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GUHSD approves new charter,
demolish of Viking Center
By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
SEL CAJON — The Grossmont Union High
School District board meeting held on Feb. 21 conditionally
approved the addition of another charter school in the district,
as well as reviewing Superintendent Robert Collins’ new
Strategic Plan, and approved the demolition and rebuilding of
the Viking Center. Gafcon/Harris also introduced a new Program
Director for the ongoing Proposition H Bond projects.
Robert Watkins, the board president of the San Diego
County Board of Education, approached the GUHSD board, as a
residing citizen and not the board president of the SDCOE, to
give his support for Liberty Charter School. He urged the GUHSD
board to approve the application, as he believes in the school
and was impressed with the school’s work. He said that it is one
of the top performing schools with top API scores.
The board heard Liberty Charter School’s presentation
at last month’s board meeting and reviewed the application.
Superintendent Collins recommended that the board conditionally
approve the application, with a revisit to the application in 60
days to finalize the approval, providing that Liberty Charter
School meet all the requirements set forth. This recommendation
was accepted and the board accepted Liberty Charter School into
the district with a conditional approval to be revisited in 60
days 5 – 0.
Superintendent Collins brought his Strategic Plan to
the board in an upbeat presentation that covered every aspect of
his expectations for the district. Collins recognizes a much
greater area of competition that the district faces, and has
expressed his desire to define GUHSD as the best choice in
education for the high school student. He said in his
presentation that it’s all about doing what is best for the
students.
Collins’ plan emulates the district mission statement,
keeping integral parts of that mission statement laced
throughout his plan. He is proposing to create career tech
academies to enhance the educational process and attract
students to school.
The Career Tech Academies will execute and be an
engaging opportunity for the entire community, as it will bring
in participation from community business as well as local
college campuses. Collins said that everyone that he spoke with
regarding this idea, commended his efforts and said, “It’s about
time!”
Collins also recognizes that the district needs to
address the attendance issues that are facing the school sites.
He is researching and forming programs to recoup ADA monies for
missed student attendance. As he said, the attendance issues are
really a revenue problem because the district receives a certain
amount of money per student, per day of attendance.
Collins also hopes to address the student character
issues that have become apparent. He said that it is widely
accepted that a teenager will lie to their parents, or cheat on
a test. He feels that by addressing character issues, he can
change this reality to a lesser statistic.
Beginning in the spring of 2008, Collins will begin to
expand the district’s home schooling facility, Home Choice. He
hopes to attract home schooling families to the district by
publicizing the district’s ability to help parent educate their
children, while appreciating their choice to home school.
Randy Duncan from Gafcon/Harris reported to the board,
upon recommendation of the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee,
concurring with the recommendation of staff regarding the
modernization of the Viking Center versus demolition, design and
rebuilding of the Viking Center. Duncan reported that the
appropriate path is demolition, design and rebuilding of the
facility.
The board discussed the research and found that to
remodel this facility would be a in poor judgment as the
facilities are old and out dated, and to build new would still
be affordable and will allow for an increase in usable space of
800 square feet. Scott Patterson reminded the board that in any
remodel, the facility would still have old and existing
foundations and infrastructure. The board approved the
demolition, design and rebuild of the Viking Center 5 – 0.
Gafcon/Harris announced a change in personal as Randy
Duncan had been promoted within Harris, and welcomed Katy Wright
as the new Program Director for the GUHSD Prop H Bond projects.
Duncan assured the board that he would still be available for
information and assistance if needed.
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