Like most residents and parents, Pam Takacs said she understands the dire situation that the district is in, but she's concerned about how the district is planning to deal with the ramifications of the closure.

Takacs heard about the possibility through a letter sent by Hazelwood's principal in August, so she expected it to happen. But she wasn't prepared for the most recent news.

She attended a meeting at Hazelwood in September at which district authorities were discussing the possibility that a new campus for Village School might be built at Hazelwood. Then at another meeting in October, she said they were talking about open enrollment for the displaced Hazelwood students.

So she was surprised to hear at the Nov. 6 meeting at Capri School that the district appeared to have made up its mind to implement a number of changes without telling anyone.

Rather than having open enrollment, for example, most Hazelwood students would be absorbed into Capri, she said. And the new Village School campus would be built at the Capri site, rather than at Hazelwood.

At the meeting, which was scheduled to solicit public input, the district unveiled a plan, not yet finalized, that calls for closing Hazelwood and having its students and teachers integrated into Capri School.

If the recommendation is approved, facilities at Capri would have to be expanded to accommodate the influx of an estimated 200 additional students, and the necessary facilities and infrastructure would be in place by the beginning of the 2004 school year.

Students in the district-run special-education classes would be relocated to the Lynhaven School campus on S. Cypress Avenue in San Jose. The district would also do some renovations on the Hazelwood campus and then rent it out to a private institution, thereby using the site as a source of revenue.

Also included in the plan is the construction of a new campus for the Village School—a parent-participation school—which will be built on a section of the Capri School property. But Village School will operate as a completely separate entity from Capri.

Some residents and parents are still uncomfortable with the proposal.

Concerns range from increased traffic in the Capri neighborhood, to campus aesthetics to what one described as an unreasonable time frame for completion.

"I understand the low-enrollment problem and that the district needs to make some changes," Takacs said. "But there are going to be a lot of kids at one place if the proposal goes through as planned. I just feel sorry for Capri and all the folks who live there."

Audrey Kiehtreiber, a resident of the neighborhood, voiced similar concerns.

"Consolidation is good," she said. "But the school needs a lot more infrastructure to accommodate the new students and the room to support that infrastructure."

She said she's worried that adding a number of buildings will take up a lot of open space that Capri children use for playing and exercising.

"Positive things can come out of it, but I'm concerned that the existing site may not be big enough to support all the children," she said.

The infrastructure problems go far beyond the campus, said Grant Rhodes, whose children go to Capri School.

"When I first heard of the plan, the first thing I thought of was the traffic congestion," he said.

Rhodes, a contractor, said the street layout of the neighborhood doesn't allow for the congestion that is a current problem, and school traffic already backs up so badly that buses are cutting through neighborhoods.

Public safety for the kids is what he's most concerned about, he said, explaining that with current traffic loads, it's become unsafe for children to walk in front of Capri during arrival and dismal times.

"And the district is going to double the population of the school without having a plan to show the community how they're going to resolve these problems," he said.

Moreover, with final construction scheduled to be complete by the beginning of next fall, some residents wonder what really can be done.

"It seems like a done deal," Takacs said.

Far from it, said Campbell Union School District Superintendent Johanna VanderMolen. After three months of analyzing closure options, the district hasn't yet solidified plans, because it's soliciting input from the community before it makes its final recommendation to the board on Dec. 11.

"We need to know what all the issues are before we act," she said. "I might think the issues are one thing, while the community might think they're completely different. We want [to get] all sorts of community input up front and then draw plans. We need to work together."

Kiehtreiber said she likes the way the district is trying to involve the community.

"I'm pleased to see that they are making a plan and making a sincere effort to give the information to the community," she said. "I don't know if what they're planning to do will work, but having the parents involved with the process will help them succeed."

For details about the school coordination process, call the Campbell Union School District office at 408.341.7245.