Lennox board approves Felton Elementary consolidation after contentious public comment; vote 4–1

The Lennox School District Board of Education voted 4–1 Tuesday to advance the superintendent's recommendation to close Felton Elementary as part of a school consolidation plan, adopting Resolution 11-25-26 to begin transition planning.

Superintendent David Tien told the board the recommendation follows an 11-month review that included contracting with outside consultants and convening a superintendent's advisory council to evaluate enrollment, facilities and special‑education needs. "Tonight, I make my final recommendation to the board as well as an action item on tonight's agenda," the superintendent said as he introduced the proposal to close Felton at the end of the 2025–26 school year.

Board members spent more than an hour debating timing and the potential impact on special‑education students and staff. Trustee Marisol Cruz said the district has time to delay a closure and urged one more year for transition planning: "If time shows that we need to close, we will close. We will do the right decisions. What is the rush?" Cruz voted against the motion.

Trustees in the majority said declining enrollment and multiyear financial projections made the proposal necessary to protect programs and maintain class sizes districtwide. After discussion the chair called the roll; the motion passed 4–1 with Cruz opposed.

The vote came after extended public comment. Emilia Gutierrez, a fourth‑grade teacher at Felton and a 30‑year district employee, described staff and student distress after the recommendation was announced and urged the board to prioritize students' well‑being. "Not a single district administrator or support staff member was present on our campus the day that the news was delivered to us," Gutierrez said, describing emotional shock among teachers and families.

Nancy Valle, president of the California School Employees Association local chapter, also urged careful treatment of classified staff and asked Human Resources to provide a complete list of classified employees and their seniority dates to ensure fairness in implementation. "While an additional 8% may not seem significant to some, for employees who have dedicated decades of service to the district ... it truly matters," Valle said in support of an early‑retirement incentive the board discussed separately.

Several parents and principals warned about traffic and logistics if students are reassigned to neighboring campuses and asked for individualized transition plans for students with high needs. The board and administration said they would develop supports and a communication plan; the superintendent said the district had prepared a communications kit and transition materials in case the board approved consolidation.

What the board approved

- Resolution adopted: Resolution 11-25-26, authorizing the Felton consolidation/closure planning process (text recorded in the meeting packet). The resolution was adopted by roll call after discussion; vote 4–1.

Next steps and oversight

The board directed administration to begin transition planning and indicated that staff, transportation, nutrition and facilities teams would assess receiving campuses for accessibility and services. Trustees who opposed the timing reiterated that receiving schools must be fully prepared, particularly to meet the needs of special‑education students.

The superintendent and administration said counseling and emotional supports would be offered to staff and students during the transition period and that further implementation details would come back to the board for review.

The meeting recessed after the resolution was adopted; the district said it will post details of the transition timeline and supports on its website and share them with affected families and staff.