Don’t penalize kids who use ball fields

Kevin Canty

In the interest of full disclosure, I must say I have never been supportive of the Bullis charter school initiative. This said, I respect the conviction and perseverance of the charter school advocates. I may disagree with the means but not the objective of wanting to re-establish elementary education in Los Altos Hills.

However, I do strongly oppose the use of the baseball fields on Purissima as a prospective site for the school.

Having supported youth sports for many years in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, I know firsthand how important these fields are to youth baseball in our community. Literally hundreds of children use these ball fields and there is simply insufficient alternate field capacity in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills or Mountain View to absorb dislocated players. These kids should not be penalized.

Charter obsession clouding wisdom

Carole Cameron

Almost 25 years ago, a neighborhood school in the Los Altos School District closed because of financial reasons. It was traumatic. Parents were upset. After the closure, however, the community pulled together and the district became stronger.

The kids adjusted almost immediately. It didn’t take me long to realize that it wouldn’t have mattered which school in the district my children attended, as long as the teachers and schools were good.

I have watched in disbelief as the Bullis Charter School has taken shape, also taking the district’s time and money. The founders are undoubtedly clever and persistent.

My fear is that their obsession has clouded their wisdom. The statement “… can’t see the forest for the trees” comes to mind.

We had all better pay attention to the charter school’s continued demands, even if we no longer have children attending the elementary schools. It seems to me that the charter school folks are fighting for what they think will benefit only their own children, and that they don’t really care if they hurt the district in the process.

Is anyone fighting for the other 98 percent of the kids? It would be terrible if the charter school financially damages a district that has served our community so well for so many years.

Underperforming Los Altos, MV schools

Bob Rossi

State Department of Education officials recently released the No Child Left Behind “watch list.” Some Los Altos and Mountain View schools are on the list, as are schools in nearly one-third of California’s school districts.

In fact, every school district in California serving larger numbers of socioeconomically poor students will be on the list in the next several years, and all, in time, will be penalized with reductions in federal education funds.

The logic that makes this sort of “remedy” for public schools inevitable is as twisted and as cynical as the formula driving it is mean-spirited.

We know that more than 85 percent of the variance in achievement test scores in California can be predicted on the basis of socioeconomic status alone. What this means is that a school serving many SES-poor students will record lower test scores.

Can the schools improve the test performance of these students? Realistically with current funding, not much beyond quick fixes that may elevate scores a few points. With major increases in funding, the answer can be more hopeful. Still, much will depend on the strength of will and commitment of the legislature and the state school board to permit local schools and districts the flexibility and decisionmaking authority they must have regarding the use of these funds.

As Californians, we must work diligently, on our own and through our representatives at every level, to remove policies that advocate the nonsensical use of tests as a means of assessing the performance of schools.

As important, we must raise up the dreaded “T” word that no current politician will speak: taxes; specifically, increased taxes to support instruction. There is every reason for us to advocate carrying all children along, but the ride isn’t free for anyone, nor should it be.

Focus on solutions

Charlie Amsden

After attending a Los Altos School District board meeting recently, I once again witnessed the board members wither the blistering heat of comments from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents arguing in favor of reopening a public school in Los Altos Hills. After the years of vitriol they’ve been subject to, I’m sure there’s no member of the board who wouldn’t jump at a reasonable chance to do so. Unfortunately, financial considerations must drive the decision-making process.

In 1998, the school facilities renovation bond Measure H was passed, the economy was rolling along, and it seemed like there were clear skies ahead. The bond measure was passed based on promises of reopening Covington as a seventh elementary school. There was considerable community support for doing so, since many of the elementary schools were severely overcrowded.

Not long after the facilities construction was started, the wheels fell off the financial cart, so to speak. The cost of construction was considerably higher than was originally estimated.

With the downturn in the economy, it became clear in 2002 that the district didn’t have the operating budget for a seventh school, and one needed to be closed. Having been recently renovated and having larger capacity, Covington escaped the ax, which ultimately fell on Bullis-Purissima, the smallest (i.e., least cost effective) school, and the costliest to renovate.

The bar for reopening of the Bullis site is now twice as hig not only must funding for the operating costs (over the long term) be identified, but we now need additional funds to cover the cost of renovation so the school will be on par with the rest of the district.

The biggest long-term hurdles appear to be the cost of facilities renovation, and the financial drain on the school district from the Bullis Charter School. Reconstruction could be funded with the passage of a facilities bond measure for the “Phase 2″ construction at all the school sites, with a portion specifically earmarked for Bullis site.

The closure of Bullis-Purissima school antagonized

LAH residents. Moving past this is a tall order. It will take teamwork throughout the district, but the members of the hills and the greater school district are capable. It’s time to focus on finding solutions.