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Published on 05/15/1996 All articles from this issue

LASD decision over Crossings workable for district, parents

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A Town Crier Editorial

In these times of slow-moving bureaucracies, it's assuring toknow that some local agencies can handle potential problems quickly.

Take the Los Altos School District situation involving studentsfrom The Crossings housing development in Mountain View. The districtwas faced with the problem of having new students from the 120-unitresidential complex at the former Old Mill site attending AlmondSchool, the closest school but also among the most crowded.

With eight students from the development already attending Almondand more on the way, Superintendent Marge Gratiot asked the district'sLong Range Facilities Planning Committee to come up with a planto adequately handle the enrollment growth posed by the development.

She gave the committee six weeks and, after meeting to hear inputfrom Crossings residents, it produced a plan: Transfer new studentsto Springer School, the next closest school, which can handlethe additional 5-10 students per grade level expected by the development."In fact," said Superintendent Marge Gratiot, "withoutthose additional students, Springer might be at the awkward stagewhere it would need either to have several combination classesor admit large numbers of students from out of the district."

Taking into account The Crossings students, Springer's enrollmentis expected to climb to about 530 students by 2001, still smallerthan Santa Rita, currently at 556 and about the same as Almondis now.

Some parents feel the district isn't being fair to their children,who have yet to attend kindergarten, pointing out that eight Crossingsstudents are staying put at Almond. But the reality is, Almondis bursting at the seams. The district made the logical move totransfer Crossings children to the next closest school, and onethat has some room to spare.

Enrollment issues are never easy to resolve. Emotions usuallyrun high and pose serious challenges to practical options.

We commend the district's superintendent, planning committee andschool board for finding a solution that sets well with most theparents of The Crossings. To do it in a relatively expedient fashionshows a commitment to efficient and direct problem solving.