More Kids = More Classes

From today's San Mateo Daily Journal, Heather Murtaugh discusses the old Hoover School:

Talk of purchasing a previously closed school to meet growing enrollment and administrative needs in the Burlingame Elementary School District will once again go before the public during a hearing Tuesday evening.

It’s been over a year since a conversation began about buying back the now-vacant Hoover Elementary School, at 2220 Summit Drive. On Tuesday, the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing to discuss possible uses of the property. Since property negotiations are underway, the possible price of such a purchase was not available.

With a growing number of children and budget concerns, the board wanted to put the idea before the public before making any decisions, said Trustee Greg Land.

Hoover was built in the ’30s and closed in 1978. It was sold 10 years later. In 1989, Shinnyo-En Buddhist Facility was granted a permit from the city. It later moved out of the city. Enrollment and district office needs made the property a topic of discussion in previous years.

As I recall Shinnyo-En moved to Redwood City and has been looking to sell the property since then.  There is a very cool outdoor amphitheatre on the hill above the building.  Did Hoover kids ever put on their school plays alfresco?

Comments

[Holyroller]

I am sure that there will be NO lack of interest finding a contractor to purchase that property.
The amount of fiscal problems facing every single school district in the state should justify the sale of that parcel.
Lets face it.
I do not think the students (living within the district) that would be able to attend that school would be lacking.
Now if we could make it a Charter School. That would be a whole different story.
Children from underserved communities all being transported to Hillsborough.
Bus's coming and going.
Parents dropping off and picking up their children, all day long.
All paid for by the State of California.
Think about it.

[Hillsider]

The school district sold the property years ago. Now they are looking at buying it back from the Buddhists who bought it back then. Should be interesting. It is kind of out of the way.

[Mom]

Is the number of kids really going up? Can they say that for sure?

[KRN]

How about using the site as a Gifted Magnet for grades 3-4-5. This would move motivated students to a central site where these students would collectively receive different instruction than in the regular classroom. This would relieve tight space in the regular classrooms at the other school sites.

[Parent]

Parent Ian Frelin said the issue was simple and he offered the district the same advice he applies at home, “Suck it up and work with what you got. Don’t use our kids’ money to make your facilities more comfortable.”

Burlingame resident Bill Pollock worried the facility was old and would need massive upgrades even if it was purchased at a reasonable price. As a result, he felt the deal was not a good investment.

Brian Beswick agreed, noting it would help to know what use the district was trying to meet. Instead, Beswick suggested building on land the district already owns.

Pam Lampkin, a former district parent, explained many studies needed to be completed before going forward with a conversation about buying the property.

When it came to space restraints, those in attendance had one distinct message: Use the space the district already has.

Washington Elementary School teacher Brian McManus said if the district office needs more space for meetings, it could use one of many other buildings it owns. Also, changing the location of board meetings may benefit those living within the district, he said.

McManus also questioned the method of payment, which so far has included using voter-approved bond money for at least a portion of the cost. The money was passed to improve the educational offerings in the district, a move that buying a building would not support, he said.