School Closures ‘On Pause’ No changes for the 2023-2034 academic year

By a staff writer

Consideration of closing or repurposing as many as four campuses in the Ocean View School District has been “paused” and no such changes will happen for the 2023-2024 school year.

The district, which serves northern Huntington Beach and portions of adjoining cities, has seen enrollment fall by about 2,400 students in the last 10 years.

As a way of coping with falling enrollment and the decreases in revenue that go with it, the district was considering closing and the relocating of students at Circle View, Village View and Golden View.

Retorts

Jim Tortolano

I have been dimly aware of this “war on lawns” as I see the lovely green stuff disappearing from the front of churches, schools and even many offices and stores. And this doesn’t even count the folks who don’t water their lawns out of principle, penury or prickliness. The drought-tolerant landscape that’s been creeping in more voraciously than crabgrass ranges from the notawful to the completely ugly. In addition to the decline in aesthetic value, you can’t walk on this stuff in bare feet, sit on it (dressed or otherwise) or enjoy a picnic.

While perusing my favorite reading material in the smallest room in the house, I came across a magazine article with the headline “Lawn Gone: Is it time to ditch your yard?” in which the authors – clearly in league with dark forces or concrete wholesalers – argue that lawns waste water and are maintained by running noisemaking and polluting devices and often require the use of nasty fertilizers and bug-icides. The recent rains have greened up many a lawn and the effect is uplifting. Garden Grove looks more garden-like, for example. Spring is being announced by Mother Nature in verdant shades and the whole world feels hopeful.

Spring View would be converted from a middle school to an elementary school and the middle school students there relocated to another middle school in the district.

But public reaction was so strong against the closures that those plans were put on hold.

In a letter to parents, School Board President Patricia Singer wrote, “I have taken these sentiments to heart and agree that the process for evaluating school consolidation is moving too fast. As president of the board, I have decided to postpone the current consolidation study. I have asked Superintendent [Michael] Conroy to work with his staff, our Ocean View parents, and community to develop a range of future options for the board to consider as it determines how to deal with the district’s ongoing declining enrollment.”

Feedback on the issue can be sent to schoolconsolidation@ ovsd.org.