This evening, as part of a pledge to keep Morgan Hill
officials
“in the loop,” members of the San Jose Planning Department will
visit the Morgan Hill School District office tonight for an
informal workshop with board members.
This evening, as part of a pledge to keep Morgan Hill officials “in the loop,” members of the San Jose Planning Department will visit the Morgan Hill School District office tonight for an informal workshop with board members.
“This is an opportunity to bring trustees who have not been as involved in the process up to date, along with the public,” said Superintendent Alan Nishino Monday. “We’ve been able to smooth out some bumpy roads, and we want everyone to know that this is important, that we take it seriously. We want everyone to know that we are doing due diligence to protect the integrity of the district.”
San Jose plans to develop the 7,000-acre area between the two cities with an eventual 80,000 new residents, 50,000 new homes and 25,000 jobs. No Morgan Hill or South Valley resident sits on the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force (the main planning body) except County Supervisor Don Gage.
Former MHSD Superintendent Carolyn McKennan sat on the technical advisory subcommittee, and since the spring, McKennan and School Board President Shellé Thomas and other trustees met regularly with a subcommittee.
The district has four schools in the northern end of the district: Martin Murphy Middle, Los Paseos Elementary, Sobrato High and the former Encinal Elementary, now the Charter School of Morgan Hill, which was sponsored by the district.
Tonight’s workshop, which is open to the public, was scheduled to provide an opportunity for presenters to show trustees how the plan looks so far, to discuss specific elements of the plan and how the School District is involved and to give trustees an opportunity to ask questions.
Topics listed for discussion tonight include: an overview of the plan; a timeline for development; a report on the progress of the school facilities subcommittee; a discussion on school site locations and population densities; a report on transportation and traffic; financing mechanisms; the future of the former Encinal Elementary; teacher housing; and discussion about high schools.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at [email protected].
