Decision Delayed on Relocation of High School of the Arts

Following an outpouring of public comment this week, the school board delayed a decision on whether to relocate the Orange County High School of the Arts to Bloomfield Street.

Instead, the board of the Los Alamitos Unified School District directed its staff to study several alternative locations suggested by the public. These include moving the school to Laurel Park; a parcel between McAuliffe Middle School and Los Alamitos Elementary School; and any other options.

The staff still will consider moving the school to the district headquarters site on Bloomfield Street, which also is home to Laurel High School for continuation students.

Orange County High School of the Arts is on the Los Alamitos High School campus at 3591 Cerritos Ave. But this fall, only 70 new students were permitted to enroll in the arts school because the campus is overcrowded.

School administrators said the arts school, which teaches theater, dance, music and film for grades 9-12, needs to enroll at least 150 new students a year to make it a viable program.

Some residents argue that arts students would lose out on a normal high school experience if the school relocated. They want the district to build multiple-story buildings and parking structures to accommodate growth.

“We need an integrated high school,” Los Alamitos resident Tom Rothwell said. “We need the jocks, the nerds and the artists all on one campus.”

Others contend the district should limit the number of interdistrict transfer students to solve the overcrowding problems at the high school. And some fear a new school site would bring unwanted traffic to residential neighborhoods.

“We have an extremely proactive community,” school board member Del Clark said. “There’s always great concern when major change takes place.”

The staff expects it will take several weeks to examine the alternatives and prepare a report for the board. However, Supt. Michael S. Miller is expected to give a progress report on the study at the Feb. 18 board meeting.

New Home Needed

Orange County High School of the Arts must relocate from its site at Los Alamitos High School if it is to expand. Three nearby locations are under consideration.