6-12 Magnet School Concept
Background
On June 18, the San Lorenzo USD Board of Education directed district staff to further explore the concept of consolidating San Lorenzo High School, East Bay Arts High School, and Edendale Middle School into a grade 6-12 school with an arts and social justice focus on the San Lorenzo High campus.
In late August, administrators met with employees, community partners, students, and families to begin gathering feedback on this idea, which is also a strategy to cope with declining enrollment from changing demographics. This decline means the loss of tens of millions of dollars a year in state funding.
No decision has been made and no timeline for implementation has been developed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: WHAT IS the 6-12 magnet school concept?
Answer: The proposal is for a combined school for grades 6-12 on the campus of San Lorenzo High School that would consolidate SLzHS, East Bay Arts High School and Edendale Middle School. The school would be a “magnet” because it would be open to all district middle and high school students and potentially students outside the district.
It would feature all aspects of the performing and visual arts, as well as video production, while still offering a well-rounded curriculum, including math, sciences, and other “A to G” courses required for admission to the California State University and University of California systems. It also would follow a “liberatory” model, with an emphasis on student expression, inclusion, and empowerment while promoting civic engagement that addresses equity and social justice challenges.
This directly supports Goal 2 of the district’s new Strategic Plan, which calls for development of students’ understanding of civic responsibility and support for their engagement in activities that advance social justice. East Bay Arts would become one of the new school's Small Learning Communities, along with Bay Area Digital Arts, and the district would repurpose the Edendale campus for other needs. Also, all district secondary schools would continue to offer arts instruction.
Q. Why the EMPHASIS ON ARTS instruction when there is not pressing demand for that in our district?
A. The focus on the arts stems from the concept’s emergence through years of discussion about the location of East Bay Arts High School, which is now co-located on the SLzHS campus. An in-depth study of possible EBA relocation ended in October 2023 when the Board did not approve any of the alternatives. Last spring, a task force of administrators assigned to continue that study led to a proposal for the 6-12 arts magnet school, which the Board decided to explore. That led to the Board’s direction to staff in June to continue pursuing the concept. Many 6-12 magnet schools in our region and across the country are focused on arts education, which promotes self-expression, builds self-confidence, and can lead to successful careers.
Q. Could the 6-12 magnet have a DIFFERENT ACADEMIC FOCUS, such as STEM?
Q. What about families who live near San Lorenzo H.S. and Edendale M.S. but AREN’T INTERESTED in the 6-12 arts magnet?
Q. What about families living near San Lorenzo H.S. and Edendale M.S. who would want their students to attend traditional, comprehensive schools but lack TRANSPORTATION to get there?
Q. Wouldn’t it be UNSAFE for students in grades 6-8 to share a campus with older teenagers?
Q. Would students at the 6-12 still be able to participate in sports and other EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES?
Q. Why should students living EAST OF HESPERIAN be the ones who have to decide whether to attend schools in another part of the district?
Although enrollment decline is occurring throughout SLZUSD, the decline in secondary school enrollment has been more dramatic at San Lorenzo H.S. and Edendale. This is because more families are already choosing to attend Arroyo H.S. and Bohannon and Washington Manor middle schools in large numbers, despite continued investment of educational resources in SLzHS and Edendale and the dedication of their teachers, staff, and administrators.
Repurposing Edendale and changing SLzHS to a new 6-12 model with fewer total students would address the increasing under-utilization of those school sites and leverage the capacity of Arroyo, Bohannon and Washington Manor to accept additional students.
Q. Other than the arts emphasis, WHAT OTHER REASONS would families have to choose the 6-12 magnet school?
A. Much like East Bay Arts High School today, the 6-12 school is envisioned to offer the benefits of a smaller community with more individualized attention to students and an especially welcoming and supportive environment, as well as a special emphasis on social justice. It’s also likely that students in grades 6-8 at the magnet school would have a wider range of electives to choose from, as well as other forms of enrichment not available at a traditional middle school. For example, the Bay Area Digital Arts video production lab is an outstanding facility that is unmatched in the region.
Q. Right now, the district’s programs for NEWCOMER STUDENTS who are still learning English are based at Edendale and San Lorenzo High. What would happen to those students?
A. As part of the 6-12 magnet program, the district continues to review the best placement for the newcomer program for recently immigrated students. It is certainly possible that the newcomer program could be housed at the new magnet school, where students would benefit from a smaller school community and the continued support of teachers and staff focused on their needs.
Q. What about offerings at the Eden Area REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM Center? Would those be available to students at the 6-12 magnet?
A. Presumably yes, for grades 11-12, just as they are now for students at San Lorenzo and East Bay Arts high schools.
Q. Why are families just learning about this concept now? And why is the Board pursuing the 6-12 magnet concept without FURTHER STUDY and greater input from all families and district employees?
Concept Development Timeline
- May 19, 2020 – Presentation to Board by EBA Task Force, included 6-12 concept
- June 2, 2020 – Board presentation on EBA relocation
- School Year 2020-2021 – EBA co-located at San Lorenzo High School
- Fall 2022 – Facility walks and analysis of EBA relocation alternatives (including 6-12 at Edendale) by Dir. Marr and Dir. Lama
- Jan. 17, 2023 – Board presentation on potential EBA locations
- Feb. 7, 2023 – Board narrowed to 2: Edendale (6-12) & Adult School
- Late spring 2023 – Faculty-staff discussions at Edendale, Bohannon, and the Adult School
- Sept. 21, 2023 – Community meeting, Edendale MS
- Sept. 26, 2023 – Community meeting, Adult School Campus
- Oct. 4, 2023 – Board Study Session on EBA alternatives
- Oct. 17, 2023 – Board discussion on EBA alternatives and action (vote maintained status quo)
- November 2023-June 2024 – Administrative task force convened; 6-12 concept emerged (facilitated by Barb Debarger)
- June 18, 2024 – Board discussion of magnet concept to address districtwide challenges
- Aug. 21 and Sept. 9, 2024 -- Employee listening sessions for Edendale MS, San Lorenzo HS and Arroyo HS
- Sept. 10, 2024 -- Community listening session
- Sept. 24, 2024 -- Board special meeting/community listening session