PROPOSED 12TH HIGH SCHOOL IN ALPINE HAS MORE HURDLES TO CLEAR

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By: Jeremy Los

 

January 19, 2011 (Alpine)--The proposed 12th high school in Alpine continues to face hurdles as the push for its groundbreaking soldiers on. The latest obstacles facing the potential campus are the potential missed enrollment trigger as well as the prospect that the school will not service all the students in the area.

 

The biggest hurdle facing the building of this high school right now is clearing the enrollment trigger established by Prop. U. Without the necessary number of potential students, the plan for a much-needed high school in Alpine could implode.

 

Past studies used to find demographic information have raised fear that the enrollment “trigger” will not be met. Past demographic studies, like the Davis Demographics study, have only focused on the 91901 zip code in Alpine, though there are multiple other zip codes that make up the greater Alpine area.

 

“A demographics study was recommended by the BAC report 3-1/2 years ago; the only reports done have been ridiculously insufficient and even incorrect,” charges Chairman of the Alpine High School Community Coalition Bill Weaver. “The enrollment trigger should have been certified based on the state CBED number of Oct. 6, 2010. It still has not been clarified… something smells fishy here.”

 

Governing Board Vice President for the Grossmont Union High School District Dick Hoy said that information pertaining to the demographic and boundary studies should be in to the district by the February meeting.

 

If the enrollment threshold is met, the Board still must determine which areas of East County the school will actually serve.

 

Weaver states in an e-mail circulated on local list-serves, “At present, the planned 800 student campus will not be serving (in all likelihood) Blossom Valley... or even all of Alpine! Under previous understandings, we thought that the 800-student restriction would be adjusted upward. It appears plans are now to strictly adhere to only 800 students attending this new 12th high school.”

 

The Alpine High School Community Coalition, the group championing the school, was pushing for the school to service all of Alpine, Blossom Valley, Harbison Canyon, Crest, and Dehesa.

 

“The Grossmont Union High School District has dropped the ball on the 12th HS planning,” says Weaver. “A demographic study is not needed. Our two feeder schools, Los Coches Creek Middle School and Joan Mac Queen Middle School, demonstrate that at least 1500 students could populate the 12th high school.”

 

But Hoy observed, “It is still too early to tell what is going to happen, mainly because we have not got all the information back.” He added, “It is still possible to expand to Blossom Valley.”

 

Under the watchful eyes of the GUHSD and the AHSCC the proposed 12th high school will be on the chopping block these next few weeks. The many variables, community discourse and budget issues facing the District makes it seemingly impossible to predict what will happen come the February District meeting.
 


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