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Bay District plans to consolidate New Horizons and St. Andrews programs at Rosenwald campus over two years
Summary
Superintendent and school leaders described a plan to move New Horizons this summer to Rosenwald and, within two years, add the St. Andrews program; the goal is to centralize alternative and more restrictive ESE services, add supports and new instructional opportunities, and replace aging Oakland Terrace facilities with new prototype buildings.
Bay District Schools outlined a multi‑year consolidation plan that will relocate the district’s New Horizons program to Rosenwald this summer and then add the St. Andrews program to the Rosenwald campus within the next school year, creating a single K‑12 alternative and ESE center.
"We're gonna…add a sixth program under [Rosenwald principal Jonathan McQuaid] this year and next year a seventh program, which will be the St. Andrews piece," the superintendent said. "So all of that will be under our one alt center at Rosenwald."
District leaders said New Horizons presently serves about 130 students and St. Andrews at Oakland Terrace serves about 70. Officials explained that many New Horizons students are ESE (special education) students; St. Andrews serves primarily students needing a more restrictive environment. Staff said moving the programs to Rosenwald would allow segregation of spaces for different student needs, access to enhanced services (for example, more mental‑health and career‑technical opportunities) and a single administrative leadership structure under the Rosenwald principal.
Construction of a prototype classroom building to support St. Andrews is already authorized; the district plans to complete that facility so St. Andrews can relocate in the following year. Officials said the Oakland Terrace site has aging buildings with exterior classroom doors that have permitted students to elope; the new construction will feature interior classrooms opening to hallways for improved safety and supervision.
Principal Jonathan McQuaid and other staff told the board the consolidation aims to create clearer graduation pathways and to increase successful outcomes for students who have struggled in general education settings. The superintendent and principal said they expect mentoring programs and community partnerships that supported New Horizons at its current location to continue after the move.
Board members raised concerns about capacity, staffing ratios for ESE students, adult supervision, and the centralized K‑12 model’s demands on a single principal; the superintendent said additional assistant principals and deans will support the expanded Rosenwald operation and staff will reassess assignments and staffing levels as the consolidation proceeds.
Ending: The board approved initiation of construction for the prototype building and staff said they will continue planning, parent engagement and staffing assessments ahead of the summer move and the full K‑12 integration in the 2025‑26 school year.
