School closings create new choices and challenges for parents

By Joann Groff  joann@theacorn.com

With a magnet school approved and a charter school in the works, parents of Conejo Valley Unified School District students are being faced with new options despite the closure of two neighborhood elementary schools.

In March, the school board voted to close University and Meadows elementary schools for the 2009-10 school year as a result of a skimpy education budget from the state and declining enrollment.

To draw more students into the district, the CVUSD board recently approved EARTHS--Environmental Academy for Research Technology and earth Sciences--a science and technology magnet school to open in 2009 at Manzanita Elementary.

Although it wasn't an official magnet, Meadows was approved to adopt a modified curriculum many years ago. A group of parents formed MATES--Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School--as soon as Meadows was named as a possible school for closure in an effort to keep the magnet-like program alive.

"Our goal first and foremost was to keep Meadows open as a magnet school," said parent Michelle Kallman at a recent school board meeting. "Nothing has changed, but you didn't do it. A culture cannot just be moved to another site."

The lead petitioner and president of the board of directors of MATES, Marlo Harziger, agreed.

"Prior to the vote to close Meadows, the teachers were trained in this," Harziger said. "The school was already running like this--we were just waiting for the official designation."

Their only option now is to create a charter school to continue their program at Meadows, and they want CVUSD to back them. At the July 1 school board meeting, members of the MATES board urged the school district to embrace a partnership with MATES. A charter school is required to have an authorizer, and MATES has asked CVUSD to take on that role. If the district refuses, the request moves to the county, and can go on to the state, for approval.

"I just want to encourage you with every fiber of my being to support MATES and be our partner," said parent Paul Lasiter.

But some board members and other parents have argued that a charter, which is a public school not under the jurisdiction of a district, will draw even more students away from CVUSD.

"I'm impressed with all the passion and commitment of all these parents, but this is going to affect the district in a negative way," said trustee Tim Stephens. "My hope is that somehow we can find a compromise. I hope the door is open a little. It bothers me that this charter is certainly going to draw a lot of interest and impact the district negatively."

MATES speakers insisted that Meadows students are leaving the district no matter what, whether they're home schooling, moving or going into Oak Park Unified School District. If they stay at the MATES charter at Meadows, they'll at least reenter CVUSD for secondary education.

"You have the chance to keep Meadows alive," said parent Mike Platt. "It's the beating heart of our neighborhood. We deserve to have our school on that hallowed ground. Keep Meadows public and approve our charter and our site."

According to the California Charter Schools Association, 687 charter schools in California serve more than 240,000 students. There are more charter schools in California than in any other state, and they're increasing at a rate of about 50 per year.

"The idea is that decentralization equals empowerment," Harziger said. "It brings the decision-making and management down to the school level. That way the parents, teachers and staff have a vested interest in the operational goal and achievement of the school."

Twelve of the 15 permanent status Meadows teachers have signed a petition showing their "meaning interest" in working with MATES.

Additionally, 256 parents of Meadows students have said they have prospective MATES students.

The CVUSD board is scheduled to vote on whether it will be the authorizer for MATES at a special meeting at 3 p.m. Wed., July 30.

	EARTHS	MATES
Stands for	Environmental Academy for Research        Meadows Arts and Technology
	Technology and earth Sciences	Elementary School
Grades	K - 5, with possibility of	K - 5
	expanding to eighth grade
Focus	Science and Technology	Arts and Technology
Site	Manzanita Elementary	Meadows Elementary
Entity	Magnet school, part of	Charter school, publicly funded
	Conejo Valley Unified School District         but not part of CVUSD. Must be
		authorized by local district,
		county or other organization.
Status	Board approved the school July 1	CVUSD authorization vote
		planned for July 30.