Maie Ellis to reopen in 2015-2016 academic year - Site to become home of dual language program for FUESD

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District (FUESD) recently announced plans to reopen Maie Ellis Elementary School next year as a school of choice for the dual language program. The district’s governing board approved the decision at its last meeting on Oct. 20.

The dual language program will join the home school program already housed at the site. The current Maie Ellis School structure was built in 1938, and had been an elementary school until it was restructured in the 2010-2011 academic school year under superintendent Brian Jacobs.

According to district representative Bill Billingsley, there was “strong consensus” among all stakeholder groups that students and staff would benefit from bringing dual language classes from four school sites to one central location during the development of the district’s Local Accountability Plan (LCAP) last year.

“We are pleased to offer this curricular option for interested parents and students to complement the many outstanding instructional programs our district currently provides. Our dual emersion program is in its fifth year at all our schools,” explained Billingsley. “Instead of having the program spread out, we want to create a magnet school, or a school of choice.”

Billingsley stated this would allow program teachers to provide a more synergistic approach to the program.

“Currently our dual immersion teachers are spread out among the Fallbrook in-town schools,” said Billingsley. “By creating one, inclusive, centralized campus, dual immersion teachers and students will feel more connected, be able to collaborate and share best practices, and create synergies only available when students and teachers share one campus.”

In order to prepare to re-open the school, a new principal will be recruited and hired to begin work in January 2015. He or she will be responsible for surveying parents to confirm enrollment, selecting interested and highly qualified teachers and support staff, and establishing a parent leadership group. The principal will also work closely with facilities, educational, and business services departments to plan for and develop the instructional program.

Billingsley said that transportation options are currently still under consideration for students in the program.

“Since it is a district ‘school of choice,’ parents may be transporting students,” he said.

The student population and teacher numbers will depend upon the number of current dual immersion students who wish to attend Maie Ellis, in addition to the number of students from neighboring districts who wish to attend the program.

“We will have a better idea in the spring of estimated enrollment numbers,” said Billingsley. “We will be working collaboratively with our employee bargaining groups, FETA and CSEA, in the coming months to ensure there are well-communicated and carefully designed processes and procedures for selecting and placing staff members.”