COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:

Over the past several weeks and months, I have read newspaper articles and letters written to the editor regarding the potential sale of school sites in the Huntington Beach City School District.

During my years with the district, I watched the board and staff grapple continuously with many financial issues, but perhaps none so difficult as how to maintain closed sites with the limited resources available, while simultaneously making reductions to programs and staff.

From personal experience, I understand just how committed our board members have been to maintaining open and closed school sites as open spaces available for use by the community and various youth sports organizations. I think they have succeeded very well. The fields continue to be used daily, even at those sites not presently being used as district schools. Agreements with the city and various youth organizations to permit the use of soccer, baseball and football fields have been in place for decades.

Even during the most difficult financial times, the board has continued to search for ways to keep these fields available for community use. The renewed leases of the Burke and Gisler sites to Huntington Christian School and Brethren Christian School were a good solution. These sites, including their fields, remain in use while funds generated from leases help maintain educational programs in our schools.

The board is now working diligently to negotiate a sale of the LeBard site to the city that will permit the fields to continue to be used by the community and its children. I strongly support this effort, which will protect the fields for youth sports activities even though sale of the site may require relocation of administrative facilities.

Whether the remaining closed site, Kettler School, is leased for alternative educational programs or used to relocate the administrative facilities, the community wins. Leases will generate income, and fields at all school sites will remain open.

I believe our board members have done a commendable job of saving our schools. They have been very responsive to the wishes of the community while paying close attention to the fiscal challenges faced by the district. Instead of finding fault with these efforts, I believe we should express our appreciation to the board and staff for all they have done to find appropriate solutions to unique problems.

DUANE DISHNO is a retired superintendent and community member.