Kline School extends stay at site

Kline School, a private school for kindergarten through eighth grade in Costa Mesa, will operate for one more school year at its current location before shutting its doors next August.

On Monday, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission unanimously approved a request from owner Susan A. Kline to allow a curbside drop-off and pick-up plan, as well as street parking for four to five school staff vehicles. The drop-off and pick-up plan will be for about 30 families.

In June, Kline lost the on-site parking at 320 East 18th St. when she could not negotiate an affordable lease with the property owner, the Lighthouse Coastal Community Church. Without on-site parking or pick-up, the school would likely not be able to operate.

The school has a year to vacate to a new location. The school has been at its current site for 20 years.

After the commission meeting on Monday, Kline was surrounded by about 20 supporters. Nobody spoke in opposition to her request.

“I felt a huge sense of relief because I have been so fragmented and worried in trying to strategize and assure my students a place for them to be next year,” Kline said.

“But the most important thing is now I can find a new site,” she said. “I’m excited about the relocation prospect. Maybe there is somebody who can point us in the right direction and may know of a facility or a parcel that would be suitable for our use.”

Commissioners Bruce Garlich and Bill Perkins said the school and its owner have a good reputation in the community.

“We decided to help them through a rough spot in their evolution,” Garlich said Tuesday. “I know that it’s a highly regarded program for private schooling. She [Kline] has been very active in the community and has a good reputation.”

The school’s community involvement includes work with the senior center, canned food drives, and raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims through UNICEF.

The school combines traditional academics with technology.

“I hung a sign 20 years ago because I wanted to start a program that was accelerated and heterogenous,” Kline said.

Kline said 70% of her students are part of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and half of that number are from Costa Mesa.

Because she has no on-site parking now, Kline had to reduce the number of students for the next school year from 65 to 45.

Josh Bowman, 15, a former student, spoke at the meeting about what he learned during his six years at the school. He was one of four people who spoke in support of the school at the meeting.

“I could go on and on about all the unique subjects I was taught at Kline School from second grade to eighth grade, but I just want to tell you how lucky I feel to have been a part of such a close-knit school where I had the opportunity to learn so many things most kids my age haven’t even heard of yet,” Josh said to the commission.

Kline said she looks forward to working with students such as Josh at a new location.

“I can finally get to the business that I am good at: serving the community by servicing our children and getting on with the new site search,” Kline said.