When a school closes, it’s never just about numbers or efficiency — it’s about people, neighborhoods, and the connections that hold a community together. That reality was front and center Thursday evening as residents of the Pleasant Valley and River Road neighborhoods gathered for a town hall meeting with Amarillo Independent School District (ISD) officials.
Hosted by the Pleasant Valley and River Road Neighborhood Revitalization Group, the meeting aimed to reopen the conversation — and, they hope, the doors — of Pleasant Valley Elementary School, which closed as part of Amarillo ISD’s consolidation plan. Organizers described the event as an opportunity to speak directly with district leaders “in an effort to persuade them to reopen for the 2026 school year.”
The meeting was not just another discussion about budgets and buildings. For many families, it was personal — a chance to make their voices heard about what they feel was a painful loss to their community.
A Hard Decision and a Harder Loss
Pleasant Valley Elementary was more than just a place of learning; it was a cornerstone of the north Amarillo community. Generations of families attended the school, and its closure left an emotional void that has not yet healed.
“We got our questions answered. They answered them the best they could. It was a hard decision for them, you could tell, but still, it was very hard for our community, our parents, you know, us, grandparents, you know, to see such a wonderful school, a teaching staff, a principal, you know, just to get moved on,” said Hope McCoy, board member of the Pleasant Valley and River Road Neighborhood Revitalization Group.
The pain in McCoy’s words reflects what many in the room felt. The closure, announced in December 2024, came after months of discussion and years of declining enrollment across Amarillo ISD. Still, for residents, the closure felt abrupt and disconnected from the everyday experiences of those who lived and learned in Pleasant Valley.
Communication Breakdown: “We Didn’t Know Until It Was Done”
One of the strongest points of frustration voiced by residents was the feeling that they were left out of the decision-making process.
“I haven’t talked to a parent that has said they received any kind of formal invitation to a meeting, a round table meeting, a sit-down meeting, or anything, before the school was decided to close,” McCoy said.
According to Amarillo ISD, the district did hold meetings in 2023 at schools with the lowest enrollment to discuss possible closures. However, many Pleasant Valley families say they never received notice of those discussions and had no real chance to share their input before the decision became final.
That communication gap — whether a matter of timing, outreach, or perception — continues to be a major sticking point between the district and the community. It’s one reason residents have kept pushing for greater transparency and more direct communication as the district continues to face difficult enrollment-related decisions.
Amarillo ISD’s Challenge: Declining Enrollment Across the Board
The district’s position, explained again by officials at the meeting, is that declining enrollment made school closures unavoidable. Amarillo ISD reports that its 55 campuses — including 37 in Potter County — have never reached their “max efficiency” attendance target of 700 students. In fact, some schools have seen drops of 100 to 200 students in recent years.
Pleasant Valley Elementary, once a thriving neighborhood school, had fallen below 250 students before its closure. That decline mirrors larger demographic changes in the area: a shrinking youth population, lower birth rates, and an overall increase in the average age of Potter County residents.
Amarillo ISD officials have emphasized that the closures were part of a broader plan to consolidate resources and improve educational opportunities. In their 2024 statement, the district said, “Closing a small campus and consolidating to create a larger school will improve the opportunities students have access to.”
But that rationale hasn’t lessened the sense of loss among families who felt their neighborhood’s character — and its sense of community — revolved around the school.
“It’s Their Foundation”: The Emotional Impact on Families
For many families, Pleasant Valley Elementary wasn’t just a building — it was the foundation of their children’s education and emotional growth. The transition to other schools has been challenging, especially for younger students still adjusting to new environments.
“If anyway possible, do not close any more schools,” McCoy said. “Don’t do this to elementary children, small primary children in their beginning stages of learning. I mean, it’s their foundation, we feel like our kids’ foundation were ripped out from under them.”
Her words capture a sentiment shared by many in the room — that the early years of a child’s education are too critical to be disrupted by sudden school changes. For working parents and grandparents, issues like transportation, childcare, and maintaining a sense of belonging have compounded the stress of the closure.
A Superintendent Who Says She’s Listening
Amarillo ISD Superintendent Dr. Deidre Parish attended the meeting, acknowledging both the community’s concerns and the district’s ongoing challenges.
“We want to hear from the community,” Parish said. “So really this was an opportunity to come out and say, ‘okay, we’re coming to your area,’ you know, it’s not in a formal board room. So we’re coming to your area, we’ll be here for you. Please come and tell us what you want us to hear.”
She emphasized that the district’s goal was to listen — and that this meeting would not be the last. “We see you and we hear you, and we’re going to take all that you say into consideration, because the hard decisions are not over,” Parish said.
Parish also outlined steps the district plans to take to improve communication, including sending notices home with students to ensure that all families receive information directly. She mentioned the creation of community committees to guide future decisions — an important move toward rebuilding trust between residents and the district.
The Revitalization Group’s Vision: Reopening as an Investment in Amarillo’s Future
While Amarillo ISD grapples with system-wide enrollment declines, the Pleasant Valley and River Road Neighborhood Revitalization Group continues to fight for a future that includes reopening the school.
“This is about more than one school. It’s about equity, opportunity, and keeping neighborhoods strong. Reopening Pleasant Valley Elementary is an investment in Amarillo’s future,” the group said in its town hall announcement. “Strong schools make strong neighborhoods. When a school closes, it doesn’t just affect students — it affects property values, businesses, and whether families want to live here. Reopening Pleasant Valley isn’t just good for our kids; it’s good for the entire Amarillo community.”
The group’s broader goal is not just about reopening Pleasant Valley Elementary, but about ensuring that north Amarillo communities are not left behind as the city grows and evolves. Many see the school as a hub for neighborhood revitalization — a symbol of investment in the area’s long-term stability.
The Future of the Pleasant Valley Campus
While the school remains closed, Amarillo ISD officials say they intend to continue using the building for community partnerships and after-school programs. This approach, the district says, will help maintain a connection between the school and the neighborhood while addressing efficiency concerns.
The superintendent has also stressed the importance of partnerships and creative funding to expand after-school programs and make district facilities more effective for the communities they serve.
Still, the Revitalization Group believes that only reopening the school can truly restore the sense of stability Pleasant Valley once had. The group’s members say they plan to continue meeting with district officials and advocating through public forums until that goal is achieved.
A Crossroads for Amarillo’s Neighborhood Schools
The story of Pleasant Valley Elementary reflects a broader challenge facing school districts across the country. As populations shift and budgets tighten, communities must confront difficult questions: How do we balance financial realities with neighborhood needs? How do we preserve community identity while adapting to change?
For Amarillo ISD, those questions remain unresolved. For Pleasant Valley families, they are deeply personal.
What’s clear is that both sides — the district and the community — are committed to dialogue. The district says it wants to listen and collaborate. The community says it’s ready to participate and help shape the future.
If Thursday’s town hall proved anything, it’s that the people of Pleasant Valley are not ready to give up. The closure may have been a hard decision, but the fight for the school’s future has brought neighbors together, reignited civic engagement, and reminded Amarillo of what truly matters: the people behind every policy.
