Parents Offer Their Own Schools Plan

As Montalvo School parents, we are very concerned about the Ventura Unified School District’s proposed boundary changes.

The district speaks of saving $180,000 if these boundary changes are made. But it is our understanding that these savings will not take place until a new middle school is built on the East Side. Since it is imperative to start saving as soon as possible, we propose the following changes to the revised plan.

These changes would provide enough space for Montalvo’s 260 students to continue to attend Buena and still allow the two schools to have roughly equal enrollments. The proposed busing of our students to Ventura High could be eliminated and money saved.

First, allow any student in the Buena attendance area to attend Ventura High if he/she chooses. However, because Buena is already too large, do not allow any Ventura attendance-area students to attend Buena except for disciplinary or medical reasons.

Second, send the Elmhurst-area students who live west of Ashwood, and if necessary Estates Avenue, to Ventura High. Under the committee’s proposal, it would be nearly impossible for Montalvo’s students to walk the 5 1/2 miles to Ventura High School, but they could walk the 2.9 or less miles to Buena just as easily as the Ashwood students could walk the 2.1 miles to Ventura High.

Our suggestions also will help ease the proposed overcrowding of Anacapa Middle School. The Estates/Ashwood students can attend Anacapa, and Montalvo students can attend Balboa. Under the committee’s plan, Anacapa would have up to 300 more students than any of the other three middle schools.

ANNE and STEVE MAGOON

Ventura