Committee appointed to study possible DMUSD school closure

The Del Mar Union School District Board of Trustees recently appointed members to their 7-11 advisory committee, which will be tasked with making a recommendation regarding surplus space and property within the district.

With five of its eight schools operating at half and two-thirds capacity, the district is considering closing or realigning a school for financial reasons.

“We want to demonstrate to the community that the school board takes their concerns about closure or realignment of schools very seriously,” Board President Katherine White said in a release.

The 7-11 committee will consist of Jennifer Emberger from Del Mar Heights, Janet Handzell from Sage Canyon, Wayne Harris from Ashley Falls, Bob Shopes from Del Mar Hills, Torrey Hills Principal Susan Paul, Carmel Del Mar teacher Cinda Peck and Randy Wheaton, the district director of maintenance and operations.

The committee borrows its name from the educational code: the group must have no less than seven but no more than 11 members.

The district received 30 applications for the committee and selected members that represented all areas of the district. There were no applicants representing the Ocean Air or Sycamore Ridge communities.

In a release, Peck said the committee will “provide the community transparency we need to determine whether to close or realign a school.”

At the April 29 school board meeting, Superintendent Sharon McClain asked that the trustees not attend the committee’s meetings.

The group’s first meeting was held May 20 and they will have two public hearings before the district makes a decision on the committee’s recommendation by December 2009.