inform parents until [Oct. 8]," said Yuval Schwartz of Los Gatos, the parent of a fifth grader attending Alta Vista. Schwartz said he was worried about how school consolidations would impact the community as well as create a loss in property value.

Board members proposed that closing two schools could save about $650,000, although further cutbacks are a possibility for next year. Quon said about $1 million has already been cut from the $33 million general fund budget, in the form of valuable employees and programs, to make up for a lack of state support.

A total of 24 district employee jobs have been completely eliminated, from computer aides and instructional assistants to food service workers and custodians. In addition, 34 district employees have had their hours significantly reduced.

Quon said the board is continually looking at ways to cut expenses and increase revenue since they are currently facing an unrestricted deficit, or shortfall, of $4,885,315 for the 2003­04 fiscal year.

Board members are also looking at school closures because of declining enrollment trends. Seven of the eight elementary schools have 350 students or fewer, with the state average for an elementary school at about 600. There has been a total loss in district enrollment from 1999 to 2003 of about 300 students. But parents at the board meeting and even community members who don't have children attending district schools stressed they don't want school closures to even be an option.

Parent Tim Nelson reminded the audience that consolidations would impact all district schools, not just those targeted for closure. He supported the task force designated to explore all options, including a district-wide parcel tax that had previously been rejected.

A parcel tax, which would include a costly election paid for by the district, could be imposed on owners of parcels of land within the district boundaries, although the majority of homeowners in the district don't have school-aged children.

"We need to find another way to bridge our finances," Nelson said, adding that community members might look at a parcel tax measure in a different light than they have in the past if it would prevent school closures.

Board member Janice Hector assured parents that even if schools close, the child-to-teacher ratio in the classrooms will stay the same, even if this means adding portable or temporary classrooms to the remaining open campuses to handle the transfer students.

Quon also said board members are looking at the effects of a countywide parcel tax that could appear on the March 2004 ballot. The district will be looking for self-sustaining and long-term sources of revenue.

"I want school closures to be investigated," said board President Gregg Berryman. "We have to investigate, analyze and look at everything, and this happens to be a tough one to look at."

Donald Limburg, who has lived near Alta Vista for 35 years and no longer has children attending district schools, reminded board members that there has been an ebb and flow in school population over the years. He also suggested that many parents can't afford to move their children into private schools, if their respective schools are consolidated.

"My kids got the finest education by going through public schools, and I want the rest of you to have the same experience," Limburg said.

Guadalupe parent Byron Henderson echoed the same message as parents who had spoken before him, reminding board members to consider every other possible option before closing schools.

Parent Tiffany Finocchio said that just by watching the board members, it appeared that some of them already had their minds made up prior to the meeting. She suggested board members use the resources of parents in the district who know how to be fiscally responsible and manage multimillion-dollar companies on a daily basis.

Quon said he took offense at the parents who thought the body language of the board members suggested they had already decided how they would vote about school consolidations.

"The board has been trying to just sit and listen," Quon said. "No one was sitting with their arms crossed. The board always hears community comments."

The next board meeting is planned for Nov. 10 at the district office, 5175 Union Ave. in San Jose. For more information, visit http://www.unionsd.org.