Some Solutions
This page serves to address potential problems, answer questions, and look further down the road...
To me, many current problems in LHPUSD can be solved if we were able to double the student population. Not only would we be able to offer more courses and more programs, but we would benefit from the participation of families who care enough about their children's education to enroll here. We should strive to retain families who live within district boundaries, encourage families to move here for our excellent school programs, and recruit students from outside the district to come to LHPUSD (See our #1 Vision statement). Offering some of the ideas contained here in the "La Honda Lyceum" would be a start toward realizing that big, hairy, audacious goal. (I'm happy to elaborate on the potential synergistic effects of increasing student population...)
I fully recognize that the district believes the old classroom building at LHE is perhaps too dilapidated. The cost of bringing it up to current seismic codes seems to be the reason they've opted to build new modular classrooms. However, with that logic, the multi-purpose buildings on the LHE campus and at Pescadero Elementary School, as well as most of the Pescadero Middle/High School campus, would need to be replaced. It may cost more money than it is worth to completely renovate the old classroom building at LHE, therefore I recommend one of two directions...
There are other potential problems in running the programs described on a functioning elementary school campus. There are parking limitations, personnel issues, jurisdictional debates, unconfirmed partnerships, and unforeseen matters related to funding and building maintenance. But what the heck? Why not try something that could profoundly enhance LHPUSD. The "Plan B" mentioned above is the only other idea I've heard: demolish it...
This page serves to address potential problems, answer questions, and look further down the road...
To me, many current problems in LHPUSD can be solved if we were able to double the student population. Not only would we be able to offer more courses and more programs, but we would benefit from the participation of families who care enough about their children's education to enroll here. We should strive to retain families who live within district boundaries, encourage families to move here for our excellent school programs, and recruit students from outside the district to come to LHPUSD (See our #1 Vision statement). Offering some of the ideas contained here in the "La Honda Lyceum" would be a start toward realizing that big, hairy, audacious goal. (I'm happy to elaborate on the potential synergistic effects of increasing student population...)
I fully recognize that the district believes the old classroom building at LHE is perhaps too dilapidated. The cost of bringing it up to current seismic codes seems to be the reason they've opted to build new modular classrooms. However, with that logic, the multi-purpose buildings on the LHE campus and at Pescadero Elementary School, as well as most of the Pescadero Middle/High School campus, would need to be replaced. It may cost more money than it is worth to completely renovate the old classroom building at LHE, therefore I recommend one of two directions...
- Start a crowd-sourced funding initiative to renovate the building using Kickstarter, Indiegogo, One Spark, Donors Choose, etc. (I pledge $1K) Start a focused grant-writing initiative and search for education-focused angel investors. My ask of the district is to give the idea to the end of the 2018-19 school year before opting for a plan B, and in the meanwhile generate a volunteer-based maintenance program to care for the building. A goal here would be to take the building off the district's maintenance schedule, and if there is progress toward realizing the vision, the money allocated for demolition would be reallocated for differed maintenance.
- Given the idea that the district will wait until the end of the 2018-19 school year, the old classroom building might be a temporary facility. The programs established there might then move to one of a number of alternative locations. Please see my proposal for revitalizing Hidden Valley Ranch (a nearby closed prison facility). There might also be space at the Optimist Volunteers for Youth Camp, the Gazos Creek Field Research Station, or new facilities in LHPUSD. Here's an idea for "The Big Barn," a new construction idea for the Pescadero Middle/High School campus.
There are other potential problems in running the programs described on a functioning elementary school campus. There are parking limitations, personnel issues, jurisdictional debates, unconfirmed partnerships, and unforeseen matters related to funding and building maintenance. But what the heck? Why not try something that could profoundly enhance LHPUSD. The "Plan B" mentioned above is the only other idea I've heard: demolish it...