New Magnet Schools Prepare for Students

There is nothing lazy about the days of summer for the San Fernando Valley’s newest magnet schools.

With less than two months until their doors open, administrators at many of the 10 magnets are scrambling to recruit students, hire teachers and rearrange classrooms.

From Canoga Park to Sylmar, teachers and coordinators are working overtime to pin down curriculum plans, install computer systems and set up offices.

“I’ve had some 50- and 60-hour weeks already,” said Steve Pietrolungo, coordinator of Canoga Park High School’s environmental and agricultural sciences magnet, “but we knew we had our work cut out for us.”

In May, the Los Angeles school board approved redirection of student integration funds, giving the hurry-up and go-ahead to 24 new magnet schools.

Approval came too late for the new schools to be included on districtwide magnet brochures. To make up for the loss of potential advertising, some coordinators are recruiting students from waiting lists of existing magnets and sending out their own brochures.

“They’re playing catch-up a little bit,” said Richard Battaglia), the district’s magnet specialist. “It’s a Herculean task.”

The May approval created about 13,500 new magnet openings, but there were only about 3,000 applications for the new schools by the June deadline, Battaglia said.

Officials say they are not concerned.

There were about 40,000 applications for existing magnets, leaving many schools with waiting lists hundreds of students long. Many students on waiting lists will probably agree to switch to the new magnets, Battaglia said.

At Sylmar High School, Debbie Steinert, coordinator of the new math-science-technology magnet, said she has only filled about one-third of the 180 spaces allotted.

Steinert said the task of finding students took a temporary back seat to hiring teachers and purchasing supplies.

“I’m not concerned. It’s just a matter of getting down to it,” Steinert said. “But it’s a real crunch.”

The new Valley magnet schools are:

* Gledhill Elementary: math-science-technology

* Haskell Elementary: math-science-technology

* Holmes Middle School: international humanities

* Millikan Middle School: performing arts

* Birmingham High School: journalism technology

* Canoga Park High School: environmental/agricultural sciences

* Grant High School: communication technology

* Polytechnic High School: math-science-technology

* Reseda High School: environmental/physical sciences

* Sylmar High School: math-science-technology