Seven possible location plans for the proposed dual-campus Orcutt Academy Charter School were unveiled Thursday at a meeting of the Orcutt Union School District board of trustees.

The option that topped the list called for the charter school's kindergarten through eighth-grade classes to be housed at Winifred Wollam School in Casmalia, while high school classes would find a permanent home at Pine Grove Elementary after temporarily being housed at Orcutt Junior High School.

However, the board did not vote on any specific plan, and so no location has been set in stone.

“If you look at the costs and the space available and the level of disruption to the community, these options make the most sense,” said district Superintendent Sharon McHolland.

Orcutt's 4,740-student district is down by 150 students from last year.

In September, the Orcutt school board approved plans for the new charter school, which district officials said they hope will boost enrollment while offering students a wider variety of education options.

The high school would offer courses that fulfill the University of California's requirements, along with vocational instruction. However, all classes would focus on applying academic knowledge to real-world experience, said Associate Superintendent Ken Parker.

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Students would also have the option to take part in the International Baccalaureate program, and earn college credit for their courses.

With the proposed charter school up for review by the State Board of Education Nov. 6, district officials must find space for the approximately 220 students projected to attend the school, which is slated to open in September 2008.

For the charter school's elementary and junior high students, the future may stem from the absorption a new school district, which faces a loss in funding due to low enrollment.

Wollam School is the only campus in the Casmalia School District, and has a student population of 14, but state law requires that a school district have at least 26 students in order to maintain funding.

Thus, officials are looking into the possibility that the school could become part of the Orcutt district.

“This could all come together and work really nicely with the charter school,” Parker said of the possibility of absorbing Wollam.

Orcutt Academy would house the first high school in the Orcutt District.

Previously, the district's students moved on to schools in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School district, particularly Righetti High School.

Declining enrollment in Orcutt has proved an advantage in finding a home for Orcutt Academy's high school-level students.

Pine Grove's enrollment, McHolland said, is expected to decline the most, which is why the campus is being targeted as a strong possibility for the high school's permanent location.

Until then, classes may be held at Orcutt Junior High in a fenced-off area.

“We need to make a short-term decision based on the least disruption,” said Board President Rob Buchanan.

Other options include temporarily taking over a group of empty storefronts on Broadway, and eventually converting Lakeview Junior High or Pine Grove Elementary into a high school.

However, McHolland said these options were not the most workable, and will not likely be pursued.

“However, it is our responsibility to tell the board everything that is out there,” she said.

Brenda Sullens, a parent and former Orcutt district student, said she plans to send her eighth-grade daughter to Orcutt Academy.

Her daughter, she said, is looking forward to the prospect of being part of the Academy's inaugural class.

“I'm very excited about it,” said Sullens.

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

October 26, 2007