CYPRESS : Christian School May Lease Campus

Despite grumblings from school district officials, the City Council is going ahead with plans to sublease the former Oxford Junior High School to a private Christian school. “Basically, everything is in its final form,” said City Manager Darrell Essex. The council made one last revision to the lease at a meeting last month, he said.

After learning that the city was thinking about leasing the school, officials of the Anaheim Union High School District sent a letter protesting the proposal.

“There was some concern about leasing it to a school that competes with the district,” said Bobbi Zane, public information officer for the district. Because the school district holds the lease, the city will have to obtain approval from district officials before the new school can open, Essex said.

Currently, the city leases the school from the district and allows the Parks and Recreation Department to use the facilities. The school was closed more than nine years ago because of declining enrollment.

Several private groups also sublease portions of the site, but none of these organizations will be affected by the Christian school’s coming in, officials said.

Greater Long Beach Christian school wants to move 700 students from their present location in Paramount in southeast Los Angeles County to Cypress. The Cypress location would include students in grades seven to 12 and 46 staff members.

Three modular units will be added to house a weight room, band room and maintenance facility. If the lease is approved, the school is expected to open in the fall. The school district will consider the lease at its June 14 meeting, Zane said.