Opposition to 5th Middle School Committee

Re “5th Middle School for Conejo Unified,” Ventura County letters, Dec. 17.

I strongly disagree with this letter from the Committee for a Fifth Middle School, that converting University Elementary School is the answer to the influx of junior high students into the Conejo Valley school district.

An elementary school environment is vastly different from that of a middle school, which students attend for only two or three years. There is a sense of community strengthened over the five or six years students attend an elementary. Parents form friendships, and extracurricular activities such as Scouts flourish. All of these elements are attractive to young families who wish to move to Thousand Oaks and one reason why property values are higher around elementary schools.

The letter states that converting University could be done simply and quickly and not require the board to ask the taxpayers for more money. However, it’s not just a matter of putting in larger chairs and bigger desks. Converting University wouldn’t be a simple matter for the many students who would have to be transplanted to other elementary schools, some of which are already overcrowded. It wouldn’t be simple for all the parents who are now able to walk their children, or have them ride their bicycles, to school, to have to drive and find carpools.

An increase in taxes can only be obtained through a school bond initiative, and as we’ve just passed one (after three attempts), for more than $85 million, I seriously doubt that the board will be able to persuade anyone but this “committee” to vote in favor of another one.

There is plenty of available open space at Los Cerritos but instead of building more classrooms with the bond money we do have, the board decided to build a new gym. Redwood Middle School is two stories. A third-story addition might be one way to meet the problem of increased student population without uprooting students who attend University.

I urge all parents and residents to strongly oppose this Committee for a Fifth Middle School.

ROBIN WESTMILLER

Thousand Oaks