Officials to Consider Magnet High School

Simi Valley school leaders have suggested that one elementary school be closed and a junior high school restructured to make room for a new performing arts or technology-based high school.

The reconfiguration plan, which is still in its infancy, was proposed at a school board retreat earlier this week.

“It came up among discussion of the board members,” trustee Debbie Sandland said. “Where it goes from here, I haven’t a clue. It needs more discovery.”

In the next few weeks, school officials will evaluate elementary campuses with low enrollment to determine which could be closed, school officials said.

Although creating a magnet high school--one that emphasizes a particular subject area such as performing arts--is not a new idea for Simi Valley, school leaders have not actively pursued the concept until now.

Trustees would like to see a new high school as early as the 1996-97 school year, Sandland said.