WJUSD closing another Knights Landing School, Pre-school Co-Op

Here we are again, getting slapped in the face as a community. The WJUSD is closing another school, another community resource.

Knights Landing Children's Center has been a beacon of outstanding early childhood education, combining both state pre-school and private pay children in a cohesive environment. Spanish speaking children playing with English speaking children, learning language skills and social skills in a unique environment that only we as a community can provide. Your question may be, why? Why would WJUSD close a program that is working when so many of their state pre-schools are failing? Good question!

Sadly, or predictably to this community at least, is that they won't answer. Call them, call the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, give it a try. They won't answer. Not only will they not answer, if you try too many times they will tell you to stop calling. They just don't care enough.

If you want to know the attitude the school district has for this community, let me illustrate the way we were informed. A letter dated June 20th was sent to the director and was two sentences long. It said we must vacate by July 15th and they will personally come to take the keys. The end. Is that fair notice? Can one evict with less than 30 days notice? Great legal questions that I am waiting for an attorney I know to answer. They might have shot themselves in the foot with that one.

It begs the question, why would they handle the matter in this fashion? Does it not reek of disrespect? Is our community respected at all or do they figure we don't have the brains or passion to fight this? I think you know the answer, and it's time to do something about it. Yes, the co-op is OURS as a community. We may have to move locations, find start up costs, fight to find scholarships for the children in need. Children deserve and need a quality pre-school program to be successful but apparently the WJUSD does not agree.

You may not have children of the age that this affects you in the least. But it does. These children are your neighbors, these children are our future of the community. I believe they deserve better, do you?

I urge you to voice your complaints and to show that we ARE a community that cares. The assumption that we don't needs to end today. Write letters to the district, call them with your complaints, help us move and find a suitable location, and donations will be needed. Please e-mail me and let me know what you can do to help. Let's band together on this issue and show what we are all about. A tiny town that is strong in community ties, strong in our belief that we deserve resources, a town that we enjoy and won't allow to be destroyed.