On the last day Children’s Journey was in operation I walked a contractor through North School. The Juge Brothers have renovated over 80 schools in Los Angeles area, including Valley in the 1980’s. They gave us an estimate of $6.5 million dollars to completely renovate North which also included a 3,500 square foot new multi purpose room. The observations these contractors after they walked the campus in their professional opinion the entire campus could be updated and rewired for a fraction of building new. This estimate includes a new 3,500 square foot multi purpose room. Renovation of North School would save the tax payer over $30 million dollars. $60 million over the life of the bond. Funds that could be used for issues in Hermosa Beach. Sewers, sidewalks and streets to name just a few.
/Users/chrismiller/Desktop/Juge Brothers renovation estimate for North School.pdf
The files attached to my comment are factual investigations of the May 31, 2016 and the May 25, 2016 Measure S bond "informational" meetings showing egregious amounts of misleading, untrue and the outright lies told by HBCSD and their hired consultants and attorney during the campaign for a $59M bond. There is much more evidence of the district's illicit behavior than what has been attached to this comment. It is obvious from this information that HBCSD has no problem out right lying to the community about the facts and the options regarding our facility options. Unfortunately, it is absolutely legal to lie in public meetings and in reports. HBCSD takes full advantage of this fact and has no problem hiring consultants and attorneys to outright lie while they are paid for with our students educational funds. HBCSD hired attorney Terry Tao to perform a one hour presentations that was filled with outright lies and misinformation. The cost to our district, our kids and taxpayers for his presentation was $11K.
HBCSD facilities plans have never been about "the kids" even though they should be. HBCSD facility decisions are all about using the students, teachers and parents as pawns for political ends. HBCSD facility decisions are NOT about the facts or what makes sense, they are about lying to the public.
In fact HBCSD school board members choose to move seven classrooms of 3rd grade students to View under false pretenses. School Board members and Superintendent Pat Escalante cited strict Class Size Reduction requirements and possible rising enrollment for their decision. Class Size Reduction was eliminated in 2012. It was replaced by Class Size Penalties which allows up to an average of 24 students per school not an absolute maximum of 24 students per classroom as with CSR. In addition the 2014 Decision Insite enrollment report predicted flat enrollment for the next five years. School Board members made the decision to move seven classrooms of third graders to View school three months before the May 2015 enrollment report inexplicably predicted rapidly rising enrollment. After the $59 facilities bond was passed Decision Insite's enrollment projections plummeted to substantially less future enrollment at HBCSD than what was predicted before the bond vote. In the past HBCSD has temporarily moved one or two classrooms between school sites to accommodate large classes of students. This time the district shifted 150 students severely overcrowding View School and panicking parents of young children right before the bond vote.
The Environment Impact Report has been overseen by Terry Tao and other hired vendors who have no problem lying to the public in their reports. The cost to taxpayers for this ruse is probably at least $500,0000.00. I understand that the district is planning on hiring another consultant to read the final EIR and make a determination whether or not to accept the findings as being sufficiently mitigated to take the onus off of School Board members for an unpopular and illogical decision.
As the files attached to this comment illustrate, it is obvious that HBCSD can simply use taxpayer money to pay off any consultant to make any determination they want him or her to make, regardless of the facts or lack of due dilligence in the report.
Enrollment has declined and is predicted to decline further. HBCSD has no need for a brand new campus at a cost of $60M with interest over time. The campus can be beautifully renovated for $6.2M by the same construction company that renovated Valley School for $3.4M in 1987.
I believe that the district's plan is a political maneuver by a group of Hermosa Beach residents with over sized egos who think that they know what is best for the community and are willing to lie to achieve their ends. Their plan is to guarantee that the District never has the need to exercise their contractual use of classrooms, office space and storage space as stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding in the Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Pier Avenue School. There is a quid pro quo between certain City Council members and past City Manager(s) and the City Attorney to deny HBCSD students use of the Pier Avenue School and in exchange this group has tried to push through the building a brand new 510 campus for students whether or not current or future enrollment warrants the decision or it's negative impacts to residents. Their plan has never been about the facts, HBCSD students OR what makes sense for our community. It is a short-sighted goal for ill-conceived purpose. City Council members will not support the residents or the taxpayers because it is in their interest to go along with district plans so that they can keep the community center entirely for the City. City Council members and the District are willing to stick the cost of a$60M with interest over time of an unneeded and unnecessary brand new campus to unsuspecting taxpayers.
On the last day Children’s Journey was in operation I walked a contractor through North School. The Juge Brothers have renovated over 80 schools in Los Angeles area, including Valley in the 1980’s. They gave us an estimate of $6.5 million dollars to completely renovate North which also included a 3,500 square foot new multi purpose room. The observations these contractors after they walked the campus in their professional opinion the entire campus could be updated and rewired for a fraction of building new. This estimate includes a new 3,500 square foot multi purpose room. Renovation of North School would save the tax payer over $30 million dollars. $60 million over the life of the bond. Funds that could be used for issues in Hermosa Beach. Sewers, sidewalks and streets to name just a few.
/Users/chrismiller/Desktop/Juge Brothers renovation estimate for North School.pdf
The files attached to my comment are factual investigations of the May 31, 2016 and the May 25, 2016 Measure S bond "informational" meetings showing egregious amounts of misleading, untrue and the outright lies told by HBCSD and their hired consultants and attorney during the campaign for a $59M bond. There is much more evidence of the district's illicit behavior than what has been attached to this comment. It is obvious from this information that HBCSD has no problem out right lying to the community about the facts and the options regarding our facility options. Unfortunately, it is absolutely legal to lie in public meetings and in reports. HBCSD takes full advantage of this fact and has no problem hiring consultants and attorneys to outright lie while they are paid for with our students educational funds. HBCSD hired attorney Terry Tao to perform a one hour presentations that was filled with outright lies and misinformation. The cost to our district, our kids and taxpayers for his presentation was $11K.
HBCSD facilities plans have never been about "the kids" even though they should be. HBCSD facility decisions are all about using the students, teachers and parents as pawns for political ends. HBCSD facility decisions are NOT about the facts or what makes sense, they are about lying to the public.
In fact HBCSD school board members choose to move seven classrooms of 3rd grade students to View under false pretenses. School Board members and Superintendent Pat Escalante cited strict Class Size Reduction requirements and possible rising enrollment for their decision. Class Size Reduction was eliminated in 2012. It was replaced by Class Size Penalties which allows up to an average of 24 students per school not an absolute maximum of 24 students per classroom as with CSR. In addition the 2014 Decision Insite enrollment report predicted flat enrollment for the next five years. School Board members made the decision to move seven classrooms of third graders to View school three months before the May 2015 enrollment report inexplicably predicted rapidly rising enrollment. After the $59 facilities bond was passed Decision Insite's enrollment projections plummeted to substantially less future enrollment at HBCSD than what was predicted before the bond vote. In the past HBCSD has temporarily moved one or two classrooms between school sites to accommodate large classes of students. This time the district shifted 150 students severely overcrowding View School and panicking parents of young children right before the bond vote.
The Environment Impact Report has been overseen by Terry Tao and other hired vendors who have no problem lying to the public in their reports. The cost to taxpayers for this ruse is probably at least $500,0000.00. I understand that the district is planning on hiring another consultant to read the final EIR and make a determination whether or not to accept the findings as being sufficiently mitigated to take the onus off of School Board members for an unpopular and illogical decision.
As the files attached to this comment illustrate, it is obvious that HBCSD can simply use taxpayer money to pay off any consultant to make any determination they want him or her to make, regardless of the facts or lack of due dilligence in the report.
Enrollment has declined and is predicted to decline further. HBCSD has no need for a brand new campus at a cost of $60M with interest over time. The campus can be beautifully renovated for $6.2M by the same construction company that renovated Valley School for $3.4M in 1987.
I believe that the district's plan is a political maneuver by a group of Hermosa Beach residents with over sized egos who think that they know what is best for the community and are willing to lie to achieve their ends. Their plan is to guarantee that the District never has the need to exercise their contractual use of classrooms, office space and storage space as stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding in the Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Pier Avenue School. There is a quid pro quo between certain City Council members and past City Manager(s) and the City Attorney to deny HBCSD students use of the Pier Avenue School and in exchange this group has tried to push through the building a brand new 510 campus for students whether or not current or future enrollment warrants the decision or it's negative impacts to residents. Their plan has never been about the facts, HBCSD students OR what makes sense for our community. It is a short-sighted goal for ill-conceived purpose. City Council members will not support the residents or the taxpayers because it is in their interest to go along with district plans so that they can keep the community center entirely for the City. City Council members and the District are willing to stick the cost of a$60M with interest over time of an unneeded and unnecessary brand new campus to unsuspecting taxpayers.