District looks at options for school sites that will close next fall

The Conejo Valley Unified School District Board of Education has begun to consider lease options for the two elementary schools that will close next fall.

Among the lease proposals being considered for University and Meadows were applications for a preschool, an all-male high school and an expansion.

No decisions were made at the Jan. 6 meeting, but plans are expected to be reviewed at the board's next meeting on Jan. 21.

District consultant Joel Kirschenstein of Sage Realty Group presented the options.

Three proposals specifically refer to the University site. Over the course of three years, Stratford Schools, Inc. would like to grow into a preschoolthrougheighthgrade school, which would bring in a projected annual income of $256,331.

Partners California Lutheran University, La Reina High School and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church would like to place Holy Trinity High School, an all-boys school, on the campus. The school would bring in a potential annual income of $248,400.

CLU has also proposed leasing four of University's classrooms for undergraduate and graduate classes, which could total $33,600 in annual revenue for Conejo unified.

Little Green Sprouts has applied to put a 5,000-square-foot preschool at either site, and Conejo Jewish Day School has requested placing a preschoolthrough-fifth-grade school at Meadows.

Board members also discussed placement of the Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School (MATES), a charter school organized by parents after Meadows was named for closure.

The board discussed four options for MATES, including placing the charter at Meadows or creating a Meadows magnet school at the site. Many parents of University students spoke about how unfair it would be if one of the two schools named for closure remained open.

"We are so disappointed," said Amy Ballen, a University parent. "Meadows, good for you. They did exactly what they said they'd do. In the end they are going to be the arts magnet they wanted to be in the first place. They've cornered you.

"We've taken the high road— the high road to nowhere."

Other options for MATES include placing the charter at University or Glenwood schools.

The MATES board believes the district must provide them with the Meadows site. CVUSD interprets the law—particularly Proposition 39—to mean that the district must just provide a site, not necessarily the original campus. MATES has threatened a lawsuit if they aren't allowed to open at Meadows school.

The school board held a special meeting last week to discuss MATES placement. Several MATES parents spoke, and all pushed for the option that would allow the school to stay on the Meadows campus.

University parents used the opportunity to try to sway the board to not close their school either.

"It doesn't make sense to close University anymore," said Julie Svitenko, who is in marketing.

Many of the parents said bringing in a niche group like a boys high school would draw even more CVUSD kids away from the district.

New board member Betsy Connolly spoke about missteps she believes took place during the closure process.

"I wish I could wave a magic wand, but there's no do-overs," said Connolly, who was worried about the idea of keeping MATES at Meadows. Credibility, she said, is at stake.

"If we roll over on this, how long will it be until we have the courage as a board, and the public loses their institutional memory on this, to close another school. I'm very concerned we are making ourselves appear vulnerable."

Board member Peggy Buckles agreed.

"I'll consider it," Buckles said about keeping Meadows open. "It doesn't make me happy. We won't ever be able to close a school again. And if we do, we'll have to close a school with parents who don't have the wherewithal to fight it."

In the end, most of the board members agreed that keeping MATES open at Meadows as a magnet school, not a charter, could be the best option. Last year, MATES parents proposed a magnet, which would have kept them in CVUSD, but when the district decided to open a magnet at Manzanita instead, they opted to create a charter school. A charter school would operate independently of the district.

Pat Phelps was the only board member strongly opposed to accommodating MATES.

"If we do proceed, and we are sued and we lose, and they end up at Meadows, at least I know my opposition was for the good of all the students," Phelps said.

But the other trustees expressed concern about the expenses of litigation. District staff members said CVUSD had already spent more than $25,000 on attorney fees related to the potential case. According to estimates, a lawsuit could cost the district between $100,000 and $300,000.