A flier stating “Winifred Pifer targeted for school closure” circulated among parents this week, prompting the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District to respond.
In a press release, the district said:
Rumors are running rampant that the District Advisory Committee, which has been formed to recommend the permanent new location for our district Dual Immersion Program… has already made “a recommendation and that a school is closing.” This is not true.
Prior to the announcement, Pifer parents were distraught at the thought of losing their school.
“My daughter and son are doing so great here. The teachers and staff and principals are just amazing. And to lose all that, it just is heartbreaking,” said PTA Vice President Brooke Montalvo.
“By making a decision on removing or distributing kids to different schools like the points here in Paso Robles, that’s going to impact the families,” said another Pifer parent, Brenda Echevarria.
In addition to stating outright that the rumor was false, the district explained the role of the District Advisory Committee is to study and make recommendations regarding school closures and the district’s Dual Immersion Program. Winifred Pifer was just one of the schools considered to host the Dual Immersion Program.
The committee is expected to conclude its study in January.
