Superintendent's Weekly Message

February 7, 2024

Dear Hollister High School parents, students, staff and community:

More than 100 people attended the Spanish-language community town hall in Hollister High School’s Davis Library on January 31st to discuss potential configurations of a second campus in the San Benito High School District. The mix of parents, students, children, community members, teachers and district staff, engaged in discussions led by HMC Architects.

Community Engagement

“I believe holding the entire session in Spanish allowed for more active participation, engagement, and seamless sharing of everyone’s insights into the community’s desires and needs” regarding a second high school, said Sherry Sajadpour, the PreK-12 principal in charge at HMC. “In my experience, this was one of the most engaging sessions I’ve encountered, highlighting the significance of this new high school project.”

HMC also led our January 18th English-language community town hall that followed the same format. The recent town halls are the latest step in our ongoing outreach and engagement efforts with the community. These included English- and Spanish-language town halls on campus in August 2023, followed by 10 K-8 Listening and Awareness sessions at local elementary schools throughout the Fall. We have also done targeted outreach to staff, students and community members at a total of 12 events, where more than 300 attendees offered more than 1,300 comments about the second high school.

Developing a Unified Vision

After my introductory presentation, translated by district translator/interpreter Guadalupe Rios, HMC led an activity designed to help develop a unified vision that seamlessly integrates the community’s input on conceptual designs for a second high school campus.

With an architect and a translator at each table, participants were given the opportunity to arrange potential components of a high school campus onto a sample site plan. They were asked to think about a day in the life on campus and consider:

• The location of parking and pickup/drop-off areas to best suit students and the community;
• The location of playing fields, relative to the entrance to campus;
• The layout of buildings regard to safety and security;
• The use of trees and greenery in open spaces; and
• How to leave room for future growth and campus additions.

Every Voice Matters

Migrant Education Program Specialist Liliana Ruiz, who invited families from her program to participate in the town hall, said the overall sentiment of the parents “was that of appreciation for being asked their opinion and having a say regarding the next high school.”  She noted that Rebeca Hernandez, the mother of a Hollister High School freshman and two other students who have already graduated, explained that “she really liked the activity and she appreciated being able to meet and interact with other parents and know different perspectives.”

Ms. Ruiz herself said she was impressed with the turnout and the level of engagement from parents and students. 

“Breaking into smaller groups allowed for more participation from those parents who typically don't speak up in a larger group setting,” she said. “The contribution of the Spanish-speaking parents is valuable and I was glad to see the district making the space for them to be heard.”

Reflecting Community Priorities

According to HMC, community feedback from the recent town halls and feedback activities will help the firm develop a proposed design of the second high school that reflects our community’s priorities.

“Drawing from the ideas gathered in this and previous sessions, our team will carefully analyze the input, identify common themes, and prioritize key elements aligned with the project's objectives,” Ms. Sajadpour said. “By synthesizing these ideas and recognizing recurring preferences such as drawing inspiration from the area's agricultural heritage or celebrating annual traditions that bring pride to the community, we aim to tailor our designs to effectively meet the community's needs while reflecting their broader aspirations and preferences. Congratulations to SBHSD for yet another successful event!”

Brian Meyers, HMC’s PreK-12 practice leader, said the opportunity to meet, engage, and collaborate with more than 100 Spanish-speaking members of the community, including Migrant Education program students and their families, “was a highlight for me in our engagement to date. The language of architecture and school design is universal. Hosting a Spanish-language event allowed us to listen and learn from these important families, and I’m certain the outcomes will be better for it.”

As we continue the work of planning a second high school, input and feedback from our community remains a key focus. This work will ultimately help relieve overcrowding at Hollister High School, which is now the 10th largest high school by population in California, while helping the district continue to provide all local high school students access to high-quality education on a campus that includes facilities for developing college and career readiness. 

Together we can, together we will, build a brighter future for our students!

Sincerely,

San Benito High School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum