|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Community members who spoke at the Los Altos School District board meeting Monday night sent two clear messages to board members on the topic of boundary adjustments: Come up with a long-term solution, and don’t create drivers where there once were walkers.
A long-term solution was critical for parents like Stephanie Lao-Chen, who has two daughters entering kindergarten next year and doesn’t want to have to go through the process again.
“My family will be in the district through 2016,” she told the board. “Please stay focused on the future.”
The district resumed discussion of the boundary adjustments in another long nighttime meeting, with two more meetings to go before the board is expected to make its final decision. The topic has struck a strong emotional chord in the district’s Mountain View and Los Altos communities, with various neighborhoods coming out in force to represent their interests.
With hours of public comment, nearly a dozen scenarios for changes, and a detailed analysis provided by the district’s demographers, the meetings have reached epic length — nearly four hours — in the preceding month.
Monday’s meeting was no exception, but whereas previous meetings had speakers advocating for specific scenarios, this time speakers seemed more focused on getting the board to prioritize its considerations.
Los Altos Mayor Curtis Cole made his first appearance during the process, stressing the need for the district to consider the impact on traffic if it transfers students to schools across town.
Cole said the city “considers this in any project that goes forward.” He added that his daughter, a Santa Rita student, normally walks to school, but he had driven her to school recently when she asked him to.
“It’s terrible to drive to Santa Rita. I’ll never do it again,” Cole said, blaming the intersection of Foothill Expressway and El Monte Road for considerable traffic congestion and wait-time.
Board member David Pefley agreed, saying, “That’s the worst intersection in the city. It was given a ‘D’ rating I believe.”
Superintendent Tim Justus promised a study on traffic impact would be done once a scenario was chosen, saying it was “in the best interest of the community.”
“Determining how many children can walk to school is tricky,” demographer Jeanne Gobalet warned. She said trying to guess how families will choose to commute is an inexact science.
Gobalet was clear on another issue, however: population growth. Ever since the discussion began, she has emphasized the need to assume that the district’s population will increase, not level off or decrease. She cited a smattering of new apartment complexes and homes as part of the reason.
Early on, Gobalet created a chart showing the low, medium and high ranges of population growth, and advised the district to plan for student enrollment according to the medium range, which Gobalet felt was the most accurate.
Some members of the community were skeptical, saying Monday night that perhaps a high growth scenario should be considered, and arguing that Baby Boomers may sell their homes to younger families and leave the area.
Gobalet disputed that theory. “This is a wonderful place to live, and I don’t see reasons for Baby Boomers to move out of the community,” she said. “I don’t think they’ll be retiring in Florida.”
Gobalet will be present Monday, June 11, for a special study session of the district board, where she will further analyze the scenarios. A final vote is scheduled for June 18.
Most Popular
With stiff competition for substitute teachers, MVLA increases its pay ratesAugust 20, 2026 11:52 am
