Parents Launch Petition to Save Crestmoor From Closure

parents have stepped up their opposition to the possibility of having their school closed by launching an online petition.

The petition is a direct response to the that was tasked with looking at school closures—an unfortunate option the district says is necessary with declining enrollment, inadequate state funding and sixth graders moving to Parkside Intermediate next year.

Part of the recommendation included a suggestion that closing Crestmoor would make the most sense because it would have the smallest school population next year and combining its students and staff with another school would be the least disruptive to the families in the surrounding neighborhood.

The petition was launched sometime late last week on change.org while schools were still on spring break and just in time for Wednesday's school board meeting, when the school closures committee will give its report to the board. Already, it has 200 signatures. A Facebook page titled "Save Crestmoor — No School Closures" was also launched.

The petition is addressed to the school district, Mayor Jim Ruane and City Council and says that closing Crestmoor would cause additional drama to the kids in the neighborhood who endured the 2010 PG&E pipeline explosion, cause property values to decline and make the neighborhood unattractive to potential residents, among other things.

Crestmoor's high Academic Performance Index scores—859 in 2010 and 875 in 2011—are also touted.

"Crestmoor Elementary is an asset for the San Bruno Park School District and the City of San Bruno and most importantly to our children, the future leaders of San Bruno," the petition says.  

Since the school closure discussions have been taking place, many parents have voiced their opposition to school closures at any of the elementary schools.

Parents supporting the online petition have continued to let their opposition be made known loud and clear.

"This school is incredible! Why consider closing a top notch school that is working? This school should be the model for others to follow!" Eric Lipton said online in support of the petition. "I also agree that it is further trauma for a neighborhood that has gone through so much with the explosion. The right thing to do is to keep Crestmoor Elementary open!"

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