Trustees OK Purchase of 2 Office Buildings

Trustees of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District have decided to purchase two office buildings on West Bastanchury Road for $1.4 million.

On a 5-0 vote, the trustees approved an agreement with Cadway Inc., which owns the property at 1021 and 1051 W. Bastanchury Road.

One of the buildings, a two-story, 24,000-square-foot structure, will be renovated and converted into the district’s headquarters, officials said.

A new district office is needed, Assistant Supt. George West said. The district has been leasing the old Beechwood Elementary School site from the Fullerton elementary school district since 1981 for about $90,000 annually.

The high school district has spent nearly $2 million in rent since 1981 “with nothing to show for it,” West said.

The elementary school district is considering reopening the site.

Now the district will own its land. In addition, it plans to rent the half-vacant, 10,000-square-foot building on the other Bastanchury property that now houses an attorney’s office, an investigation firm and an investment company, West said. That will bring in revenue of at least $75,000 a year, West said.

In other action last week, the school board hired four principals to fill vacancies.

Greg Franklin, principal of Bonita High in La Verne, will go to Fullerton Union High School. Ron Gross, assistant principal of La Vista Continuing Education High School and La Sierra Alternative High School, will be principal of both Fullerton schools.

Also, Troy High assistant principal Chuck Maruca was promoted at his school in Fullerton; and Karla Taylor, principal of Gahr High in Cerritos, will go to Sonora High in La Habra.

Each will be paid a base annual salary of between $72,343 and $81,425.