Burlingame High School's Bay Academy program to relocate students amid parent concerns

Over spring break in the San Mateo Union High School District, parents of the 25-or-so students enrolled in Bay Academy at Burlingame High School received a phone call stating that the program would close and their student would be sent to either Mills or Hillsdale high school next year where the academy program also exists. One parent received the news left on a voicemail. 

While the district has assured parents that it is “not a change of services, just a change of placement,” parents are frustrated that a decision was made for them and without any consultation. 

“Basically, with a simple phone call, my son’s future that we had planned for him is destroyed,” Nina Berkovits said. 

The district has been planning the relocation of Burlingame’s Bay Academy students since February, and it was a decision made “to strengthen and expand the program to better support students,” Superintendent Randall Booker said in a statement. 

“By placing the Burlingame-based classes on campuses that already host multiple Bay Academy classrooms, we will create more robust, connected program sites,” Booker said. 

The relocation will not affect students’ educational placement or services, Booker said. Teachers and instructional assistants are also generally moving alongside students, and whether students were moved to Mills or Hillsdale high schools was a decision “based on multiple factors” he said. 

Booker said the district has heard concerns from families affected and has engaged in outreach, but parents said communication and answers to questions has been sparse since the April 1 phone call over spring break. 

Parent concerns

While Hilda Delgadillo is frustrated that her son, Angelo, has to move schools — after she transferred him into Burlingame schools during middle school from San Bruno out of frustration with their special education programs — she is most upset about the lack of communication and support she’s received since the news broke. 

“It’s about how they came across just dropping the news, and when we have questions, they don’t have any answers for us,” Delgadillo said.

While the Bay Academy program may function similarly at the other campuses, parents expressed concern about interrupting their students’ familiarity with a campus that took time to which to acclimate, and interfering with the community they’ve found.

Berkovits’ son, Zane, has autism and is a freshman at Burlingame High School enrolled in the Bay Academy program. He’s highly involved in sports, playing for the tennis team and working as equipment management for varsity teams.

He’s a part of the school’s Best Buddies Club, which partners general education students with special needs students to develop friendships and community. Zane’s older brother, who is now in college, actually started the program at Burlingame High years ago, and his older sister was also involved during her tenure at the school. 

Berkovits and her family have lived in Burlingame for 17 years. She works on Burlingame Avenue, where Zane has gained confidence to walk toward after school, and where life skills lessons are even taught to Bay Academy students. 

Jenna Papapietro’s son is also a freshman at Burlingame High School in the Bay Academy program. He was born with down syndrome and is diagnosed autistic, and the educational program has been a great resource, Papapietro said. 

When Papapietro first received the news, she was fine with the decision, happy that her son would be moved alongside his classmates, teacher and aides. But days went by and she realized the community he would lose by going to another school, away from the students he’s grown alongside. 

Papapietro’s son has grown up in Burlingame schools, around the same general education students his whole life. When he’s walking on Burlingame Avenue, students recognize him and say “hi” and they cheer him on at school dances where he’ll find himself in the middle of a group breakdancing. 

When Papapietro and her older brother with special needs were in high school, “things were very different back then” and she worried her son may have a similar experience, but he’s found support among his peers. 

“They recognize him, and that really warms my heart,” Papapietro said. “I’ve been so happy he’s been accepted.”

While Bay Academy students at Burlingame High School may transfer to a different campus largely alongside their peers in the program, they’ll lose out on the friendships they’ve established among general education students, parents said.

To Jennifer Parker, a mom of a Bay Academy student, the act of moving kids with special needs from their neighborhood school to another campus feels “very ableist.” 

“I believe inclusion is meant to be in your own community, not just any community,” Parker said. “These students are not plug and play.” 

Parker’s son, Lou, has severe epilepsy and his physical proximity is a critical concern of hers. He’s currently a freshman at Burlingame High School in the Bay Academy program, and was told he would be transferred to Mills High School.

Burlingame High School is relatively central in San Mateo Union High School District’s boundaries. Mills is about 3 miles north, and Hillsdale is the southernmost school within the bounds, between a 6- and 9-mile drive away.

The move was defended by the district as a “student-centric decision,” according to Parker. 

Program goals

In an email response to a concerned resident, Booker said “the goal is to strengthen program coherence, increase access to services, and better support students in meeting program goals and learning outcomes.” This includes coursework for the Alternative Diploma pathway that grants eligible students with disabilities the chance to earn a regular high school diploma. 

The move, and consolidation of classes at the two other campus would give students a school day that “can mimic a typical high schooler’s day, with different teachers for different subjects,” and more variety, Parker said.

“Well, my son is not a typical high schooler,” Parker said. “Transitions are hard for him and I actually think he benefits from having one teacher.” 

Parker said she had concerns about the academic success of her son, Lou, as a result of the move, even if the decision was made with good intentions. 

For at least the first semester, Lou will only be focused on readjusting to a new environment, and will “absolutely spend 100% of his effort just trying to get his feet under him.” The other parents expressed a similar concern, stating it took an entire year for their student to get used to Burlingame High School’s campus as well. 

Enrollment challenges?

Currently at Burlingame High School, there are two Bay Academy classrooms taught by two teachers. 

Concerns were raised by parents that the closure of the two Bay Academy classrooms may have been made based on enrollment challenges at Burlingame High, a highly-impacted school with a lengthy waitlist. 

Booker said the Bay Academy move was a decision “made independent of any space considerations at Burlingame” and was not to create classroom space for general education students. 

Parents aren’t so sure that’s the truth.

“That’s prime real estate at Burlingame, they’re not going to just leave those empty, they’re going to fill those,” Berkovits said. “It’s discriminatory.” 

Many emails from parents, alumni and community member have been sent to the district raising concerns over the site move, and many intend to show up to the district’s Board of Trustees meeting April 16. 

Since comments will likely be made during the public comment portion of the meeting, district trustees and staff will be limited on their ability to respond, but board President Teri Chavez said she’s looking forward to listening to all the concerns. 

“I think our community members have important points to make,” Chavez said. “[Booker] felt it was a move that was necessary for the district. … I would be willing to explore any option or alternative if there is one.” 

To Delgadillo, Angelo’s mom, speaking in front of the board and district staff will be emotional, but a necessary fight on behalf of her son. Not unfamiliar with pointing out the flaws of special education programs in public school districts, Delgadillo said she has to speak up. 

“My kid, he can’t communicate, I’m his voice,” Delgadillo said. “Not only am I his parent, I’m his voice. These kids are already having a hard life as it is, and they’re not making is easier.”