Hillcrest K-8

[Katrina Saba]

Please do remember that converting Hillcrest to a K-5 WAS examined by
the school district last year and still did create nearly enough
space to accommodate all interested neighborhood kindergartenders. I
fully support Hillcrest remaining a K-8, because of the amazing middle
school program it has. Middle school is usually a very difficult time
for kids, and yet these kids come out with an amazing sense of
responsibility and community, because they are partnered with younger
kids and must be role-models. I say this fully knowing that my kids
may not make it into the middle school grades there, and I have said
all along that I would prefer my pre-K child get diverted to another
school than ruin a program that's not broken and is one of the best
things Oakland has going for it.

Katrina Saba

[BCarter]

Ugh, these posts are depressing. Nonetheless, my thoughts:

1. I have two pre-K kids and would like very much to see them attend
Hillcrest. However, as much as I would like that, what I really want
is MORE CERTAINTY that I will know where my kids will be going. I do
not want to have this on-going miserable discussion for the next 4
years. Therefore, I would prefer a solution that does not involve a
lottery and does create some comfort that we have pretty much solved
the problem.

2. I firmly believe that axing the middle school will not solve the
over-crowding problem at Hillcrest. The partial census that was done
by the LRPC established this convincingly. I do not believe will get
better census figures. If you think that axing the middle school will
solve the problem, you're dreaming.

3. I do not believe that the Hillcrest campus can be reasonably
expanded. OUSD is poor (in many respects). The Hillcrest campus is
small.

4. The middle school at Hillcrest is phenomenal in many respects. I
like the idea of letting a thriving public institution survive. I
support keeping it at my own expense (i.e. less likelihood of my
children attending the school). I hope that the OUSD and we can use
it as a model for how other schools can evolve.

5. Therefore, I conclude that I am living in a school district that
is too big for the school. I do not want to send my children to an
over-crowded school. I do not want to axe the middle school. I do
not believe my school can be expanded. To me, the most reasonable
conclusion is to better match supply with demand by changing the
school boundaries.

6. Some of the other schools nearby (Thornhill / Montclair) are also
full. However, unlike Hillcrest, those schools have more space for
expansion. They also have space for portables while permanent
classrooms can be added. I would support expanding those schools.
Chabot is a very large school and does not need physical expansion if
its boundary were expanded.

Bart Carter