Parents, teachers press district on combined classes, playground safety at Liberty Elementary

Several parents and teachers urged the Chula Vista Elementary School District to address safety and instructional concerns at Liberty Elementary and across the district during the meeting’s public comment period.

Parent Taylor Fabien told trustees she has a kindergartner at Liberty and said the main playground has uneven elevations and is not fully fenced, which she said limits safe play for kindergarten students and makes recess unsafe. Fabien asked the district to keep kindergarteners off the large open yard during lunch recess until the hazard is addressed: “Solo pido que los niños de kinder no estén en el recreo del almuerzo en ese patio grande.”

Fabien also raised concerns about combined (combo) classrooms at Liberty, including a combined kindergarten–first grade class and other mixed‑grade assignments. She asked the district to review how Proposition 28 arts funding and other resources are being apportioned and to seek creative ways to reduce combined classes so students receive grade‑level instruction.

Vanessa Saint John, a special education teacher with 26 years’ experience, invited trustees and administrators to a school community safety event and asked the district to publicize community events and resources. Board members and staff acknowledged the concerns; trustees asked staff to evaluate playground fencing and safety and to report back on scheduling and site‑level decisions that led to combo classrooms.

There was no vote on the public comments. Trustees said staff will follow up with operational reviews and provide updates to the board on safety fixes and classroom assignment practices.