With Fewer Students, CVHS Cuts Classes

More than a month after school has started, Capistrano Valley High School has to make some changes to the schedule and cut three of its 424 classes.

In a letter from Principal Kevin Astor, penned last week but emailed to parents Monday, he explains that enrollment is down this year, which requires some serious schedule changes.

“As we look to provide the best possible education for all of our students, we maintain staffing ratios based on attendance and enrollment projections,” Astor wrote. “At this point the enrollment is lower than we had previously expected which will result in the reduction of our staffing allotment.”

According to a presentation made last month to the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, Capo Valley High’s enrollment is down 6.8 percent this year over last, with just under 2,500 students at the start of school in September.

In addition, class sizes are larger this year, across all grades, requiring fewer teachers, according to the budget the board passed in June.

Astor said the changes will impact students in several ways. Besides the elimination of the three periods of classes – whose course titles were not provided – some students may suddenly have a new teacher for a current course. Other classes may have additional students join them.

“We know that any time there is a schedule change after the beginning of the school year, it may cause some temporary anxiety,” Astor wrote. “As an educational team we attempt to minimize anxiety and to reduce the levels of stress that can accompany change.”