After nearly two hours of discussion during a special meeting Tuesday evening, the OVSD board said it will vote on whether to close, consolidate or repurpose the schools during its regularly scheduled Nov. 14 meeting. The pending decision will culminate a year of surveys and studies conducted by a task force made up of OVSD parents, teachers and other stakeholders amid concerns about dwindling enrollment.

“In retrospect, we should have started these conversations years ago, but we didn’t,” Board President Patricia Singer said Tuesday evening. “We are here now. We have been talking about it and have been open and transparent.”

The board will decide on each of the four schools separately, said Singer, meaning each could have different outcomes.

OVSD — which serves parts of Huntington Beach, Westminster, Fountain Valley and Midway City — is home to more than 6,800 students across 15 schools. The district has had a drop of about 2,600 students since 2013, and it closed Sun View Elementary in Huntington Beach in 2018 because of declining enrollment.

The decision to move forward with a vote next week came after the board was presented with the task force’s 19 recommendations to address dropping enrollment in the district. Those recommendations had been split into four categories — innovative, instructional, financial and property management — and included ideas like leasing out unused property, combining certain elementary schools or opening up Golden View’s petting zoo as a field trip destination for other sites.

On Tuesday, the board considered the financial impact of closing, consolidating or repurposing the schools as well as suggestions to receive additional funds.

Smaller class sizes for the four targeted schools was one such idea to help cut back on costs while also increasing academic achievement.

“Students can speak more and teachers get to have deeper relationships” with smaller classrooms, said Julianne Hoefer, an assistant superintendent at OVSD. And that could ultimately attract more students to the district, she said.

But Trustee Morgan Westmoreland disagreed.

“Although I like the idea of having smaller schools, when you drill down what that means, especially at a middle school level, I think we are doing a disservice to our students,” said Westmoreland. “We put ourselves in the position to start operating small schools, and then a few years down the road, we see the same issues come up that we see now, and we could possibly see the state take over. I don’t want that.”

During an October meeting of the task force, Superintendent Michael Conroy said the district is overstaffed by at least 22 teachers because of the lower student enrollment, costing the district an estimated $2.3-3.5 million.

Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin said OVSD should “encourage older teachers in the district to retire.”

“I saw that on the (task force’s) report that it said in regards to enticing teachers to retire that the (financial) impact is minimal. I beg to differ. I think if we entice teachers to retire with substantial incentives, we could be successful,” she said.

Trustees Norm Westwell and Westmoreland predicted schools would consolidate.

“I think the writing is on the wall,” said Westmoreland. “I don’t want to be the leader of a district where decisions are made years down the line where it puts our district in financial distress. The information I have in front of me does not constitute us continuing to operate 10 elementary schools and four middle schools with our current population.”

Westwell said: “I don’t think we have done enough to cut the excessive spending that we have done in our district. But it looks like a decision has already been made: We are going to consolidate schools.”

A coalition of Village View Elementary parents is urging the district to opt against consolidating or closing their students’ campus. They have spearheaded a petition that has been signed by more than 1,500 people as of Wednesday afternoon, urging the board not to consider closure.

Village View parent Ryan Joly said he and other parents plan to meet with Westmoreland and Clayton-Tarvin next week to discuss the future of the schools.

Parents of students at the other schools have been outspoken on social media as well. Other petitions have circulated in previous months in attempts to keep the schools open.

The foundation brought in $4,964,725 so far during its 2023 drive, the organization said.

The Giving Days drive is an online effort that matches local donors with Orange County nonprofits that address a wide range of causes, including human services, education, health and wellness, environment, the arts and community development. OCCF’s year-long series of Giving Days, which began as a countywide day of giving in 2015, is in its seventh year, and more than 7,000 donors and 137 nonprofits were represented this year.

“Each year, our iheartOC Giving Days bring vital support to nonprofits working to make Orange County a better place for all who call our county home,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO of OCCF.

Since 2015, OCCF’s Giving Days have raised nearly $26 million for local nonprofits. The first two countywide Giving Days in 2015 and 2016 garnered a combined total of $5 million.

Donors can earmark their contributions to several cause-specific initiatives, like ImpACT Anaheim to help underserved youth, The Future Is Working to bolster the workforce, Protect and Preserve to focus on sustainability needs and Help Them Home to assist the local homeless population.

“Every night, people experiencing homelessness don’t know where they will sleep or if they will be safe. OCCF’s ‘Help Them Home’ Giving Days raises much-needed funds to bring hope and housing to thousands that result in a direct and immediate impact for our neighbors,” said Brateil Aghasi, the CEO of WISEPLACE, an organization that cares for unhoused women.

Since 2015, 51.9% of donations have gone to organizations supporting the housing and homelessness crisis in Orange County. Youth organizations have also held a major role during OCCF’s Giving Days, with 28.5% of donations going toward youth services.

In May, the foundation launched a mental health initiative called “Imagining Mental Wellness.” So far, ​​about $368,000 has been raised by 768 donors for 18 organizations.

“Our first Giving Days was a heartwarming testament to the power of community coming together to make a positive impact,” said Rebecca Kindreich, the executive director of SEEDS Therapy, a faith-based center that assists students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It has been the most-donated organization through the Imagining Mental Wellness initiative with $49,512 raised.

While OCFF promotes cause-specific initiatives on certain days, donations can be made anytime through the foundation’s website.

The River Street Marketplace will be an outdoor community gathering space, a project that has been in the works for several years, that will feature rustic and native Californian-inspired architecture, with six buildings around a central green area for pedestrians to congregate.

The project will feature various dining concepts and retailers, local art work, a butcher, a cheese shop and a full bar and brewery. It will also hold an area of communal tables for outdoor dining.

Construction on the 60,000-square-foot development is slated to finish around early 2024, said Dan Almquist, the founder and CEO of Almquist Developers, with tenants of the marketplace to begin opening throughout the first months of the new year.

“It has been such a personal journey,” said Almquist, a San Juan Capistrano resident. “I have been working on this for almost 10 years now. It is really neat to see all the thought and work that has gone into it, and right now, it feels really good to have people express their excitement for the project.”

Overall, 35 retailers or restaurants are expected to occupy the River Street Marketplace, said Almquist. And that includes Bred’s Hot Chicken, Capistrano Brewing, Free People, McConnell’s Ice Cream, Mendocino Farms, Toes on the Nose and Ubuntu Café.

“I know I speak for many residents when I say that we cannot wait,” said Mayor Howard Hart. “I am supremely confident that with the amount of thought and effort Dan Almquist and his team have put into this project. San Juan Capistrano will benefit for generations.”

The vision for the project, said Almquist, is creating a gathering place for the community to come together.

“As you see it come to life, I know that is what it is going to be,” he said. “It will be really impactful for not only San Juan Capistrano but south Orange County as well.”

Built in the Los Rios district of San Juan Capistrano, one of the oldest neighborhoods in California, the River Street Marketplace will feature agrarian architecture broken up across smaller buildings. It will have walkways for pedestrian use throughout the marketplace.

The project is located in the heart of downtown San Juan Capistrano next to Zoomars at River Street Ranch, a petting zoo that the Almquist family also owns.

This project has been in discussion since 2016 after Almquist Developers, previously known as Frontier Real Estate Investments, pitched the concept to the City Council after it purchased the property Ito Nursery, which shuttered in 2021. Then, Almquist billed it as a “legacy project” that could make San Juan Capistrano a dining destination.

The City Council originally approved the project in October 2019, and the project’s footprint was eventually reduced — and extra green space added — to address residents’ concerns about traffic and noise, among other issues.

For Almquist, it has been all about establishing trust with the community.

“Everything that happened, in retrospect, was an opportunity for everyone in the project to get comfortable with each other, and we ultimately ended up with a better project,” said Almquist. “Change is hard, and San Juan Capistrano is constantly changing. I understand that people are going to have hesitations and questions, and it is on us to foster the relationship and do things in a transparent and forthright way.”

Developers officially broke ground on Feb. 16, 2022, with an expected completion date of late 2022 or early 2023, but wet weather pushed the project back about a year, said Almquist.

Besides River Street Marketplace, Almquist Developers has been in the process of constructing similar developments in Whittier and downtown Fullerton and is in talks to collaborate with the Great Park in Irvine. Almquist Developers has additionally assisted in the developments and updates of other local spots in the San Juan Capistrano, such as Capistrano Plaza, Mayfield Restaurant and Marketplace, Breezy’s and Heritage’s Barbecue.

That’s a 32% increase, Mission Viejo leaders said, as the estimated cost of the project is now at more than $67.8 million for the project that involves updates and additions to the existing Village Shopping Center off of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road.

That updated projected cost includes the $12 million purchase of the Stein Mart building in December 2021.

The city’s original estimate for this project in September 2021 was $46 million. The price increased, said Assistant City Manager Keith Rattay, because real estate and construction costs have risen over the past two years.

“This is the natural progression for a project like this,” Rattay said.

The City Council unanimously agreed during its Oct. 24 meeting to move forward on the initial phase of the project, called the “Go Forward” plan. The project is planned out in five phases over several years.

Since 2017, the city has been working at Oso Creek to expand the area to include a one-of-a-kind shopping, entertainment and event plaza called the Los Osos Core Area. This project will take over the older shopping center and connect to the greater project on Oso Creek.

This first phase of the project will construct a connection from the Mission Viejo Civic Center and library to the North Paseo area by a pedestrian walkway. Additionally, a park and gathering space will be built at the end of the walkway toward Oso Creek for community members to congregate.

“I think in the next 30 years, we’re going to look back and go, ‘What a brilliant idea this was,’” said Mayor Brian Goodell. “And we’re going to add another jewel to the beautiful crown of Mission Viejo.”

According to the approved site plan, the Los Osos Core Area project will encompass 22,736 square feet.

Once the shopping and entertainment centers are completed, the city can anticipate a sales tax generation of $3.57 per square foot, roughly equating to between $50,000 and $65,000 of additional sales tax per year to Mission Viejo, according to Rattay.

Councilmember Cynthia Vasquez said she was concerned by the potential lack of interest of developers in the project. Of the 17 firms contacted for involvement, only one conveyed interest, councilmembers were told.

“I have to admit, it is very concerning to me,” Vasquez said. “It makes me wonder if there are aspects we’re overlooking. It makes me curious to know if there are insights that the developers have that we’re missing.”

“I support this,” said Vasquez, “I just want to make sure we are doing all of the due diligence we can.”

Rattay shared feedback given from a recent walking tour event as well as other comments received from residents in recent months.

Aside from positive comments, residents expressed concerns about whether the project would include an efficient parking area. Residents said they wanted to allow vehicular traffic through the middle of the project. Others said they wanted a bike park or bike access through the center of the Los Osos Core Area, a bridge to be constructed over Marguerite Parkway that would connect to the Civic Center and a veterans memorial.

Rattay said a veterans memorial would be included, but he did not specify where it is planned.

“I think what we are doing is a good thing,” said Mayor Pro Tem Trish Kelley. “What I am seeing is a lot of excitement about the project.”

Mission Viejo will now hire an environmental consultant to develop the submittals required for the various state and federal regulatory agencies, and the design team that has already been working on the project will develop working drawings for the Los Osos Core Area.

The environmental consultations are expected to take place between December 2023 and the beginning of 2025, when construction would then begin for the first phase.

The event, held at the Santa Ana Zoo on Oct. 30, was a celebration for these young individuals, ages 2-13 years old, as they received their certificates in a setting infused with the spirit of Halloween. Many of the kids, as well as the officers conducting the ceremony, donned creative costumes for the occasion.

Eleven-year-old John Vu from Vietnam, who was dressed as an astronaut, waved his American flag as he repeated: “I am so excited.” His mother, Vivian Le, beamed at him with excitement.

The ceremony recognized children who have obtained their U.S. citizenship by adoption or through their parents who already underwent the naturalization process.

Some of the countries that were represented at the ceremony included China, Mexico, Belarus, Vietnam and Iran.

“Our nation has always been a beacon of hope, where dreams become reality,” said Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, who spoke during the event. “Today we not only recognize your individual journeys to citizenship, but we celebrate the very essence of our nation’s strength and diversity.”

“The United States is a nation of immigrants, and this ceremony is a representation of that,” she said.

Following the oath of allegiance and congratulatory remarks, the children’s names were called out, and they approached the podium to receive their citizenship certificates.

The zoo’s amphitheater echoed with applause and cheers as each child walked off the stage as official citizens, and they were given Halloween-themed treat bags filled with candy and small toys.

Sheila Mahmoudi, deputy director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, was dressed as Batman Monday — and she said the costumes created an easier connection between her and the kids.

“It is so exciting. I am really happy to see all of this,” said Mahmoudi. “In the past, when I would be in my suit, I think that it could be a bit more intimidating. But now, the kids see me as Batman and say, ‘Oh, I want to come up,’ and I love it. I am glad to get to connect with them on Halloween in this way.”

After the event, the children and their parents were welcomed to tour the zoo to complete the celebration alongside many members of USCIS.

In 2022, about 967,500 new citizens were welcomed by USCIS, a 20% increase from 2021 and the highest number of naturalizations seen since 2008, according to stats from the Department of Homeland Security agency.

The performance company has been in collaboration with the city since May, said Tiffney Beckloff, executive director of Bravo Players Guild. And in September, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of allowing the Guild to have a home in the Los Osos Core Area for 15 months.

“Our new rehearsal space for our Players is amazing and will allow us the flexibility to rehearse and elevate our productions and performances in a way that we had previously only dreamed of,” said Beckloff.

During the Sept. 26 meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Trish Kelley said: “I think that this is a fantastic idea. I really love this idea. I think it would be wonderful to see this venue utilized for the performing arts.”

This occupancy is temporary, according to the agreement, and once the lease is up, the building will be given back to the city. Details on what the property will become then were not specified.

But after those 15 months are up, said Beckloff, the company is hoping to stay in the area, ideally in Mission Viejo, in order to stay central to a lot of the families who are in the company.

“I think this is fabulous,” said Councilmember Wendy Buckman. “Being married to someone who performed in high school, it means a lot.”

“This is a great enhancement to the area,” she said. “Anything that supports our youth and where they are in good, healthy groups where they belong is a great interest that I will support.”

The company is already using the building as it rehearses for its Nov. 15-18 performance of “The Lion King Jr.” With its productions, Beckloff said, the Bravo Players Guild is committed to bringing a unique level of “show” to the performing community.

“What these kids go through in terms of the audition process, the rehearsals and how the shows are run is exactly what professionals in Broadway shows go through,” said Beckloff. “It is to give them the whole taste of the world. And they just thrive and love it.”

With the new space, Beckloff said she hopes to start offering more acting, dance and vocal classes for the community in addition to more summer-intensive acting camps.

“We want to bring more of the arts to the kids in the community,” said Beckloff. “If we are able to offer more shows, after-school programs, that is a good niche area to grow our talent in the city.”

Since 2017, Mission Viejo has been working at Oso Creek to expand the area to include a one-of-a-kind shopping, entertainment and event plaza called the Los Osos Core Area. Located at the Village Center off of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road, the 22,736 square-foot plan has been taking over the older shopping center and connects to the greater project on Oso Creek.

Recently, Mission Viejo conducted an in-field walking tour for the Los Osos Core Area project, giving residents a chance to see the budding project and provide feedback.

The tour allowed community members to view the entire site, including the areas where Mission Viejo will eventually expand later in the project.

The next phase of the project includes connecting the North Paseo area, which includes the shopping center, to the north bridge that expands over Oso Creek. This will be the central point for the portion of the Oso Creek Trail that runs on the eastern side of Oso Creek back to the shopping center.

The task force was convened earlier this year to determine if four schools — Circle View, Village View and Golden View elementary schools as well as Spring View Middle School — should close due to declining enrollment in the district or if schools should otherwise be consolidated or repurposed.

The school board scheduled a special study session on Tuesday, Nov. 7 to assess the results of the task force’s recommendations, said Trustee Jack Souders. Those 19 ideas will be whittled down to nine options after that November meeting, he said.

The task force’s recommendations were split into four categories: innovative, instructional, financial and property management suggestions.

Property management suggestions include leasing unused properties before closing them or developing empty sites for senior living, employee housing or sports complexes.

The task force also took a look at options with Spring View Middle in Huntington Beach. It suggested the middle school be remodeled to be able to house an elementary school for grades kindergarten through fifth. Its middle school students, the task force said, could be moved to the three other middle schools within the district.

In all, the task force said, three elementary schools could be consolidated into Spring View. And the current middle school, according to the task force, could also become home for OVSD’s office in Huntington Beach.

The district could consolidate Golden View Elementary with College View Elementary, the task force also suggested.

Its innovative ideas for the district include identifying elective programs that could be moved from the four targeted schools to other sites in the district, making Golden View’s farm (a petting zoo and garden attached to the school) as a field trip destination for other sites or enticing teachers to retire.

During an October meeting of the task force, OVSD Superintendent Michael Conroy said the district is overstaffed by at least 22 teachers because of the lower student enrollment, costing the district an estimated $2.3-3.5 million.

As for instructional ideas, the task force recommended opening Golden View’s farm to other school districts for a rental fee, offering instructional programs that aren’t available at other nearby districts and developing new innovative curricula at its schools.

The task force also suggested returning all students in the “Gifted and Talented Education” programs to their home schools to complete their education. Students who qualify for GATE are offered a unique, advanced education program at Circle View and Star View elementary schools as well as Mesa View Middle School. Qualifying students transfer from their home schools to these campuses to complete the program, but the task force recommended the program be offered at their home schools instead.

As for financial ideas, OVSD could address over-staffing as a cost-saving method, the task force suggested, or look for grants and other creative funding approaches for campus improvement projects.

There will not be a vote during the special meeting, but Board President Patricia Singer said one is expected within the following months.

At the final task force meeting on Oct. 12, the results of an anonymous survey completed last month by members were unveiled. In the survey, 22 respondents favored a plan to consolidate and repurpose schools, targeting one or two per designed year. However, 14 respondents said it would be better to consolidate schools all at once.

The task force, convened by district officials in February, is made up of more than 40 members from around the OVSD community, including parents and teachers.

OVSD has grappled with the decision to consolidate, close or repurpose four schools in the district in recent months because of a dwindling student population and the effects that has had on the district.

Board Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin has said she does not want to see schools closed or consolidated.

“As a parent of the district and a faithful member of the board, this is not the direction I will vote on nor foresee happening,” Clayton-Tarvin said.

OVSD — which serves parts of Huntington Beach, Westminster, Fountain Valley and Midway City — is home to more than 6,809 students across 15 schools. The district has had a drop of about 2,600 students since 2013, and it most recently closed Sun View Elementary in Huntington Beach in 2018 due to the lack of enrollment.

Peppered among them were several strollers, representing the children kidnapped by Hamas.

“This entire situation is deep-rooted and complicated,” said Aaron Recter, an Irvine resident. “My main focus right now is on the innocent children who have lost their lives to this. As a father myself, I could never imagine the pain and hurt these families are feeling.”

The vigil took place at the corner of Culver Drive and Alton Parkway on the evening of Oct. 26, with about 100 people of all ages in attendance.

Many carried large Israeli or American flags in their hands. Attitudes were somber as shouts rang out with the names of the lives taken in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, but some were angered and upset over the events that have unfolded.

Genna Kirta, an Israel native, said all she wishes for is peace.

“It is unimaginable seeing your people experience this,” she said. “My hope is for calmness, for reconciliation and ultimately for the people causing terror to receive justice for their actions. Who knows when and how that will take place, but all I want is the people wrongly affected by these actions to be saved and out of harm’s way.”

“I just want peace,” Kirta said.

Julia Heiman said it’s important to her that people don’t misinterpret the rally as one that supports an Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Hamas will use the ceasefire to rearm and attack Israel again, she said.

“Of course, Israel wants peace, and our community wants peace with our neighbors,” Heiman, an Irvine resident, said. “But Israel can’t make peace with a terrorist organization that is bent on its destruction.”

A consistent stream of honks came from the cars passing by the intersection; some people even hung out of their vehicles to shout in support.

“I am thankful that this event was organized,” said attendee Michael Broder, who was in tears. “It gives the people who may not be too familiar with the Israeli perspective a chance to see the impact that this war is causing.”

“I get that there are two sides to the story, but my heart stands with those who have had family members pass or hurt,” he said. “My heart stands with the children who have been taken from this world. My heart stands with the 200 chairs that are placed on this corner.”

The event was organized by the Orange County chapter of the Israeli-American Council. Rallies for Israel organized by the IAC have been held coast to coast following Hamas’ attack on Israel earlier this month, the deadliest one in decades.

Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on sleepy Israeli towns on Oct. 7 from the blockaded Gaza Strip. A stunned Israel ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip, launching waves of airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled territory.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack, the Israeli military said this week — and an estimated 200 people were kidnapped and are being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

Additionally, more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry, the only official source for deaths in Gaza.

Stephaney Avital, a Newport Beach resident and member of Orange County’s Jewish community who helped put together the rally, said the point of the vigil is to keep the kidnapped men, women and children at the “forefront of people’s minds.”

“We’re trying to keep awareness of the 200+ kidnapped victims that are in Gaza still because we feel like the international community is not giving it the attention it needs or not taking it seriously to get these people out of Gaza,” Avital said. “And so here in Orange County, we’re feeling helpless.”

Tragically, she and her husband, Asher Avital, have a deeply personal connection to the Israel-Hamas war. One of Asher Avital’s cousins, 33-year-old Or Levy who attended the Supernova music festival in the Israeli desert on Oct. 7, is missing. Or Levy’s wife, 32-year-old Eynav Levy, was killed at the festival.

Or Levy holds an executive role at a technology company. Eynav Levy was a product designer. They were just two people who wanted to live their lives, have fun and listen to music, Asher Avital said.

“They had dinner with their parents the night before leaving for a day of fun, to spend time with friends and listen to music,” said Asher Avital. “Or and Eynav were hiding in a bomb shelter with maybe 20 or 30 people. And the Hamas terrorists kept throwing grenades inside.”

“And you can imagine what happened,” Asher Avital said.

The family thought it would be a matter of hours before they heard about Or Levy’s death, Asher Avital said, but Israeli military officials informed them that they thought he was kidnapped. They had located Or Levy’s phone in Gaza, Asher Avital said.

“We need our men, women and children returned from Gaza. That’s the whole point of doing this,” said Stephaney Avital.

The Israeli-American Council is a group that spans over 22 regional offices, 73 communities and 104 campuses, each with the goal to engage a “coast-to-coast community that strengthens the Israeli and Jewish identities of our next generation.” The council began in 2007 and has been expanding ever since — the Orange County chapter was founded in 2018.

The organization’s mission, according to its website, is to “build an engaged and united Israeli-American community that strengthens the Israeli and Jewish identity of our next generation, the American Jewish community, and the bond between the peoples of the United States and the State of Israel.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story has been edited.

The City Council allocated $10,000 for the event during its Oct. 17 meeting, with plans for it to blossom into a yearly tradition for Lake Forest, councilmembers said.

While specifics about the type of event have not been finalized, some ideas floated during the City Council meeting included a Lunar New Year celebration, fundraisers or a general multicultural celebration that would include many backgrounds.

“We are a city that is growing, and I do think that we should celebrate the cultural differences we have to bring people together,” said Councilmember Scott Voigts.

The council voted 4-0 to establish an event — Mayor Doug Cirbo was absent — following a presentation from Nicole Houston, the city’s management analyst. The city has conducted research since June, she said, to determine a budget, one that could be expanded on if needed.

City officials looked at Buena Park and La Palma as examples, Houston said, examining what events they have held as well as their budgets.

La Palma’s event, Culture Fest, took place last year and included a festival, car show, parade, food trucks and live entertainment with a budget of just under $30,000. Buena Park hosted a similar event, Festival of Nations, with a similar budget that attracted many people from around Orange County, according to the presentation.

Lake Forest’s future event is expected to be held at the Civic Center, said city spokesperson Jonathan Volzke, which will allow the use of the courtyard as well as the Performing Arts Center to host booths and performances.

“Lake Forest is already home to several signature events — from our annual Tree Lighting at the Civic Center to Concerts in the Park to our July 4 Parade — and we’re looking at the calendar to identify the right date, which will set our timelines for reaching out to potential participants,” said Volzke.

Lake Forest’s Community Services Division is taking the lead on the event, and the city is also compiling a work group to ensure it “presents a multi-faceted and entertaining event that will allow Lake Forest residents to appreciate the many cultures that make up our community,” Volzke said.

“I remember looking back to the Lake Forest City Council in 2014 and not seeing any diversity, but now, our council has diversity, and I think that is a reflection of where our city is currently at,” said Councilmember Benjamin Yu. “We have to start somewhere, and this is a great way to start. We begin at a smaller scale, and then we can go from there.”

Additional updates on the future event will come soon, said Volzke.

The task force was convened earlier this year to determine if four schools — Circle View, Village View and Golden View elementary schools as well as Spring View Middle School — should close due to declining enrollment in the district or if schools should otherwise be consolidated or repurposed.

Overall, the task force provided 19 options to the OVSD board, and they will be discussed during the board committee reports section of its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 24, according to Board President Patricia Singer.

The board won’t vote on any of the recommendations on Tuesday, Singer said, but a decision is expected next month.

At the final task force meeting on Oct. 12, OVSD Superintendent Michael Conroy presented data on the district’s financial prospects. The district, Conroy said, is overstaffed by at least 22 teachers because of the lower student enrollment, costing the district between $2.3-3.5 million.

The task force also unveiled the results of an anonymous survey that its members completed last month. In the survey, 22 respondents favored a plan to consolidate and repurpose schools, targeting one or two per designed year. However, 14 respondents said it would be better to consolidate schools all at once.

Specifics on a consolidation plan were not given during the meeting, but Conroy said it could involve all four of the targeted schools or be a mix of them. Other options included reducing each grade to only having three teachers or folding one of the four targeted schools with a different school within the district.

Only eight members said the schools should not be consolidated or repurposed.

The task force, convened by district officials in February, is made up of more than 40 members from around the OVSD community, including parents and teachers.

OVSD has grappled with the decision to consolidate, close or repurpose schools in recent months because of a dwindling student population and the effects that has had on the district.

OVSD — which serves parts of Huntington Beach, Westminster and Fountain Valley — is home to more than 6,809 students across 15 schools. The district has had a drop of about 2,600 students since 2013, and it most recently closed Sun View Elementary in Huntington Beach in 2018 due to the lack of enrollment.

OVSD Board Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin attributed the decline in enrollment to an overall decline in the birth rate in California as well as the older population that occupies the district rather than the state of education.

“We have an aging community who we love and appreciate, but I know we need school-age children to keep this district going,” said Clayton-Tarvin. “We need younger families living in the area.”

She does not want to see schools closed or consolidated. “As a parent of the district and a faithful member of the board, this is not the direction I will vote on nor foresee happening,” Clayton-Tarvin said.

Neither of the other board members nor Conroy responded to requests for comment.

The OVSD board will meet today at 6 p.m. at 17200 Pinehurst Lane in Huntington Beach.