Interim superintendent recommends consolidating Bella Vista Elementary into Pueblo del Sol amid decade‑long enrollment decline

Interim Superintendent Terry Romo recommended that the Sierra Vista Unified School District consolidate Bella Vista Elementary School into Pueblo del Sol Elementary, telling a packed town‑hall meeting that the move is a response to a decade‑long enrollment decline and a multi‑million‑dollar budget gap.

"Right now, we have over 3,000 empty seats," Romo said, explaining the district has been losing roughly 150–300 students in recent years. Romo said closing an elementary campus saves about $350,000 but that the district faces far larger cuts unless enrollment and revenue change.

The recommendation calls for moving Bella Vista students and programs to Pueblo del Sol (PDS). Romo said PDS has the largest square footage in the elementary portfolio, recent bond‑funded renovations and available classroom space that make it the district’s preferred receiving campus. She emphasized the governing board — which she said was present at the meeting — will make the final decision and noted a board work session on 2025‑11‑12 and a potential vote currently scheduled for 2025‑11‑18.

Why it matters: declining enrollment reduces state funding tied to per‑pupil counts. Romo told parents and community members that closing one school is unlikely to solve the district’s fiscal problems outright and that further cuts may be necessary if enrollment continues to fall.

What Romo said the district would and would not do: Romo said district policy on class sizes and on core programs — gifted services and special education — would be maintained and that the district would not change class‑size caps. She spelled out transportation rules: the district would provide bus transport to the consolidated campus (PDS) for students zoned to Bella Vista; families could open‑enroll at other district schools but generally would not receive district transportation to those alternate campuses. On staffing, Romo and human‑resources staff said they would try to preserve jobs and move teachers with their programs when possible, but they could not guarantee that no positions would be cut; any reductions would follow the district’s reduction‑in‑force policy.

Parents and residents pushed back on several fronts: multiple speakers said Bella Vista is a walkable neighborhood school and that many families bought homes specifically to be close to it. "I chose to buy a house in that area to be closer to the school," one parent said, adding that her child currently bikes to school and that PDS would be too far for that routine. Another participant said the plan would be a "neighborhood gut punch" that could scatter children across other campuses, push families to charter or private schools and reduce future district enrollment.

Community alternatives and questions raised: parents and nonprofit representatives urged the district to consider leasing or repurposing the Bella Vista property rather than permanently converting it to offices. Brian Wenzmeyer, a board member at Cactus Wren Cooperative Preschool, said his nonprofit would seek a long‑term lease and asked the district to examine reuse options before a sale or demolition. Others suggested creating magnet options (arts or STEM), K–8 configurations or other programmatic changes to attract families back to district schools.

Operational details and clarifications provided at the meeting: - Romo said Bella Vista has the district’s lowest enrollment and a small building footprint; PDS has the largest capacity and recent multipurpose/gym renovations from the bond program. - The superintendent cited family and staff surveys (more than 400 parent responses) and an internal staff survey as part of the decision analysis. - Romo said a closure yields modest immediate savings (~$350,000) and that the district has been directed to identify millions in cuts. - The district indicated class‑size policy caps would be honored (Romo cited typical elementary caps such as kindergarten low‑20s and rising caps for upper grades) and that any reassignment of staff would follow board policy on reductions in force.

Next steps: Romo asked the governing board to consider the recommendation at its November work session and indicated the board may schedule a vote on or about Nov. 18. She said that once the board gives direction the district will begin transition planning, parent engagement events and more detailed transportation route design.

Context and caveats: Romo said the consolidation recommendation is intended to be a responsible, transparent attempt to preserve as many teaching positions as possible while aligning facilities to current enrollment. She and multiple commenters warned that closing a neighborhood school carries social and equity costs and that the decision carries risks of driving families to non‑district options. The district has not yet taken formal action; the governing board will decide whether to adopt Romo’s recommendation.

Ending: The superintendent asked families to participate in follow‑up surveys and said the district will continue outreach. Romo closed by reiterating that she wants the district to survive and to remain responsive to families’ needs; the board’s decision in mid‑November will determine the next steps.