TRUSTEES CLOSE OCEANSIDE SCHOOL

Soil studies show that a potential for liquefaction presents safety risk

Oceanside Unified School District trustees voted Monday to close Reynolds Elementary School at the end of the 2022-23 school year because of tests that show soil beneath the campus could liquefy and make the buildings’ foundations unstable in an earthquake.

“It’s about the safety of our students,” said school board President Raquel Alvarez. “There’s never going to be a perfect time.”

More than 200 people attended the meeting, many carrying signs saying “Save Our School.” Parents spoke for more than two hours, all opposed to the closure. Many said the closure was too soon, and that it was unfair to split up the students and teachers by consolidating with other campuses.

The vote was 3-1, with Trustee Eleanor Evans abstaining and Trustee Nancy Licona voting no. Evans asked to table the issue until the next meeting, and Licona said she was uncomfortable making a decision without more information.

The emotional audience responded to the vote with angry shouts, including “Vote them out!”

“My concern is the process and the speed at which this has been taking place,” said Giles Pilkington, a parent with two children in the school’s dual immersion language program.

Several other parents expressed similar feelings, saying there was too little time for them to find a similar program for their children next year.

Others said the threat of an earthquake is relatively minor, and that students are more likely to be harmed by the emotional upset of the move. Studies show the buildings are relatively safe and likely only to sink six or eight inches into the ground in a quake, not break apart.

Some said the district needs to manage its money better, and that the closure is just an excuse to cut the budget.

Two years ago the school board considered closing Reynolds and moving students and staff to nearby campuses because Reynolds’ 28 modular classrooms installed in 1987 were dilapidated and in need of replacement. Instead, in response to an outcry from parents opposed to the move, the board voted to drop the consolidation plan and rebuild Reynolds.

However, mandatory soil testing required for all new construction projects showed the site was not suitable for the proposed modernization.

Structures built over “liquefiable” soils may settle, resulting in cracks, tilting and significant damage to the buildings, states a project