Encinitas Union School District
101 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road
Encinitas, California 92024-4349
Phone: (760) 944-4300 | FAX (760) 944-4393

Kimberly Epler
Staff Writer

North County Times
Wednesday, October 28, 1998

ENCINITAS - The board of trustees of the Encinitas Union School District voted Tuesday to tentatively accept land for a new school site from owners of the La Costa Valley housing development in Carlsbad. Trustees approved the proposal by Real Estate Collateral Management Co., with conditions that include approval of the site by the state, Department of Education and a final legal definition of the site. In the same motion, the board authorized Superintendent Doug DeVore to execute all necessary documents related to the close of escrow and transferring the site deed to the district.

In a separate item, board members voted unanimously to approve an, agreement ratifying that Real Estate Collateral Management Co. has mitigated the housing development contingent on acquisition of the 10 acres of land. The district is hoping to open the new Carlsbad school by August 2000. The land has not been appraised, but the district has received estimates that its value is between $250,000 and $400,000 an acre, district officials said. Trustee Bill Parker said it was nice to see the long process end on a positive note for the district and the land owner. "It's very exciting," he said. Fellow board member Cathy Regan agreed. "I know this is a win for both parties and I look forward to building another school of the same caliber we're used to" she said. The board approved design plans for the new school in September. The first phase of construction will house 650 students in 31 classrooms. An additional nine classrooms will be added at a later date. The district anticipates the La Costa Valley project - generating 1,073 homes over the next several years - will pro- duce the next large influx of students into the district's schools.

On another front, the board accepted a $60,000 gift from the Bell Charitable Foundation to support a district wide music program and the purchase of CD players for each school. Bell family members attended the meeting to present the donation. In other business, the board:

• Approved submitting a Community Based Grant to the city of Encinitas in partnership with the Encinitas Historical Society.
• Approved participation in a community-based English tutoring program for the 1998-99 fiscal year.
• Adopted a resolution certifying the district's 1998-99 class-size reduction program in kindergarten through third grade and another resolution certifying the need for facility funding because of the program.
• Approved a request to send two parents from Capri Elementary School to a parent conference in San Diego. Funding will be provided by the parent education component of the school's Economic Impact Aid program.