Continuation school to share Balboa site?
I'm told that school board members Mark Sanchez and Eric Mar are bringing a proposal before the school board in closed session tomorrow (Thursday) night that would move Downtown High School, a continuation school, onto the Balboa High School campus.
The reported purpose would be to allow June Jordan High School to have a campus of its own (it shares its current site with Excelsior Middle School). The proposal would reportedly also move Excelsior Middle School — I don't know where — so that two charter schools can have the current site (the former Luther Burbank Middle School near McLaren Park in the Excelsior).
It seems like the Balboa community, for one — not to mention families who have just filed their applications for Balboa — might want to provide some public input on moving a continuation school to share their campus. So it's really odd that this proposal is being made in closed session. At the very least, this should be done openly, with public input and sunshine.
The reported purpose would be to allow June Jordan High School to have a campus of its own (it shares its current site with Excelsior Middle School). The proposal would reportedly also move Excelsior Middle School — I don't know where — so that two charter schools can have the current site (the former Luther Burbank Middle School near McLaren Park in the Excelsior).
It seems like the Balboa community, for one — not to mention families who have just filed their applications for Balboa — might want to provide some public input on moving a continuation school to share their campus. So it's really odd that this proposal is being made in closed session. At the very least, this should be done openly, with public input and sunshine.
Labels: SFUSD Politics
9 Comments:
What's a continuation school? Thanks
It's not odd at all. Mark Sanchez is running for Supervisor in District 9, which encompasses an area in which many Balboa families reside. Those families are not going to be pleased to have a continuation school moved on to their campus. Continuation schools serve students who, because of excessive truancy, or disruptive behavior, can no longer remian at their assigned high school.
I am sure Sanchez would prefer to have the move of Downtown onto the Balboa campus happen behind closed doors, so that he doesn't have to be revealed as the architect of the deal. I guess he is thinking that Balboa families in District 9might be moved to organize against his run for Supervisor in their district, if they knew he was responsible for this.
Caroline - This is Eric Mar from the Board of Education. Your rumor is not true.
This is the first I have heard of any proposals to move Downtown High School. I have always been supportive of improving Balboa's programs and supporting its families.
The superintendent and Board President Sanchez are looking at potential cost-cutting measures as we grapple with the huge budget deficit we and other districts throughout CA are going to be facing in the next year. SO I assume any cost cutting measures will be on the table. But this is the first I have heard about Downtown/Balboa.
Thanks, Eric! Glad to hear that and I'll pass it along.
Andrew, a continuation school (or this one) is for troubled kids who have been expelled from other schools.
The Balboa community only got wind of it today, through second-hand sources. If true, we are going to do everything in our power to stop this because it will serve NONE of the students involved--Balboa, June Jordan, or Downtown.
I don't know if Sanchez is the one behind this, but it isn't the first time he's tried to foist another school onto the Balboa campus. A few years ago, there was very serious talk about moving a charter high school, Leadership HS to the Balboa campus. The Balboa community fought tooth and nail and was able to resist the move. Instead, Leadership got moved to Philip and Sala Burton with NO notice to their principal or staff. They came back from a school break to find out they'd have to pack and had to share all of their classrooms.
If there are any claims that Balboa has overreacted to this news, the horror of Burton is why. SFUSD has a history of picking times when folks are too busy (IE Final exams which happen next week) or away (Spring Break, Summer, Winter Break) to implement these kinds of changes.
As a student at Balboa High School, I think it is very unfair and wrong to all of the students, teachers, and families throughout the city. Having teachers wheeling carts around the building would not solve the budget defecit caused by our government. It is not the fault of our students and we should not suffer for their mistakes. Our school is full of potential and the school district isn't even letting us thrive.
To even know that the westside schools aren't considered to be joined with any other charter school is barbaric. There are many other solutions to solve this defecit and combining schools with different paths isn't one of them. Joining a continuation school with a school that is in progress to solve "turf issues" would have their own "turf issues". It will never be a pretty paiting is these schools are conjoined.
The future of Balboa is always put on waiting lists while others sprint through success. I know Balboa will never be a Lowell, but there is always a chance; by combining schools, the dream will broken by those who want so save a few dollars.
Why are Wynns/Caroline peddling this false rumor?
Eric and Mark,
I am relieved this is a false rumor! Balboa has come a long way these past few years, and it would be detrimental to Bal for Any school - continuation, charter or otherwise - to come on Our campus.
Bal is on its way from being a good school to a great one and as one of the remaining traditional high schools left in the southwestern part of SF besides Lincoln, Bal is becoming a true alternative for incoming high school students and their parents.
These periodic proposals of plopping yet another smaller school onto our campus only jeopardizes our reputation that so many dedicated staff, parents and school community have worked so hard at. Please do all you can to support Balboa!
my only question is..
WILL THEY HAVE A SALAD BAR???
OMG
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