International School Likely Ousted from Its Campus After 20 Years

The German American International School community awaits the Menlo Park City School District board’s decision tonight to possibly relocate the school to make room for the district’s own students.  

The international school has been at the O’Connor site, located on Elliott Drive, a few blocks from Willow Road, for over 20 years and pays an annual $330,000 to rent the site.

However, anticipating an enrollment increase, the school district is asking for the campus back to make space for more classrooms of its own. The district staff has recommended the board terminate the lease, according to tonight’s agenda.

Student enrollment in the district has increased 40 percent since 2000, from 1,957 to 2,791, according to staff reports.

According to the staff’s presentation, enrollment could increase by 3000 to 3,350 students by the year 2022. Staff members will also discuss various configurations on the various campuses to accommodate the estimated enrollment increase.

The board has until Wednesday, April 10, to decide whether to terminate the lease. If the lease is ended, the international school would have to re-locate by the start of the 2014-15 school year.

Parents and students at the school plan to speak in front of the school board asking for time, saying that no school can relocate in 15 months in time for the 2014-2015 school year.

So far, the international school has been looking at any and all options should the lease be terminated, said the consultant. 

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