Author: amyd2414

In October of 2020 our school community was informed that the West Sonoma County Union High School District board was going to vote on consolidating our two high schools. There had been no communication prior to that. We were blindsided by this information and have been doing everything in our power to stop this ever since. Hundreds of families in our community sent letters to the board asking them to please stop and consider not consolidating the schools and to think of other options to save our school. Here is a copy of the letter that I sent to the board:

Dear WSCUHSD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Beal,

I am writing in regards of the possible consolidation of the El Molino and Analy high school campuses. My son and niece are both juniors at El Molino and we are devastated that this is happening. As residents of Santa Rosa, we have chosen to drive out to Forestville and have our children attend El Molino. 15 years ago both my son and niece went to a daycare where the family had all gone to both Forestville School and El Molino High School. The family always talked about how nice it was to go to these small schools, where everyone was like family there. So when the kids were 4 years old we put them in the preschool on the Forestville campus. The kids loved the school, so from preschool to 8^th grade they went to Forestville. When it was time for high school, it was a no brainer that the kids would go to El Molino. Now that they are almost done, they are being told that their last and final year of high school will be at some other school, not their beloved El Molino. This is not acceptable. 

Deciding to consolidate now and so quickly after everything these kids have been through is a huge mistake. There has been enough stress for these kids as is and to ask them to move to a different school because you think Analy is the right choice is ridiculous. These kids need to be given a break. 

My family asks that you look at all of the options that have been shared with you to keep both schools open for the time being. Let’s find another solution to make this work. The El Molino community and the children will be negatively impacted if this consolidation happens. 

Please do not vote to consolidate. 

Amy DeWitt 

Brett DeWitt  

El Molino Parents

Wednesday March 10, 2021 the board met to vote on whether the consolidation was going to happen or not. For five hours we listened to all the information the board had to share with the community on the different options they could vote on. We listened to families and community members plead their cases as to why the board should not vote to consolidate. After five long hours it was put to a vote. The board had voted 3 to 2 in favor to consolidate. We were crushed. How could they decide to consolidate after other options were given to the board for consideration? How could they decide this after the student representation from both schools had voted that they did not want to consolidate their schools? They said they are doing this for the children, but the children had spoken and said that they did not want this. The board is not doing this for our children; they are doing this for the money. It’s always about the money. One thing is clear though; we will not stop fighting to save our school! We will never stop! Go Lions!!

When you first start dating someone, it’s all about the two of you. Going on dates, just hanging out, getting to know each other. Well if one of you has children eventually you will be doing things with the kids as well. Now imagine being 23 years old, you’re out to dinner with your boyfriend and his two kids, ages 13 and 7. You’re at Taco Bell and sitting inside because that is what the kids want to do. Everyone has their food and is enjoying the time out. Now imagine you’re sitting there and the 13-year-old daughter looks you dead in the eye and asks, “What’s a hymen?” At that moment you stop taking a bit of your bean burrito while trying not to choke. You turn to your now husband with a look that says “What do I do?” and he just looks back at you and says “Well?” What the hell, isn’t he going to help me? Isn’t he going to tell her that, that isn’t an appropriate question? No! He doesn’t. He just sits there silently laughing. So I take a small drink of my soda because by then my throat is as dry as the Mojave Desert. I take a deep breath, look up and say, “Do you know what your ‘Cherry’ is?” Yes, I asked a 13 year old if she knew what her Cherry was. There was silence for about a minute, but it felt like an eternity. Finally she looks at her dad, then at me and says “yes.” I said, “Well a hymen is the medical term for your Cherry.” She looks at me and just says “Oh,” then goes back to eating. I just sit there thinking to myself, what the hell just happened? Was she messing with me or was this a serious question? Well whatever it was we have been super close ever since. She is my bonus daughter and I love her with all of my heart, even though I wanted to die of embarrassment that day.