Walnut Creek parents ask city to press Mount Diablo Unified to pause relocation of Bancroft dual‑immersion kindergarten

Parents of children in the Bancroft Elementary dual‑language program told the Walnut Creek City Council on Feb. 3 that Mount Diablo Unified School District’s sudden decision to move the school’s kindergarten dual‑immersion program to Woodside Elementary will disrupt families and was made without meaningful engagement.

"The announcement came just days before kindergarten enrollment is set to open, and it was made without any advance notice or meaningful engagement with the school community and the families most impacted," said Elizabeth Silva, a Bancroft parent. Silva said families have not been provided with data or a rationale for the relocation and asked the council to urge the district to pause the plan and consult with families.

Jessica Lee, a Bancroft parent and federal public health officer, described the change as inflicting “undue stress” on working households and urged the council to press for an extended timeline and sustained support for the program. Parent Lucila Eshoo said the options families were given — moving a kindergartner to Woodside or keeping siblings split across schools — were impractical for many working parents.

A parent‑led petition gathered 117 signatures in the first four days, Silva said, and has been shared with the district superintendent and board members. Jessica Kellman, who identified herself as a journalist and Bancroft parent, questioned whether the reorganization might be intended to shift enrollment patterns without addressing underlying school‑performance issues.

Councilmembers and staff did not claim authority over the school district’s decision; Mount Diablo Unified operates as a separate special district. City Manager Dan Buckshite said this was the first he had heard of the action. Mayor Kevin Wilk asked staff with public‑education responsibilities to contact the district superintendent’s office to gather background information and report back to the council.

The council took no formal action to change the district’s decision at the Feb. 3 meeting; the staff follow‑up the mayor requested is the next procedural step.