Board Might Not Evict Day-Care Center

The Buena Park School District gave supporters of a private day-care center at Beatty Elementary School a glimmer of hope when board members voted to reconsider canceling the preschool’s lease during a recent meeting.

The district also voted to reconsider another March decision to transfer more than 100 students from Beatty to make room for an expected increase in students next year.

The board’s decisions go against the advice of city staff, which recommended that the district break the lease and transfer the students out of the area by next fall.

According to the school district, more than 1,200 students are enrolled at Beatty, making it the largest elementary school in the district. That number is expected to increase to 1,250 by next year.

“It’s an emotional issue,” Assistant Supt. George Cottrell said. “The academy has been a fixture in the community for more than 10 years . . . but the issue is do you add more modules or do you take back the classrooms already there.”

Angry parents packed the board meeting in a show of support for ABC Academic Preschool and Day-Care Center and transfer students who would be affected by the move.

“It would be a real struggle for me as a single parent if I had to uproot my child and put her in another school,” said Katherine Bouslog, whose daughter Summer attends the preschool. “Besides that, where is the stability for the kids?”

ABC’s lease at Beatty is set to expire in August 2001. But a clause in the lease agreement allows the school district to cancel it with a 60-day notice.

Parents said they have been aware of overcrowding at Beatty for years and have in the past asked the district to expand the school.

“For two years we’ve been discussing overcrowding at Beatty,” Connie Galloway said. “What makes it such an emergency now?”

Board member Robert Thompson said the board didn’t have enough information to make an informed decision at the March meeting, and he admitted the initial decision was hasty.

“I’ve labored over this issue a lot this week and now would like to make a motion to reconsider the vote of March 27,” Thompson said. “I think we were rash in our initial decision.”

ABC Preschool owner Dan Nelson introduced a plan to the board in which the additional students would use the multipurpose room. This would eliminate the school’s need for the space his day-care center occupies and would cost the city nothing, he said.

The latest developments put some parents’ fears to rest for the time being, but they are still worried about the future.

“This is good,” said Galloway’s husband, Melvin. “At least now it’s up for a closer look. . . . I just hope parents stay supportive and keep the same level of intensity that they’ve had up until now.”

Both issues will be considered at the May 8 school board meeting.

Andre Briscoe can be reached at (714) 966-5848