Your individual voice is our most powerful tool. When emailing or speaking, avoid mentioning property values or school ratings. Write in your own words because “form letters” are not read.
Focus on these talking points about Option 8:
Unnecessary Boundary Changes: District projections show Booksin naturally reaching "ideal school" metrics over the next seven years. Option 8 is a step backward; it actually risks reducing Booksin to an under-enrolled size. Rezoning homes east of Lincoln to Galarza is a "solution searching for a problem."
Family Fragmentation: Sibling priority for intradistrict transfers is not guaranteed. Many parents face the logistical nightmare of managing two different school schedules, drop-offs, and pick-ups.
Loss of Neighborhood Unity: As the neighborhood transitions to Galarza over the next six years, local children will no longer attend school together, breaking the social fabric of our community.
Impact on Future Families: A six-year transition phase will deter new families from moving in, leading to reduced enrollment and eroding the family-friendly feel of our area.
Lack of Communication: SJUSD failed to communicate to community members without currently enrolled students.
Broader SJUSD Community Harm: Option 8 closes 5 schools that serve our most vulnerable students and moves Hammer Montessori. School closures should be a last resort, not a first option. SJUSD needs to put students first and pursue forward-thinking solutions that improve educational outcomes and prioritize student safety and social & emotional wellbeing.
The Process: The "Schools of Tomorrow" plan has drifted. It now targets successful schools instead of improving resources for critically small schools.
Write to the Trustees in your own words. Remind them they are the gatekeepers. They have the power to vote "NO" on March 26.
Primary Ask: Vote NO on Option 8 and any changes for the 2026-2027 school year.
The Pivot: Request a restart of the process with a community-elected committee representing every affected school.
Forward thinking solutions: In the heart of the Silicon Valley, we should be thought leaders in education, not closing and consolidating schools.
Personal Impact: Share if this will force you to leave SJUSD entirely or how it fractures long-standing neighbor-to-neighbor cohesion.
If you are comfortable doing so, it is highly effective to share how these changes specifically impact your family's future. Tell them if these rezoning options would force you to move your future students out of SJUSD public schools entirely. Additionally, highlighting the social disruption is key, specifically that under these plans, incoming students will be separated from their neighbors and attend different schools for the next six years, fracturing the long-standing cohesion of our community.
Superintendent: nalbarran@sjusd.org
Board Memebers & Staff:
sreddy@sjusd.org, bspielberg@sjusd.org, jmagana@sjusd.org, bwheatley@sjusd.org, ccollins@sjusd.org, tcastellanos@sjusd.org, ngbridstad@sjusd.org