Board reviews preliminary plan to add sixth grade at Egan and Bloch as San Antonio campus opens
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Summary
Trustees reviewed a preliminary facilities study that would create sixth-grade 'villages' at Egan and Bloch to support a shift to a middle-school model and to accommodate students affected by the San Antonio campus opening; staff will return with cost estimates, demolition options and a timeline.
Board members spent the bulk of the meeting on a preliminary facilities study examining how Los Altos School District might move to a middle-school model and add sixth grade at Bloch and Egan campuses.
District staff and ADAS Architects presented multiple scenarios designed to create a sixth-grade village with dedicated portables and limited reconfiguration of existing facilities. The presentation noted constraints at both campuses: Bloch (transcribed as "Block" in places) has about 22 rented portables with an annual rental cost the district estimated at roughly $288,000 and a projected 2028 enrollment of about 594 students; Egan (also transcribed as "Eagan" in some slides) has roughly 53 rented portables with an annual rental cost the district estimated at about $691,000 and a projected 2028 enrollment near 614 students. Architects emphasized aging portables (some 10–25 years old), shared facility impacts (library, music, fields), flood-plain and foundation constraints at Bloch, and limited outdoor space at Egan.
Staff explained the district’s direction to prepare the San Antonio campus to open in 2028 and to accommodate roughly 600 students there; the facilities study therefore considered how the remaining resident students who currently attend Bullis Charter School (BCS) might be placed across district campuses. Scenario 1A would provide capacity for about 350 students at the district site studied and was identified by multiple trustees as the most cost-effective near-term option.
Public commenters voiced differing reactions: some parents urged the board to move forward with the sixth-grade model at Egan and Bloch for programmatic benefits and improved age-appropriate electives; others pressed the district to negotiate terms with Bullis Charter School so that out-of-district enrollment does not burden LASD facilities or finances. One public commenter (Sang Paruri) said out-of-district BCS enrollment grew from 96 to 173 and urged any new agreement require BCS to fully compensate LASD for the full costs of out-of-district students.
Trustees discussed practical next steps, requesting more detailed cost estimates for demolition and portable reconfiguration, a clearer timeline for decisions, and an updated map of which portables would be removed or repurposed. Trustees also emphasized the district’s legal obligation: staff reiterated LASD is required to provide facilities only for resident (in-district) students unless the negotiated agreement with the charter says otherwise.
The board did not take formal action to adopt a plan tonight; staff were directed to return at a future meeting with cost numbers, demolition estimates and a timeline for decisions.
Ending: Staff will present detailed cost estimates, demolition options and an updated timeline at an upcoming (March/April) meeting for trustees to consider a final recommendation.
