Santa Ana : District Hopes to Buy Church for School Site

The Santa Ana Unified School District will try to buy the Bristol Street Baptist Church as a possible site for one of six new elementary schools.

The district’s board told its staff Tuesday night to negotiate the sale with officials of the church, 1818 S. Bristol St. Diane Thomas, public information officer for the school district, said Wednesday that no dollar amount was discussed.

Thomas said that the church and Sunday school rooms, still used by the congregation, can be converted for use as a public school, saving money and time. She said church officials have indicated that they might agree to a sale that would still allow them to use the buildings temporarily.

Santa Ana Unified has had the most explosive enrollment growth in Orange County. School district officials have said there will be at least six new elementary schools and one new high school needed by 1990. The high school, which has already been authorized by the state, is expected to be under construction this year and open in 1987.

The school board said Tuesday night that its staff will be working with city officials to try to find land for five other elementary school sites. The school board said the city will be asked if parkland can be used for some of the new elementary schools.