The Ventura Unified School District’s School Closures Advisory Committee held its first meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026, beginning an important process to review school sites and develop recommendations for the Board of Education.

During the meeting, committee members received an overview of the committee’s purpose, responsibilities, and the process that will guide its work. The committee includes parents, staff, students, and community members appointed by the Board of Education to bring a variety of perspectives to the discussion.

The committee also reviewed group norms, the code of conduct, and Brown Act requirements to help ensure the process remains respectful, transparent, and focused on students. These norms include keeping students at the center, respecting different perspectives, asking clarifying questions, and actively participating in discussions.

In addition, the committee received an overview of school sites across the district and of the evaluation process to be used as part of this work.  The presentation is available on the School Closures Advisory Committee website .

At this first meeting, the committee was also informed that Buena High School and Ventura High School should not be considered for closure. Given the number of students enrolled at each comprehensive high school and the specialized facilities required, no other location within the district could accommodate either school if one or both were closed.

The committee elected a Chair and Vice Chair to help guide the process moving forward. The Committee elected Peggy Maryanski to serve as its chair. Peggy is now retired, but was a long-time VUSD educator. Sydney Traub, a freshman at Foothill Technology High School, was elected by the committee to serve as its Vice-Chair. We will share more about our chair and vice chair in future communications.

The committee is in the early stages of its work and is focused on learning about the process, reviewing information, and preparing for future discussions. The public is welcome to attend meetings. The next committee meeting will be held at 255 W. Stanley Ave on April 23 at 5:30 pm. Park in the first parking lot and follow the signs into the meeting.