By Linda Lou
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 7, 2008
SAN MARCOS – At one point, the San Marcos Unified School District had considered building two elementary schools in San Elijo Hills, a large development in the southwest corner of the city.
But only one was built because the district couldn’t afford to buy land for a second one. The developer wanted to sell a parcel for $2 million an acre 10 years ago, said Gary Hamels, assistant superintendent of business services.
Now the option is gone. Plans are under way to turn the site into a private sports club with tennis courts and swimming pools.
To deal with growth in San Elijo Hills, the district could move about 200 children who live in the Old Creek Ranch development from San Elijo Elementary to Carrillo Elementary in Carlsbad next school year. San Marcos Unified has two schools in eastern Carlsbad.
DETAILS
San Marcos Unified school board meeting
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: District office, 255 Pico Ave.
What: Vote on changes to school boundaries
Online: Proposed changes can be seen at smusd.org
The school board also is studying other changes to school attendance boundaries that could affect hundreds of students at eight of 10 existing elementary schools.
Officials say changes are needed to create attendance boundaries for Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School, which is opening in August, and to reduce crowding at other schools.
The proposed changes are on the district’s Web site, at smusd.org. The school board is scheduled to vote on the changes at its meeting Wednesday.
About a dozen parents in Old Creek Ranch, which is just outside San Elijo Hills, attended this week’s school board meeting. Some asked the board to keep their children at San Elijo Elementary and to prepare a long-term solution for overcrowding because the area is still growing. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE UT ARTICLE
