By Eliza Ridgeway

The Los Altos Hills City Council is all but certain to begin seeking a new school district Thursday unless the Los Altos School District unexpectedly decides to allow Bullis Charter School to use the Bullis site by the town’s June 8 deadline.

Mayor Breene Kerr and councilman Craig Jones, the strongest council advocates of a negotiated settlement in lieu of redistricting, have both indicated that they will support redistricting if the district does not present a proposal.

A term sheet, developed by negotiators from Los Altos Hills and its surrounding school districts, had been effectively adopted by the town, Palo Alto Unified School District and Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District.

The Los Altos district (LASD) remained uncommitted as its board and finance committee deliberated on the impact of moving Bullis Charter School to the Bullis site. Superintendent Tim Justus has said that he hopes a decision will be made by June 19, but if not, the matter will be deferred until September.

“I’m extremely disappointed that LASD did not make this a higher priority,” Kerr said. “(They) don’t appear to be ready to make a decision.”

“I respect LASD’s process, that they have their own constituents and factors to weigh,” Jones said. “We were hopeful that the emergency situation we have here would help them to prioritize the needs of Los Altos Hills. That does not appear to be possible.”

Kerr and Jones said they plan to support a revised redistricting plan that would preserve current high school boundaries in Los Altos, by which some students go to Gunn High School, others to Los Altos High School. The previous plan would have routed all Los Altos Hills students to Gunn - which would have meant serious financial consequences for the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School and Palo Alto Unified school districts.

Some residents’ desire for the return of a public elementary school in town sparked the redistricting effort. The 2003 closure of Bullis, the last town public school, led some residents to form Bullis Charter School, which has consistently sought an in-town location.

“We’re not trying to screw anybody,” said Duncan

McMillan, a Los Altos Hills resident and member of the town’s public education committee. “We just want a school like anybody else.”

“The initiation of the redistricting process is necessary in order to have continued credibility behind the concept,” Jones said. “I have not, however, given up hope that there couldn’t eventually be a negotiated situation.”