CV Board To Consider New Site For School

The Central Valley High School housing issue remains unsettled, as architects look for a new way to site the school on its Sullivan Road property.

At the Central Valley School Board meeting on Monday, Superintendent Wally Stanley suggested that the board consider building the high school east of its current site, either with or without the current gymnasium.

That would allow CV students to stay on campus, while their new school is being built. It would also allow the district to fulfill its promise to open both new schools in 2002.

The board enthusiastically accepted Stanley’s suggestion. The topic will come before the board again at its next meeting on Jan. 24.

These new options would cost more than the current plan. In fact, that’s why they were not studied by the housing committee. One of its directives was to stay within a $1.1 million housing budget. Early estimates are that the $36 million price tag of the new CV High would rise by about $3 million.

The school district has a $5 million reserve in its capital projects fund.

The suggestions come on the heels of much community unhappiness at the two housing choices offered by the district’s housing committee.

Those choices were to move CV High students into North Pines Junior High School, or to build the new University High School at 32nd and Pines, move U-Hi students into their new school, then move CV High kids into the current U-Hi, while their new school is built.

“I suggest we remove North Pines from further consideration,” Stanley told the board. “It has numerous impediments and little or no community support.”

Neither was he ready to support the so-called “hold and stagger” option.

“It may serve to further divide the CV community” Stanley said, using a certain amount of understatement.

Some CV parents have called for the board to adopt “hold and stagger,” but send CV students to the new University High and keep U-Hi students in their old school while the new CV High is built. Others have resisted that idea.

The meeting included many thank you’s and pats on the back, as board members and residents voiced appreciation for the hard work this issue has engendered. Board member Cindy McMullen managed to offer thanks, an implied rebuke and a warning of tough issues to come:

“I want to commend the students who had the gumption to go to the microphone and address the committee,” McMullen said.

“I was very proud of every one of them. I hope we adults can follow their example as we consider this and other difficult decisions in the coming months.”

Once the housing issue is settled, the district will discuss boundary changes to even up enrollment at the two new high schools.