Solana Beach School District Board of Education Continues Discussions on Long-Term Facility Options for Pacific Highlands Ranch

On Thursday, October 11, 2018, the Solana Beach School District Board of Education (Board) gave staff direction regarding long-term facility options for Pacific Highlands Ranch. The Board requested staff pursue the expansion of the Solana Ranch School campus as well as the utilization of existing facilities for the long-term housing of Solana Beach School District students.

District staff presented options to build a small school #8, expand Solana Ranch School, and/or utilize other existing school facilities. The purpose of the presentation was to receive direction from the Board to eliminate, add, or narrow specific options to bring back to the November 8, 2018, regularly scheduled board meeting.

Due to funding shortfalls of more than $15 million for the property and construction, coupled with annual operation costs of approximately $1.3 million, a small school #8 was deemed as fiscally irresponsible. The Board will take action to officially eliminate the school #8 option at the November 8, 2018, regularly scheduled meeting. Expanding Solana Ranch School maintains a neighborhood school concept and maximizes existing fiscal resources.

The Board gave staff additional areas to explore including: transitioning Solana Highlands School to a K-6 campus, offering transportation within the Carmel Valley area, as well as assigning attendance for the One Paseo Development.

Solana Beach School District Board of Education Assigns Attendance Areas for Pacific Highlands Ranch

On Thursday, October 11, 2018, the Solana Beach School District Board of Education (Board) voted unanimously to assign student attendance areas for undeveloped housing units in Pacific Highlands Ranch.

The Board recognized the need to assign school attendance boundaries to undeveloped neighborhoods sooner, rather than later. Due to an expedited building schedule, the 515 new single-family homes will begin occupancy between 2019 and 2023. This is five to seven years ahead of schedule.

Maintaining a neighborhood school concept, the importance of student safety and diminished traffic on Del Mar Heights Road were Board priorities.

Housing units in 8A. Sendero are assigned to attend Solana Ranch School (K-6). While 8B. Terraza, 8C. Carmel, and 8D. Vista Del Mar are assigned to attend Carmel Creek (K-3) and Solana Pacific (4-6) schools. Developments 9A. Vista Santa Fe, 9B. and 9C., are assigned to attend Solana Santa Fe School.

Solana Vista School Reconstruction Update - October 15, 2018

At the October 11, 2018, regularly scheduled meeting, the Solana Beach School District Board of Education (Board) directed staff to engage the Solana Vista School Design Committee and community members in consideration of a single-story school site design. Part of the engagement process will include sharing the challenges of providing parity with other Solana Beach School District facilities while retaining green space for community use. The single-story conceptual diagram depicts how this may be achieved.

At the meeting, staff presented the Board with three conceptual drawings: a single-story, a partial two-story, and, a two-story design. While all diagrams present a similar cost per square foot, the single-story concept allows all classrooms to have direct exterior access, and consists of an uncomplicated structural system. The partial two-story concept increases green space, but consists of fewer classrooms having direct exterior access and requires special consideration for grade levels above the first floor. The two-story concept further increases green space, but consists of even fewer classrooms having direct exterior access and has the most constrictive consideration for grade levels above the first floor.

Board member, Richard Leib, noted part of the engagement process should be sharing the challenges with the community while imparting priorities for educational needs, student safety, parking, traffic flow, and field space.

A community meeting with Superintendent Brentlinger, Board President Debra Schade, and Board Clerk Holly Lewry, is scheduled for October 16, 2018, at 6:30pm at Solana Vista School at 780 Santa Victoria, Solana Beach 92075, to share the Board’s direction for staff and gather public input.