Geyserville weighs future of its high school

The future of 80-student Geyserville High School is at the heart of an ongoing study by the Geyserville School District and Sonoma County Office of Education.

The district is considering a variety of options for grades nine through 12. They include keeping the Moody Lane campus open; contracting with Healdsburg High School to teach the district's high schoolers; or trimming programs to just state-required academics.

"They have a declining enrollment situation with their high school and they are looking at school options," Steve Herrington, superintendent of Sonoma County Office of Education, said prior to Wednesday's meeting. "They can't carry the staff with that many kids."

But many of the 40 people who showed up at the Geyserville School Board's regular meeting Wednesday night urged the board to consider keeping the small high school open. And they were highly critical of a recent survey they said was under-publicized and did not represent the community's sentiments about the future of the school.

"There are a lot of people who didn't receive it," said parent Kelly Meier. "I think that bears repeating. By measure of those numbers, it looks like people don't care and I'm not sure that is accurate."

The survey was distributed to about 1,200 Geyserville residents as well as about 200 Geyserville students in grades six through 12, said consultant Catherine Dickson Schwarzbach. Only 213 were turned in.

The majority of respondents, 58 percent, were students. And of those who responded, 75 percent percent said they preferred to keep Geyserville High School open with the possibility of fewer electives and extracurricular activities rather than bus kids to Healdsburg High School.

The survey, released Wednesday, is one piece of information for the board to consider and is not a final determination, Schwarzbach said.

"This is an indicator, it's one piece of information. You are going to get other information as well,: she said. "I'm not making a recommendation on what the district does. I'm providing information to the board."

In March, the board will consider programs offered in similar-sized districts and high schools and how any changes might affect employees.

Carnation reminded parents that the conversation is ongoing and no changes are afoot for next fall.

"At least for next year things, I think, will remain the same so we'll have time to consider all those things," he said.

"I think the board recognizes the small, safe school environment is extremely important to parents and the well-being of the district," he said. "But they are also concerned that they have a fiduciary duty to keep the district from going bankrupt."