Reaction Mixed to Reprieve on All-Year Classes

San Fernando Valley parents had mixed reactions Tuesday to the Los Angeles School Board’s decision this week allowing some schools a one-year delay in conversion to year-round scheduling.

Parents attending a morning PTA meeting at Encino School, which serves elementary grades, cheered the decision, said Principal Orlando Martinez-Miller. “They feel they have more time to prepare,” he said.

But other parents said they are still unhappy with the board’s approval last month of year-round scheduling for all schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The conversion is to begin this summer at some schools and in July, 1991, at others, such as Encino.

“In spite of all that’s said and done, the board is going ahead with year-round at schools without air-conditioning,” said Rita Morrow, a Northridge parent whose children attend Dearborn Street School. Dearborn Street is one of the schools that would be allowed to delay year-round scheduling for up to a year as a result of the board decision Monday.

“It’s sad that any child in the Valley will have to suffer in the heat,” Morrow said.

The school board originally planned to relieve crowding in the fast-growing district beginning this summer by requiring 109 elementary schools to increase enrollment by choosing among a year-round schedule, the addition of portable classrooms or increases in classroom size. The board voted to require those schools to increase capacity by 23%.

But the district last week said 63 schools, including 18 in the Valley, have no more room on their playgrounds for portable classrooms, and so would have no choice but to convert to year-round scheduling.

Meanwhile, parents and administrators from an additional 26 schools with room for portable classrooms were told that they faced a year or longer wait for delivery of the buildings. The board Monday voted to allow those schools the extra time needed for delivery of the buildings, instead of requiring them to convert to year-round schedules this summer.

At the Dixie Canyon Avenue School in Sherman Oaks, one of the half-dozen Valley schools where parents organized strong opposition to the year-round proposal, Principal Bob Fishman said there remains much anxiety and uncertainty about the changes. The school is one that could delay converting to a year-round calendar by choosing to add portable classrooms.

Fishman said he and most other principals in this situation are holding information meetings for parents. The purpose, he said, is to explain the choices that will be included on ballots to be mailed to parents and school employees at the end of this month.

At Sylmar School, one of the schools that because of space limitations must begin year-round operation this summer without a vote, Principal Yvonne Chan said scheduling students will be a difficult task.

Parents worry most about keeping their elementary-grade children on the same schedule. Others whose children speak limited English are concerned that they will not retain their bilingual teachers, Chan said. Teachers with their own school-age children worry that they may be on different schedules and that they may be assigned to teach in rooms without air-conditioning, she said.

“But the worry of not knowing whether we were going to year-round scheduling was worse,” Chan said. “Now we know, and we’re going to do the best we can.”

STARTING IN SUMMER The following schools will begin year-round scheduling this summer:

Apperson Street School, Sunland.

Broadous School, Pacoima.

Canoga Park School, Canoga Park.

Coldwater Canyon Avenue School, North Hollywood.

Dyer Street School, Sylmar

Fenton Avenue School, Lake View Terrace.

Fernangeles School, Sun Valley.

Hazeltine Avenue School, Van Nuys.

Langdon Avenue School, Sepulveda.

Noble Avenue School, Sepulveda.

Pinewood Avenue School, Tujunga.

Plummer School, Sepulveda.

San Fernando School, San Fernando.

Sharp Avenue School, Pacoima.

Strathern Street School, North Hollywood.

Sylmar School, Sylmar.

Telfair Avenue School, Pacoima.

Valerio Street School, Van Nuys.

SCHEDULE DELAYED The following schools could delay year-round scheduling until July, 1991.

Andasol Avenue School, Northridge.

Arminta Street School, North Hollywood.

Balboa Boulevard Magnet School, Northridge.

Bassett Street School, Van Nuys.

Beachy Avenue School, Pacoima.

Burbank Boulevard School, North Hollywood.

Carpenter Avenue School, Studio City.

Chandler School, Van Nuys.

Darby Avenue School, Northridge.

Dearborn Street School, Northridge.

Dixie Canyon Avenue School, Sherman Oaks.

El Dorado Avenue School, Sylmar.

El Oro Way School, Granada Hills.

Emelita Street School, Encino.

Encino School, Encino.

Harding Street School, Sylmar.

Hart Street School, Canoga Park.

Kittridge Street School, Van Nuys.

Lassen School, Sepulveda.

Monlux School, North Hollywood.

Nestle Avenue School, Tarzana.

Parthenia Street School, Sepulveda.

Sherman Oaks School, Sherman Oaks.

Valley View School, Los Angeles.

Vanalden Avenue School, Reseda.

Vintage Street Fundamental Magnet School, Sepulveda.

Wilbur Avenue School, Tarzana.