By Jim Kerr
Source: Del Mar Times, June 6, 2008
Del Mar Heights School and Del Mar Hills Academy are separated by less than a mile, but the chasm developing between the two Del Mar Union School District elementary schools has become much greater, thanks to a disagreement over aspects of a new Spanish language program at Del Mar Heights.
At issue is not the aspect of a language program in itself, which has received support from parents throughout the district, but a fear that the program could adversely affect a delicate balance in enrichment program funding in the district, especially at Del Mar Hills.
"Of late there have been some tremendous challenges that have in essence ripped our community apart," said Interim School Superintendent Janet Bernard at the school board's May 28 meeting.
The new program at Del Mar Heights is set to become the first curriculum-based foreign language program in the district's history. As approved by school board trustees in January of this year, the full program is scheduled to commence in the 2008/2009 school year beginning in September. Some Spanish language aspects of the program have already begun to be implemented at the school.
But now due to funding, staffing and equity questions, the fate of the program will once again be decided at a June 11 continuation of last month's school board meeting.
"Unfortunately there will be some impacts," said Bernard, "how much we unfortunately don't know"
Under details of the program, initially two so-called "Spanish Discovery" classes will be formed at Del Mar Heights in both kindergarten and first grade, for a total of four classes and 80 students — 40 in each grade.
In both grades, 20 spaces were made available to students in the Del Mar Heights and Del Mar Hills Academy attendance areas, and 20 spaces made available to students in other district school attendance areas. A sufficient number of application were received from the Carmel Valley area of the district, but applications to the program exceeded space from the Hills/Heights attendance area and the school held a lottery providing all applicants an equal opportunity for enrollment. About 20 children were shut out of the program after the lottery.
The program as previously approved, would result in two hours of intensive Spanish instruction each week. In first grade, students are to receive 45 minutes of Spanish instruction each day in the afternoon, with one bilingual teacher providing instruction in one class and then changing with a partner teacher to provide 45 minutes of instruction to the second class. In all, three certified bilingual teachers would need to be hired to start the program.
All grades kindergarten through sixth will experience some exposure to conversational Spanish under the program.
But lately grumblings have commenced among the Del Mar Hills community over equity issues including an increase in enrichment staffing costs at Del Mar Heights beyond what would normally be allowed and potential student enrollment impacts at Del Mar Hills including a potential loss of Hills students to the program, especially if the Heights Spanish program were to increase exponentially. The school plans to expand the program by adding second grade Spanish classes for the 2009/2010 school year and third grade and fourth grade classes the following two school years.
That fear of the unknown brought a huge crowd to the last school board meeting, many in support of the program, many questioning its impacts. Input was so great in fact, that time constraints caused the meeting and a decision on the fate of the program to be continued until June 11.
With a full agenda that included end-of-the-year staff honors and another discussion over aspects of district enrichment hours complicated by a recently discovered formula snafu, the Spanish program issue did not come up for discussion until close to 10 p.m. — with a hefty 45 speakers presenting speaker slips on the matter.
That prompted a preemptive strike by Trustee President Annette Easton, who asked for patience and cooperation.
"Obviously we have a passionate community and there are many legitimate questions that have been raised," she said. "Unfortunately there have been some statements about the program that aren't factual. Sometimes we take a stand and it puts us in a corner and it's hard to get out of that corner.
'This is such an intelligent community," added Easton, "we are data junkies and sometimes there is an analysis paralysis. The model for education is not the same as the business community. There are assessments and adjustments that need to apply to the Spanish program as well. Is it absolutely the best model? Probably not. But it is in the interest of the district to maintain the viability of both schools."
The remainder of the meeting was left to some emotional public input on both sides of the issues but no questions answered due to time constraints. Board trustees will discuss the matter in detail this Wednesday and examine proposals including keeping the program intact, implementing the Spanish program in kindergarten only and leaving out first grade, implementing an outreach program to encourage the parents of kindergarten students whose names were not drawn in the lottery to attend Del Mar Hills, and to consider deferring the program until the 2009/2010 school year.
The continued meeting will be held June 11 at 6:15 p.m. at Del Mar Hills Academy.
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