ORANGE : Staff to Report on School Overcrowding

Orange Unified School District officials will issue a report on overcrowding in the district by early February.

Supt. Robert L. French told parents at last week’s school board meeting that he and his staff will consider drawing new boundaries, moving mobile classrooms and possibly building new schools.

“We are trying to be as responsive as we can,” he told several parents who complained about overcrowding in Anaheim Hills schools. “We think it is best to look at the entire district.”

Orange Unified, which serves about 26,000 students with 37 schools, has outgrown its buildings in both the east and the west sides of the district, French said.

Parents said new developments have been generating taxes specifically for new elementary schools in Anaheim Hills for years.

“We would like to see some action--regular updates, plans for the schools, perhaps a subcommittee to jump-start the project,” said resident Cheryl Perreira. “I urge you to use the tools you already have to solve this problem that you knew was coming.”

The problem appears to be particularly acute at Anaheim Hills Elementary School, where parents learned last week that one kindergarten class will have to wait in various spots for half an hour each day for a room to free up.

“Please understand what these little guys are going through,” said Allen Brown, who has a kindergartner at the school. “Why is (my son) being kicked around this school like a piece of trash?”

French said that administrators are reviewing the problem and that he will report on conditions at Anaheim Hills Elementary School at the Dec. 8 board meeting. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the district board room, 1401 Handy St.