Students Find New School Irresistible

Pacifica High School Principal William Dabbs expected most students would show up on time for the first day of classes at the brand new school in northeast Oxnard.

He wasn’t prepared, however, for them to get there before he did.

When Dabbs arrived at the Gonzales Road campus Tuesday at 6:45 a.m., more than 100 eager teenagers were waiting at the gates.

“It was incredible,” he said, rushing from building to building at the sprawling $55-million campus--fixing lights that didn’t work, guiding lost students to classrooms, checking in on new teachers.

“School starts at 8, so I figured kids would show up at five minutes till 8. I was very surprised,” he said.

One of the early birds was freshman Arlethe Acevedo, 14. Butterflies in her stomach, she woke up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready for the first day at her new school.

“All I can say is ‘wow,’ ” she said.

She was among about 1,300 students, roughly 700 freshmen and 500 sophomores, to begin classes at Ventura County’s newest high school. Eventually, Pacifica--funded by a $57-million bond to ease overcrowding in Oxnard’s four other high schools--will serve 2,800 students.

Tuesday was the first day of school after summer break for all 15,076 high school students in Oxnard and Camarillo. Most of the county’s other 19 public school districts start today.

Clutching class schedules and sporting obviously new outfits, Pacifica students roamed the campus and marveled at its newness--and its size.

“It’s huge--like my old school times 10,” said 13-year-old freshman Andrew Raughton.

But as often happens with a new school in an old district, Pacifica opened amid controversy. Parents in some of the district’s crumbling schools, particularly Adolfo Camarillo High, called spending at Pacifica excessive and voiced concerns of inequity.

“There are some hard feelings,” said Terry Loomis, co-president of Camarillo High’s PTA. “I think everybody knows a new high school is going to be nicer, but I think Pacifica’s gone overboard.”

They point to the school’s performing arts center with a 740-seat theater, closed-circuit TV studio with digital technology, culinary arts rooms with stainless steel equipment, and a gymnasium large enough to fit three regulation-size basketball courts.

Meanwhile, projects meant to upgrade the older schools--to be paid for with money from the local bond and state matching funds--have been delayed because the state ran out of money.

So, for example, while Pacifica boasts three grand pianos, music teachers at Camarillo High struggle to keep their one antiquated instrument in tune, parents said.

“Our wants are basic,” said Camarillo parent Debra Creadick. “We’d just like to see the money spread a little bit.”

School district officials said they would apply for the next round of modernization funds, which may come in the form of another bond issue on the March ballot. But they also are committed to completing a few of the most dire repairs at the older schools.

However, they are making no apologies for Pacifica’s state-of-the-art amenities. Dabbs said he had $3.7 million to spend on furniture and technology for the school, which is on par with what districts spend on new high schools throughout the state.

“It’s not excessive in any way, shape or form,” he said. Students on Tuesday said they’re not bothered by the criticism--including comments that the new school resembles a prison.

“We get this great new school, and everyone’s trying to make it look bad,” said sophomore Rebekah Bautista, who came from Rio Mesa High School.

Extra money was spent on the performing arts--mostly on musical instruments--because the program is to be a magnet for any student in the district, Dabbs said. About 75 students have transferred in from other schools.

“Why would any student leave their school and go across town unless we have something to offer them that’s different and better?” Dabbs asked.

Fine arts director Cathi Rogers said the community should embrace the program, which will include courses not offered at many public high schools: mariachi, music theory, music history, percussion and woodwind classes.

On Tuesday she helped students in her beginning instruments class feel their way around a violin. It wasn’t long before kids who had never even seen the string instrument up close demonstrated perfect posture.

“At first it was awkward, but once I got used to it, it actually felt pretty good,” said Alma Aguayo, 16, a sophomore who came to Pacifica from Oxnard High School. “I’ve always wanted to learn, I just never had the chance.”