For years, Wawona Elementary School has been operating under the auspices of the Bass Lake Union School District, even though the school is in Mariposa County. In the mid-1990s, the Mariposa County Unified School District entered into an agreement with Bass Lake to take over the school.

Now the tiny school faces closure by the Bass Lake District, and MCUSD is poised to take back the one-room school. The board of trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday night to move forward

The item had come to the board at its regular June meeting in the form of a study on the feasibility of taking the school. Board members had questions about the process, and Superintendent Aaron Rosander brought back the answers.

Rosander said the transfer could be accomplished if the district sets it out a year. “We feel we can,” reabsorb the school into the district, he said. “We would need planning time, and this would provide adequate time.”

The superintendent explained that Wawona can return to the district without financial penalty. He also said that the Yosemite High School District would continue to accept Wawona students for high school.

YJUHSD remains a partner in the Wawona transfer,” Rosander said.

Board members had asked

all property taxes related to the school could be returned to Mariposa County. Rosander said while he still needs some clarification on the logistics of this issue, it appears that MCUSD would get the tax revenue again. The process, however, is complicated, and MCUSD is currently working with Madera County to clarify those issues.

Rosander said the transfer of Wawona School back to the district is financially viable. He added that the fees for the transfer are not prohibitive and will be shared with the Wawona School parent group.

“Right now, all signs look good,” Rosander said of the transfer, which is set to take place on July 1, 2011. The board voted 3-0 to approved the process. Board members Joe Cardoso and Janette Gamble were absent.