One-room school in Petaluma could close due to low enrollment

PETALUMA, Calif. (KGO) -- A one-room school in Petaluma risks being closed in June because of the lack of students.

There are only six in the entire school. Parents there are doing what they can to keep Union Elementary School on Red Hill Road open.

Nestled in the Petaluma Hills is the always pristine Union School. The building looks like something out of Little House on the Prairie.

The school's teacher Cynthia Walsh also serves as the principal.

"Secretary, office manager, nurse, horse whisperer, whatever," Walsh said.

When dairy farming was a major industry in the area the one-room school had up to 29 students. But many of those farmers have gone away. Today there are only six students in grades 2 through 5.

They have most of what other public school offer, laptops, iPads, a mini library, a STEM program and a pet fish named "Uni."

"It helps kids learn about everything, everything, music," said Josie Ielmorini, a second grade student.

There is concern the school may be forced to close.

"We're in lapsation. We are below the 6.0 average daily attendance and the school could close in June," Walsh said.

"I would be sad because there just would be no more school here," said fourth grade student Jackson Haydon.

Enrollment of more students is the only way to preserve what's been here for more than 100 years.