The saga over construction plans at Gompers continues: The charter school is planning a rally Wednesday to protest school district proposals to place classrooms and build a bus turnaround on part of its site, which is owned by San Diego Unified and shared with Millennial Tech Middle School.
You might remember this issue from the blog post I wrote about it a few weeks back. The two schools share a campus in Chollas View but have differing plans for their 6.2 acres of decomposed granite fields and other campus space. Gompers wants to use it for their expansion into a high school; Millennial Tech is gearing up for more students and the school district is seeking to put a dozen portables for classrooms and a bathroom on the site.
I finally caught up with school board President Shelia Jackson and bond czar Stuart Markey today to get their thoughts on the plans.
“I’m not sure what all the hullabaloo is about,” Jackson said. “The bungalows are a necessary part of the [Millennial Tech] school. They won’t interrupt [Gompers’] P.E. program.” She argued that contrary to claims made by critics, she had nothing to do with the plans personally. “Whatever has been planned, has been planned by our facilities department.”
School board member Katherine Nakamura begged to differ. “This is Ms. Jackson” behind the plan, she said. “And her community is coming to her and telling her in no uncertain terms that this is something they don’t want. Does this need to be smack dab in the middle of the athletic fields?”
Stuart Markey, who is overseeing the facilities bond that would help to fund the new classrooms, said the plans are still being developed and would take up less than 10 percent of the fields. No bulldozers are showing up to the school this week, he said, and buildings would be placed no earlier than August if the plans go through. Markey said the issue will go to the school board later in July for a vote.
Check back for more bulletins as Gompers events warrant.