Cardiff kids back at school

After months away from school due to the pandemic and construction delays, Cardiff School kindergartners and first graders returned for in-person instruction on Oct. 5.

“Cardiff students are excited to be at school and are loving the new play equipment and grassy playfields,” said Cardiff School Principal Julie Parker.

Students in the district are attending school in a hybrid schedule as well as a distance learning option. As construction continues on the new campus, second through sixth grade Cardiff students are temporarily in school at Ada Harris. Students are expected to be able to move into new classroom buildings after the winter break.

Cardiff School students play on the new playground equipment on campus.

(Courtesy)

The school district continues to fight a lawsuit filed against them by Save the Park and Build the School over the conversion of the school play fields known as George Berkich Park—last month the National Park Service rescinded its April 2020 approval of the boundary conversion. The lawsuit has halted construction in the park boundary since July and the district made the decision to delay the planned Sept. 14 reopening of school as they said they could not complete safety measures such as an ADA accessible walkway and parking lot improvements.

On Oct. 7, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California ruled in favor of Cardiff School District regarding two pending motions, allowing the school to move forward on completing a walkway and biofiltration basins. Both are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.