MORGAN HILL
– Planning for the opening of Sobrato High School is under way
with the recommendation to the School Board during the June 9
meeting that the school be opened with half of the district’s
ninth- and-tenth graders in August 2004.
MORGAN HILL – Planning for the opening of Sobrato High School is under way with the recommendation to the School Board during the June 9 meeting that the school be opened with half of the district’s ninth- and-tenth graders in August 2004.
“The idea is to have two comprehensive high schools that offer opportunities to all students,” said Sobrato Planning Principal Rich Knapp, who made the recommendation.
But some in the community are concerned because a smaller number of students at each school may not allow the schools to offer the same programs. Live Oak High Principal Nancy Serigstad said welding and the agricultural program will be moved to Sobrato, while others will only be offered at Live Oak.
“We have had this nice small community pulling together for one high school, and now our high school community will be torn apart,” said Cindy Peterson, a parent of six children: two who have graduated from Live Oak, one who just finished her junior year at Live Oak, one in Martin Murphy Middle and two at El Toro Elementary.
“I am worried about what is ahead for my kids. And I worked on the bond campaign. I believed we needed two schools. But now enrollment is down, and we probably won’t have the same programs at the two schools. I think if that is the case, students should be able to volunteer to attend the new school.”
Knapp said these kinds of details would have to be worked out.
“I would expect that the board would make a decision on transfers and the way this will be implemented,” he said. “Typically, in other districts where programs are offered at one school but not another, the community is given options.”
The concerns extend to areas beyond core academics and electives. Sports programs and music programs, as well as clubs and organizations, are of concern to prospective students and their families.
Concerning sports, there are no league policies regulating what school an athlete attends as long as it is within the district and the athlete is playing for the school he or she attends.
“It just depends on what the district does,” said Tri-County Athletic League Commissioner Elgie Bellizio. “There is no league policy. Once the school opens there will be certain students attending the school based on what the district says. When you do that there is no problem with eligibility. Once school is in session, then with transfers, you have to worry about eligibility.”
Depending on the district policy, athletes can usually transfer one time as long as both school principals agree, Bellizio said.
After the first time, students are not allowed to transfer unless there is a hardship case or unless the student moves. A student could be ineligible to compete in sports for a year.
“There a number of options and it varies from case to case,” Bellizio said. “Different things come into play when eligibility is concerned.”
