SIMI VALLEY : Magnet School Survey Considered

Simi Valley school officials tonight will consider asking parents whether the school system should offer a wider selection of alterative schools, such as new magnet schools that specialize in computer science or other particular areas of study.

The draft of the opinion survey, for example, asks parents if they would be interested in seeing an elementary or secondary school with emphasis on fine and performing arts or foreign languages.

“Until we ask parents what they want, we really just don’t know,” said Judy Barry, president of the Simi Valley Unified School board.

If approved in its current form, the survey would be mailed to parents of secondary students and sent home with elementary school children to be returned no later than Nov. 10.

Board members expressed interest in the survey after discussing long-range planning at an August retreat and “dreaming” about creating a high school with extra emphasis on technical studies, Barry said.

“We need to know if that would be supported in the community,” Barry said.

The Simi Valley Unified School District already operates two hugely popular alternative elementary schools--Hollow Hills and Vista--where parents can choose to send their children. In addition, school officials granted transfers to schools within the district for 9% of elementary students and 4% of secondary students, officials said.