So here is what I've gotten:

A change of the preferences to the following:

1. Siblings of existing LASD students

2. Up to 50% of the remaining available spots in each grade for the former Bullis-Purissima attendance area as defined by LASD in 2003 (this represents roughly the northern part of LAH, plus all of Los Altos which is west of Foothill and North of El Monte-- e.g., the University/Orange Avenue area).

3. Students residing within the boundaries of LASD;

4. Siblings of existing BCS students who reside outside the boundaries of the LASD;

and

5. All other students.

This is NOT meaning that all LAH enrollees are getting preferential treatment. It means that up to half of the available slots (after siblings currently enrolled, regardless of residence but within the LASD) in a given enrollment year will be given to the former BP enrollment area. If there aren't that many former BP enrollees, those slots will go back to standard preferences.

Additionally, BCS has added an additional kindergarten next year to accommodate the increased enrollment interest.

All of this is done with the intent that those original families who supported BCS can still have access to the school and not disrupt the growing interest throughout the rest of the district.

How could I forget!

Here's the e-mail I just sent out to my neighborhood group:

Remember when at the last couple of meetings:

1. The mayor of LAH stated that the hills would welcome BCS at BP? Further that there was some talk at the county level that would make this easier?

2. A representative from BCS families stated that they were prepared to front millions for the renovations of BP?

3. That we WANTED BCS to move up to BP and free up the ECS?

If this goes through, and LASD DOES move BCS up to BP - which it makes sense that they'd have to do in order to give LAH families preferential admission, a few things happen.

- BCS becomes LAH's "neighbourhood school"

- ECS is freed

- BP renovation funds are freed up - unless, of course, we're stuck by the fact that those funds were cash-out refinance funds that were targeted (and therefore potentially only "legal" if used to renovate BP, hmmmm, little bump in the road there).

This move by BCS really DOES benefit us, and this really is the opportunity we should be jumping on to push LASD to move BCS up to BP, and allow them to take over the renovations of BP, and to use those funds to make the ECS a school for the North end of the district.

Again, I think (certain board member's) response was manipulative to try to derail the original intent here, and to make us forget those potential event courses.

Word has it that the Bullis Charter School submitted a petition to amend their charter to allow preferential admission for those kids residing in Los Altos Hills.

The pdf of the memo regarding this petition can be downloaded here the actual wording of the petition is not available currently, it would appear.

One thing that this memo states is:

admission to a charter school shall not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or of his or her parent or guardian, within this state, except that any existing public school converting partially or entirely to a charter school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the former attendance area of that public school

which would imply that only if the Charter School is actually located at the Bullis Purissima site would Los Altos Hills residents gain preferential admission.

However, in at least one correspondence with a member of the Board, it has been implied that BCS is going to offer preferential admission, providing LAH with, effectively, two schools to choose from, BCS, and Bullis Purissima, and that the rest of the district should be hopping mad at BCS. That we should "lodge a strong complaint" against this movement.

If I"m not mistaken, this move by BCS looks more like a way to help them move their campus TO the BP site, allowing that school to BECOME the neighborhood school for the district, and freeing up the district to use the funds originally allocated to BP improvements (as BCS has also, if I remember correctly from last year's proceedings) offered to front the money to do the improvements to BP themselves, to help grow the OTHER schools in the district, and allow the other kids in the district to remain at their true neighborhood schools.

**ETA: more info here.

My husband and I were talking about my births last night. I had made the comment that I felt like with the last one, I had truly experienced the perfect birth. He agreed, and likened the experience from his perspective to watching Lance Armstrong climbing L'Alpe D'Huez. It took a lot of preparation, dedication, and perseverence to obtain that birth. It was painful, but so long as you learn how to breathe through it just right, you come out alright in the end. Beyond that, as if I were my raising my arms across the finish line, I reached back and caught my daughter myself.

I really DID love labor and delivery with both of my last two, and most especially this one.