Joint Meeting

CITY OF SUNNYVALE CITY COUNCIL

(Study Session)

AND

SUNNYVALE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

(Special Meeting)

School Facility Needs Study

December 7, 2004 6:00-7:30 p.m.

West Conference Room

456 West Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale

 MINUTES 

I.     Call to Order/Roll Call

a.  Mayor and City Councilmembers

b.  Board President Board of Education Members

II.   Comments from the Public to the Sunnyvale School District Board of Education.

Introductions were made of all Board and Council members present and of staff that worked on the study.

III.     Brief Comments by Amy Chan, City Manager and Joseph Rudnicki, Superintendent of Schools

IV.      Presentation by Trudi Ryan, Planning Officer and Benjamin Picard, Deputy Superintendent of Schools

On Tuesday December 7, 2004, a joint study session was held with the Sunnyvale School District Board of Education and the Sunnyvale City Council.  Staff presented a power point summary of the draft School Facility Needs Study that was prepared by both City staff and District staff. 

The power point presentation included background on the origin and purpose of the study and some information about methodology.  A more detailed discussion on methodology was presented at a joint study session in May 2004.

The findings indicated that under projected residential growth scenarios for Sunnyvale, it is likely that a new middle school will be needed in the future and possibly a new elementary school.  A number of short-term and long-term work strategies were presented for continued residential growth monitoring and school enrollment and capacity monitoring and additional locational and funding analysis for establishing new schools.

V.        Review and Discussion

During the discussion, staff was asked to clarify where on the continuum of increased enrollment, there would be a need for a new elementary school. There were questions regarding the ability to reopen closed school sites or the potential to swap existing District sites with developers.  Also, the viability of the Northrup Grumman as a school site was discussed considering needed toxic clean up as well as its location near a crematory.  The Board and Council also asked about the status of the Sunnyvale High School site and the potential to acquire it and convert it to a middle school or elementary school.

Staff was directed to include updated cost projections for constructing new schools based on more accurate Silicon Valley land and construction costs.  Staff was also directed to include District information from a currently on-going study regarding appropriate classroom size when available.  Members of the Board reiterated the need to focus on the quality of education.  Staff was also asked to consider opportunities during the growth cycle to leverage the need for other facilities such as parks and libraries and how this might facilitate the development of new school facilities.

Staff was directed to :

·         Update and distribute the study as soon as possible

·         Arrange for public forums and hearings

·         Provide a schedule of meetings and hearings to the Board and Council

VI.      Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 7:10 pm