Signal Staff Writer
tmarashlian@the-signal.com
661-259-1234 x525
Posted: Oct. 4, 2009 10:03 p.m.
With less than a month until election day, the five candidates vying for three open seats on the William S. Hart Union High School District board made their vows to build a much-needed high school in Castaic during a Saturday night forum.
Despite the district's accomplishments, Paul Strickland, the only incumbent in the Nov. 3 school board election, said he still had the business of a Castaic high school to take care of.
"There are 1,600 kids that could be put in that school right now," he said.
The Hart district has been on a decade-long search to find a site for a Castaic high school. Castaic students currently attend West Ranch and Valencia high schools, which are faced with overcrowding.
"It has implications for the entire valley, not just Castaic," said Bob Jensen, a certified public accountant and Newhall School District board member.
Even though local voters passed Measure SA, a $300 million bond in 2008 to build a high school in Castaic, the process has hit repeated roadblocks over the years.
"We have been looking for this site for years," Strickland said, adding a common issue has been opposition from residents who don't want a high school in their backyard.
"We have to, as a district, find that site and build that school."
Jensen, Linda Valdes, a Rio Vista Elementary School teacher, and Suzan Solomon, also a Newhall board member, addressed the dedication needed from a board to keep watch on the school's progress as district officials continue the search for a viable site.
"I think it's going to be a matter of commitment," Valdes said.
For local businessman Joe Messina, it's about getting all the right stakeholders from the Castaic community and Hart district together for as many meetings necessary.
"Stay there until you can come out with common ground," he said.
Dwindling state funds to education and Santa Clarita Valley school districts proved to be another hot topic during the forum, which was organized by The Signal, SCVTV and KHTS-AM 1220 and moderated by Leon Worden.
"We need to preserve the integrity of instruction in the classrooms," Valdes said.
The candidates expressed their desire to keep any cuts as far away from the classroom as possible with Messina and Jensen pointing to their years of business experience, which allow them to understand and evaluate budgets.
"The dollars need to stay in the classroom," Jensen said.
Jensen said he initiated budget meetings with families in the Newhall district and would do the same if elected to the Hart district board.
Solomon and Messina brought up the need for transparency in making sure that Hart district modernization projects are completed in a timely matter and under budget.
"We need to watch those dollars," Messina said.
With that, the candidates were quizzed on what they would do to make sure schools like Canyon High get a performing arts center.
"No one has been more concerned about those arts education centers than I have been," Strickland said.
Strickland said the No. 2 priority for Measure SA funds, right after establishing a high school in Castaic, is building the arts centers.
"They will be built as long as I'm on that board," Strickland said.
The forum also addressed the years after high school as questions from Signal Managing Editor Lila Littlejohn and KHTS Station Manager Jon Dell brought up the gaps in education between high school and college.
Solomon and Jensen responded saying that K-12 school districts are required to follow state guidelines for curriculum while California community colleges have more freedom.
"That's the disconnect," Solomon said, adding, "There needs to be articulation between the high school district and community college."
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