pass wrote on Nov 28, 2008 6:57 PM:too far to drive- we'll take Rancho!

Im warming up to the school wrote on Nov 28, 2008 9:02 PM:Being a resident in Jeffries Ranch, I was undecided on the school being built so close to my home. Now, I am actually looking forward to the school being built, and my youngest son attending there. My only caveats are traffic, and the lights illuminating the fields. I hope they are the special lights that don't spread! We love our Jeffries Ranch "country atmosphere," and look forward to a school that blends into this environment! Make it so VUSD!

Best SARC Report in the state wrote on Nov 29, 2008 7:08 AM:Sprawling Vista Unified district hey? How about declining enrollment? Sanctioned schools? Yes people will run to the sign in sheet not because it will be a great school but rather because the Vista high schools have been overcrowded for decades! It is unfortunate the high school will not include other grades. School officials are so out of touch with what is needed in the community.

The Vista Unified School District already has a “sprawling high school,” charter school Guajome Park Academy which serves Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad and other school districts. One of the Fist schools paid for with Pro. O money. It is good to know VUSD and its taxpayers cared more about building and paying for a charter school that served out of district students.

This new high school will not be able to academically compete with Guajome Park since it is one of the best charter schools in the state. Blue Ribbon Award, Federal Awards, WASC accredited, Guajome Park even got awards from the California Charter school Association one of the main lobbyist public money can buy.

Just ask Guajome Park Academy or the Vista Unified School District for Guajome Park Academy’s impressive SARC report for the year 2007. It is listed on the Guajome Park’s website, VUSD’s and CDE’s as required by law. Nothing to hide here just transparency at work, and the best test scores in the state.

sick wrote on Nov 29, 2008 7:12 AM:$95 million for a bunch of trailers?
I guess we got taken for a ride.....

So what happened with VUSD's dream team where did they all go?

to sick wrote on Nov 29, 2008 8:19 AM:They took their nice early retirement packages and split, that's where they went.

Vista Watchdog wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:20 AM:If trailers, outhouses, and generators are a nice blend with Jefferies Ranch then I guess I can agree with "Im warming up to the school." Last time I checked CalTrans had not approved any of the work that is needed to get the final utilities hooked up to the new school and so they will have to do temporary hook-ups through the neighboring community on the north side of 76. Of course, the problem there is that SDG&E admits the power consumption of the school might cause brownouts to that neighborhood. Water and sewer are another issue as these too may not be able to properly handle the school. Then there are the traffic lights at Melrose and 76 and NO Crosswalks approved by CalTrans. Not to mention that the District already admits the cafeteria will not be ready when the school opens, so they will have to truck in hot lunches. Another big question is the health issue posed by the mold in the trailers delivered by ModTech (a company that has declared bankruptcy and gone out of business). The water damage and mold will certainly decrease the life expectancy of these buildings, not to mention the health risks to the people using them. Then there are the budget issues: Where is the money going to come from to operate this school (electricity costs, water, sewer, trash, cleaning the classrooms, mowing the lawns, keeping the plumbing working, changing light bulbs, etc.)? The District is already admitting the declining enrolment will have a big impact on the budget next year, not to mention the State's budget problems that may require mid-year cuts to the current budget. With all these cuts, and VUSD already having serious financial problems just trying to keep the current schools up and running, where will the money come from to open this school? Remember, the magnet Middle School at Lincoln was never part of Prop O, and never in the plan/budget before David Hubbard came up with the idea to keep it from being used for the Magnet High School site. So, we already have an extra expense trying to keep this 70 year old building usable (remember the mold issues there where a major reason used against it being a viable site for the new Magnet High schools). Finally, the state must approve the new school for occupancy before it can actually open. So far that has not happened and the list of requirements for such is not even close to being complete. So, dream on Rodney Goldenberg, but if I were you I'd take a serious look at my options/opportunities: if the anticipated budget cuts hit, your salary for sitting around and planning a school that is not going to open will be one of the first things looked at for achieving the savings needed to keep the existing schools open and operating!

Budget Issues wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:36 AM:Let's see... Goldenberg seems to think he will have at least 500 students to open this school. Now that means he will need at least 20 teachers at an annual budget cost to the district of approximately $150k each (that includes salary and all benefits/costs to the district), or approximately $3 million annually. Then there are the administrators and support staff of approximately 20 at around $150k each, or another $3 million. So, we are now at $6 million annual budget. Then there are the utilities for the school estimated at approximately $2 million annually. That puts us to $8 million. Then we have the books and supplies for the school that run an additional $2 Million annually. So we are now at approximately $10 Million. With 500 students that means each student will need to account for $20 thousand in ADA funding.... Hmmm, the state only supplies about $8 thousand per student, so that leaves a deficit of just around $12 thousand per student or about $6 million annually for the whole school. Now, with the declining enrollment at VUSD, and the budget cuts coming from the state, that $6 million will need to come from the other high school's operating expenses, not to mention the loss of the ADA funds from the students who leave the other two high schools to attend the new school. So, we are looking at a loss of around $10 million in operating budget from each of the two existing high schools. The question that now poses is this: what will need to be cut at the other two existing high schools to enable the new high school to open, and will the parents of the children attending the other two high schools agree with these cuts to benefit the 8% of students who choose to attend the new school?

Sam wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:56 AM:I do not understand why they have to recruit kids from other areas to go to a school out of there neighborhoods. I wouldn't send any children to that death trap, trailer park school.

MVHS vs LMB wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:22 PM:LMB costs about $2Million per year and serves about 6% of the students. For this reason many believe it should be canceled as costing too much and serving too few.
Mission Vista High School will start out serving about 500 students or 2% of the students and cost over $20Million per year. Even at its peak MHVHS is said to expect about 1500 students, or 6%, and would have an operating cost of over $4Million per year.
Looks like LMB is a bargain compared to the costs of MVHS. Maybe VUSD should give consideration to cancelling this new school before it opens as a means to cut costs and better serve the students.

to sick wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:25 PM:I wonder if they took more than their rich retirement packages?

Bahamas anybody?

Off shore accounts?

Just Wondering wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:30 PM:In an article dated 22 November (VISTA: School officials prepare for possible budget cuts) it is stated "District officials have already instituted a spending and hiring freeze." So, if Goldenberg only has 5 teachers on his staff, and expects 500 students, how is he planning on hiring the other 15 teachers he will need to accomodate these 500 students? Especially considering the $13.4 million shortfall next year mentioned by Donna Caperton, the district's chief business officer.

Just wondering???

Death trap wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:34 PM:Yep I am sending my kids to the best school in the state Guajome Park Academy no trailers there but an award winning architect. I think the money should have served the students of VUSD but hey if they give it to us we will gladly take it!

I don't live in VUSD but I sure love their charter school. Thanks VUSD I don't have to pay a penny for Pro.O and my kids go to a new school. Who sweet it is....

To death trap wrote on Nov 29, 2008 1:20 PM:You make me sick as I pay for prop O and have my kids on a wait list to get into Guajome Park Academy. Perhaps we should make you pay for your fair share of the bond since you get to use what I am paying for.

Bahama mama wrote on Nov 29, 2008 2:56 PM:Thank you VUSD and the citizens paying for my retirment and the wonderful trips I've taken. Oh yes, although the value f my house has dropped, like everybody elses, at least I didn't have to pay for all the upgrades and improvements. They were all done by these really nice contractors working for the district who just kept showing up and doing all this work without charging me a dime. Not sure why they did that, but it sure was nice of them! See you all at the Shadow Ridge Country Club. Drinks on me, of course, as I can afford it now that I've retired on my great pension from my friends at VUSD!

Samuel to Mr. Goldenberg and MV staff wrote on Nov 29, 2008 4:34 PM:I have been very impressed with Mr. Goldenberg and his founding staff. They have not only devoted many hours to the Mission Vista campus but have also continued their current teaching assignments. However, it is imperative that he and his staff explain to the students and parents that the District plans to strictly enforce its policy that no pedestrian traffic will be allowed to cross SH 76. The primary reason is for student safety but secondarily the idling traffic would seriously increase the area’s carbon monoxide pollution and the VUSD has promised the Jeffries Ranch (JR) residents to do everything possible to maintain the area as it is. In fact I recommend that the District tape these meetings with the above warning for possible use in court if needed. Many JR residents’ biggest concern has been for the safety of the students and area residents. I am concerned that students will ignore the policy and run across SH 76 and will be hit by the traffic that often exceeds the posted speed limit. The Board would be wise to start and regularly add to a legal defense fund with the option of using it for the campus after it reaches a certain balance. I also hope that you will change the Roosevelt meeting to some other date than December 11th since that is the night of the Board meeting.

Observer wrote on Nov 29, 2008 8:30 PM:Samuel is right on every count. According to Cal Trans there will be a button operated pedestrian crossing but
Cal Trans advises the school and instructors to adamantly stress that no foot traffic cross hiway 76 to the school. Any adult knows the young mind has less concept of eminent danger than an adult and I fully expect there to be fatalites after it opens due to this and traffic entering or exiting the campus. Some students will be driving undoubtedly and that will post another danger for safety. It's just the wrong place for this facility!

VUSD mom wrote on Nov 29, 2008 10:33 PM:My kids attend VUSD schools. I think the district should use the funds to improve the facilities they already have, rather than building new ones with enormous cost over-runs. Each year, my child's elementary school cuts programs so that the only thing left now is supplemental programs for those struggling with standardized tests. It's all about the test scores now. If your child is bringing in the good scores for the school, good luck getting anything extra or even the teacher's attention.

Columbus Dave wrote on Nov 30, 2008 7:23 AM:Bahama mama- were you born in Alaska? Are you related to the governor that had all that work done on his home and got thousands of dollars in gifts? Don't worry Danny will make sure you keep on smiling. Hey you and the San Diego DA are probably the best of buddies.

I guess those contractors were too busy working on your home to build VUSD schools. So my kids got leaky moldy trailer in exchange.

The question still remains where are the over 70 million dollars missing?

Think positive wrote on Nov 30, 2008 7:35 AM:To those of you who don't remember or don't even know Guajome Park Academy used to be a "trailer school". Mission Vista may turn around and be another Guajome, so don't trash the trailer concept yet!!

not a fool... wrote on Nov 30, 2008 11:53 AM:Hey I did not find the SARC report on either VUSD, GUAJOME or the California Department of Education.

High test scores and awards for VUSD charter school, you must be joking right?

Think Positive- did you get the joke?

The last score reported on the North County Times link to CDE, Guajome scored lower than both Vista High and Rancho. Lets consider how overcrowded both VUSD high schools are. Compare with the Guajome low student body and teacher ratio.

What is wrong with this picture?

Reality Check wrote on Nov 30, 2008 12:01 PM:VUSD mom- this is a public school if you want extras and more teacher attention you have to pay for these in, 'after school programs.'

Have you consider homeschooling or private school? I think it is an investment well worth the money and the financial sacrifice. At least if you home school or send then to private school, you will know where your money is going instead of a bunch or bureaucracy and missing funds.

Don't you think it is kind of selfish to want ALL the funds directly to elementary school and no high school?

Just where do you think your elementary school child is going to be headed?

To the VUSD overcrowded high schools!!!!!

Worst a charter school that cannot cut the mustard eve with a majority of Caucasian students, small class sizes and no overcrowding.

Vista Granny wrote on Dec 1, 2008 8:46 AM:In my day schools were not air conditioned, we had about 30 kids in each classroom, teachers usually worked a second job during the summer to make ends meet, and our dropout rates were no more than 5%. Of course there was no teacher's union either and the teachers answered to the community leaders who saw to it that the school was well maintained and properly outfitted with books and materials. Now days it seems that the union leaders spend more time fighting with the community and telling us what we are failing to do while their members are busy failing to teach our kids. Too bad this country is going to the dogs! There was a time when I used to be proud of being an American and proud of America too. Strange that I now hear of a woman who only just this last year claimed she was proud of America for the first time in her life! Wonder what America she was talking about?