Survey: Most prefer ‘Castaic High School’ name

Two-thirds of respondents in a Hart district online survey said the district’s proposed high school in Castaic should be named, simply, Castaic High School, a district spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Of the 330 responses submitted in the district’s survey, about 220 were in support of the name, according to William S. Hart Union High School District spokeswoman Gail Pinsker.

The district hosted a public survey for two weeks calling for suggested names for the school that is set to be built in Romero Canyon in Castaic. The survey closed Feb. 25.

Pinsker stressed the survey is not a vote or popularity contest, but rather will be used to give guidance to a citizens’ group that will meet later this month.

The members of that committee include Pinsker, Hart district Director of Human Resources and Equity Services Greg Lee, Castaic Area Town Council member Flo Lawrence and parents and teachers from both the Hart district and Castaic Union School District.

Pinsker said the committee will review the results of the survey and generate additional ideas before forwarding a list of up to 10 potential names for the school to the Hart district board for approval.

The role of the committee is solely advisory, Pinsker said. Members of the district board can select any name for the school they choose, regardless of whether it is included on the committee’s list of suggestions.

The district board is expected to consider name recommendations at its April 17 meeting.

While the name Castaic High School drew the lion’s share of support, other prevalent name suggestions in the survey included variations of the Castaic name, such as Castaic Lake, Castaic Oaks and Castaic Ridge, according to Pinsker.

Another popular suggestion was “Romero Canyon High School,” after the school’s location, Pinsker said.

Pinsker said the district also received several suggestions to name the school “Ramona High School,” possibly after the heroine in Helen Hunt Jackson’s 1884 novel “Ramona.”

The setting for the novel is believed to have been modeled in part on nearby Rancho Camulos, which Jackson is said to have visited when she was writing her book.

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Survey: Most prefer ‘Castaic High School’ name

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	Posted: March 5, 2013 3:40 p.m. Updated: March 5, 2013 3:40 p.m.


	castaicjack: Posted: March 5, 2013 9:56 p.m. So now that the obvious has been reaffirmed, it must now be passed onto an "advisory committee" which will then generate up to ten additional names that will be submitted to the Hart district. The latter, as stated, will then have the option of ignoring the results of the survey as well as that of the advisory committee. Are you kidding me? My bet? Well, the only certainty here is that it won't be "Castaic High School"... RoosterBooster: Posted: March 6, 2013 7:19 a.m. Pitchess Honor Rancho Perp Prep castaicjack: Posted: March 6, 2013 10:16 a.m. I'm really pleased Castaic Town Councilman "Flo" Lawrence is heading up the effort to name the school to-be-named-later. This is the guy who had no clue about the growth and traffic inflow from the south, steadfastly maintaining it would come from the north, and when it became obvious even to him that two access roads would be necessary to manage it, stood up on his hind legs and stated he couldn't understand why two access roads weren't included in the first place! Well, that's right, he couldn't understand. He shouldn't be naming a school, he should be in one... CastaicClay: Posted: March 6, 2013 12:42 p.m. I hope no one is being paid for since it doesn't matter in the end. That would be waste.....right? How is it that the "citizens committee" has district board members on it? VanessaBrookman: Posted: March 6, 2013 7:43 p.m. TWO THIRDS said Castaic High School... seems like a NO BRAINER TO ME - ya ya, I know, so what! I want it to be called Castaic High School (I was 1 of the 220 votes for that) and I want the mascot to be a Coyote!!!! colors??? maybe like a burnt orange and ??? - thinking desert type colors flolawrence: Posted: March 6, 2013 9:31 p.m. Hey Jack. I don't know you, but I know that's not your name. You hide behind a screen name. You put words in my mouth, and insult me. I don't know who the hell you're quoting, but it isn't me. You've never introduced yourself to me at a Town Council meeting or a Hart School Board meeting. I'm just trying to get the kids in our community a High School. You complain and criticize from the safety of your computer screen. If you've got something to say to me, - let's go. I'm not hard to find. But you won't, 'cause you're a coward. A sad pathetic little man. Guess what? You don't know jack... castaicjack: Posted: March 7, 2013 12:33 a.m. "flo": Hey, look sport, here are your own words quoted from previous articles. Let's examine the gems. First, "flo" on future development: "The NORTHERN end of this valley will grow out and build out." "We will build a high school for the next 100 years." "We need to build a school to serve THIS community in 2020, and 2030 and 2040". http://www.signalscv.com/archives/71543/ Does anybody believe "this community" means the mega Newhall Ranch project that will be built SOUTH and WEST of Castaic and will send its students to the Castaic High School? The fact is the majority of future students for the school-to-be-named-later will come from the aforementioned site. As for access, here's the quote from "flo": "I couldn't be happier with the compromise that's been reached". That compromise does not include dual access when the school opens now does it? Finally, I couldn't find the quote just yet from the meeting in which you stated you couldn't understand why the school-to-be-named later didn't have dual access to begin with but, given time, I'll probably find that gem as well... jmessina: Posted: March 7, 2013 2:23 a.m. CastaicJack.. I cant get involved with this conversation too deeply for obvious reasons, but FLO is right. I love you guys that hide behind fake names and come out as if the have a clue. People like FLO are engaged and work hard to better the community. I would guess he has done more for his community in 6 mos than you may have done in 6 years. and Yes I am guessing that based on your attitude in the posts. What makes a community great are people that are willing to work hard. Not people who want to post nasties... Good Luck with yourself. Rocketeer: Posted: March 7, 2013 2:54 a.m. "Hey Jack. I don't know you, but I know that's not your name. You hide behind a screen name." Flo, what would you do if you did know CastaicJacks' name? Or his address? Would you visit his house and beat him into submission? I've been insulted many times on the Signal's comment forum. I do not condescend to return in kind. A mature civilized person debates IDEAS. You, apparently, are neither. I am appalled that you are employed by any school district, let alone one in Santa Clarita. I'd give you MY name and address if I were not convinced you would show up at my house to slash my tires and possibly attack my young children. You should be ashamed of your conduct. As should jmessina. Are the police HIDING behind their bulletproof vests? Does the Army HIDE behind their armor? No, those are reasonable protections against mad dogs. As both of you have shown yourselves to be. Grow up or resign. WRexHole: Posted: March 7, 2013 12:14 p.m. Hey rockette man: Go Buck yourself. Fl0: Are you related to Cash Flo and her sister Trixie? Clay: You are an imbecile for even thinking two access roads has any thing significant to do with NR. Its the local traffic and freeway closures not to mention brush fires. gpinsker: Posted: March 7, 2013 12:38 p.m. Castaic Clay and others, this is Gail Pinsker, Public Relations Officer for the Hart School District and Chair of the Naming Committee, as designated by the Superintendent. There are NO Hart District School Board members on this committee and no one is getting paid to be on this committee. Greg Lee and I are two District representatives and we are doing this as part of our jobs with the district. The full list of committee members that the Signal did not print are as follows: Chair - Gail Pinsker, Hart District Public Relations Officer District representative - Greg Lee, Director of HR and Equity Services Castaic School District representatives selected by Castaic Superintendent, Jim Gibson: Roxanne Kamins, Castaic ES parent / PTA member Michele Olafsson, Castaic Middle School parent and teacher Suzanne Graff, Live Oak ES teacher and Castaic Teachers Association President Kim Baljet, Northlake Hills ES parent and teacher Castaic Town Council representative - Flo Lawrence, CTC President Greg Kimura, Val Verde Town Council President Renee Sabol, Castaic resident Barbara Cawley, West Ranch High School parent, lives in Castaic Pete Romo, Valencia High School parent, lives in Castaic We are appreciative of the personal time that this group of active Castaic and Val Verde citizens are contributing to this committee that will make a recommendation to the school board for final selection. Please see Board Policy 7310, Naming of Facility for additional information on this process. Here is the link: http://www.gamutonline.net/district/whart/displayPolicy/195707/index.html Thank you all in your interest in our plans to build a state-of-the-art high school in Castaic, as promised to the community more than a decade ago. CastaicClay: Posted: March 7, 2013 2:52 p.m. Thank you for clarifying. I did not make the distinction between a Board member and an Employee. castaicjack: Posted: March 7, 2013 4:18 p.m. While I didn't have time to find the one reference from the signal wherein Flo stated he couldn't understand why there weren't two access routes from the beginning, here's "we need one from the north and one from the south and we need to do it from the beginning" http://scvnews.com/2012/08/16/light-crowd-says-it-wants-dual-access-for-future-castaic-high-school/ Flo is a town council member and as such, he can expect criticism. It goes with the territory. But his chest-beating thug like response is completely over the top.


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