City Council: School unification proclamation on Monday agenda
January 29, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
The City Council will again address whether or not to adopt a proclamation calling for a county-led study on unify the area’s largest two school districts at Monday’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The February 1 meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. with a council closed session. At 6:30 p.m. they will continue the meeting, which will be televised live by Time Warner Cable on Channel 10 and replayed per schedule. One of the only two agenda business items will again address whether or not the council will adopt a proclamation calling for a study on unification of the Santa Paula Union High and Santa Paula Elementary school districts. The council has been considering the issue since a Chamber of Commerce-initiated committee report on unification was released late last year.
At the January 4 meeting some members of the council showed impatience on further delaying the proposed study, which would be conducted by the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. After input from those for and against a study the council voted 4-1 - Councilman Ralph Fernandez opposed the move - to place the resolution on the February 1 agenda.
The unification study closely mirrored later conclusions by the Grand Jury that unification be considered, although the latter urged that all Santa Clara River Valley schools unify. The local committee - comprised mostly of non-Chamber members - seeks to create one district serving K through 12 grade students, believing that it will improve continuity, education levels and save money better spent in classrooms.
Santa Paula High School has taken steps toward such a study, and last year then Elementary District Board President Tony Perez told the council the district believed voters should decide the issue, but did not offer support for a unification study.
In November the committee asked that the Council start the process for the study, but the council opted to wait until a joint meeting they hoped to hold with the school boards. Such a meeting could not be arranged.
City Hall is located at 970 E. Ventura Street.
