West Hills High School to Host First Forum on Attendance Boundaries

The Grossmont Union High School District is hosting the first of three public meetings on possible changes in school attendance boundaries at 6 p.m. today (Tuesday) at West Hills High School in Santee.

The input-gathering forum will be in the school theater. Other forums will follow Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Los Coches Creek Middle School in El Cajon and Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Monte Vista High School gym in Spring Valley.

“Since its last district boundary study 12 years ago, there have been significant demographic and enrollment shifts at each of  the campuses in GUHSD,” said Catherine Martin, district spokeswoman.

“These factors were major considerations as the district began its current boundary study. Additionally, with the consideration of a 12th high school in Alpine, the district has deemed it necessary to initiate an examination and evaluation of our current demographics and school boundaries.”

The district has stressed that no current student’s assigned school would change under the proposed maps.

Also to be considered at the forums is the impact of Proposition H/U school construction on student capacity at each school, she said. 
 
Martin called attendance boundary shifts “normal and, in essence, inevitable as school district demographics change and with the addition of new schools. GUHSD’s last boundary study and realignment occurred just prior to the opening of Steele Canyon High School in 2000-01.”
 
With input and guidance from the school board, a Boundary Committee was developed this past spring.

“The Boundary Committee met six times over a four-month period to review current school boundaries and to recommend potential boundary changes that would take into consideration: student migration, enrollment trends and the student demographic composition of each school,: Martin said.
 
A final report and recommendations was presented to the Governing Board on July 14, 2011. (See attached PDF.)