Let Me Be Clear... It should be GTHS..

I want to make it clear and simple that I too think the High School in Grand Terrace should be called, Grand Terrace High School, or Blue Mt. High School or something the Citizens of the CJUSD supported in greater popularity than Ray Abril Jr. High School.. in Grand Terrace. It is clear why they left out the Jr. in Ray's name.

I want to make it equally clear that it is the actions and words and resentments between the CJUSD School Board and the City Council and City Management of Grand Terrace that caused the CJUSD School Board to not name the High School, Grand Terrace High School.

They want there to be no further misrepresentations of administrative authority over the schools in Grand Terrace, including the New High School. Steve Berry in Washington asking for support for "Our High School", in his position as City Manager is an assumption of administrative authority which disrespects the School Board. Further more it could actually cause the loss of support for the school.

The City Council putting the High School on its 2 Do List and then taking public credit for each advancement in the progress is disrespectful from the position of the larger CJUSD. It is not a school for Grand Terrace, it is a school in Grand Terrace.

Do we need the school yes. Colton High School is a great school for 2,000 students. Colton High School is a Good School for 3000. CHS is over populated. This situation is counter productive for any of the students or staff that attend that facility. Spinning off some of that school's population to a different facility is a requirement for every students benefit, not just the benefit of the Grand Terrace Students. IF the total goal of education for all the students were what is the goal sought by the City Council's words and actions, and not just for the students of Grand Terrace.... some of the School Board Members may have overlooked the other social ineptitude of the City Managers and Council Members in Grand Terrace.

The CJUSD has more than just the needs of Grand Terrace Students in mind when it addresses district wide needs. The past public statements of the City Council Members and City Managers of Grand Terrace neglect to be inclusive of this broader service area or student population and often makes a "Our Students" and "Their Students" type statements like as if "Our Students" are intrinsically better then "Their Students".

The Students of Colton High School need to have a population split... not because of an Us and Them, but because the right size for a school population is between 2 and 3 000. Grand Terrace Citizens should be as happy for the students at Colton High School that with the opening of an additional High School, Colton High School's student population will better fit that facility and allow for improvement in matriculation at that facility.

The current population density at Colton High School is counter productive and that is what is being addressed by the building of a new high school for the district.

Perhaps, some Grand Terrace Parents and Politicians will pledge to support improvements at Colton High School so that the students attending their will also benefit from the population split and better use of the Colton High School Campus and the resources available to it.

There are features and programs at Colton High School that if not burdened by excessive population can cause a parent within the CJUSD to desire to have their student attend that facility for their education... High Quality Educational Opportunities should be available to all students at all schools, but not all school programs have to be the same.... A high school may not have a Football Team, or a Marching Band... Perhaps a New High School has Ballroom Dancing and Computers. Perhaps another school could focus on Industrial Arts and repair of Green Technology School. Perhaps one could have medical educational focus. and so forth...

Education delivery methods need to change, and all this bother over a name is petty. There are real big educational challenges that the CJUSD and the Parents and Students need to focus on. SO... friends, I too think the CJUSD School Board should suck it up, name the High School in Grand Terrace, Grand Terrace High School, and get on with demanding the high quality of services and expectations of that High School be mirrored or reflected onto the other schools in the district. The School Board should also continue to call upon the Citizens and Politicians of Grand Terrace to support and aid all schools in the CJUSD not just those within the city's boundaries. Then, all have stepped up to a higher level, above self interest and pettiness.

I hope the CJUSD School Board shows more maturity and re-designates the name, it is not to late to respect the District Wide Support for the name Grand Terrace High School as the school's name. It is fair of them to expect the City Manager and City Council of Grand Terrace to stop overstepping their boundaries of authority in their representations with regards to the public schools in Grand Terrace.

The relationship of the two authorities could be put to the better services of the community and school district. Every Parent and Citizen in Grand Terrace should feel they have an obligation to ALL schools in the CJUSD not just those in Grand Terrace.

You don't float a boat by putting water on the deck.