Montrose School Board to weigh closing Pomona or Northside
At the Montrose School District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, the superintendent and an assembled committee presented information regarding the district’s budget. Due to potential state-level budget cuts and falling enrollment, the committee suggested merging Pomona Elementary or Northside Elementary with existing Montrose schools. Shannon Bingham, a school planning consultant with over 40 years of experience, shared some insight into declining enrollment, saying that alternatives to local public schools are attracting more students.
he committee clarified that if one of the elementary schools is closed, the facility will be repurposed for other programming, and will continue to be used by the district. Board member Tiffany Vincent asked the committee about the recent purchase of a building to use as the district’s field house, and if one of the elementary schools could have been used for this purpose instead. The committee clarified that wasn't the case.
The board decided to postpone the decision, and will use the April 28 session to discuss options after having more time to look at the information provided by the committee, and to potentially get input from community members. Board president Neisha Balleck stressed the importance of communicating with the public that the board has not made a decision yet.
KVNF will continue reporting on this story as the board considers its options.
Paonia Players Mark 25 Years with Return to Roots and “Charlie Brown” Revival
Paonia Players has been a theatrical presence in the North Fork Valley for 25 years, and now, in 2026, the nonprofit theatre company is returning to its roots. Founder Merrily Talbott is the driving force behind Paonia Players, currently presenting the 30th production under the organization's banner, a reprise of “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The show plays four times at the K-8 auditorium in Paonia with opening night on Friday April 24th at 7 pm; two shows on Saturday April 25th, at 1 pm and 7 pm; and the closing matinee Sunday the 26th at 1 pm.
