5 months ago
KNIGHTS LANDING, CA - It's been on the chopping block before. But this time a push from parents, students and teachers wasn't enough to save Grafton Elementary School -- the only school in Knights Landing.
Tuesday was a rollercoaster day for teachers and students. They spent time doing the typical last-day-of-school activities -- playing games and eating snacks. But they also shed tears and talked about their memories.
Teacher Hilda Herrera-Rico has spent 11 years - her entire teaching career at Grafton, which only had 120 students. She said the school is like a large family. "Your classes are small and that means the children are more engaged. You get to teach them more," Herrera-Rico said. "You know them by name. And by looking in their eyes, you can see what's going on with them."
Woodland Joint Unified School District officials said they're closing the school to help them close a $7 million deficit. Herrera-Rico held out hope until the very end and the decision would be rescinded. "You don't think it's going to happen. You know the news is there. But you think the nightmare will never come."
Parent Elisabeth Quirarte had two children at the school. She worries about them transferring elsewhere. "Now they're going to be moved to a bigger school," said Quirarte. "There's going to be more students and less time for the teachers to work with students."
Quirarte said she will drive her children to their new school next fall. She opted not to send them to the school where the district was going to transfer them.
"They were going to be bused to a school on the other side of Woodland and it would have meant an hour-long bus ride for them. It's too far for them to be riding on a bus. They'd have to get up too early in the morning," Quirarte said.
After her students left, a tearful Herrera-Rico said, "I'll miss the community and the children. They have a big heart."
News10/KXTV
