Schools

Superintendent Recommends James Marshall Stay Open; Board Vote Pending

The Sacramento City Unified School District may close 11 schools across the district.

An hour after parents and activists marched outside the Sacramento City Unified School District office asking officials to keep their schools open, Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said an elementary school in Rosemont shouldn't close after all.

James W. Marshall is one of 11 schools the school board could close; the board is voting Thursday night on 10 of them.

Raymond said the district doesn't have enough data to understand what would happen if James W. Marshall Elementary School closes and parents avoid sending their kids to A.M. Winn because it's now a Waldorf-style campus.

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He also said Bret Harte and Susan B. Anthony Elementary Schools should stay open, but the decision ultimately is up to the board.

Raymond's recommendation likely comes as good news to James W. Marshall Principal Marla VanLaningham, who said she's already been applying for other jobs in case her school closes.

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To parents, the district's proposal is "just confusing," VanLaningham said. "Because there are so many great things going on at James Marshall and they want to know why none of that was taken into consideration."

She said the district never asked for input from her or any parents at James Marshall before recommending the school's closure.


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