“I’d prefer all my kids go to the same high school,” she said of her eldest daughter who will graduate from Vista Murrieta before her younger sibling might enter a different school. “They’re excited to be a Bronco like their sister.”Yet, it seemed more parents at the meeting favored the plan that would mean Calderon’s children would wind up going elsewhere.As Murrieta Mesa High School opens its doors next year, thousands of students from Murrieta Valley and Vista Murrieta high schools will make their way into brand new halls and classrooms. In the first year, Murrieta Mesa’s student body will likely be only high school freshmen and sophomores who, because of where they live, will blaze the trail in creating the culture for the school and provide leadership.”They’ll be a leader in that high school,” Chuck Jones, director of planning and facilities with the district, said to the audience. “On Friday night(s), we’re going to have 33 percent more quarterbacks in the valley with a chance to shine.”From what neighborhoods those quarterbacks will come remains to be seen.At Wednesday’s meeting — the third held to gain feedback on the boundaries — school district officials presented one proposal that would put students living east of Interstate 215 in Vista Murrieta High’s district, students on the west of Interstate 15 in Murrieta Valley’s district and students in between the freeways in Murrieta Mesa’ boundaries. They also presented a second proposal would put students who live west of I-215 and north of Clinton Keith Road in Vista Murrieta’s area and students in a section east of I-215 in Murrieta Mesa’s boundaries.The two options would shift some of the 3,200 students enrolled at Murrieta Valley High School and 3,600 enrolled at Vista Murrieta High School into Murrieta Mesa.Officials estimate that reducing enrollment at both of the existing high schools to their capacities, 2,500 and 2,700 respectively, will eliminate their reliance on portable classrooms. They also believe it will give students better opportunities to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.Reiterating that it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” type of situation, Jones said most parents seemed to favor the second option.Many parents asked about the quality of programs they could expect if their child attended Murrieta Mesa, to which school officials responded that all schools in the district will meet the highest levels of academics. Other concerns included traffic and longer drives. School officials have said that if there’s enough room at a closer school, some students would be allowed the option of choosing where they attend.– Contact staff writer Nelsy Rodriguez at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or nrodriguez@californian.com.
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Attendance boundaries debated
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