Dos Caminos Elementary School has been open since 1964 and is a highly recognized school in the community. We are a strong community composed of parents, students, faculty and a dedicated PTA organization. In addition to our daily classes, our campus hosts the local YMCA after-school program, as well as a new First 5-funded preschool program.

Our ability to house a large student population was proved earlier in the year when we housed six classrooms of children from the then-uncompleted Rancho Rosal School. We are a Title I school and our doors are open to all who desire a top-notch elementary school education for their children. We want to keep our school open.

Our children enjoy a wonderful campus staffed with teachers and faculty who genuinely care about them. Our teachers are of tenure and truly have the interest of the children in mind each and every day they come to our campus.

Our test scores are the highest they have been in recent memory, thanks in large part to our new principal and her focus on a strong educational program. We do not consider our school to be somehow privileged because of this. Our programs are no better or worse than those of an "open" or "structured" school. We simply enjoy different programs with proven results.

In addition to our exemplary test scores, we offer many additional programs to our students, such as after-school homework clubs, art clubs, science programs and a P.E. program for all students. We are well-rounded and have always had so much to offer our students.

Being located in the easternmost part of Camarillo, we have the ability to accommodate many students from all over the city within our school. We are conveniently located near the local hospital, Police Department and local parks. We are also the closest school to the new Camarillo Library, which will offer our students easy access to the wonderful new programs that will be provided there.

Our PTA is large and we have a solid core of volunteers willing to do whatever is needed to benefit our school. They dedicate countless hours working with our programs and organizing school functions and fundraisers to support our school. Two years ago, the PTA raised enough money to install a $50,000 playground for our kids. In the last 18 months, the PTA raised an additional $30,000, which, combined with time and various other efforts, has led to the installation of more than $100,000 of new computers, software and technologies on our campus. We are now one of the best-equipped schools in terms of technology within our district.

The PTA, along with our volunteers, has also spent a lot of time beautifying our school. We have annual planting days for the parents and children; we have laid concrete for safer walkways into the school; we have purchased tables and benches for our playground and campus; painted playground murals with the children's handprints; and the list goes on.

We house many students from other neighborhoods. However, the vast majority of our students live locally and walk to school every day. Closing our school would prohibit them from walking. For many parents in our community, driving their children to school is not an option. This would place an undue burden on those parents, as the thought of their young children having to cross major traffic streets just to get to school is extremely unsettling.

Our school is a happy family and the thought of closing it would be tragic, not only for the children, but for those of us who spend our time working hard to make Dos Caminos what it is — a safe, fun, educational "community" for our children.

— Robert James, of Camarillo, submitted this letter on behalf of the Dos Caminos PTA Board and concerned parents.