Posted by Parent, a member of the Menlo-Atherton High School community, on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:53 am

It's an interesting idea, Jack. Has the RWC school district talked about closing a site and incorporating the kids in the remaining schools? Certainly worth considering, I think.

What do you mean by taking star middle school students under their wing? Enrollment is by application, and if there are more applicants than spots, there's a lottery. The administrators can't pick and choose. I'm not sure what the advantage of such an arrangement would be, anyway.

Posted by Jack Hickey, a resident of the Woodside: Emerald Hills neighborhood, on Jun 16, 2009 at 3:44 pm

At the last Board meeting, I suggested that proceeds from the disposition of 51 classrooms be factored in to the budget. In recent years the cash bonus from the state to Districts which implemented class size reduction obviated the need to discuss school closure. That is changing.

Fifty-one classrooms at 20 per class is > 1,000 students. More than half the schools in the District have enrollment less than 500. While closing two, or even three schools would be possible, closure of one school would be a more modest proposal.

Regarding star Middle School students, my thought is that a fractional percent of openings, say 5%, might be made available to these students for advanced placement. This may not be possible under current state law.

This is about revenue, students and education, not a.d.a. or union demands.