I would like to provide our Grossmont Community with an update on the most
recent development in the legal process regarding Alpine. Yesterday, the Court
issued a Preliminary Injunction that has a grave impact on the Grossmont Union
High School District’s Proposition U bond program. The Court ordered the District
to set aside $42 million dollars in cash for the Alpine High School, money that
was intended to be used right now for classroom modernization across the District
and construction jobs throughout East County. Denying our District the ability
to spend this money on classroom improvements means that 13,000 students sitting
in 60 to 70 year-old facilities today, will have to wait several more years for
modernized classrooms, technology, safety systems, etc.
The Court's ruling today, which we believe had no legal or factual basis, removed
the discretion of our District’s elected Governing Board to determine the
timing of projects that would occur under Proposition U. The Alpine High School
is planned and budgeted to occur when enrollment levels reach the enrollment
threshold approved by the voters in the Prop U Bond language; enrollment today
is 1,700 students below that threshold. In the Court’s own words, the Grossmont
District has, “valid enrollment concerns and other economic reasons to justify
delaying construction.” Further, the Court found the plaintiff failed to prove
their allegation of waste and abuse.
By ordering the reservation of funds, modernization projects that are ready
to construct today, will be put on hold in order to reserve funding for a
project that doesn’t yet meet the criteria called for in the bond measure
approved by the voters.
Projects currently planned to
start construction within the next two years are now in jeopardy. They include:
Valhalla HS – modernization of the
entire main campus building - approximately 50 classrooms
Grossmont HS – new student support
services/counseling/career center and 6 arts classrooms - replacing 70 year-old
structures. Also, an events center with drama, choral, black box, dance, scene
shop that serves 1,000+ students in performing arts program
Mount Miguel HS – modernization of 50
year-old classroom buildings and construction of multipurpose space
Monte Vista HS – modernization of 11 Career
Technical Education classrooms - 700, 800, 800A with auto shop and industrial
arts
Granite Hills HS – modernization of 12
classrooms that currently house students in relocatable classrooms
Helix Charter HS – modernization of
classroom buildings
Santana HS – construction of
performing arts spaces and modernization of older buildings
West Hills HS – replacement of 25 year-old
HVAC equipment
Districtwide – upgrade security
cameras and safety systems
I will be recommending to the Governing Board that we appeal this very
devastating decision, in an effort to support our District’s commitment to our
students, to our schools, and to our communities.
Superintendent Ralf Swenson
