Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) is a school district in Ventura County, California. The district serves students from the city of Simi Valley, the census-designated place of Santa Susana, and other adjacent unincorporated areas. SVUSD operates 18 elementary schools, three middle schools, four high schools (including two comprehensive schools, one magnet school, and one continuation school), one adult school, and one independent study school. During the 2014–15 school year, the district's enrollment numbered about 18,000. The current superintendent is Dr. Jason Peplinski, who has served since December 9, 2014. History Ninth grade move to high schools, Santa Susana High opening Throughout its early history, the Simi Valley Unified School District educated ninth graders at its junior high schools. This changed in the mid-1990s, when the school board approved a controversial plan to move ninth graders to its high schools. To offset the lower enrollment at the junior high schools, the district converted one of the then four junior high campuses into a magnet high school. Sequoia Junior High School reopened as Santa Susana High School in 1996. Declining enrollment and school closures Beginning in 1995, the Simi Valley Unified School District considered closing schools due to what was then early on-set declining enrollment. Simi Elementary School, in the 1990s, was already considered first for school closure due to high maintenance costs and its small size. Other schools considered at the time were Sycamore, Mountain View, and Justin elementary schools. Ultimately, the district voted to not close any school due to backlash from the community, as they had previously closed four schools prior in the 1980s. Enrollment declines in Simi Valley and the state of California continued into the 2000s. Following a peak of 22,000 in 2003, the number of students in the district reduced to 18,000 in 2013. In response, a committee consisting of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members recommended closing three schools. On January 14, 2014, after hearing public testimony, the committee decided not to close any schools and disbanded. On January 31, 2014, Simi Elementary School was notified of possible relocation of the school due to the overall condition and safety of the campus. The school was built in 1926 as the first in Simi Valley; Ventura County has named it a Historical Landmark. The issues at hand regarding the facility and infrastructure are: Broken water mains Possible broken sewer line under a classroom which has