HUNTINGTON BEACH : Advisory Body Firm on Closing 3 Schools

An advisory committee to the Ocean View School District board has voted to stand firm on its recommendation to close three schools in a budget-cutting measure despite pleas from parents who want to keep the schools open.

After considering public comments from a hearing last week, the Master Planning Committee of Eleven late Tuesday reaffirmed its proposed plan to close Golden View, Haven View and Lake View schools, committee chairman Scott Miller said Wednesday.

The committee, however, reversed one of its recommended boundary changes intended to help accommodate students from the closed schools. Westmont School students who had been scheduled to switch to Vista View School next year will instead remain at their current school, Miller said.

The boundary change was reversed because of parents’ concerns that many of the students, some of whom switched to Westmont after Pleasant View School was closed three years ago, would be attending their third school in five years, he said. The revision is considered relatively small, since only about 25 students would be affected, he said.

The committee will officially propose its recommendation to the school board Monday after a 7 p.m. public hearing at the Marina High School gymnasium.