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Over 30 students and parents stood at the front of TIDE Academy in Menlo Park during a Tuesday morning rally to save the school from a potential closure. The group was wearing shirts that said “Keep it 100 for TIDE” as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder behind speakers at the podium.
lThe TIDE Academy community first heard that its school was being considered for closure due to declining enrollment and structural deficits during a board meeting on Nov. 12. A board subcommittee including trustees Mary Beth Thompson and Richard Ginn found that, as a small school, TIDE Academy cost the district a “disproportionate amount of resources to operate over time.”
Superintendent Crystal Leach was directed by the Board of Trustees to develop and present a plan to potentially close the school during the Wednesday, Dec.10, school board meeting. The final vote to consider the closure is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2026.
Ahead of the meeting, parents were calling for the board to save the school, sharing anecdotes of their children’s success, TIDE’s unique learning environment and data to show the impact the school has on its diverse student population.
Parent and physician Rebecca O’Brien shared during her speech that the school has a disproportionate number of students who have an Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans — accommodations and specialized instruction plans for students with disabilities.
She added that the graduation rate of TIDE students with IEPs and 504 plans is 100% while the district’s average is 80%.
“Small schools have been shown overwhelmingly to decrease roots of anxiety, increase a sense of belonging and increase teacher to student connectivity,” said O’Brien in her comments.
Ken Parekh, an alumni parent and current TIDE mentor, shared that he was involved with the development of the district’s 2024-27 strategic plan last school year. The plan highlights goals to improve student wellbeing, sense of belonging, academic growth, strong relationship with teachers and college and career readiness, all of which Parekh believes TIDE has met.
“TIDE has created a safe, wellness-centered, inclusive environment with small classes, teacher and parent engagement and a neurodiverse (student) body that created a welcoming environment for my kids and many others in our community,” Parekh said in his speech. “Frankly, the other campuses in the district just can’t replicate that experience.”
TIDE senior Ben, who has a 504 plan, previously attended Sequoia High School for a year. At a larger high school, he said didn’t feel that students with accommodations were getting the necessary support that he needed due to the nature of it being a larger campus.
“At TIDE, they really listen to my 504 plan and they go the extra mile to help me and make sure I succeed,” he said. “It’s not like I’m just another face. The teachers want me to succeed and it feels really good to have that support.”
TIDE Academy parent Rebecca O’Brien speaks during rally to protect the school from closure on Dec. 9. Photo by Jennifer Yoshikoshi. 
TIDE Academy alumni parent Ken Parekh stands at the podium during a parent rally to protect the school from potential closure on Dec. 9. Photo by Jennifer Yoshikoshi. 
Local educator and TIDE Academy parent Toni Ouradnik stands at the podium during a rally to protect the school from closure on Dec. 9. Photo by Jennifer Yoshikoshi.
In addition to increased support from staff, TIDE students also have the opportunity to gain mentorship from local professionals, develop career skills and enroll in college courses through Foothill College.
TIDE students shared that their experiences at the school have allowed them to come out of their shells, gaining confidence through its diverse school programs and small classroom settings.
Cesar, a TIDE senior, served as the Associated Student Body president last school year, but five years ago he said he was too shy to even talk to people in public. Through TIDE’s mentorship program, internships and professional skills programs, Cesar has been able to gain leadership skills, he added.
For senior Emelly, the idea of success felt out of reach due to her background as a first-generation Latina student growing up in a low-income family, but the support from her teachers changed her perspective.
“It seems that a lot of people with that type of background don’t get as many opportunities and I didn’t think that I would get far in life, but our community here has been so supportive,” said Emelly. “They tell me, ‘You’re going to succeed in life.’”
TIDE has also served as a change of pace for students who struggled with bullying, anxiety and depression in larger school settings. Sophomore Alihandria described her middle school self as “closeted,” but now she’s more extroverted and recently became the creative director of TIDE’s journalism team.
The district held two listening sessions for parents in November, but TIDE Education Foundation President Andromeda Garcelon said that none of the parents’ questions were answered — despite the meetings being advertised as a Q and A.
Although members of the TIDE community have individually reached out to each of the trustees, Garcelon said none have responded to their requests to meet and discuss the situation. She also told this news organization that the reasons behind the potential closure keep changing between enrollment and a structural deficit, never both. When asked for data, parents are told that numbers will be shared during a board meeting scheduled in January.
“We don’t understand why they’re starting with a discussion of closure and not starting with a discussion of how to fix whatever the problem is, so we need them to clearly define the problem,” Garcelon said.
Garcelon said although Leach will be presenting a plan at the board meeting, the trustees do not have to accept it and can decide not to move forward with the potential closure.
The Sequoia Union High School Board of Trustees will be meeting at 6 p.m. in the Birch Conference Room at the Sequoia Union High School District, 480 James Avenue in Redwood City. The meeting can also be accessed through Zoom.
Save TIDE!
I agree with the parents and students who highlight the benefits of a small school environment – which is what TIDE was designed to provide – that cannot be replicated at any of the gigantic (economies of scale) high schools. The large high school my kid attended was not pro-active in following the 504 plan. Kids have to plan ahead to get the accommodations they are legally entitled to and if not, then, Oh well, they don’t actually care to find out what students really know if said students can’t do the work of demanding the legal accommodations the school has to provide. It does a disservice to the kids who thrive in a smaller school environment. I am hugely disappointed in SUHSD’s decision to close a school that barely got a chance. They opened it late, or I would have sent my own kid there. They shouldn’t compound their poor planning skills by closing it early.