Simi Valley Trustees Scrap Plan to Close Elementary Campus : Education: Action brings cheers from parents who fought for months to keep the tiny school open. But the board still faces tough budget-cutting decisions.

In a surprise move Tuesday night, Simi Valley school trustees scrapped a plan to shut down a local elementary school and said they are committed to finding other, less traumatic ways to balance a massive $6-million deficit.

The unanimous decision by the Simi Valley Unified School District to “postpone indefinitely” a proposal to close tiny Sycamore School elicited cheers and a standing ovation from about 150 parents who have fought for months to keep the campus open.

“I think this is truly what the community wants,” Trustee Debbie Sandland said. “I think this is a happy night for all of us.”

The gleeful, celebratory tone at Tuesday’s meeting dramatically contrasted with previous meetings and two recent public forums where angry parents berated board members for considering closing a school to cut costs.

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A district committee recommended closing Sycamore--a small central Simi Valley campus with 376 students--to save about $200,000 annually. The district expected to earn an additional $100,000 a year by leasing the empty school.

But after listening to scores of parents, trustees said they could not support the recommendation.

“It has been the most difficult issue I have dealt with in my life,” Trustee Carla Kurachi told parents. “I just feel at this time we need to look at new paradigms and new programs.”

While supporting the decision to spare Sycamore, two school trustees offered sobering statements, reminding parents that the district faces an uncertain financial future.

The board may be forced to take drastic steps to balance the budget, such as laying off teachers or increasing class size, they said.

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“I am sensitive to the needs of people in the community,” Trustee Norm Walker said. “However, I am keenly aware of our need to balance the budget.

“I will push for the kinds of budget cuts that will bring us out of the deficit-spending mode,” he said.

“I also have no problem holding off,” Trustee Judy Barry added. “But I have a high concern over our $6.2-million deficit. By our not closing Sycamore this year, it means this board is going to have to make even tougher decisions over the next few months and next three years.”

Board President Diane Collins said district officials presented a last-minute alternative to the school-closure plan Tuesday that would generate money for the cash-strapped district.

To boost sagging enrollment, Supt. Mary Beth Wolford drafted an informal proposal that calls for schools to develop independent programs that would lure students away from private schools and bring them back into the public school system, officials said.

“We are in declining enrollment and we need to look at marketing our schools,” Sandland explained.

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School officials offered no details Tuesday on how this plan would work or how many students they hope to recoup, but asked parents to participate in developing more detailed proposals--an invitation many parents eagerly accepted.

“The sleeping giant has awoken,” parent Donna Prenta told the board. “The parents in this community have realized they need to take action.”

Many parents--some still clutching typed speeches they had prepared in a last-ditch effort to sway board members--said they were shocked by the board’s decision.

“You blew us out of the water this evening,” parent Sue Seyster said. “We all appreciate you listening to us.”

Parent Gary Murphy said he expected the board to approve the school closure. A majority of the five-member board had been leaning in that direction, he said.

“My family went to Mountain View (elementary) last night to see how the swings fit,” he said. “I thought it was a done deal.”

But some parents questioned the board’s sudden change of position on the issue, suggesting that trustees were swayed not by a desire to save a school but by a district attorney’s office inquiry on allegations of board misconduct.

Prosecutors are reviewing an allegation that the board violated the state’s open meeting law when it first voted to consider closing an elementary school in February.

“We have two valid Brown Act violations,” parent Linda Fowler said. “This was a save-face measure.”

But board members said Tuesday that an attorney employed by the school district has reviewed the allegation and assured them that no misconduct occurred.