Private Christian Schools Get SVUSD Homes

Two vacant Saddleback Valley Unified School District campuses have found new tenants after the school board approved deals to lease the empty elementary campuses to private Christian schools.

Under the agreements, which were approved unanimously this week, Heritage Christian School of Mission Viejo will lease the campus of the in Lake Forest starting in April 2012, while Mission Viejo Christian School will move into O’Neill Elementary in Mission Viejo on Jan. 1, 2012.

Citing declining enrollment, school officials closed O'Neill in 2009; Aliso, in 2011.

Each school will pay $13,000 a month in rent, resulting in new revenues of nearly $1 million over three years, according to the leases.

Combining the new rent with estimated savings in personnel, utilities and other costs to operate the closed schools, the district has saved $1.2 million a year by closing O’Neill and Aliso, said Superintendent Clint Harwick.

“We’ve been able to save dollars and generate some revenue. We’re now at what I think is a pretty positive resolution,” Harwick said.

Rob Lange, a parent in the district, asked the board to ensure that the leases protect Saddleback Little League’s long-standing use of the fields at Aliso Elementary. Harwick said that district staff will work with the new principals to ensure that community use is protected.

In other items:  

• The district discussed its plans for the new Transitional Kindergarten program. California will gradually phase in a new cut-off start date for kindergarteners. In 2012-13, students must be 5 years old by Nov. 1 to enroll in kindergarten, and in 2013-14, they must be 5 by Oct. 1. Starting in 2012-15 and beyond, students must be 5 years old by Sept. 1 in order to enroll in traditional kindergarten. Any child affected by the shift in start dates will be eligible for the new transitional program, which is free for families.
• The board chose Ginny Fay Aitkens to serve as board president, Dolores Winchell to serve as vice president and Dennis Walsh to serve as clerk. They will fill those offices until Dec. 11, 2012.
• Saddleback Valley PTA Council president Suzann Gastreich told the board it is organizing a district-wide community service project called Valentines for the Military. The project will encourage students, staff and families in the district to send valentine packages to troops serving overseas.