Grossmont Union's new superintendent outlined a plan Thursday night to address the high school district's facilities needs for the next 50 years, a strategy emphasizing compromise, new initiatives and a November bond issue.
Robert Collins, superintendent of the 20,000-student district since November, suggested to the school board a compromise to bring parents together. He proposed using $45 million of $65 million held in reserve for an Alpine area high school to quickly rehabilitate 150 additional classrooms at 11 existing campuses.
The remaining $20 million would be used to purchase land for a 12th high school on an accelerated schedule that envisions an academy-style campus of 800 or more students opening in fall 2012.
The bond issue proceeds, if approved, would go toward building the new high school, modernizing post-World War II classrooms on existing campuses and pursuing new initiatives, namely adding vocational centers, multipurpose and performing arts facilities.
Collins' proposal is welcome news. The district has been stuck at a crossroads for way too long. Everyone knew the district had ancient buildings and not enough money. The question was what to do about it.
District voters in 2004 authorized Proposition H, the district's first bond issue in 37 years. The $274 million measure was promoted to do some remediation on academic core buildings at all campuses and add a 12th high school. The district mistakenly tried to do the work in-house, got off to a slow start, and soon was overwhelmed by runaway materials inflation. A professional team is in place now, including key personnel hired away from San Diego city schools. A transparent Web site is keeping voters informed.
Proposition H never was designed to erase the entire mountain of backlogged building projects, Collins emphasized. “Can you imagine in 37 years making no changes to your house? And then running 120,000 teenagers through that house?”
The district's Proposition H strategy, well intentioned as it may have been, has created a haves and have nots atmosphere. Visit Grossmont High, Granite Hills, Santana or any existing campus and you will find completely refurbished buildings. You also would find the buildings next door untouched. Which students and teachers get to enjoy the modern? Which group must endure the decrepit? All support facilities, cafeterias and such, always were outside the scope of Proposition H.
On Collins' watch, a district with slumping enrollment on the western end is finishing a longer-range study of demographic trends and a survey of voter attitudes about unfinished modernization.
At the top of the voters' list, Collins said, is a call for modern vocational centers in such fields as engineering, health services, construction, public safety and utilities/energy. Collins wants to respond with 30 such centers, roughly three at each school.
A November bond measure would face an ambitious schedule, with a governing board vote due by late July. An amount has yet to be determined but Collins is suggesting a range of $300 million to $450 million, the property tax increase being added to the existing Proposition H level. Collins wants a measure requiring 55 percent voter approval, something that would require four affirmative trustee votes.
For Grossmont Union's split board, that may be the biggest challenge of all: Getting trustees to put the interests of students, parents and the community above playing politics.
