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Prospect remains but will share its campus with charter school

By Michele Tjin

Prospect High School is alive and well, and here to stay.

That was the message leaders of the Campbell Union High School District had for parents at a community meeting on May 15. Administrators explained the changes that will take place on campus next year, quelling rumors of Prospect closing to make room for a charter school.

"We want to make sure you have the facts, and when you're shopping or at church or wherever you are, you know what is true and what is not true," said superintendent Rhonda Farber to a crowd of about 40 parents.

Farber explained that Leadership Public Schools, a nonprofit charter school development group, will move its Campbell school to the Prospect campus next year. Currently, the school has only a ninth grade but will add a 10th grade when Leadership makes the move. The charter school, which will lease 11 portable classrooms next year, already has four sister schools in Stockton, Oakland, East San Jose and Richmond.

The arrangement between Leadership and Prospect has fixed terms.

"Next year, when Leadership is housed here at Prospect, we will have a one-year agreement," Farber said.

The high school district was introduced to Leadership two years ago when the school applied to be chartered through the district. Its application was denied by the Campbell Union High School District board members. However, the county office of education overturned that decision because a majority of the Leadership students would come from within Campbell Union, according to Ed Sklar, an attorney representing the district. Leadership meets the threshold of in-district students enrolled in the school, which requires Campbell Union to make facilities available.

While at Prospect, Leadership students will be kept to their own campus, Farber said. The charter school students will have their own bell schedule and will not be allowed to mingle with their Prospect counterparts. They will not have access to the school gym, library or other facilities. Sports will similarly be kept separate, and they will field their own athletic teams.

"They have their school, and we have our school," Farber said.

District officials said Prospect was selected in part because of the portables on campus. The school has used that as "swing space" during construction over the past four years.

"We are used to moving around," said principal Rita Matthews. "We are going to be inconvenienced in that we have to consolidate a little bit."

Leadership students and staff won't be able to stay beyond the one-year agreement because Prospect will need the portables again for the next round of construction, said John Nolen, director of support services.

"The portables are in an isolated area," he added. "That's what Leadership and our district wanted."

District staff members said they have heard many rumors from parents about teachers leaving or the school closing, but the recurring theme from the staff was that life will not change at Prospect, even with the arrival of another school. Parents were concerned about safety issues, and Matthews said there would be more security officers on campus if they are warranted.

"Prospect is continuing as strong as ever," she said. "Leadership being a guest on our campus will not affect what's being offered to your child."

Students attending the charter school would be dressed in their own uniforms and would be easy to spot, said some Leadership parents in attendance.

Farber stressed the district's desire to share information with the community and encouraged parents to come see her and her staff to clear up any confusion.

"We want to be a good neighbor in the community," she said. "If you have a question, we would like to address it before it becomes a big issue."

A few parents at the meeting had already committed to Leadership. Carmen Vega has a student at Del Mar High School and one graduate of Westmont High School, but she said she knew her youngest child wouldn't do well in a mainstream high school. She sought out Leadership for its focus on hands-on activities.

"I knew that my younger son needed something different," said Vega, of San Jose. "I have nothing against this district, but I have the right to choose what is right for my child."

The charter school appealed to Campbell residents Julie Keil and her daughter because of the college prep curriculum that's offered. Keil said she is eager to be part of the Leadership community and looked forward to both sides treating each other courteously.

However, the two women were in the minority. Most of the other parents at the meeting didn't like the idea of a charter school setting up shop at Prospect.

"I'm not a fan of charter schools, but I will be polite," Susan Bianchi of Saratoga said. "I'm fundamentally opposed because they take money away from public schools, and [Leadership] diminishes my child's education."

Parents seemed accepting of the situation the district finds itself in.

"They're required to do this by law, and I understand," Cecilie Schulze of San Jose said. "I came because I wanted to see where Leadership was going to be housed and what the interaction between Leadership and Prospect was going to be like, and they did answer those questions. I just don't like the system."