At its Jan. 22, 2026 meeting, the Santa Clara Unified Board of Trustees unanimously approved the master plan for New Valley High School’s relocation to the Wilson Educational Options campus, after 6 decades in portable classrooms.
“What you hope for is a good compromise that addresses the majority of interests,” said Trustee Andy Ratermann. You’ve [Facility Development and Planning Director Michelle Healy] done a good job.”
The final design is based on discussions from over a year of community meetings. The new campus increases green space by reducing capacity to 200 from 250; reducing building footprint and keeping buildings further from neighborhood houses.
Funding comes from 2018’s facilities bond (Measure BB) and cannot be used for other purposes. No money is coming from SCUSD’s general fund.
A Life-Changing School
”This school, the faculty, the teachers, the students turned my son around,” said New Valley parent Caroline Benitez. “He came to this school with 86% truancy. He is now at 96% attendance. I hear him talking about what he wants to do after high school.”
Benitez says she’s not a high school graduate, but she might have been had she had a school like New Valley.
Destiny, a senior, spoke about coming to New Valley convinced she was a failure.
“From middle school, I had constant F’s,” she said. “I was a failure. From the first few steps I took in the New Valley campus, I immediately felt like I belonged. The teachers changed me. Now I am going to be something. I’m going to graduate. I’m going to college. I’m going to be someone.”
Opponents: District’s Priorities Are Wrong
Opponents continue criticizing and calling for more study of already-rejected options.
“New Valley sounds like a wonderful high school,” said Charlotte. “My concern is [the] going away of green space in Santa Clara.”
She said that she didn’t know why the Laurelwood campus wasn’t chosen. Laurelwood was rejected because it would cost twice as much to build an entirely new campus.
“I’m worried about money being spent on this school when there already is a school,” said Carolyn. “These kids, if they want to have all these things they feel they deserve, there is Santa Clara High School, Wilcox High School. They can go to one of those schools.
“We should not be spending all this money on fancy art rooms and science rooms for kids that have said themselves they were skipping classes, weren’t showing up to school,” she continued. “They didn’t end up here by accident.
“My daughter is currently on a wait list for the two really good schools in Santa Clara and hasn’t gotten in. Why don’t you spend the money putting in schools for the students that want to be there, that have showed up consistently? Why not put in valet parking for them [New Valley] too?”
Board Solidarity: Students Are The Priority
Carolyn’s comment prompted pushback from every board member.
“You are worthy of the same facilities as your peers,” said Trustee Vickie Fairchild, directing her remarks at New Valley students. “As teenagers, we make mistakes. We skip school. Even I skipped school.
“Because [students] do those things doesn’t mean that [they] have to be happy in subpar facilities without the things [needed] to be educated appropriately,” Fairchild continued. “That message was sent today and I want to tell you, that that is wrong. You are worthy of having a facility that is equal to your peers. You are worth it.”
Fairchild’s colleagues echoed her comments before voting unanimously to move ahead with the New Valley plan.
For more:
Santa Clara Unified: New Valley High School Finds New Home
New Valley and Wilson Seniors Win Kiwanis Club Turnaround Scholarships
NVHS 60-Year Journey to Permanent Home (Part 1 – New Valley 1965 – 2025)
NVHS: 60-Year Journey to Permanent Home (Part 2 – Status Quo for Neighbors, Sports Clubs or Equity for District Students)
