By Wendy L. Moore for the PRNC
The PRNC is supporting local schools and increasing its outreach to parents and students. The Council voted to support Nobel Middle School’s 12K run on March 27 with a grant to provide runners t-shirts that will include the PRNC logo. There will be about 400 students participating in the run that starts at O’Melveny Park, proceeds through Porter Ranch down Aliso Canyon, and finishes on campus. Parents volunteer along the way providing water and the LAPD provides a safety escort. This run is an annual tradition and a great opportunity for students.
Castlebay Lane Charter Elementary was the topic at the March PRNC meeting. The Council voted to support Castlebay with $5,000 worth of benches to replace worn out fiberglass benches which are frayed. Students have complained of fiberglass cuts on their legs from the current benches. The new benches will be made of steel with a thermoplastic finish. The PRNC will fund eight new benches with plaques indicating that they were donated by the PRNC. Castlebay teacher Sandy Dorfman, presented the request to the board and gratefully commented, “You all truly represent our community so well, and it is abundantly clear that you work very hard to ensure that Porter Ranch stays the idyllic "dream" community that it is!”
Porter Ranch Community School was a key topic of the February PRNC meeting with LAUSD Board Member Tamar Galatzan present to address concerns about the planned attendance boundary change for PRCS which reached its capacity within three years of opening, much quicker than anticipated. Galatzan explained that the capacity concerns and boundary changes mostly affect the middle school. She noted that meetings were held with affected PRCS families of fourth and fifth graders to address their concerns about middle school. Families who were interested were given magnet points that they might use to apply to a middle school of their choice in lieu of attending PRCS.
Galatzan emphatically stated, “I would like to do anything I can to avoid moving attendance boundaries.” Noting that she would like to expand and grow our most successful schools, she revealed that LAUSD Facilities Staff have been on campus taking measurements and considering expansion options. Fortunately, the school was built with extra space intended for this very type of expansion. The Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council was part of a unique working team which included LAUSD, Shapell, and the Councilman’s office that shepherded the original school plan to fruition. During the initial discussions about the planned seven acre campus, it was agreed that more space was needed to prepare for the inevitable growth; the campus footprint was expanded to its almost 13 acre site and a middle school pad was left open for future construction. Galatzan mentioned that there may be Measure Q money available for future construction at PRCS.
Fire Safety will be the hot topic in April with LAFD Fire Chief Terrazas speaking on this year’s wildfire threat and emergency services in Porter Ranch. Join us Wednesday, April 1, 6pm at the Porter Ranch Community School Multipurpose Room, located at the corner of Mason and Sesnon.
