CONEJO VALLEY : School Officials Like Current Boundaries

In response to complaints from parents, Conejo Valley school officials have studied boundary lines between Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks high schools and are recommending that they remain unchanged.

The issue of enrollment inequities at the two schools will be null in another decade because of projected changes in student population, Conejo Valley Unified School District officials said at a school board meeting Thursday.

The student population at Newbury Park High is expected to increase from 1,480 this year to 2,240 in the year 2002, officials said. Meanwhile, enrollment at Thousand Oaks High is expected to decrease from 2,199 to 2,138 in the next 10 years.

Several parents have complained that Newbury Park High students are not able to enroll in courses that are available at Thousand Oaks and Westlake high schools. A total of 111 courses are offered at Newbury Park, 117 are offered at Westlake and 122 at Thousand Oaks. Newbury Park High also offers only 280 class sections, compared to 326 at Westlake High and 379 at Thousand Oaks High.

Officials said fewer courses are being offered at all of the district’s high schools this year because of recent budget cuts. Supt. William R. Seaver said he hopes that some of the 22 teaching positions that were cut districtwide last year can be restored in the 1992-93 school year. However, he added, the district is facing a $1.5 to $2 million deficit in the coming school year.

Seaver recommended that the school board maintain the current boundary lines to avoid disruption to students’ schedules.

A vote on the matter is scheduled for the board’s Feb. 27 meeting.