Alameda: One High School?

Alameda: One High School?
By Miguel Gamalinda
From the February 2010 Edition of the Island High School Tiki Times

The long-standing rivalry between the Alameda Hornets and the Encinal Jets has been a staple of Alameda life since Encinal High School's inception in 1952. The Hornets and the Jets have long battled over sports, music, and many other high school activities, reinforcing a strong rivalry and sense of competition.

However, due to the recent financial issues of the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD), the nearly sixty year-long rivalry might soon come to an abrupt end as the AUSD is currently considering closing one of the two traditional high schools in Alameda. Chances are that Encinal will be that unlucky school.

In the years since the Naval Air Station (NAS) Alameda was decommissioned in 1997, enrollment at Encinal High School has been sub-standard, causing Encinal to resort to open-enrollment in attempts to boost student population. Currently, Encinal accepts students living in all of Alameda and from outside the AUSD, however this practice has done little to help Encinal from stagnating enrollment. This, along with worsening financial woes, has the AUSD looking to close Encinal as well as some other schools in the District in attempts to save money. Currently, Encinal's enrollment is only a 1,077 students, with that number expected to decrease by every school year. By 2015, Encinal's enrollment is estimated to be only at 803 students, far below the approximate 1,600 estimate for Alameda High in that same year. According to the AUSD's own estimates, closing a high school would save approximately $1 Million in funds, and would force all students to attend Alameda High.

To ease the strain on Alameda High's student population, the AUSD would rearrange grade levels for elementary, middle, and high schools. Elementary Schools would accommodate Grades one through six, Lincoln and Wood Middle Schools would accommodate Grades seven through nine (Chipman Middle School will reopen as Acamedy of Alameda Charter School in September of 2010, and it is assumed that they will accommodate the same.), and Alameda High School would accommodate Grades ten through twelve. The property that Encinal is currently on would possibly be converted to a middle school (Closing Wood or Lincoln, perhaps both, in the process), be used for other District purposes, or be sold off as surplus property. Due to Encinal's prime location on the San Francisco Bay, demolishing the current structures and selling the land would provide an opportunity for the District to acquire a great amount of badly-needed dollars. Alameda Community Learning Center, a grade six through twelve charter school that shares a campus with Encinal, is also very likely to move locations.

Students, of course, are not happy about this change. Many students have begun speaking out over the closure of Encinal, pleading with the District to save their school. A Facebook group titled "Save Encinal High School Jets" has garnered over 2,400 members, including students and alumni from both Encinal and Alameda High Schools. Numerous wall posts show immeasurable support Encinal's student body, with positive messages from students across Alameda and beyond.

"There are lots of 'alternatives' to closing EHS, first and foremost is passing the parcel tax so that none of the cuts are carried out," says William Mooney, a Senior at Encinal High and also the Encinal High School Student Board Member to the District Board of Education.

The District Master Plan, which is set to be decided on at the AUSD Board of Education meeting on February 9*, will decide the fate of Encinal High School. The meeting will be at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers on the third floor at Alameda City Hall. (2263 Santa Clara Ave. at Oak. St)

*CORRECTION: Master Plan Final Recommendations were held on February 9. The approval of the Master Plan is set to be at the District BOE Meeting on February 23 at 6:30 PM at the same location as listed in the article.