Sierra Sands Unified School District (SSUSD)–
On Tuesday night at the Sierra Sands Unified School District board workshop, the board confirmed the direction they are moving toward with their facilities (presentation available online). Superintendent April Moore stated, “As you may know, we have several facilities in our district that are in critical shape. Two of these facilities are James Monroe Middle School and Vieweg Elementary School (the current home of Richmond Elementary School staff and students). Expert advice and analysis have confirmed that neither school is able to simply be “modernized.” Instead, we need to start over with new infrastructure.
“In our facility plan, we have identified a timeline for closing Monroe effective June 2025, as Monroe is not eligible for federal funds earmarked for schools on federal land. We will apply for federal funding to rebuild Vieweg Elementary School, a school on federal land, over the next few years. At this time, we have a clear direction to move forward with facilities. The educational programmatic planning will come next, with opportunities for input and discussion. This work will be important for us to do together, listening, collaborating, and planning so that the implementation and transition is as smooth as possible.
“Please note that this decision with facilities is NOT expected to reduce our staffing nor eliminate positions. We still have the same wonderful students who will need services no matter what school they attend. In addition, we will still have ten schools for our students, TK through 12th grade.
“Thank you in advance for your trust and patience as we will work together to identify the questions and concerns and then select the best solutions to serve our community.
Yours truly,
April Moore, Ed.D.
Superintendent
